The REAL Problem With Trek… 

Interesting how you mention the Trek Marlin. When my daughter was looking to get a new bike during C19, we went to my local bike shop (who also sells Trek) and ended up walking out with a Marlin 5. She wanted a bike that was reliable and could be taken on mild trails (so she could also mtb with her 6 year old son). She's since been on a local novice level mtb trail, which is super easy, but it's all new to her so it's scary for her (it's all relative) - even things like 'what if my wheel goes off the trail' is a new and frightening experience, where for me, I don't even think about it. She has no idea how minimalistic the bike is, but that doesn't stop her from riding it. I think Trek has positioned that model lineup (Marlin) as a 'gateway drug' kinda bike, where most people won't even mountain bike with it, but want a bike that COULD do it (and have a nice new paint job). She was a bit sticker shocked at even the $500-600 price tag, which if you're not immersed in the 'bike world' you'd probably have that perception too (as most of the general public does). That said, in the 1980's when I got my first mtb, a fully rigid Specialized Rockhopper, we didn't have ANY of the things that even the most basic mtbs like the Marlin have today - that Marlin my daugter has, would have been viewed as a top level state of the art dream machine back then, and now it's a starter bike......oh the things we take for granted!

For a guy that only started mountain biking....biking in general... in the last four years, your analysis of Trek's troubles is spot on and so honest! I hope Trek is listening.

I was a Trek dealer for 22 years and no longer carry the brand. What the average consumer does not see is how they bully dealers into only carrying their products. They insisted that 50% of everything I but has to be from them and they wanted to look at my books to make sure. I told them that I would show them my books but I wanted to see theirs. I also told them that I was not their employee. So glad I parted ways with these guys and now we sell what we want. Word on the street is that they are deep in debt with too much inventory that is not selling

Dude! I've been riding for over 30yrs and just came across your channel. You are on point! So awesome seeing your progression into the sport and getting the riding bug. Massive kudos for sharing and inspiring others with your story. As you've hit on, sharing the ride is one of the best aspects of the sport! Keep pedaling my bro! 🤘

You are On-Point as usual Matty! I appreciate your relatable view on mountain biking! Keeping it real.

the reason why I went with trek is generally the reason everyone is pissed at trek: the trek dealers are all around the country. anywhere I am with my bike, i can generally be sure that there is a trek dealer nearby and i can always find parts and service for my trek. also that warranty is nice. but since i have been looking at upgrading to a full sus, i am going through the same issues as you struggling to find something worth the money id be dumping into it

Matty, I’ve been watching for some time and this vid brought me out. I volunteer to build and maintain trails, coming to mtb in the last few months, lovin’ it! Back to the subject, Trek owns ‘Trek Trails’. Currently Trek Trails is SERIOUSLY supporting the sport by ponying-up loads of money to buy land and build trails throughout North America. This ain’t cheap and should be celebrated. If more manufacturers stepped up to support the sport in this way, we could nudge those ATV guys out of our sight, hearing and breathing space with more trails for bikes. Keep asking questions, adding content and riding.

I came across your channel recently, the one where you first tried the Marlin 6. You give a refreshing take from other channels, who deal almost exclusively with thousands of dollars' worth bikes. I recently got a Marlin 7, even though it's categorised as budget bike, here in India it's not quite affordable for most people. Seeing you go through the trails with your Marlin 6, goes to show how capable these "budget bikes" are and is more than enough, for most people. Anyway, keep up the great work.

Can’t wait for the next video! I’m actually in the middle of getting my first mountain bike back up and running! Got a pink Salsa Timberjack 27.5+ that I plan on using for commuting and some fun front range rides!

I agree completely on the Marlin. Bought my 2020 Marlin 7 at the beginning of covid when it was $799. Great bike compared to all the big box bikes I had owned as a teenager, but once I wanted to upgrade components, I learned the limitations of the frame. There is absolutely zero reason these days for a bike to have a straight head tube and a very flimsy rear axle. Yes. you can use a tapered fork with an adapter, but it just shouldn't be designed that way to begin with. Even the newer Walmart bikes have tapered head tubes.

