Had to hunt hard to find one. I'd be more inclined towards the X if you lived around big mountains. The tires are sweet too...DHF and Dissector. For our $200 we could install some larger rotors or even a set of Shimano's MT501 brakes to get this promising rig back on track. One thing I would love to see — does spending 10K on a bike actually make you faster than a rig you can put together in the range of $3500-$4000? 2020 Trailcraft Pineridge 24 Dirt Distancing Build Bike. This is normal and not out of the ordinary when breaking in a new bike. We stayed in the low setting, but the option is there for those who want to tinker. If we threw another $200 at the Vitus, it might be for a longer travel/shallower insertion dropper post to unlock its full downhill potential. Tektro HD-M275 brakes are in charge of slowing the Fluid’s massive 29x2.6-inch Goodyear Escape tires, the widest in our test. Pushed hard enough, it worked our nerves in rougher rock gardens. The Rift Zone 2 ($1,949) and Rift Zone 1 ($1,599) are its less expensive, less feature-filled siblings. A 35mm stem means it’s ready for ripping. The Sensor also has a geometry-adjusting flip-chip. You can purchase the bike directly from JensonUSA.com or from a Marin authorized bike shop in your area. A few months ago we finally received our new 2020 Marin Rift Zone 2 demo bike. Big rotational forces impact, or even overpower, suspension component performance, and at this price-point, it is always a game of give and take. At $2,200 with the dropper, we would highly recommend the Abajo Peak as a bike that has components ready to perform and should last under harder riding conditions. It wasn’t just the additional travel out back compared to the other bikes, it was the complete package. This will be a good resource for those situations. The Rift Zone 3 we feature here is expected to land in bike stores later this fall. From beginning to the bitter end, the Tektro brakes were inept at stopping the Fluid FS 3. The Norco could have been a front runner, a monster on the descents, had it not been for the Tektro brakes. Vitus bikes are available through Chain Reaction Cycles and Wiggle online stores. Downside is it looks to be a bit heavy. An XL with a 430mm seat tube. The $2,000 Sensor Sport is the most affordable bike in GT's trail line-up. The Mythique is a new line from the brand and is offered in both 27.5-inch and 29-inch wheeled versions. The Fluid might be your trail tamer with traction to spare. Fezzari offers a 30-day love it or return it guarantee, a 23-point bike fit and set-up guide as well as live chat, phone or email contact after you purchase the bike to provide some peace of mind since you won’t be dealing with a bike shop. We found six full-suspension 29ers in the 120mm to 140mm rear travel range. We loved the Fluid FS 1 29er last year and since then have been loving the new Optic and Sight. 1. Upgrade the brakes, get ready to earn your way up, and prepare for class-leading descending on the way down. We put them through every test, gave them every chance but at best, all they could do was slow the bike somewhat. My nephew just picked up an XL Trance X 29 from a shop in Boulder. A capable yet incredibly lively 130mm-travel pinner with a great … Vitus Mythique VRX. Overall a sweet do-it-all ride for the money that can take lighter trails in the bike Park and pedals really well with the Meastro stuff. Thread starter dan76n; Start date Nov 15, 2018; D. dan76n Likes Bikes. share. Adding a dropper will mean more aggressive riding, making the front end even less capable. My girlfriend is wanting to get into riding and this article is very helpful. The 444.3mm reach and 66.06-degree head angle kept cornering sharp but still capable in the steeps. The dependable SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain is present and Tranz-X supplies the 130mm dropper post for the Norco. Marin has now bumped the front travel up to 130mm as we suggested in our review. The geometry on the Sensor may be considered the most modern of the group. https://www.fezzari.com/bikes#iu:so...full,ws:all,sh:mechanical,f:alloy,t:all,s:all, https://vitusbikes.com/products/vitus-mythique-29-vrx-mountain-bike, https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/trance-29-3-2021, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Bought