More shred, less dollars: the Marin Rift Zone 2

[@terytkonar7695]

Hey Jeff, as a professional bike mechanic i will give you some tips for magura brakes. You have to use 2mm rotors, wear limit on magura rotors is 1.8 mm so running shimano you are basically using "worn out" rotor for these calipers. With 1.8mm it will work but you will have to pump the lever and max out reach adjust and its not optimal and doesnt represent how good they work. When you are done with bleeding them, start with putting the caliper bleed port at the highest point and then close it, any fluid lost will have a massive impact on how brake operates. Theres a great video on The Yorkshire Bike Mechanic yt channel on bleeding mt7 brakes and I highly recommend watching it. I have mt7 on my e-bike and love them so give them another try :). Thank you for another entertaining video !!!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Thanks Tery, I'll look up that video. I am now using Magura rotors front and rear, I hadn't considered checking the thickness. Eventually I'll do a stand alone video on the MT7s. Thanks for watching!

[@Faithlix]

If that’s not enough video info, there’s some French tricks @bleauup to get the bubbles out. Thank for yours, love to watch your channel, Jeff, when I can’t ride…

[@imunoz5450]

Facts

[@jakemercado7154]

no

[@benn6913]

Hey would you do a review on some of the formula line stuff like some Cura 4s

[@forest7424]

These are the reviews that i would think a majority of bikers can relate to. The $6k+ bike reviews are cool but by the time you want to spend $6k+ on a bike you already know what you want. This certainly helps those that are much less experienced and want to lean on other's reccomendations for what bike to purchase. Thank you! Great edits and smile as always!

[@guol1806]

I bought a Rift Zone from Jenson last year. I knew I was going to change some things out before I bought it. I would have done the same with the Trek and Specialized FS that I tried out. The RZ is a great bike and I don’t feel limited by it when riding. Plus the frame is worth keeping for years and replacing/upgrading components over time.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Right on Guol, glad to hear the Rifty is working well for you!

[@guol1806]

@@JeffKendallWeed thanks. now I just need to learn how to manual. 😁

[@als_rc]

Thank you for taking the Rift Zone Seriously! You absolutely shredded that thing and the videography captured the stunning scenery so well. As a Rifty owner shunning the willy waving mtb thing I really enjoyed this review. Sub'd

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Thanks for watchings Al! I really enjoyed the Rifty! Enjoy your bike!

[@Chubbyfella1100]

Are the brakes really that bad

[@hencnxena3]

I currently ride a Marin Alpine Trail carbon 2. I brought the frame and put my own stuffs on it. For the money there is no way you could beat the value of this bike(Rift Zone 2). I could say this because I also owned a Yeti, Niner, & Commencal bike. The Marin alpine trail carbon 2 preformed just as well on the trail versus other. Jeff, I think you will feel even more at home if you try the Alpine trail Carbon 2 based on your riding style.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

I'm hoping to try an Alpine Trail eventually, stay tuned!

[@benkadmon8195]

I just bought an alpine trail xr on close out last week. It is an absolute insane bike for the money!

[@Happy_Biker]

I watched last night before you fixed the analysis glitches and was surprised and delighted you reviewed this bike. For the way you ride, those unintended upgrades make sense, and they are what I was thinking of. Fundamentally though, a solid bike.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Vitus is out of business now. They will be really cheap on closeout- but no more support. Marin is owned by one of the largest bicycle assembly factories in the world, and I feel they are safe from financial fall out.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Thanks for watchin! Totally a solid bike.

[@PureRiding]

​@JeffKendallWeed is it true vitus is fully out of business? I knew the whole CRC/Wiggle parent company is going through some bad financial problems and just canceling orders. It did sound like they were gonna make it, but we're scaling back operations. If they truly are closing, that's a sad day. I truly enjoyed my Vitus Mythique a couple years ago. It was just before it was updated and modernized, but it really let me progress. If they do close atleast there will be some good sales. Might be able to snatch up a nice ebike

[@MTB_MICK]

They're a great bike ! Geo is very similar to some other higher priced trail bikes, and it still delivers the goods at a lower price point. I don't regret buying one at all. Great vid Jeff, was cool to see you manny a rifty. 🤟🚲

[@darian_eugene_1452]

Yesssss I've been waiting for this type of video with the rift zone for a very long time!!

