mountain bikes: Review: Marin Pine Mountain 2 – A Modern Classic?

Test: The Marin Pine Mountain 2 is by no means an unknown bike. Even before the tester was born (1994), trails were being made unsafe with the Pine Hardtails. In this test you can find out whether the 2017 version of the Pine Mountain is more old-fashioned or a modern classic.

Marin Pine Mountain 2: The Framework

The Marin Pine Mountain now offers a rather rare sight: Thin tubes and subtle welds can only indicate a steel frame. Appearances are not deceptive, because here we have a classic silver-colored steel frame with Columbus tubing in front of us. The choice of wheel size, on the other hand, is not so classic. For the Pine, Marin relies on 27,5″ Plus Standard with 3-inch tires. But there are other standards on the frame that indicate a modern bike. The rear triangle in the 148×12 Boost standard provides more rigidity and an improved chain line. The cables are routed on the outside of the frame, but an internal stealth feed for a dropper post was also provided, as was a direct mount for a front derailleur. The bike is also equipped for longer adventures with various mounts for mounting luggage racks or bags, and up to 3 bottle holders can also be mounted. From the first overall impression, the bike is almost reminiscent of the concept/history of the Porsche 911: Unmistakable classic with current standards and modern technology - however, the slippers have become a bit wider over the years.

Marin Pine Mountain 2: The Geometry

The most striking geometry value on the Pine is the chainstay length of only 437 m, which is rather short despite the 27,5 Plus wheels. The bike is supposed to offer more agility due to the short chainstays. The rest of the geometry data also gives hope for a very balanced bike. A rather long front end with a moderate steering angle (69 degrees) ensures the necessary smooth running even at high speeds. Marin gave the Pine a 70 degree seat angle so that you can still get up the mountain easily. Overall, a very balanced geometry that certainly doesn't stand in the way of use as a trail hardtail.

Marin Pine Mountain 2: The facilities 

I have to admit, my gaze often caught on Marin Pine Mountain in passing. The noble silver steel frame with high-quality add-on parts and the bright green details are quite impressive! Visually a very harmoniously put together bike. 

The Marin Pine Mountain 2 is available in 3 versions and starts at €949 with a Sram GX and rigid fork. We got the top version for €2599 for testing. In return you get a very well equipped bike. It is shifted with a current and very solid Shimano XT 1×11 group. The brakes were also taken from the XT group. At the front, the popular and well-known Fox Float 34 with 100 mm of travel provides the necessary comfort. Good choice that a fork with 34 mm stanchions is installed here to offer more rigidity. The wheels consist of Formula hubs and WTB Scraper rims with an inner width of 45 mm. The 27,5″ wide Scraper tires also come from 3,0 Plus Pioneer WTB. A dropper post is almost a must for a trail hardtail. A Kindshock LEV Integra with control from below through the seat tube is installed on the Pine Mountain. The support is controlled via the ergonomic Southpaw lever on the handlebars. Another nice detail is Marin's own seat post clamp with an additional rubber seal to prevent liquids from entering. The saddle is also made by WTB. A Marin handlebar with a width of 780 mm was installed for the necessary control. At 13.9 kg, the scales stayed below the 14 kg mark, which is completely acceptable for a trail hardtail with 27,5+ wheels.

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Marin Pine Mountain 2: On the Trail

The anticipation of the first trip with the Marin Pine Mountain was great after the first impressions. There was a surprise right at the beginning. The bike rolls extremely well on tarmac and gravel roads, which is not what you would expect from a 27,5 Plus bike. The WTB tires in particular ensure very good propulsion with their rather fine profile, despite a width of 3,0″. There was hardly any difference to a standard trail tire. The good impression also continues on the mountain; Despite the rather slack seat angle of 70 degrees, you sit centrally and can easily pedal up steep climbs. On technical, steep climbs, you always have control with the wide handlebars and the front wheel reliably stays on the ground in most cases. The additional grip of the wide slippers allows the bike to climb well even in difficult conditions. However, the gear ratio (32×11-42) could cause some problems for less trained riders on long steep climbs. Nice that you can easily retrofit a front derailleur for a 2×11 configuration in this case. Otherwise, the XT circuit works perfectly. But there are deductions for the slightly too little tire clearance. When pedaling hard, the 3,0″ tire partially brushes against the right chainstay. Maybe you should choose a slightly narrower tire here.

But now to where the bike should feel most comfortable - on the trail! First it goes flat and winding between trees. This is where the short chainstays come into play. The bike is extremely manoeuvrable and can easily be maneuvered around tight corners. The bike is also very easy to pull in the manual. When things get a little steeper and more technical, the Kindshock post can be lowered with your left thumb using the very ergonomic lever. When raising the support again, you have to help from time to time, as the support gets "stuck" at the bottom. Due to the long top tube and the moderate steering angle, the bike remains very stable even on fast descents and can be maneuvered around corners with pinpoint accuracy. The potent fork and the fat tires allow the rider with the Pine Mountain to keep up with the fullys, even without rear suspension.

In the touring area and on the fast after-work lap, the bike turned out to be an extremely complete bike. The classic has been supplemented with useful modern standards, such as 27,5+ wheels or lowerable seat post. With all the frills that are currently being built into bikes, Marin asks oneself: "Do we need more mountain bikes?" The Marin Pine Mountain is a bike with which many mountain bikers find a suitable work tool. Timeless, solid, reliable and balanced in terms of driving characteristics.