Man, for those prices, you’re far better off buying a motorcycle.

Your video popped up for me, love the story. I got a specialized hardrock full rigid bike back in 1998 and have been hooked since then. Had many bikes and build a few. Just finished building Ibis Mojo 3 last year, my 3rd Ibis. Have Salsa Backsaw and a gravel bike.

I bought a Top Fuel. And I see that some of the cost probably went into the frame itself. The quality is really quite good.

Marty, your on point! I started with a rockhopper and I quickly realized that these big brands are selling a name and not the product. As I learned much more about biking I too realized that there’s brands out here selling bikes with alot more upgrades around the same price that trek and specialized sell there basic equipped bikes for. The struggle for these big brands and understanding their customers want value. Sheer volume in sales for better valued bikes would’ve kept you from the current situation.

You are on point brother! Trek banks on its name but there are many brands like giant, polygon etc that offers more for the price. And I also started with a marlin!

Man you are one of my favorite RU-vidrs period. You are one of the only people I know that doesn't push people to spend money on a bike! Thats my main problem with the mountain bike community too many people push for you to get a full suspension or look down on cheaper bikes, like just let me ride! Great video thanks for talking about stuff like this!

Love your covering man. The average daily consumer appreciates it! I had the exact same Trek as my entry to mtb. Though the more I got closer to fs, the more I couldn't justify the x fusion and low end rockshox for a 2600$ price point (fuel 5). I really believe trek is trying to market more like a Santa Cruz. Aiming for a higher end customer. But in my and your obvious opinion, they don't deliver with the pricing. I have the polygon t8 (always wanted a trek fs) and I have absolutely no regrets. The frame is heavier and there are other minute differences, but the full fox front and rear for trek starts at like 5k. Love the channel! Keep em coming!

Love your videos, you never miss. I landed on a trek because I’m a big guy…6’10” 250ish, and it’s hard to find a decent bike in that size. I went with the Trek X-Caliber because it’s a big bike. But it’s missing many features…like a rear through-axle.

I completely agree that there needs to be more focus on the regular person in bike marketing. Having ridden road, all mountain, and XC bikes for over 15 years from numerous brands, I must say that trek has one of the best price points in the market at all levels IMO. You cannot simply look at the component spec when determining the bike’s quality in comparison to price. The wheels, seat post, seat, hubs etc are all very important to the ride quality and toughness, but those are typically the areas where producers will cut corners (using cheap 3rd party parts) given that most people never pay attention to these areas. Trek uses bontregar (which is EXCELLENT) compared to what most other brands use for the same parts, and will also typically have better wheelsets stock on their bikes when compared to the equivalent models from other brands. Additionally, the manufacturing process is very expensive and complicated, but allows for better designs, stronger welds etc. This may not be obvious to a consumer, but the process influences overall quality and toughness a tremendous amount, but is also VERY expensive. For example, Trek’s entire Top Fuel lineup has integrated frame storage in both carbon and Aluminum. I may be wrong, but as of a year ago, no other producers had managed to build an aluminum full suspension frame with integrated storage because of the complicated manufacturing process required to mild aluminum tubes in the shapes required at a reasonable weight. To summarize, I think you get what you pay for, and there is a lot of quality hidden in trek bikes beyond the drivetrain and brakes. Love your videos FYI-keep em coming!

My first mountain bike was a Specialized because that's what the local store had available at the beginning of the pandemic. I've since bought GT & Norco bikes for my boys and have been very happy with them. However, as a veteran Specialized offers me 40% discount on gear and 20% discount on bikes, so as I upgrade going forward, they'll probably be my first choice. I believe they also offer discounts to first responders and healthcare workers. It's definitely worth looking into.

I own many Treks, and love them, But after I bought my Santa Cruz Bronson c, carbon, with carbon wheels, a rattle free 26 pound bike, I never looked back. I do ride a Marlin 5 6 and 7 on road, and trail all the time, and for the money they are awesome bikes.