[@Eric.V.]

I’ve been running the xtr’s for a couple of yrs now and still love them! The cost of those reserve wheels + xtr brakes is almost as much as the entire bike😎👍

[@banana122049]

Just bought a rift zone 1 for this season as my first full sus and my first brand new bike! I ride the hell out of it and man after some upgrades it's so fun. I think my favorite part is the super short chain stays for jibs. I'm glad you had some good things to say about it cause I hate when people say Marin is "low quality". People like that hurt the sport but you're progressing it!

[@doghat34567]

Hayes Dominion A4 - the ONE to rule them all. Great video as always Jeff. Thanks for the excellent content.

[@benjy288]

I went from a 2017 trek slash 9.8 to a 2019 norco fluid fs1, which is similar to the ripley af but 1 degree steeper and in my country the whole bike costs less than just the frame of the ripley, and its the most fun bike I've ever had, its agile, responsive, poppy, carves corners, but is also stable and can handle fast rough rooty and rocky tracks and steep double black downhill tracks, short travel 29ers are awesome, I find the more travel you have the more trail features it absorbs, and the less effect your rider input has, for example a small suspension compress will get you a nice rebound pop on the norco, but on the slash the suspension would just absorb it and stay planted, making many tracks a bit boring.

[@blakekennard7700]

It does make sense to test the more “middle” of the road version for the observer. Thank you so much!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Thanks for watching! This is the version they had available, and most of the stuff on it is still quite solid.

[@mainCEtrain]

Great video Jeff! Hit the nail on the head. I’ve had a Rift Zone 2 since last summer and I love it! Fantastic bike in stock form… minus the brakes which I just swapped out for some XT 4 piston brakes front and rear this off season. Should solve the only issue I’ve seen with months of riding. Highly recommend this bike!

[@hambo76]

I quite like the idea of a segment where you take an entry level (usually alloy) mountain bike and put all your high end stuff (brakes, wheels and tyres etc) to really test the suspension and frame. I wish you could try out the Canyon Spectral 29 AL, it's just a great all rounder!

[@DOADV]

You rock JKW!! I bought a 2020 Marin Hawk Hill 1 (renamed as Rift Zone 27.5 in 2021). I agree the geometry and the 27.5 wheel version has been lots of fun. The suspension is 120 rear / 130 front. On Park size jumps, the rear suspension is supple, surprisingly bottomless yet predictable. The price is so good, I’ve almost bought another bike just to have around for friends. You’re right to point out low spec parts. model 1 bikes are almost unbearably low. Anyone who can afford to buy in at the Model 2 or 3 should really consider that upgrade. The Hawk Hill 1 came with a 10 speed cassette at a time when all bikes were coming with 11 speed. The rear frame is Boost spec, but the wheel was a Frankenstein Quick Release hub with spacers to fit Boost. (This kept bike cost low while allowing you the option to upgrade wheel later.). It didn’t come with a dropper post. I’ve added a OneUp post, but don’t have the nice grommets for the internal frame routing. The cost of adding the dropper alone would have been enough to have bought the Hawk Hill 2 that came with dropper and 11 speed… I’ve also added a 10 mm longer stem, Shimano 4 pot brakes and ice tech rotors. 🤌🏻

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Thanks for the note Doadv! Glad you've been enjoying your rig!

[@marin_bikes]

Excellent, Jeff, glad you were able to experience #riftylove

[@MTB_MICK]

The Marin Rift Zone is a GREAT bike. ❤ mine 👌

[@marin_bikes]

@@MTB_MICK We might be a bit biased, but agree wholeheartedly.

