{"id":69811,"date":"2024-10-11T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-11T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/5134624d-155d-4363-9dec-607ee7890bd4"},"modified":"2024-10-11T09:25:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T07:25:25","slug":"marins-new-rift-zone-el-is-its-lightest-electric-mountain-bike-yet-but-is-it-an-sl-emtb","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/marins-new-rift-zone-el-is-its-lightest-electric-mountain-bike-yet-but-is-it-an-sl-emtb\/","title":{"rendered":"Marin’s new Rift Zone EL is its lightest electric mountain bike yet, but is it an SL eMTB?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A first ride on the Californian brand’s new 21kg eMTB <\/p>

By Alex Evans\n <\/p>

Published: Friday, 11 October 2024 at 07:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Marin’s first lightweight eMTB, the Rift Zone EL, uses Bosch’s mid-powered Performance Line SX motor and 400Wh onboard battery.<\/p>

The EL \u2013\u00a0which stands for Electric Light \u2013\u00a0is the latest addition to the trail-bike Rift Zone family, sporting a familiar 140mm of rear-wheel travel and a 150mm fork shared with the human-powered Rifty<\/a> and full-power eMTB<\/a> in the existing range.<\/p>

At 21.39kg (size large), it’s questionable whether it sits in the SL electric mountain bike<\/a> category, but it is Marin’s lightest ebike yet.<\/p>

An adjustable head tube angle switches the figure between 64.5 and 65.5 degrees in 0.5-degree increments, while the four-size range has reach figures starting at 430mm and lifting to 520mm.<\/p>

The Rift Zone is Marin’s trail-bike range. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The new three-bike range starts at \u00a34,699 \/ $4,799 \/ \u20ac5,399 for the Rift Zone EL 1 and rises to \u00a36,599 \/ $6,999 \/ \u20ac7,699 for the range-topping Rift Zone EL XR.<\/p>
Rift Zone family lineage<\/h2>
$\"Marin$
The Rift Zone EL uses Marin’s single-pivot MultiTrac suspension design. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The Rift Zone EL shares its Series 4 aluminium frame<\/a> and 140mm-travel MultiTrac suspension design with its full-power ebike and non-assisted counterparts.<\/p>
Cables are routed internally via ports on the side of the down tube\/head tube junction (rather than through the headset) using rubber membranes that seal around the cable to help prevent water ingress.<\/p>
$\"Marin$
The bash plate is used to protect the motor and down tube. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
These are found on the brand’s newest Alpine Trail<\/a> and are an upgrade over the other Rift Zone design.<\/p>
There’s chunky chain-slap protection on the driveside chainstay and the rear dropout uses SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger<\/a>.<\/p>
An underslung motor and down-tube protector \u2013\u00a0made from a fibreglass-infused nylon \u2013 is fitted to the underside of the bike to help protect it from damage.<\/p>
$\"Marin$
Bosch’s top-tube controlled features. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Marin has managed to lower the bike’s weight by using Bosch’s 55Nm torque 600W Performance Line SX motor<\/a> and 400Wh internal battery, rather than a chunkier full-power motor and bigger battery.<\/p>
As the lightest eMTB in Marin’s range, it tips the scales at 21.39kg (size large) compared to the equivalently sized full-power Rift Zone E2<\/a>‘s 24.23kg and the Alpine Trail E2 Bosch<\/a>‘s monumental 27.55kg.<\/p>
But whether it qualifies as an SL ebike is up for debate. Seemingly, its spec, price and weight matrix is impressive, but its 21kg weight would make it one of the heaviest SL ebikes on the market.<\/p>
$\"Marin$
Angle-adjusting headset cups are a great feature. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Up-front, an adjustable headset switches the head angle between 64.5 degrees, 65 degrees and 65.5 degrees. It does this using plus and minus 0.5-degree cups and a 0-degree neutral cup.<\/p>
The seat tube hovers around 77 degrees (depending on which geometry setting the head angle is set to), which is plenty steep enough.<\/p>
$\"Three$
The Rift Zone EL’s geometry is adjustable thanks to an angle-adjusting headset. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
<\/colgroup>