You made some great points regarding the Marlin specs for the $. Makes it more difficult to upgrade the front fork without a tapered head tube, but that line is also geared toward all around, and light trail riding with the Marlin 4 & 5. They probably should have stopped there along with the dual sport. And instead of the 6 & up focused on their other hard tails. Funny listening to you talk about your entry into, and progression in trail riding. Got my son a Marlin 4 a couple years ago and he took to riding like a fish to water which had me buying a used Marlin 4 soon after so we could ride together. We’ve both made upgrades to our M 4’s & I recently added a Top Fuel. Also got my son a gravel bike he wanted as his high school graduation present. So I’m just smiling and nodding my head listening to you talk about those bikes.

Worked with Trek bikes for years and yes their budget bikes can be a little better bang for the buck but their products are always top notch. Where I worked we dealt Giant and Trek, yes Giants were better bang for the buck but man was assembling and tuning them a pain, whereas Trek bikes always came together way easier and were a pleasure to assemble. I also respect that they are still privately owned in a time where shareholders come before the clients and staff the corporate culture and values are A1 in my dealings with them and anybody I knew who worked for them said it was one of the best work experiences they had. Just to finish I'm taking Giant to Canadian Consumer protection agency due to them not wanting to honor their warranty claim on my 2013 Trance X29, frame cracked at weld on the underside where the seat and top tube meet. Now I'm back to riding Norco, got 2023 Sight A2 because of the launch of the new HP version but one day I still dream of owning a Trek, maybe a Ticket S or Session or / Slash Love your content Brother, keep on shredding !!!

Peace Matty! I totally dig where you're coming from and your journey in baseball and mtb is very inspiring. If and whenever you visit NY my crew the Dirt Bomberz will welcome you with open arms my brother. We're a grouo a real guys that are on the same journey as you. You've even conversed with one of my guys, Moto Marv who's also a Trek loyalist. Be on the lookout for us in the RU-vid universe.

Good analysis, really enjoyed your take on the matter. One thing to note, the marlin (and similar models from different brands) is basically their “cash cow”. They don’t see a reason to promote because there will always be a market for the typical entry level mountain bike, and they will make money regardless. I agree with the fact that they need to update the frame with a tapered head tube, threaded bb, etc. so hopefully that’s coming down the pipeline. Another note, Trek has been one of the main names in racing for a long time…hence the high end model promotion. I see it as they want to maintain that and be seen as a high end brand with entry/intermediate level options. With trek being a huge corporation, it does blur the lines a bit and make things confusing. This is what I’ve gathered from my 13 years of mountain bike riding and racing and 4 years of working in the industry. Times are tough right now for any company in the industry and it looks like brands are being as conservative as possible which may come off as lazy or weird marketing.

Couple of points, you can ride a hardtail anywhere. It all depends on the level of comfort you want. I rode a full ridged SS Bianchi SASS through the whole enchilada in Utah. It worked just fine. Sure it was harder than using a full suspension but it was still very enjoyable as I’m not a pro racer or trying to fly through the trails as the journey is where it’s at for me. So yea a quality hardtail can go anywhere and do most anything. When I got into it I had a buddy who told me the opposite… he said, buy the most bike/frame/suspension you can get for your $. As you advance you’ll grow into it and not have to keep upgrading. My first purchase in the bike world was a 2003 Santa Cruz Blur for $2k. It was orange with Fox suspension front and rear. I rode that bike for 15 years and never needed anything more as it had everything I needed to ride anyplace but a jump park. I eventually got other bikes for the fun/challenge of trying something less capable like the SASS. The only reason I eventually got another bike in 2019 was because the Santa Cruz was stolen out of my truck. I had to replace tires brakes and the center shock and had the fork rebuilt a couple times but that happens over time if you use it. I replaced that bike with a Yeti SB130 with that I got for $3500 new. It’s way more capable than I am but I shouldn’t need to buy any other bikes for 15-20 years hopefully. All that to say, IMO get the best trail bike you can afford with the best fork and center shock. It may cost you 4k but you can ride that thing for 20 years if you take care of it.