a Marin rift zone 1 and a polygon siskiu D7 the same time, and the Marin’s seen a mechanic multiple times already. Price: $1599.00. NBD and First Impressions - Marin Rift Zone 2. With the savings of starting with the lower model my plan was to upgrade the fork (Pike Select, Pike Ultimate, or Revelation with Charger 2.1 RCT 3), 4 pot brakes, and wheelset with good hubs). The Abajo Peak features a SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain (the only in our test compared to the lower level SX Eagle on the other bikes), 2.5 Maxxis Minion DHF Wide Trail front tire and 2.4 Minion DHR rear tires both with EXO casing, SRAM Level Brakes, 35mm diameter cockpit, and SRAM DUB bottom bracket with external bearings (the only bike in the test). Series 3 6061 Aluminum Frame, 29” Wheels, 120mm Travel MultiTrac Suspension Platform, Seatstay Mounted Post Mount Disc Brakes, 148x12mm Boost Thru-Axle Front Suspension RockShox Revelation RC 29", 120mm Travel, Compression and Rebound Adjustment, Alloy Tapered Steerer, 110x15mm Boost Spacing, Maxle Stealth, 51mm Offset The Trance 29 has a much better fork, brakes, Deore drivetrain, and is similar in travel to the Rift Zone. The regular Trance will be more compatible to the Rift. I spent the last week researching different bikes in this price range. This may be the best group testing I've ever seen on here. The Abajo Peak gets 130mm of travel out back and 140mm of travel up front through X-Fusion suspension. Let’s discuss the most surprising bike in our test - the Giant Stance 29 1. The Rift Zone Carbon 1 and 2 models feature high modulus carbon fiber and monocoque construction to deliver the lightest, most capable, Rift Zone that Marin has ever made. At $2,000, the Sensor Sport has a standard seatpost. I just got back from my first ride on my new Rift Zone 2, which is the first bike I've ever owned, and thought people here might like some first-hand impressions from someone just entering the hobby. It was smoother and more consistent than that of the GT or Giant. Some quality technical climbing in there thanks to Mr Blue Socks Wentz. The solid performance of the Marzocchi Z2, the power of the Shimano brakes, the grippy tires and the modern, aggressive geometry left us feeling like we were riding a top-shelf trail bike. The Maxxis Forekaster tires with EXO casing have proven themselves trail-ready in the Boise area and complimented our testing grounds with fast-rolling speeds and predictable cornering...to a point. 2020 Marin Hawk Hill Jr. Bike. Long, low, and slack trail geometry is more aggressive than an XC race bike for more control at top speed, and more fun while chasing seconds. You'll get about the same bike but with a slightly better spec about 500$ cheaper I think. The rear suspension layout on the Rift zone is a simple and proven single pivot design. Is it just us or is Norco on a tear lately with their bikes? Better specs components than the bikes in this review but the MSRP is well above the $2000 threshold. The Giant was so much fun and so easy to ride that we wound up wanting a beefier front tire, to squeak more out of the corners. With tires that dwarfed all others in the test, we went a bit softer with tire pressures, but not full lunar-rover sagginess. The clicks of rebound were more usable throughout the range than on any other bike in our test. The Stance being the lightest bike in our test at 31-pounds, 2-ounces without pedals definitely helped it feel speedy. Paying a qualified mechanic to go through the bike, tip-to-tail, after some miles would be a great idea. For a $200 up-charge, you get the Abajo Peak as we tested it, including the X-Fusion dropper. Posted by 2 years ago. Can a rider get solid performance out of a full-suspension mountain bike that costs $2,000 or less? Might be hard to do right now though. This bike is fantastic for the most part. I like the Rift Zone 3 because it's a nice component build and reasonable at $2500. Spomer, been waiting for a review like this from you guys for a while. T8 vs Marin Rift Zone 2 demo bike. having to have full access to fast-rolling... Or from a Marin authorized bike shop in your browser before proceeding for just 1,999... 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