[@MTB_MICK]

@@marin_bikes haha 😄 Definitely made for fun 🤟

[@marin_bikes]

@@MTB_MICK Indeed.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Thanks so much for the bike loan! Excited to play with it a little more!

[@ninjazzrhythm400]

I contemplated buying the rear I want, it was gone 5 minutes later, Thanks Jenson, Saced me some cash. 😂😂😂😂

[@Whyusadd]

Mark jones 😂😂😂😂 he’s my fav rider 😂😂

[@thomasbresiger5880]

Mark and Bono Jones. Who doesnt love'em? ❤

[@JeffKendallWeed]

And sports car driver!

[@oshige3]

did Jeff mean "Matt" Jones?

[@Whyusadd]

@@oshige3 I think so? But mark jones will do for me😂😂

[@whitest_kyle]

I've got Magura MT7s on my Bronson and I absolutely love them! Was not happy with the power of the stock code Rs, so I picked them up from a German online bike store for like $250 for the whole set. Have had them on since 2022 and put tons of miles on them including a couple of bike park days. That being said, I also really love the Shimano XT brakes on my ebike.

[@WStar4Life]

I just bought the Rift Zone 2 with my military discount for $1900. First thing I did was install XT 4 piston brakes with ice tech rotors and installed a faster rolling rear tire. Also upgraded to an XT shifter and a Shimano ispec dropper remote. The brakes are the only thing that needs changed right away if you ride anything other than light trails.

[@hello32098]

Wow I just bought it full price a few weeks ago not knowing there was a military discount haha.

[@WStar4Life]

@@hello32098 govvelo has a 15% military discount on Marin

[@baddriversofcolga]

Great review! It's fun seeing you review more affordable bikes. I don't know why Marin didn't just make the bike $100 more and spec better brakes, though!

[@ctsingletrack]

I just bought a Riftzone Carbon 2 a couple weeks ago. Really well spec'd for the money. They were 45% off on Bikes Online. So I paid $2700 for a normally $4500 bike. Bike weighed in at 32lbs with my flat pedals on the stock build. It came with SLX brakes, and Ice tech rotors. 203mm 4 piston front, 180mm 4 piston in the back. The derailleur was XT, with and SLX cassette and shifter. FSA gradient crankset. Fox Float 34 performance fork, and a DPX2 shock. As for how it rides, I'd say it punches above its price and travel numbers. Its on the slack end of the spectrum for a 125mm bike. I feel like I can ride it almost as aggressively as my Ripmo. It just soaks up the high speed chunk so well, you would never think it was a 125/130 travel bike. I'm keeping the stock brakes. I'll be swapping the bars out for something slighty more supple. I run the stock wheels for now, but eventually will be wanting to upgrade the hub, and at that point, might as well go for a carbon/Berdspoke/ Vesper build. I feel it's a bike worth upgrading, but you don't "need" to upgrade anything.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Congrats on the sweet rig!!!

[@armandocardenas6094]

Truth is that most of us, ride $ 2500.00 to $ 3500.00 aluminum bikes. You have sponsors and ride mountain bikes for a living but 99.9% of us have a job, a family, a mortgage and ride mountains bikes on the weekends ... and that makes us see high end bikes as an unnecessary absurdity.

[@jameshufford2706]

my 17 year old son does a pretty good job ripping around on his Marin Rift Zone. I too changed out the tires to go tubeless (Maxxis DHF and Maxxis aggressor). Also, put a one up dropper on it. since his was the #1 version. Eventually, I am going to swap out the drive train on my bike so that will go on his. He said the same thing about the wheelie capabilities. He commented out my bike (Rocky Mountain Instinct BC) is less poppy than his. Its held up to the abuse of our local trails. I have seen lots more riders on the Marin Rift Zone on those trails. We live in Chico where the trails are very rough on bikes. Lots of rolling over lava rocks in Bidwell. The only issue he had was with the rear derailleur. A screw came out of it. No creaks...

