Trek Marlin Single Speed (Gary Fisher Collection)

The bike is very comfortable and looks beautiful. But honestly the breaks are garbage, the forks are clunky and the preload is pointless. On the first ride ( about 30 min) the chain started rubbing on the sproket guard and was grinding. Before my 30 day return policy was up i returned it before anymore damage was done in fear i might get stuck with it and bought a redline d620, it was twice the price. But you get what you pay for.

I am a 60 year old cyclist that just bought a '12 Marlin single speed. I haven;t owned a bike in three years and this bike Fills a part of my life long neglected. I use the bike 6 days a week to lose weight and gain cardiac health. The bike handles well and is quite comfortable. It's suspension takes almost all the shock to my arms and hands go away. Overall the bike functions well and is a great value.

I purchased the Marlin SS and found it to be a wonderful bike to return to cycling. I am a 60 year old Mtn biker that has owned a myriad of various Mtn bike over the past 25 years.this bike is a wonderful way to get back into the saddle and get fit once again.This also marks my first Trek. It climbs well and it's handling is superb. Not overly nimble yet crisp when needede

great price on a 29er and great price on a singlespeed. has a great frame with LIFETIME warranty. some of the components are a step or 2 up from entry level. however you can still upgrade if you want to but you do not have to. i think it was money well spent and would buy again.

I was looking for a simple, lightweight, and durable bike to ride with my kids, and hit the trails. Welding on the frame is excellent. The bike handles well and the single speed adds to the simplicity and durability. Love the ride on the 29 inch wheels, I'll never go back to 26. I do agree with some owners that the fork could be better, but I have no plans to change it. Wish it were made in the U.S., too.

I have the 2011 model. I replaced the stock 20t cog with an 18t and eventually a 16t as I got stronger. This bike will make you strong. No cheating with lower gears.The stock fork sucks [*]...a Fox would make it awesome. Hydro brakes would be great too, but then you might as well buy the Trek Rig if you're going to put that money into it.It's a great 29er and you can't beat it for the money.

I purchased the Marlin about 3 months ago. The bike is used mainly for urban commuting and some single track. Unlike the Specialized Hardrock I had, it does not fall apart when you ride it hard. I am 6'2 and 280 pounds and 60 years old, it has held up to everything I can do with the bike. I changed the 20 tooth for an 18 tooth sprocket to get more ground speed on the streets.( so far 22.9 mph flat out) No need to change the chain to do this so I can go back to the 20 when I ride the trails. The bike has worked well for me, I would recommend it to others looking for a simple, strong street bike to pound the curbs with. I was going to add a 9 speed to the back to save a little on my knees, but I want to leave this bike alone and get a 3x9 or a 2x9 and a FOX front fork on the dirt bike. In closing, I got more than what I paid for, the derailleur hanger for this bike is only 13.00. Get one and build your own 1x9 if you want. The problem is, more parts to worry about. Nice going Mr. Fisher, prefect bike for a old ground pounder like me.

This was my first 29er, as well as first single speed. Since I have gotten it my Fisher Tassajara just sits. This bike is so much fun. Smoothover obstacles, climbs decent. I've found that I can ride it faster than my Tass. Great value, everything works!

I'm not accustomed to owning nice bikes (been riding since I could stand), but I knew what I wanted in a bike that I was willing to spend a few hundred on: Decent speed, Simplicity, and die-hard Durability above all. I found all these things in my Marlin SS. I have owned this bike since March, and I have ridden it many times both on single track and even on the road. The 29" wheels give you great momentum, and the disk brakes give you solid stopping power that is unequaled in my [limited] biking experience. She rides great on slick tires just as well as she does on the stock Bontrager MTB's. Overall, this bike can be many things: A Commuter, a MTB, or even a utility bike. One thing it cannot be, and this would be my favorite thing about it, is complex.

