Pick from full-rigid for hitting the local pumptrack or a suspension fork for the neighborhood dirt jumps with a couple of affordable new Marin Alcatraz mountain bikes. It’s hard to beat the simplicity and fun of a singlespeed dirt jump bike. And Marin’s updated Alcatraz gives you 3 new affordable options to add another bike to your stable…
Marin Alcatraz affordable alloy dirt jump mountain bikes
Hot off Crankworx, Marin has lowered the cost of entry to getting a new DJ bike, adding an all-new rigid build that’s a nice stepping stone to get into dirt jumping and also a perfect bike if you want to dial in your flow on the pumptrack. An affordable bike that MTB legend Matt Jones is happy to throw around in the air.
Plus, the slopestyle-ready version with a 100mm travel fork carries over with an upgraded brake spec. You can still get a frame kit separately to build your dream dirt jumper. And both of those options at still the exact same price as before.
What’s new?
The real deal here is the new simplified Marin Alcatraz 1 complete bike model that sells for a whopping five hundred bucks less than the previous bike.
Of course, the big savings here is a move away from a suspension fork to a new suspension-corrected chromoly steel uni-crown rigid fork with 100x9mm QR dropouts. You won’t get that big hit insurance policy of 100mm of travel up front, but you get a lighter bike overall, and a setup even more ideal for having fun at the pumptrack and smashing around buff trails.
Plus, the rigid Alcatraz is still built tough to handle plenty of airtime. And you can always upgrade to a suspension fork down the road as your riding and tricks progress. And when you do, you could pick up an entry-level Manitou Circus fork from just $320 at today’s prices.
Tech details
What carries over is the same Series 3 6061 aluminum frame built for 26″ wheels, shared between both complete bike builds and the separate frame kit. There you get an alloy frame with 10mm bolt-on x 135mm horizontal dropouts with built-in chain tensioners, internal routing for the rear brake line, semi-integrated 1.5″ tapered headset, a classic 73mm threaded BSA bottom bracket, and ISCG05 tabs to mount a guide or bash guard if you want.
All versions of the Marin Alcatraz come in two sizes – Short or Long – with 385mm or 430mm frame Reach to fit a wide range of riders. Both sizes share the same proven geometry, with matching 69° head & seattube angles and 395mm long chainstays.
2024 Marin Alcatraz – Pricing, options & availability
The most affordable way to get rolling for sure will be the blue fade $900 / 950€ Marin Alcatraz 1 complete build. There you get the alloy frame, steel fork, singlespeed build, and Tektro M280 mechanical disc brakes.
Upgrading to the $1400 / 1500€ Alcatraz 2 build starts with the same frame, then gets you a top-tier coil-spring 100mm Manitou Circus Expert suspension fork. The bike also gets a spec upgrade from last season, now to Shimano MT201 hydraulic disc brakes.
Or you can get the same purple & black fade look – a recreation of Jones’ custom paint from a few years back – in a $550 / 560€ Alcatraz frame kit, and then the rest is up to you. It comes with the alloy frame, tapered ZeroStack headset, seatclamp, and built-in tensioners. Swap all your old parts over for a brand-new dirtjump feel. Or piece together a dream build of the best components for a slopestyle shredder.
You can already chase down your local dealer to order the new 2024 Marin Alcatraz dirtjump bikes now. Some are already in some shops. And the bikes should all be available in stock globally starting from September.