[@Gruby66696]

Had same issue with these brakes on xc bike. Swapped pads for metallic one, that helped a lot. Then changed levers to xt. Oh man now that’s feel proper

[@Cg-fh5re]

Was my favourite vid of yours . Thanks a lot . I decided for Orbea Rallon but Marin was very high on the list as well

[@paolovarca5939]

what an awesome bike review! The best review ive seen. here on utube! Love your content dude!

[@TE_53349]

i used to ride a rockrider 540s that cost £500 brand new, x fusion rear shock, suntour front shock, 120mm travel, qr wheels, clutch derailleur. wheels felt really wobbly but i still jumped the hell out of it because decathlon give a lifetime warranty on the frame. finally got a b etter bike, 2012 nukeproof scalp that ive spent about £800 on upgrades for and its sooooo much more confidence inspiring

[@Ndcent23]

What a dope edit, appreciate the review.

[@downtoridemtb]

Excellent video! Love my 2020 Rift Zone 2 but some things weren’t great to be honest and I’ve upgraded a lot of parts. The new model addresses every concern I had with mine straight out of the box.

[@theboycheef841]

I'm in the market for a mountain bike have been looking at the Marin line such as the Rift zone which is full suspension and the San quentin which is a hardtail. Since you have the RZ 2 is there any reason to get the RZ2 instead of the RZ1. I plan to upgrade components. I'm between the San quentin 3 and rift zone 1

[@downtoridemtb]

@@theboycheef841 the current RZ 2 has better suspension and a dropper post compared to the RZ 1. Although I prefer the 11 speed drivetrain on the RZ 1. $600 difference, maybe go RZ 1 and upgrade as you see fit. Definitely want to add a dropper.

[@theboycheef841]

@@downtoridemtb thank you for the insight! I'm now between rift zone 1 and polygon siskiu 7/8. I would like to save up just a bit more for siskiu 8 but I would like RZ2 to upgrade which are both $2000 right now

[@that_squires_guy]

I bought the one we tested at MBA, I love this thing!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Right on, yeah it's a legit good bike!

[@travelinzac]

I have the MT7s on my spartan and love them. With MDRP rotors they have such impressive stopping power and can handle the heat of long continuous descents. All that said, I disagree with the official bleed process, and I always end on a full push stroke from the caliper. When they're dialed, can't be beat.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Wow, I had no idea Magura made an "MDR-P" rotor, I just saw that Jenson has them in stock!!! Thanks for the tip. I put them on another bike (video coming in December) and they appear to be working after a dual syringe bleed, finished up with a few rounds of lever syringe only style bleeding (pulling syringe up to create a vacuum, then past the hole in the syringe). FIngers crossed!

[@CP-qx2ff]

Mark Jones is Matt and Jono's triplet who actually does all the riding.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

And automotive reviews, at the race track.

[@danielhowarth8397]

So good!

[@antonpettersson5093]

Hi Jeff! Lookin to order a Banshee spirfire BUT would be awesome to see you ride it and hear what you have to say! Love the videos , keep it up 👍 Greetings from a fan out of Sweden

[@mrvwbug4423]

Another consideration for budget bike brake upgrades are the new SRAM DB8s. They have comparable power to Codes and feel a lot like new Codes, but use mineral oil and are priced slightly cheaper than Deores. My rental DH bike in Whistler had a set and they honestly are the best set of SRAM brakes I ever rode haha, plenty of power for the big DH bike, and they maintained consistent feel all day with the firmer lever feel of the new codes.

[@hambo76]

According to NSMB, the DB8 are a next gen SRAM brake and perform better than Code R. Which is nice because I have DB8 brakes on my bike!

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@hambo76 And they're very affordable, a great option for a budget build.