This is my first Single Speed Mountain bike. I love it! Handles great, great on hills and over roots and rocks. Good components for the price. Everything works. At a local Race I did faster lap times on the SS Marlin than I did on my Tassajara last year. No wondering what gear to use, just pedal. Love this bike!

The frame feels great and the bike handles well. Most of the components are VERY low quality. The freewheel made noise from the beginning and had to be replaced by the LBS. The pedals fell apart in the first month. The seatpost bent in the first month, replaced it with Thomson pro. The Tektro brakes are simply junk and broke in the first month, I replaced them with Avid BB7s. Once I replaced a lot of the components, I have had no trouble with the bike. The fork is also very low end and needs to be replaced, the bad thing is that you can not find a G2 replacement fork on the market and Trek has been no help. I realize that it is an entry level bike but you will be better off spending more money up front for a better set of components. It is a decent bike if you are only going to ride your local bike path on the weekends, otherwise save up a little more money and you will be happy that you did.

I originally wanted the geared Marlin, but it was back ordered for nearly a year and I was dying for a new bike. Even though the trek dealer did offer me a good deal on the Mamba, at the time the extra cash wasn't there. This is my first single speed and my first 29er. As soon as the bike came in I took it for a ride and felt the gearing was way too low. After a chat with the dealer he gladly upped the gearing and the bike is a perfect fit for my very flat town of Savannah, GA. I am completely sold on having a 29er. There's no going back. I think the Single Speed separates the men from the boys, but I do miss having a touch more speed on the high end. I hear there is an easy convert to a 9 speed if I get sick of the SS. Overall I LOVE this bike and can't stop riding it!!

I purchased this bike for the main purpose of riding at my local Myakkatchee trail. A technical trail that is notorious for extreme wear and tear on all but the most simply designed bikes. The Marlin SS has held up well with the abuse I have given it since it's purchase last December. My only complaint is the cheap plastic pedals that came with the bike. I would definitly recommend this bike to anyone who wants an inexpensive tank of a bicycle.

Bought this bike to replace my old [...] junker. This bike has supprised me top to bottom considering the price. A bike that actually fits my body size make a world of difference. Handling and speed is awesome during commutes two and from work. Handling is great on rtails and singletrack when you want to ride dirty. GET A BETTER SEAT if you plan to ride more than a few miles a day, the stock one is to small and firm. The tires will need some thorn liners and some slime in the tubes, because thorns/goatheads will pierce them like a hot knife thru butter. After 60 miles of mountain riding and work commuting, i am otherwise very happy with it. I'll never go 26er again.

The Marlin SS might only cost $600, but it rides, looks, and feels a lot more expensive. This is my first 29er and it's great. 2-3 foot drops are no problem... the larger wheels almost make it feel like it has full suspension on drops. The front suspension works fine. You're not going to be saying to yourself, "man, I wish this was a tiny bit plusher" when you're having so much fun. At the moment I live in coastal Georgia where there really aren't that many options. Today though, I took it out to a pretty technical single track trail and it handled everything great: Roots, twisty turns, wet leaves, small logs, and even some larger ones. No complaints on the brakes either. Very responsive and they look and feel very durable. The gearing is also perfect for most trails and urban riding. However if you are going on a flat, paved road for more than half a mile or so, you'd probably want a slightly higher gearing, it can get a bit frustrating. But for everything else it seems perfect. And when all you have to think about is the terrain in front of you and not having to shift, it makes the ride SO much better. Finally, the build quality seems just as good as any other Trek I've had before. I was on the fence whether to get this or one with gearing, or another brand's SS rigid. I'm glad I went with this. The front suspension really does make for a substantially smoother ride, and the SS aspect, well, it's almost like a riding philosophy that you have experience to understand.

Great bike for the price! However the fork really lets this bike down. I have since upgraded to a Non G2 geometry Manitou Minute and the Handling is now amazing. Love the bike and for what I payed I can't really complain with the fork that came with it. Nice Frame workmanship and very well balanced.