Tested (again): Marin Alpine Trail XR

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Roll the scroll of time back to the beginning of July to when the Bike Mag staff was just starting to think about the upcoming trip to Crankworx Whistler. One of the logistical questions that arose was regarding the bikes we would all be bringing. My current ride, a 2021 Orbea Occam, has a nasty hop in the rear wheel, a couple of missing spokes, and the only shock I have that isn’t completely blown and weeping oil is a Dpx2, the rear tire is on its last legs, and the pivot axle is most likely on its way out. The bike is in a bad way and would have been a scary pick to take to Whistler.

When Cy Whitling mentioned he had a bike I could ride for the week that would be a much better fit for the environment and my riding tendencies, I was excited to hear I would be spending some quality time on the Alpine Trail XR. I have experience with Marin bikes from years ago when I was onboard their polarizing Wolf Ridge 8 in 2018/19. Not the most conventional suspension design out there, so I was eager to see what the brand was doing with a more traditional platform, and gee wiz did this bike put Marin back on my radar. Cy reviewed the Alpine Trail a few weeks ago, so here’s my update after a week in the bike park and surrounding trails.

Ride Impressions

The Marin Alpine Trail XR is exceptional. I can only find one or two small complaints after a week of absolute debauchery in Whistler. Laps of A-Line, back-to-back ignorance on double-black tech, rock rolls, g-outs, and pro-line roots that should have gobbled up the wheels and tires of a more affordable bike like this. The Horst-link design just works so well when things get chunky, and the geometry numbers are exactly what you need for riding variable levels of rough terrain. Marin really did something with the Alpine Trail XR. I never really felt like I had too much or too little bike beneath me.

With bears all over the frame and OEM components, it was definitely hard to avoid making the Goldilocks comparison while in the bike park and riding more aggressive descents. However, pedaling the bike outside of the park, things were less perfect, but not horrible. In the “slack headset, high BB” setting I rode, the BB is somewhat low (352mm), and the head tube is slack (63.5 degrees), but that is what made it such a blast on more aggressive trails, and the compromise is okay in my eyes.

The amount of confidence the Alpine Trail XR provided was impressive for a bike at this price point. If you take a look at what is offered by the competition, this chassis really shines. The closest thing I can compare this bike to is the alloy Transition Patrol with a longer fork. Both bikes offer 160mm of Horst link travel, with a 27.5 rear wheel and an emphasis on getting rowdy. While I have only spent an hour or two on a Patrol, the similarities are noticeable. Neither of the bikes love being pointed uphill, but in all honesty, that is okay - they aren't bred for the climbs. Descending on the Alpine Trail XR is an absolute delight, this might be because I’m coming from a fairly conservative “trail” bike with rotors that are too small and tires that are too slick. I digress. The Marin gave me the confidence to hit a TON of double-black tech trails and jump lines, totally blind, and get away with it. Hell, I even thoroughly enjoy it.

Build Kit

The build kit is pretty dialed for the price ($4599.00 from Marin) and gets you Sram GX Eagle mechanical drivetrain, RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork, Super Deluxe Ultimate coil, SRAM DB8 brakes with 200mm HSC Rotors and Maxxis Assegai tires in the front and back. This spec list is clearly designed for the way down. However, once you tap the switch to lock out the coil shock, the bike is slightly more willing to get you to the top of a climb, just not in a hurry. I will say that after a week at the bike park and a couple of more rowdy trail rides, the rear wheel doesn’t have many tight spokes left, and there’s a sizable ding on the rim that should have ejected all the air and sealant, but the fact that I made it all week without deleting the air from either wheel is a miracle. I probably heard the rim ping every lap.

If I had to pick a few things that didn't quite hit it for me, I would single out the brakes and NOT because of performance. While they did get a bit toasty on some long descents, they never faded too much that I felt sketchy, but my goodness do the levers get squeaky after a bit. A very small issue in the grand scheme and easy as pie to fix if you are so inclined. Especially if you choose to build up a frame and a la cart your own parts.

That segways to my next issue, the main pivot bolt really liked to back itself out from time to time. This could also be addressed easily with a dab or two of Loctite, but this is not a bolt you would want to lose on a long ride.

Adaptability

Clad in plenty of flippable chips, the Alpine XR offers a lot of adjustability for the price point, however, I never felt the need to change things up and kept it as it came. When I received the bike, it was in the high BB/short chainstay setting with the slack cups. Giving this sled a reach of 490.1 mm, a seat tube angle of 78.1°, a head tube angle of 64°, and 435 mm chainstays. I would love to spend a bit more time onboard this bike and toy with the chips, but it really didn’t leave me hanging in the default setting.

Final Impressions

Overall, the Marin Alpine Trail XR checked the big boxes I would want to be checked for an all-mountain/enduro rig. With a frame/shock running you $1849 USD, there is a lot of potential to build up one hell of a machine, whether you’re looking to build a park rat-rod that will be reserved for bike park days only or an affordable and capable enduro rig, the Alpine Trail XR is a great option for either path. If you are looking for the one-bike-quiver, this likely isn’t the best example, but for those that already have a bike to pedal on flow trails and big days, the Alpine Trail XR is one of the best buck bangers out there if you need something to bolster your confidence descending or want longer travel, and slacker angles for playing around with bigger moves both on and off-piste.

The Marin Alpine Trail XR is available now.