Every time we turn around another high-dollar, boutique full suspension mountain bike is being announced by a major bike brand. So when a reputable brand announces an all-new full suspension trail bike model with a bargain-basement price tag, that’s a head turner.
Marin did just that with the new Hawk Hill trail bike.
Despite an MSRP of just $1,499, the Hawk Hill sports an aluminum frame, 120mm of suspension travel front and back, and a very respectable build kit. Suspension is handled by a RockShox Recon Silver fork up front and an X Fusion 02 Pro R shock in the rear–both with adjustable air springs, a great feature at this price point. The wheels are 27.5″ Marin-branded alloy hoops with aggressive Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires specced as the stock choice. A 1×10 Shimano Deore drivetrain with a Shadow Plus clutch-style rear derailleur is paired with a narrow-wide chainring up front for maximum chain retention. The brakes are Shimano BL-M315 Hydraulic, and most of the cockpit components are Marin-branded bits.
The geometry is also very modern, with a 67.5-degree head tube angle and 430mm chainstays in all models.
If you’re used to reading about the latest-and-greatest components and upgrades, the specs might not sound great to you–but if you take another look at our Budget Full Suspension Buyer’s Guide Article and check out other FS bikes at this price point, the stock specs of the Hawk Hill compare very admirably with the other bikes on that list.
Kudos to Marin for their efforts to bring quality mountain bikes to the masses!
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Sep 30, 2016
Sep 29, 2016