Which Trek Marlin is Best for You?
Scott Alexander
September 8, 2023
Here at 99 Spokes we have our eyes on a lot of data; both the bikes themselves, but also what people are searching for and comparing on the site. For years the Trek Marlin has been one of the most popular mountain bikes on the site. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the Marlin is a high quality and versatile entry level bike, from a reputable and global brand, and is available in a wide range of affordable options.
Having options is great, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. This article breaks down the primary upgrades as you move up the Marlin price ladder. Everyone has their own budget, but it's useful to know what you'll get when several options are within your price range.
Key Upgrades
Modern Frame Geometry — ‘Gen 3’ in a Marlin model name indicates that it’s using the latest and greatest frame design, released in 2023. It’s a modern progressive mountain bike geometry, commonly found on much pricier bikes. In our opinion this is the most important upgrade in the list, as it changes everything about how the bike rides. If you plan to progress in your riding style, targeting more aggressive trails, then this frame will grow with you.
Hydraulic Disc Brakes — All of the Marlins have disc brakes which is a great starting point, but hydraulic disc brakes (vs. mechanical) produce much greater stopping power. This is a huge improvement for all riders, but especially for those with smaller hands (e.g. kids). When you’re confident in your ability to slow down then you can be confident in your ability to go fast, and you’ll have more fun!
1x Drivetrain — A 1x drivetrain has a single chainring mounted to the crankset, with no front derailleur. The primary benefit for most people is there’s simply less to think about when shifting gears on your bike. You simply go up and down using a single shifter. Additionally, 1x drivetrains are lighter, easier to maintain, and offer better chain retention.
Air Spring — All bikes in the Marlin range have a front suspension fork, but most of them use a coil spring kind. This means if you looked inside the fork you’d see a large metal spring which squishes and suspends the rider. Forks on higher end bikes typically use an air spring, which like it sounds uses an air chamber that compresses and decompresses, suspending the rider. Air springs have a lot more adjustment than coil springs, by simply adding and removing air. This is a benefit for all riders, but especially kids who are lighter, and whose weight may change over the life of the bike.
Dropper Post — Dropper posts enable you to raise and lower the saddle by using a lever mounted to the handlebar. If you plan to progress into more aggressive trail riding then a dropper post is a must have. Simply put, lowering your saddle makes descending easier: it allows you to move the bike around underneath you, and enables you to lower your center of gravity.
Tubeless Ready — Tubeless is a feature commonly found on more expensive bikes. In simple terms, they eliminate the need for inner tubes and use sealant to seal minor punctures seamlessly. This not only reduces the wheel's weight but also minimizes the risk of pinch flats and small punctures. Keep in mind that all Marlin models come with tubes, so switching to tubeless is entirely optional if your model supports it. It does require a bit more maintenance to take advantage of this performance oriented feature.
On to the Bikes
The Marlin 4 Gen 2 is the least expensive model in the Marlin range. Being the base model it doesn’t include any of the upgrades highlighted above, and frankly has some lower end components (e.g. freewheel vs cassette) that will limit your upgrade options in the future.
The Marlin 5 Gen 2 still lacks most of the upgrades listed above, but comes with a more standard and upgradeable groupset. If budget is your primary concern then this is our recommended starting point.
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
The Marlin 6 Gen 3 is the first model to come with the new Gen 3 frame design, and many of the key upgrades listed above. This bike is absolutely packed with value. If you can stretch your budget to reach this model we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Modern Frame Geometry
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
1x Drivetrain
Tubeless Rims
Very similar to the Marlin 6 Gen 3, with the primary difference being a RockShox fork vs a Suntour.
Modern Frame Geometry
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
1x Drivetrain
Tubeless Ready (almost – new tires required)
The Marlin 8 Gen 3 has everything you need to boost your confidence and get you started tackling more challenging trails.
Modern Frame Geometry
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
1x Drivetrain
Tubeless Ready
Air Spring
Dropper Post
The Choice is Yours
We hope this high level overview is a helpful starting point for picking a Marlin. However, it’s worth noting that the differences between the models also include more subtle things like groupset levels, tires, and gearing ranges. If you’d like to explore these differences further check out a full comparison on 99 Spokes!
MSRP | $629 | $739 | $899 | $999 | $1,299 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spec Level | |||||
Weight | 31.7 lbs | 30.8 lbs | 32.6 lbs | 32.2 lbs | 31.5 lbs |
Fork | Suntour XCE | Suntour XCM | Suntour XCM | RockShox Judy | RockShox Judy Silver TK |
Wheel Size | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 26″ / 29″ | 26″ / 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ | 26″ / 27.5″ / 29″ |
Brakes | Mechanical Disc | Hydraulic Disc | Hydraulic Disc | Hydraulic Disc | Hydraulic Disc |
Groupset | Tourney, Shimano | Altus, Shimano | Deore | Deore, FSA | SX Eagle |
Drivetrain | 3 × 7 | 2 × 8 | 1 × 10 | 1 × 10 | 1 × 12 |
Travel | 100mm front | 100mm front | 100mm front | 100mm front | 80mm front |
Seatpost | Rigid | Rigid | Rigid | Rigid | Dropper |
Where to Buy | $629 At Trek | $739 At Trek | $899 At Trek | $999 At Trek | $1,299 At Trek |