\ufeff<\/th> **S<\/b><\/th>** **M<\/b><\/th>** **L<\/b><\/th>** **XL<\/b><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>**
**Seat tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>** 77<\/td> 77<\/td> 77<\/td> 77<\/td><\/tr>
**Head tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>** 65<\/td> 65<\/td> 65<\/td> 65<\/td><\/tr>
**Chainstay<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 440<\/td> 440<\/td> 440<\/td> 440<\/td><\/tr>
**Seat tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 400<\/td> 420<\/td> 430<\/td> 460<\/td><\/tr>
**Top tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 572.85<\/td> 605.99<\/td> 638.08<\/td> 669.12<\/td><\/tr>
**Head tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 100<\/td> 115<\/td> 125<\/td> 130<\/td><\/tr>
**Bottom bracket height<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 342<\/td> 342<\/td> 342<\/td> 342<\/td><\/tr>
**Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 1188.81<\/td> 1225.15<\/td> 1259.38<\/td> 1291.49<\/td><\/tr>
**Standover<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 674.75<\/td> 687.74<\/td> 691.98<\/td> 699.2<\/td><\/tr>
**Stack<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 618.74<\/td> 632.33<\/td> 641.4<\/td> 645.93<\/td><\/tr>
**Reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 430<\/td> 460<\/td> 490<\/td> 520<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody>
<\/p><\/table>

The Rift Zone is Marin’s trail-bike range. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The new three-bike range starts at \u00a34,699 \/ $4,799 \/ \u20ac5,399 for the Rift Zone EL 1 and rises to \u00a36,599 \/ $6,999 \/ \u20ac7,699 for the range-topping Rift Zone EL XR.<\/p>
Rift Zone family lineage<\/h2>
$\"Marin$
The Rift Zone EL uses Marin’s single-pivot MultiTrac suspension design. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The Rift Zone EL shares its Series 4 aluminium frame<\/a> and 140mm-travel MultiTrac suspension design with its full-power ebike and non-assisted counterparts.<\/p>
Cables are routed internally via ports on the side of the down tube\/head tube junction (rather than through the headset) using rubber membranes that seal around the cable to help prevent water ingress.<\/p>
$\"Marin$
The bash plate is used to protect the motor and down tube. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
These are found on the brand’s newest Alpine Trail<\/a> and are an upgrade over the other Rift Zone design.<\/p>
There’s chunky chain-slap protection on the driveside chainstay and the rear dropout uses SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger<\/a>.<\/p>
An underslung motor and down-tube protector \u2013\u00a0made from a fibreglass-infused nylon \u2013 is fitted to the underside of the bike to help protect it from damage.<\/p>
$\"Marin$
Bosch’s top-tube controlled features. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Marin has managed to lower the bike’s weight by using Bosch’s 55Nm torque 600W Performance Line SX motor<\/a> and 400Wh internal battery, rather than a chunkier full-power motor and bigger battery.<\/p>
As the lightest eMTB in Marin’s range, it tips the scales at 21.39kg (size large) compared to the equivalently sized full-power Rift Zone E2<\/a>‘s 24.23kg and the Alpine Trail E2 Bosch<\/a>‘s monumental 27.55kg.<\/p>
But whether it qualifies as an SL ebike is up for debate. Seemingly, its spec, price and weight matrix is impressive, but its 21kg weight would make it one of the heaviest SL ebikes on the market.<\/p>
$\"Marin$
Angle-adjusting headset cups are a great feature. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Up-front, an adjustable headset switches the head angle between 64.5 degrees, 65 degrees and 65.5 degrees. It does this using plus and minus 0.5-degree cups and a 0-degree neutral cup.<\/p>
The seat tube hovers around 77 degrees (depending on which geometry setting the head angle is set to), which is plenty steep enough.<\/p>
$\"Three$
The Rift Zone EL’s geometry is adjustable thanks to an angle-adjusting headset. Andy Lloyd \/ Marin Bikes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
<\/colgroup>

\ufeff<\/th> **S<\/b><\/th>** **M<\/b><\/th>** **L<\/b><\/th>** **XL<\/b><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>**
**Seat tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>** 77<\/td> 77<\/td> 77<\/td> 77<\/td><\/tr>
**Head tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>** 65<\/td> 65<\/td> 65<\/td> 65<\/td><\/tr>
**Chainstay<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 440<\/td> 440<\/td> 440<\/td> 440<\/td><\/tr>
**Seat tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 400<\/td> 420<\/td> 430<\/td> 460<\/td><\/tr>
**Top tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 572.85<\/td> 605.99<\/td> 638.08<\/td> 669.12<\/td><\/tr>
**Head tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 100<\/td> 115<\/td> 125<\/td> 130<\/td><\/tr>
**Bottom bracket height<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 342<\/td> 342<\/td> 342<\/td> 342<\/td><\/tr>
**Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 1188.81<\/td> 1225.15<\/td> 1259.38<\/td> 1291.49<\/td><\/tr>
**Standover<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 674.75<\/td> 687.74<\/td> 691.98<\/td> 699.2<\/td><\/tr>
**Stack<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 618.74<\/td> 632.33<\/td> 641.4<\/td> 645.93<\/td><\/tr>
**Reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>** 430<\/td> 460<\/td> 490<\/td> 520<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody>
<\/p><\/table>