Test: Marin Nail Trail 29er

Marin has increased its line of 29-inch-wheeled mountain bikes to four models for 2009. The Nail Trail 29er sits at the top of the heap just in front of the Pine Mountain 29er single-speed and two lower-price-point geared offerings: the $1420 Palisades Trail and $785 Alpine Trail.

WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Nail Trail 29er is a hardtail trailbike that uses 29-inch wheels. It is intended for the trail rider who doesn’t want rear suspension. This rider is attracted to simple mountain bikes that don’t require a lot of setup time or maintenance.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
The Nail Trail 29er is constructed from 6061 aluminum. The bike uses a proprietary triple-butted, hydro-edge-formed top tube and downtube. The seat stays and chainstays use double-butted aluminum. The stays are optimized for rigidity, with a distinctive bend and shape that isn’t easily discerned with the eye. These tubes need to be touched to get an idea of how much engineering went into them.

WHAT COMPONENTS STANDOUT?
Marin didn’t build the Nail Trail 29er as eye candy. Its battleship-gray frame and black and silver components were meant to blend in, not jump out. The bike appears to have been constructed in partnership with Shimano. The new Shimano SLX and XT components are all business. Filling out the spec are items from WTB (Marin’s next door neighbor) and FSA.

HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
We immediately noticed that Marin has lowered the standover height of the Nail Trail 29er a half an inch over the last Marin 29er we tested, and that makes all the difference in the world. It boosts a rider’s confidence to know that the top tube is tucked out of the way. 

Moving out: Bikes with 29-inch wheels have taller gearing than 26-inch wheeled bikes, and you are reminded of that on the Nail Trail 29er. From a dead stop, choose either a lower gear or a little more muscle to get up to speed. The Marin’s frame encourages you to take the latter approach, because it offers a firm, flex-free frame. It likes to be ridden in a big gear. The Nail Trail 29er rider sits inside the bike, and the lower center of gravity is noticeable immediately.

Climbing: The big wheels smooth the trail, and this is a real benefit on the climbs. The rider can concentrate on holding a good rhythm instead of worrying about steering around every bump, rock or root in the trail. Again, we had the best luck staying seated and maintaining a comfortable spin up the climbs. The Nail Trail 29er has a respectable weight, but it is no lightweight trailbike, and the big wheels mean you don’t have the low gear of a 26-inch-wheeled bike. When the going gets steep, it is up to you to put down the effort. There is no bailout gear on the Nail Trail 29er (or any 29er).

Descending: The big hoops take the sting out of flat-edged bumps and at the same time stick to the trail like they are an inch wider than claimed. The bike’s low center of gravity increases confidence. Use the big wheels and frame rigidity to their full advantage when descending and you will fly by an equal rider on a 26-inch-wheeled hardtail and give the dual-suspension guy a run for his money.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
The bike had a loose seatpost to seat tube fit. We needed to add a shim to keep the seatpost from slipping. We would convert the wheels and tires to tubeless after we had patched the tubes a few times. Lock-on-style grips would be a nice upgrade, but you won’t need them until the stock WTB grips wear out. You can add a chainstay pad, but we did not have any chain slap issues during our time on the Nail Trail 29er.

BUYING ADVICE
Marin has delivered a hardtail trailbike with 29-inch wheels that is ready to rage (right down to the pedals). The big wheels smooth the trail and give you traction that was previously only enjoyed by riders of full-suspension bikes. There is nothing that this bike needs. You can buy one and ride it for years without spending another penny on anything but normal-wear items. Marin nailed it with the Nail trail 29er.

MARIN NAIL TRAIL 29er
Price   $1995
Country of origin   Taiwan
Weight   28.2 pounds
Hotline   (800) 222-7557
Frame tested   17″
Bottom bracket height   12″
Chainstay length   18″
Top tube length   23″
Head tube angle   71.5°
Seat tube angle   73.5°
Standover height   29″
Wheelbase   43″
Suspension travel (front)   3.9″
Suspension travel (rear)   None
Frame material   Aluminum
Fork    Fox 32 F29 RL
Shock   None
Rims   WTB Laserdisc Trail 29er
Tires   WTB Prowler SL (2.1)
Hubs   Shimano Deore
Brakes   Shimano SLX hydraulic disc
Crankset   Shimano
Handlebar   Marin MTN XC Series (27″ wide)
Shifters   Shimano SLX
Front derailleur   Shimano SLX
Rear derailleur   Shimano XT
Chainrings   Shimano (44/32/22)
Cassette   Shimano (11-34)
Pedals   Shimano M520 clipless