[@davidhu1057]

YOOOO the opening music is CRAZYYYY

[@MightyFireL]

I was waiting for this bike to appear on this channel, since you did the few Kona Process(es) videos. It was too long so I bought a Nukeproof Reactor, but if I was still on the market maybe your videos about the Rifty could have changed it 😁

[@vireshmaraj801]

Would love to see a review on the Polygon T7 as it's a popular budget full suspension bike on the market right now.

[@OmnieStar]

Same. Or the YT Izzo, Same travel as the rift zone but with way better parts. and only like $200 more.

[@NDemanuele1]

Curious to know how it climbed compared to the Ripley. I do notice that there are cheaper brands like Polygon that people are happy with these days. Maybe I'll get a cheaper bike in the future, anything is possible!..LOL.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Polygon and Marin are sister companies, both owned by the same factory. The Ripley stays more open feeling on climbs, meaning a tad more traction on steep and rough, and a tad more comfort, where as the Marin firms up while pedaling. It's not enough of a difference in real life IMO to warrant much chit chat though.

[@vrwgq3q]

if a manufacturer does the shock tune right, I'd say even single pivot is as good as fsr and not even sure if VPP (Maestro, split pivot, ABP yada yada) has an advantage anymore. A well geo'd ALU frame, with: good length dropper, full deore drivetrain and brakes, half decent DT swiss 350 level hubs laced to decent strong wheels and reasonable level fox/SRAM (i.e. Fit vs grip) suspension is more than good enough for anyone riding proper 'trail' these days.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Yeah the single pivot suspension on the Marin and the Konas has been great. It loses a lot of speed in the square edged roots/rocks compared to the multi link DW/Switch/VPP style, but for less chunky stuff, it's awesome.

[@stcmedia]

The reason your brakes are fading is due to the fluid in the system, the higher temps create boiling of the fluid, this creates bubbles in the system and that makes the lever soft and fade out.

[@msgesus4518]

Here's my recommendations with any mtb. Size of frame and geometry most important. Upgrade to good tyres if needed. Upgrade to good brakes if needed. That's it.

[@adlar2005]

If Marin offers the Rift Zone as a frameset only, it's GAME OVER!

[@skullsroad3642]

Since brakes are a topic here, see if someone can send you some formula curas. Preferably the 2 piston version. They can also be bought cheap. Ive run just about every brand brake and im sticking with cura 2 pistons. Power and reliability are excellent.

[@AZMTB]

I'm running the Shigura setup on both of my bikes. HIGHLY recommended, especially if you ride steep stuff.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Interesting, I might have to try that!

[@ixcel83]

I second the Shigura set up. I love the power and control. Excellent video as always.

[@knott4me561]

Shigura imo is the worst rather than best of the best. The wondering bite point is at the lever so your not negating that issue .however the more power you get from the maguras caliper (which is mainly down to the pad compound =galfer) somewhat masks the wondering bite point .but it's a fix not a cure

[@ixcel83]

@@knott4me561 bummer they did not work well for you. Been running my 8000 XT levers with MT 5 calipers with great success. No bite point change. Flown with them ridden lots of terrains.

[@samoenandra]

I have this bike. This video made me feel good about my decision. 😊

[@John_D2]

I would buy that bike. Thanks for the review, Jeff.

[@ericwyttenbach7536]

You enjoyed the Process 134 clearly, can you compare vs the rift vs ripely or recommend your choice of the 3 for a new pnw rider?

[@stevenbrideau3741]

Also interested in this question!

[@reprobatemind6194]

B roll pretty nuts.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Logan and Reilly killed it!

[@71jsteele]

That trail looks so familiar. Northway? I was getting flashbacks of epicness.

[@NoBrakes23]

I seriously contemplated this bike, (As well as the Norco Optic, and one of the Canfields,) but in the end, I rarely find anything that climbs as good as a Weagle linkage. So I went with the Ripley AF.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Ripley AF is great!!! Pedals awesome and has a more XC feel. Can’t go wrong with any of those bikes. Enjoy your sweet ride!

