Marin Bikes Answers the e-MTB Call With the Capable Alpine Trail E1 and E2

There’s something about pedaling and all your energy being amplified three maybe four times over. The way you can effortlessly climb a hill, or glide down that ledge you saw last time you went out riding, is just...yeah. No words really.

Folks, what you see in the cover photo is the Alpine Trail E2 e-MTB from Marin Bikes. Yes, the same Marin that’s been cranking out MTBs since 1986. Also in this same article, you’ll get to know this bike’s smaller brother, the Alpine Trail E1, the reason being, they’re very similar in construction and geometry.

Alpine Trail E1

The Alpine E1 is the least expensive of the family and comes in with a price tag of $4,899. Not too much and not too little if you ask me, but you can be the judge of that. For a frame construction, Marin is using their all-new Series 4 alloy with a 150 mm (5.9 in) Multitrac suspension at the rear. On that frame you’ll see an integrated battery used to power the Shimano STEPS system found and can house 504 Wh of juice for your ride.

Speaking of this system, for a motor you’ll find the E7000 running under 250 W and cranking out 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) of torque. Completing the rest of the drivetrain, a Shimano Deore with 10-speed cassette, rear derailleur, and shifter move a KMC chain made specifically for e-bikes. How far you’ll be able to ride with this setup is hard to say as ride conditions vary greatly from one trip to the next.

Your front suspension is covered by a RockShox 35 Gold RL set for use with 29-inch tires. Motion control damper lets you play around with 160 mm (6.29 in) of travel. The rear suspension is covered again by RockShox with a Super Deluxe Coil R shock and rebound adjustment. Depending on the frame size you choose a spring rate of 300 lb (136 kg) or 400 lb (181 kg) is available. Marin rims and Maxxis tires keep everything rolling smoothly.

Alpine Trail E2

The E2 on the other hand is a bit more capable. The same Series 4 alloy frame is found, with the same 150 mm (5.9 in) of travel at the rear set on a Multitrac suspension. Here however, a larger battery is offered, 630 Wh of juice. Why? You're about to find out.

This time around, Marin decided to use the Shimano STEPS EP8 drivetrain. Here too you’ll find a 250 W motor, but this puppy spits out a respectful 85 Nm (62 lb-ft) of torque. This alone is in range with other competitors on the market and comes in with an equally competitive price tag of $6,299. For the drivetrain you’ll find a Shimano SLX 12-speed cassette and shifter and a XT rear derailleur.

Covering suspension, RockShox is no longer present, instead, you’ll find a Fox all over the place. The front fork is a Fox 38 Performance Elite with 160 mm (6.29 in) of travel also tuned for 29’ers. At the rear, a Fox Float DHX2 with low-speed compression and rebound adjustment will give you a decent tuning range. Here, depending on the size of the bike your spring rate will either be of 350 lb (158 kg) or 450 lb (205 kg). The same Marin wheels and Maxxis tires are found.

All in all, the components you’ll receive on both these bikes, and the price you get them at, seem right up to par with what’s happening in the e-MTB scene. The bikes look solid, with the exception of a few questionable bends in the frame construction, but it also looks like Marin knew this and reinforced those points. Sure, I’d go for a piece.