The Marin Alpine Trail takes the top spot for Value Bike of 2024, and it really wasn’t too difficult a decision to make. Marin were well overdue refreshing this one, but they did an astonishingly good job. Their flagship enduro bike is now MX and 29” capable, with travel bumped up to 161mm (156mm in 29”), and it’s now a Horst link suspension platform that delivers it.

The Alpine Trail is now a very well-rounded performer for its intended purpose, with a plethora of adjustments expanding the repertoire of trails on which it excels. With an aluminum frame and a coil shock, this bike was never going to be a featherweight; the XR AXS model I tested weighs 16.9 (37.3) kg in a size small. But, we’re discussing a value bike here – the frame and shock go for just $1,849.

If this were a trail bike, I’d be a little more harsh about its heft. In reality, it is a fit-for-purpose enduro bike that I believe will be a crowd pleaser. And, it’s not exactly featureless; head tube angle, wheel size, chainstay length, and bottom bracket height are all adjustable, and there's even in-frame storage. You’d be hard-pushed to name another bike that can boast all that at a comparable price point.

There's no doubt in my mind the Marin Alpine Trail XR AXS is a very good example of an enduro bike. It offers a composed and supportive rear-end, and feels safe to ride fast whilst handing its rider heaps of self-determination that breeds good times - I really loved it. Though none of the geometry adjustments are without compromise, they do allow the bike to adapt to a wide range of tastes and terrain. The stock configuration is a great starting point (although the RockShox Zeb didn't work well for my weight), and will satisfy many riders, but fettlers will enjoy mixing it up to see what works best for them.—Jessie-May Morgan

 

You can find the bike here!

 

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