[@BlackFlag94]

You got a thumbs up right from the Intro!!! Legend!

[@reaganhughes169]

Super good video. Loved this.

[@alstar300]

Just when I was about to pull the trigger on the Process 134 as much budget, do-all trail rig you post this! Thanks Jeff! Which one do you prefer for their intended purpose?

[@JeffKendallWeed]

The Process is super fun, but the Marin is “faster.” Longer and bigger feeling. The Kona would be my choice for flatter terrain, the Marin for steeper.

[@DaBinChe]

pay once cry once, being cheap is more expensive cause you gotta pay twice. That is the thing folks don't understand about lower end components. Actually cheaper to get a more expensive bike with better components than a cheaper same bike with lower components.

[@wayneuong5096]

Hey Jeff, I love your content! Can you please make some tutorial videos on how to manual/jump/drop like you?

[@danytheunicorn95]

I use Magura MT5´s, I´ve been using them for like 5 years, on different bikes, never had such reliable and powerful brakes, wayy better than shimano or sram in my opinion, not the most powerful but to me that´s a good thing, you want modulation, not an on and off button, and I can always stop on a dime, regardless of the steepness (within reason) and how long the descent is, even on ebikes they work great. I can´t recommend them enough, also, magnetic pads, easiest install ever. they do not sponsor me. So MT 7´s must be even better

[@outsider1733]

Looks like an amazing backcountry location. Where is this? Dark Divide? Thanks!

[@dummkompf]

did you mean to write "cody warner" on the screen when you said "kyle warner?" honestly idk if cody warner is a rider, I only know Kyle cuz of youtube but I've never followed pro biking at all p.s. last comment.... I was considering this bike as my first full sus when I saw how affordable it is. One thing that I can't seem to find in any of the reviews is an honest and frank comparison of how the rear suspension on this bike compares to different setups on other more expensive bikes. you say only good things about it other than complaining about brakes. But as someone who has access to any bike you want and has probably ridden all the best, there must be a lot of things you find lacking in this bike compared to your ideal bike, and you're not mentioning those things in this review. seems kinda shilly.

[@davidcrawford9421]

Thanks for the Great video Jeff I Recently purchased my first full suspension bike, a polygon siskiu T8 med 27.5 and not long after that the pros closet advertised a carbon wheel set , reynolds black label trail wide 247 with i9 hydra hubs for $499 and yes I ordered a set right away. I'm open to suggestions on how to set them up.

[@ryanbishop4346]

I love Marin bikes, I have the San quinten. Marin Makes the best bikes for a good price.

[@terr256]

Hey Jeff, I just moved to WA and it'll be my first time riding on a lot of wet roots and rocks. Which tire combo would you recommend? Currently running MAXXIS DHR2 front and Dissector rear.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Hey Terr, the Maxx Grip compound from maxxis is about the softest I've experienced. I also run Double Down tires so I can go really low on pressure (20-22 psi) and not worry about flatting. I use an Assegai 2.5 front and a DHRII rear, I forget if the DHR II is 2.5 or 2.4.

[@iwantmymtb]

Dude, I wish so badly I could manual half as well as you do!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Hahaha thanks! I do have some tutorials up here: How to MANUAL: www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-manual-my-79363708

[@theamazingtacocat9270]

Hey jeff, i got a 160 z1 coil for a super good price and im thinking of putting it on my RZ. Do you think a 160 fork is to big for the rz?

[@smoore8]

Holy sh*t this dude shreds! But I came to find out about the bike because it’s budget, but you immediately upgraded, rims, brakes, tires, stem…it sounds like the frame is money the rest is sketchy

[@waldowsxxghostxx8577]

I absolutely love my riftzone 27.5 but i wouldnt hesitate to go back to a hardtail permanently.

