2022 Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 Review

2022 Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 Review

Mountain biking has been gaining popularity in recent years, and the Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 is an all-around trail bike that offers a great balance between fun and fast riding. 

It combines the agility of a hardtail with the plushness of long-travel suspension, which makes it perfect for tackling tough trails. 

The Rift Zone 1 27.5 has been rigorously tested on all terrain types, from smooth enduro runs to gnarly downhill sections and everything in between.

If you are looking for an all-rounder mountain bike that performs equally well on both technical terrain and flowy trails, then the Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 may be what you’re looking for. 

In this review, we take a look at why this bike has become so popular amongst riders everywhere and explore what makes it stand out from the competition.

2022 Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 Review

The Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 is the perfect bike for anyone looking for an affordable, full-suspension ride with enough performance to tackle the trails. 

This bike has a comfortable geometry, modern components and a plush suspension setup that all combine to give you loads of confidence when barreling through corners and taking on technical terrain. 

Read on for a comprehensive overview of the Marin Rift Zone 1.

Frame

The frame of the Marin Rift Zone 1 is built with strong but lightweight aluminum tubeset that’s triple-butted and hydroformed for increased strength and improved durability. 

Internal cable routing keeps the line clean, while stealth dropper post routing allows you to add a dropper post in the future if desired.

Components

The components of the Marin Rift Zone 1 are great for riders who are just getting into mountain biking or those who are on a budget looking to get a full-suspension trail bike. 

A Shimano Deore 11-speed drivetrain provides plenty of gears for tackling steep climbs and descents, while hydraulic disc brakes provide powerful stopping power regardless of conditions. 

The fork is a RockShox Recon Silver RL which offers 130mm of bump swallowing travel which smoother out rougher terrain along with giving greater control when cornering.

The rear shock is a respectable X-Fusion O2 Pro R to help keep the rear end planted on those teeth chattering desents.

Geometry

This bike has been designed around aggressive yet comfortable trail riding geometry, giving rider stability in tight turns and good handling at speed without much compromise in terms of efficiency or weight penalty. 

Its 66.5° head tube angle gives it plenty of confidence when descending steep terrain whilst its long reach keeps from being too jumpy or nervous in tight turns. 

Short length chain stays also help improve cornering ability while keeping you nimble on tricky singletrack trails.

Wheels & Tires

It rolls on Marin Aluminum Double Wall rims shod with aggressive Vee Tire Crown Gem tires which offer superior grip when cornering and outstanding traction in sloppy conditions – although they may not have as much bite then some more expensive models when pushed hard down steep trails due to their smaller knobs compared to class leading tires like Schwalbe’s Magic Marys or Maxxis Minion DHFs.

Overall

If you’re looking for an affordable yet well performing entry-level full suspension mountain bike then look no further than the Marin Rift Zone 1 27.5 – it has all the ingredients to get you excited about hitting your local trails!