Marin Rift Zone 2 29: Budget fun shootout - test winner cheap all-mountain for 2529 euros

Good full-suspension mountain bikes are usually only available from 3000 euros. Experience from past tests has taught us this. The great riding fun often costs even more with many bike manufacturers. Marin is different: the aluminium all-mountain Rift Zone from the Californian cult brand Marin starts at less than 2000 euros. Our test bike is the second most expensive model, the Rift Zone 2, which costs 2529 euros. Will this be enough for a lot of trail fun? The aluminium frame on our test bike is mounted on 29-inch wheels and offers 135 millimetres of travel at the rear. The head tube houses a Marzocchi suspension fork with 140 millimetres of travel.

In order to appeal to the widest possible customer base for Rift Zone, the five model variants are available up to 5399 euros, but also with 27.5-inch wheels. But that's not all. The candidate reveals another special feature when you look at the geometry table: the 482 millimetre reach in size L is remarkably long for this suspension travel class. Coupled with the steep seat angle and the super-short chainstays, the new Rift Zone clearly belongs to the more aggressive and fun-oriented type of all-mountain bike. The 35 millimetre short stubby stem and the short seat tube fit perfectly into the picture.

The facts about the Marin Rift Zone 2 29

• Price: 2529 Euro
• Range of use: All Mountain / Trail
• Frame material: Aluminium
• Suspension travel: 140 mm front / 135 mm rear
• Wheel size 29-inch
• Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 15.5 kg in size L
• Weight of wheels: 5800 g
• Warranty: 5 years
• Special features: only 135 millimetres of travel at the rear, very progressive geometry approach

The Marin Rift Zone 2 29 has weaknesses on the climbs

In practice, the dimensions of the frame and the short cockpit of the Marin Rift Zone result in an extremely upright and compact riding position - not for long rides, as there is too much pressure on the hands on flat terrain. During the test, one of our riders even complained of numbness in his fingers. If you want to cover longer distances on the Marin, it's better to move the saddle further back and invest in a longer stem. At 15.5 kilos in frame size L (without pedals), the Marin is by far the lightest bike in this comparison. However, the Rift Zone 2 is still harder to climb than the Merida, which weighs almost two kilos more. The lively rear end and the tough rolling tyres keep the forward momentum within limits. However, the sensitive response behaviour deserves praise. The rear generates the best traction and offers a lot of comfort.

The features of the Marin Rift Zone 2 29

• Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Rail
• Shock: Rockshox Deluxe Select+
• Gear system: Shimano Deore 1x12
• Ratio / bandwidth: 32; 11-51 / 463 %
• Brakes: Shimano BL/BR-MT 200 / 180/180 mm
• dropper post/stroke: Trans X Dropper / 170 mm
• Wheels: Marin Double Wall / Shimano hubs
• Tyres: Vee Tire Flow Snap; Tackee Compound TR 29 x 2.35

One with an asterisk downhill

Once you've finally reached the top, the Marin can show off its best side. The Rift Zone fulfils its promise and offers one thing above all: riding fun! The first few metres on the technical trails around Eberbach confirm this. High front, long reach, short rear - the candidate with the longest wheelbase conveys a lot of smoothness in high-speed passages. The responsive behaviour and the suspension's responsive qualities do the rest.

Despite the shortest suspension travel, the Marzocchi-Rockshox combination is the only one that conveys the suspension quality of a high-quality full-suspension bike. Despite its superiority, the candidate does not appear unmanageable, as the compact riding position and the short rear end cut an equally good figure on winding trails. Manuals are also easy to handle. For adrenaline-seekers, the Rift Zone embodies the perfect blend of smoothness and manoeuvrability. There is also special praise for the grippy Vee-Tire tyres, which Marin has fitted tubeless ex works.

Marin Rift Zone 2 29: BIKE grade & evaluation

Strengths

• Good chassis quality
• fun, successful geometry
• Good tyres ex works in tubeless setup
• sensible equipment

Weaknesses

• Suspension not very efficient uphill
• Poorly rolling tyres
• Comparatively expensive
• Only suitable for long tours to a limited extent

Conclusion from Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor

The minimal additional price was well invested by Marin: Despite its weaknesses on the climbs, the Marin Rift Zone 2 29's top suspension, good handling and sensible spec help it to win the test.