[@erikwings2800]

Love the vid as always Jeff! Dont love the bomber z2 though. Just throwing it out there. On my third warranty replacement (full fork) and everytime major issues with knocking bushings. They are integrated in the lowers as well so no easy fix other than swapping the lowers. Will never buy those again. Bike looks sick though.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Ah I hadn't heard that about the bushings wearing out- after a couple months only, the fork stll feels great.

[@erikwings2800]

@@JeffKendallWeed happy to hear. I kept having the same issue with every new fork I received. In the end gave up and ride a fox 38 now (different bike). Love it!

[@Kev2gar4]

Hey @JeffKendallWeed I’ve recently purchased this bike, and I’m no slouch on a bike. Currently own a transition patrol, just looking for a fun all around trail bike. I was hoping to get feedback back on putting a 150mm fork, I’ve actually ordered a marzocchi z1 140 with a new 150 dampener and some code rsc breaks they were the right price for the build. Let me know would love to see this bike in more videos along with your spire

[@outsidefootdab4878]

good review. Hopefully you get to review Marin bigger Alpine trail?

[@jasoncass8771]

Wow, where is that alpine trail near Mt. Stuart? I've got to ride that one.

[@Faithlix]

I do prefer the mt7 brakes over the shimano ones but they’re not the easiest to setup correctly, they’re pretty reliable after that.

[@olik136]

I think they have more power than shimano and I like the lever way better (because you can set the engagement point way farther away from the bars). I did have problems with squeaking though- same with the MT5s. And the only thing that seems to work then is buying a new disc.

[@Faithlix]

My experience is that I get less fatigue on long descents with the Magura, modulation is easiest at high speed/power (also bite point doesn’t change), while the Shimano modulation seems better at very low speed. I didn’t get any noise (with Storm discs 200/180 & 8P brake pads) except when it starts raining. If there is some contamination I use to clean them (the discs) with a brake car product. I’m not a specialist by any means but the issue described in the video seams to be that there is still some air in the brakes.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

They appear to be working better now, I'll do a stand alone MT7 video eventually!

[@dummkompf]

2nd comment now that I'm halfway through the video.... I think most of the people that will be looking at a budget bike like this won't have the skills to shred as hard as Jeff, so the stock brakes may be just fine for them.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

I don't think we need to assume that lower priced bikes will only go to newer riders- there are plenty of great riders who are on a budget too. But to get the bike down to that price point, decisions have to be made, and I can see why they went with the most affordable Shimano option.

[@onlysendsmtb]

I can attest to the validity of that statement. The bike as a whole really.

[@keithbell8960]

I bet the lifetime priced options of bikes are pretty solid these days

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Hahaha yeah most are!

[@TomCollins-c4h]

Hey Jeff it would be awesome if you could try out the Spur!

[@jamesbadinas]

is it okay if ill change to 150/160 travel fork?what would be the risks?

[@marin_bikes]

You can run a fork that is no more than 10mm different from the stock axle-crown measurement without voiding your frame warranty, so you'll likely be fine going to a 150mm fork. Just measure first. We spec 150mm forks on the new Rift Zone XR and Rift Zone XR AXS models.

[@donovanrileymedia]

2:08 Matt Jones lol

[@frankziegler3344]

I just love your videos! One question - is this size M? I am just slightly shorter than you. Cheers from Germany.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Yes, medium, I am 174 and it fits great. Logan is about 170 and it works great for him too.

[@wallyedmonds8199]

Awesome vid 👍🏼👍🏼

[@sans_2031]

Nice review! Marins are always good bikes for the money. Even the alpine carbon is cheap and very high spec. I want to know something tho.. How do you make your bikes so damn quiet? I have tons of stuff to silence my bikes but they just aren't as quiet as this one.

[@Shekesantana]

Is the 29” frame and the 27.5” frame the same? I want to know if I can buy the 29” and use it with 27.5

[@TheLeesto]

this bike seemed to just consume components non stop the whole time. what would you attribute that to?

[@jeffnewtonfilms1662]

what cassette did you end up putting on?

