The Marlin is Trek’s budget hardtail, designed as an entry level bike for new riders. It’s built to be a sturdy platform for an introduction to the sport as well as a mountain bike that will happily take on the morning commute. After four years in the same guise, the Marlin has just had a makeover and is looking fresher than ever.
The new Marlin still comes in a range of sizes and three specs (Marlin, 5, 6 and 7), the smallest size offers a 13.5″ seat tube to those with a 23″ seat tube, helping riders find a bike to suit them equivalent from XS to XXL. The smaller sizes come with 27’5″ wheels with the frames 17.5″ and above getting 29er hoops.
Trek cater for men and for women across the range with the Marlin 5, 6 and 7 also coming in a women’s version in four sizes from 13.5″ to 18.5″. The women’s models feature a different ladies saddle and have a slightly lower standover than the men’s bikes, aside from this geometry remains unchanged.
All the bikes get 100mm travel at the front using either a Suntour or Rockshox fork, a Shimano Altus 3×7, 8 or 9 drivetrains depending on price, and all Marlin’s get Tektro hydraulic disc brakes.
The 29er version of the bike fits 2.2″ tyres and the 27.5″ bike can fit up to 2.4’s although it comes specced with skinnier stock Bontrager 2.2″ rubber. There is routing for a dropper post, although Trek doesn’t say, this might well be internal routing as the other cables are also internally routed. Graphics have also been updated too, giving the Marlin a slick look that defies its price.
UK pricing starts at £395 for the Marlin 5 and goes up to £550 for the Marlin 7, so whichever model you choose it’s unlikely to break the bank. All models will be in shops to buy from next week.
