FIRST RIDE REVIEW

THE NEW MARIN RIFT ZONE EL

Words by Robert Johnston  |  Photos by Andy Lloyd

Today, October 11th, Marin is launching the new Rift Zone EL, their first entry to the lightweight eBike market built around the Bosch SX drive unit. We managed to log a day on this new alloy eMTB prior to its release, so let us share how it went.

ABOUT THE MARIN RIFT ZONE EL

The Rift Zone EL (Electric Light) is Marin’s take on a SL eMTB, with a 140mm rear end with a 150mm fork and a pair of 29” wheels. It relies on the power of the Bosch Performance Line SX drive system.

DRIVE UNIT AND ELECTRONICS | For the new Rift Zone EL, they opted to use the Bosch SX system for electrical assistance. This 2kg drive unit produces 55Nm torque and up to 600W peak power, meaning it can keep up with full power drive units provided the rider is able to maintain higher cadence.

The Bosch SX system is powered by a 400Wh internal Bosch CompactTube battery, also weighing in around 2kg. It can be removed easily from the down tube thanks to the Pop Lock release. This affords customers the ability to buy a spare battery and always be covered for energy, or to charge the battery out of the bike.

There’s also the option to run the 250Wh and 1.5kg Bosch PowerMore range extender, for a modular boost to 650Wh total energy capacity. If you’re not using the range extender, you can fit a bottle in the front triangle instead. Bosch’s 4A Smart Charger allows the system to be charged relatively fast, with 50% taking around 90 minutes and 100% around 3.5 hours.

Within the top tube, Bosch’s System Controller is fitted to display the mode selected and the battery life to the nearest 10%. On the handlebar, the wireless Mini Remote allows for the ride modes to be toggled and Walk function to be used. Bosch’s eBike Flow app allows users to update the system over-the-air; track the bike in case of theft, and tune the riding modes to their preferences.

FRAME AND FEATURES | The Rift Zone EL is built with a Series 4 aluminum frame with all of the premium features you’d expect to find on a Marin alloy bike. New internal cable routing ports are designed to create a seal around hoses and cables, preventing water ingress. This internal routing avoids the headset, making easier servicing.

There’s a custom down tube and motor guard, made from Nylon infused with 30% fiberglass for additional strength. Within this guard are drain ports to allow water to escape and for some airflow to cool the motor. The Chain Stays and Seat Stays are given custom rubber protection to keep chain noise to a minimum.

Within the head tube of the Rift Zone EL is Marin’s angle-adjustable headset, offering 0.5° adjustment in either direction to tune the handling to the rider’s preferences.

SUSPENSION | The Marin Rift Zone EL uses the same MultiTrac suspension platform as found on the Rift Zone trail mountain bike, but it’s bumped up to 140mm travel. Custom-tuned rear shock options ensure that the suspension characteristics are up to Marin’s standard on all builds. Up front, a 150mm travel fork leads the charge.

GEOMETRY | Looking at the geometry, Marin has added an adjustable headset cup offering plus or minus half a degree adjustability. The neutral setting closely mimics the human-powered Rift Zone, with some minor changes made to work best with the Bosch SX system.

Stand out figures in the neutral setting are a 65° head tube angle; 77° effective seat tube angle and 440mm rear end across the Small to XL size range. A 32mm bb drop integrates the rider deep in the bike.

BUILD SPECS | Marin is offering the Rift Zone EL in three builds, from the $4,799 “1” spec to the $6,999 XR spec we tested.

The XR features a Fox Performance Elite Float X and 36 suspension package, with a custom-tuned rear shock.

A Magura MT7 brake set is great to see, with 203mm rotors on both ends for great stopping power. SRAM’s GX T-Type drivetrain offers reliable shifting under power. Marin’s in-house componentry provides the wheelset and cockpit, which undoubtedly helps to shave a little off of the price tag.

Rounding out the spec is an interesting and decidedly party-friendly tire combo of the Maxxis Forekaster and Minion DHF combo with EXO+ casings.