[@dustin2048]

How does the Rift compare to the Polugon T8 as far as the geometry and climb/decend?

[@as8000]

How is it compared to the Occam? You said that the Occam bottoms out very easily and the the Rift Zone doesn't bottom out easily. Does it bottom out less easy than the Occam even though it has much less travel?

[@JeffKendallWeed]

The Rift Zone has a much more supportive, progressive feel than the Occam, and it's a much more torsionally rigid bike. Overall I'd prefer the Rift Zone for aggressive riding. Travel isn't important as geometry and stiffness.

[@as8000]

@@JeffKendallWeed Thanks. Very helpful. I have the Occam and lately started riding much more aggressively. I was thinking about upgrading the suspension. Your reviews convinced me that it's not going to help much and that I need a different bike.

[@boybusilakbikes]

At that price range, it's really a tossup between this and the Polygon T7. I like the aesthetics of the Marin better.

[@tonkshred]

I just went from vee brakes to mt201 ahahahahaha… 203 and metallic rotors, idgaf It is a different world I’ll say that much… Looking forward to my first 4 pots one day….

[@enriquee.k3329]

How does it climb ? Thanks

[@GnarlyGroove]

What's up with the 30 vs 60 fps footage? Great video, though.

[@octodadmtbmartyrichards2862]

Probably my next trail bike 🤔 maybe trp breaks✅and insert in rear tire 🛞

[@digitechreprographics3837]

I had the Rift Zone 2 I bought in 2017 and I loved that bike. I did make some upgrades but to this day I regret selling the bike. Sadly Marin seems to be the worst at promoting their bikes I'm here in N. Cal and Canyon has more presence in the area.

[@JeffKendallWeed]

That's odd that Marin bikes aren't well represented in California, but I think they're focused more on the big picture of sales. What's funny is that Marin and the parent company are far larger than Canyon!

[@bostondye3736]

You should do video series upgrading your bike cave... you're constantly working and filming in there. Looks a wreck lol

[@JeffKendallWeed]

Yeah it's pretty bad- I haven't had much down time to focus on re-building it. Between parenting, personal life, and a very busy work schedule, it's hard to spend a week working on the shop. But I do have plans! Paint the ceiling black, new cabinets, maybe even a better floor, sell some stuff, etc. I gotta fit like 5 hobbies down there- MTB, dirt bike, street moto, mini-motos, RC truck station, metal working/fab, and wood working/van build materials.

[@bostondye3736]

@@JeffKendallWeed absolutely no hate was intended to be clear! I'm a huge fan of the channel! Just an idea and something I'd tune in to! Cheers!

[@JeffKendallWeed]

No ill will received on my end 😂 it would be fun to make a shop vid tho!

[@tropical95]

Hehehhe Mark Jones and Mike Matthews, love them

[@108Hawke]

Great vid as per usual but I think you meant Matt Jones not Mark Jones lol

[@Garret1002]

r u riding the 29er version?

[@mravocadoman2999]

Got that nice Andes Pacifico Shirt.... big alpine enduro guy?

[@RobJackmehoff]

Before everyone needed COOL disc brakes we had rim brakes. They threw you over the handle bars and slowed you down as well and were a lot less complicated. But then just like the automotive industry, biking industry needs to fuck it ALL up

[@JeffKendallWeed]

LOL I don't miss my cantilevers, u brakes, or V brakes in the slightest.

[@RobJackmehoff]

@@JeffKendallWeed Yet the brakes you had which were disc brakes all you did was bitch about them. Intersting. But I do appreciate the good review of a bike that is very reasonable and very affordable for most people and telling people that most people this is all they need. Great review .

[@eightlivesdownmtb]

Too video chap, however, the famous Mark Jones is actually the famous Matt Jones 😂

[@shanemartingreenan]

Never reviewed a bike as is always getting those changes in its not 2400 dollars after brakes wheels and tires

[@blakeparmerter9908]

How does this compare to the Kona process 134