THE DIRT

It was a short but sweet testing period on the new Marin Rift Zone EL, amounting to a single day in very suitable testing terrain. With only the choice of a Medium or XL to ride for the day, I opted for the Medium – with its 460mm Reach sitting closer to my 470-490mm preference as a short-bodied 6’2” “playful” rider – and while it was slightly on the small side, it was very much rideable. With their “made for Fun” mindset, I felt it appropriate to err on the smaller side, and it proved to be the correct choice.

SETUP | The Rift Zone EL was fairly straightforward to set up, with 30% sag in the rear and my go-to Fox 36 settings leaving me fairly comfortable from the get-go. The Bosch SX system was tested in the factory settings, primarily in Tour+ but with occasional stints in eMTB and Turbo.

ELECTRONICS & INTEGRATION | The Bosch SX system is a solid performer, offering some excellent power at high cadences and a fairly natural feeling. The lines of the frame are fairly clean, especially considering the removable battery system which adds useful possibilities for stowing a spare battery in the truck for mid-ride switcheroos, or for removal for easier charging. Thankfully Marin’s use of the Pop Lock ensures that the battery is solidly fixed in use and thus absent of any rattles that may be present from other methods of securing removable batteries.

The integration of the system on the Rift Zone EL is quite typical, with Bosch’s System Controller and Mini Remote combining with the AXS Pod to give a clean cockpit.

CLIMBING | The Marin Rift Zone EL is a solid example of a Bosch SX-powered SL eMTB when it comes to going up the hill. In this mid-travel segment, the rear end strikes a nice balance of comfort and efficiency, just about taking enough of the sting off the trail to make seated climbing through rough terrain possible. Even with the motor turned off, there was enough support from the suspension to make climbing feel adequately spritely and devoid of excessive bobbing.

The Forekaster rear tire spec proved to be a solid choice for the dry conditions faced during testing, but would undoubtedly limit the traction offered in wetter and slicker conditions, or in looser dusty terrain. As we succumb to the delight of the British winter, it’s a must-change on the spec list in the UK, unless you’re exclusively riding well-drained trail centres.

DESCENDING | “Made for Fun” is Marin’s slogan, and one may argue that their Rift Zone line is the ultimate embodiment of this philosophy. When it came to electrifying the Rift Zone, the use of the lighter Bosch SX system was an obvious one to ensure the ride characteristics retained this fun-loving nature, and the result is a certified party machine.

You might call out that by down-sizing, it was natural that the Rift Zone EL would be a playful machine. However, this playful nature extends beyond the geometry and into aspects like the suspension characteristic and the spec choices. Having tested many bikes of all shapes and sizes, I’ve got a good grasp of the influence of bike size and Reach numbers on the handling of a mountain or e-mountain bike, and I can say with absolute certainty that I’d have left my test on a size Large Rift Zone EL with the same sentiments.

Speaking to the suspension characteristic, Marin has done an excellent job at retaining a poppy and supportive nature from the Rift Zone EL’s rear end, whilst the extra mass of the Bosch SX system adds some stability and composure over the human-powered cousin. It’s not a bike that begs you to dip your heels and plow. Instead, you’ll find reward in pumping the terrain for every little bit of available speed, and using its pop to get airborne off of side hits and natural lips. It certainly delivers in that aspect of “fun” riding.

As for the spec, items like the powerful Magura MT7 stoppers encourage trails to be attacked, whereas the Forekaster rear tire spec lets you dance with the fine line of grip and slide more frequently than you’d usually see on an eBike. The suspension is tunable and capable, letting you unlock the full potential of Marin’s new light eMTB. These spec choices carry down through the different options, with priorities placed in all of the right places, so the performance should hold up throughout.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Marin didn’t stray from their usual fun-seeking nature with the Rift Zone EL. Instead, they stayed close to the Rift Zone roots, adding the Bosch SX system without compromising much of the agility and playfulness. Marin’s Rift Zone EL is a fun bike for sure, perfect for partying in the woods with a little helping hand back up the hill.

Price: $4,799 / £4,699 / €5,399 (EL 1) – $6,999 /£6,699 /€7,699 (EL XR)
Website: Marinbikes.com