Super valid point. It sounds like they lost touch with their core audience. Great conversation!

Interesting content. Audio gain is super high with AGC limiting, peaky spoken sections after gaps.

I have a Trek 3700 in 2007, brand new. I picked it out solely due to color and it was within my budget as I was 16. It's been a beast of bike and has put on over 50k miles since. I've gotten into hard-core cycle touring and was looking to upgrade my bike to something more fitting for my needs. Learned the issues with the bike industry, and decided to spend around a grand to upgrade components on the bike that I have. I'd rather spend that grand to upgrade what I know than spend 2-4k on a new bike that still needs further money to upgrade components.

Great video, just like your others, & a super-interesting topic! When you look at a lot of MTB media, the focus is VERY much on the high-end aspects of the sport. Carbon fibre, electronics, high pivot rear suspension, & so on. A lot of innovations occur on more expensive bikes, so I think this is inevitable. I think Trek are are a brand that 'wear many hats', so they both compete with the 'boutique' brands (Santa Cruz, Ibis, etc, etc), as well as the more entry-level area. But to be fair to them, they've dabbled in the high-end for a long time. I BELIEVE it was Trek who popularised the use of carbon fibre for framesets, way back when. I've owned a Trek Elite 9.8 (carbon xc hardtail) for over a decade, & it's been brilliant, & a pleasure to ride!

I went through a similar scenario as you (with less new bike days) but I started biking in 2020 during covid and I got myself a Roscoe 7. I did research and compared it to dozens of other bikes and I felt that it was the best deal for that kind of bike at the time. I still have that bike with over 2000 miles on it. I picked up a second hand trek 1.1 road bike and got really into the long distance road riding and touring. I was looking at also upgrading to a carbon bike so naturally I was looking at a trek checkpoint sl5 gravel bike. The problem is it was over $3000 for a bike with a nice carbon frame but mid level mechanical shifters and hydraulic brakes. I did a lot more research and found an aluminum bike called Roll: A:1R which is exactly what I was looking for minus the carbon frame but I also saw that carbon isn’t the best for bikepacking/touring. And best of all it was $1250 after tax with sram rival shifters and sram GX derailleur with some cheapo Chinese mechanical disk brakes. But even if I got a nicer set of calipers I would be into this bike under 1/2 the price of that trek. The biggest difference between these bikes is the carbon frame and just a neat fact the Trek Ckeckpoint ALR aluminum frameset costs more than the entire Roll:

Great insights. I also started riding in earnest summer of 2020. Had old 2004 26er Stumpy I thought about fixing up but at the time...good luck with that. So I wandered into LBS and was sold a 2020 Slash 8. I knew almost nothing about mountain bikes or mountain biking and it was obvious I didn't! Knowing what I know now, it's questionable that I was sold that much bike when the vast majority of riding in my area isn't suited for it - never mind my skill and fitness levels at the time which also were not a good fit for such a heavy, aggressive bike. It didn't help that I had more than my fair share of issues with the bike early on that required a lot of repair and warranty work which I also lacked the knowledge and experience to really understand the way I do now. Fast forward to today, my family has a fleet of six bikes for four riders (Dad has three...it's good to be the king) - only one is a Trek. We love MTB and continue to ride often - doing our part. Ending on a Trek-positive note, I put some sweet upgrades into that Slash and it absolutely rips in the right situations which as I've progressed I've come to appreciate. It is reliable, easy to keep dialed, tough as nails and a ton of fun to ride - DOWNHILL! Plows through chunk like you wouldn't believe. No question it's a quality product, and it will always have a special place in my heart. I just rarely ride it. Let's hope the industry as a whole finds a way to reinvent itself and weather this storm. We can do our part by RIDING as often as possible! Cheers....

You’re loyal to a brand that was good to you which is respectable but you also tried other brands without losing your love for Trek. I think we all like that about you

Amen brother. I'm a Merida fanboy myself and value for money is great with Merida.

It seems like bike manufacturers are in an arms race to have the highest spec yada-yada bikes out there, you see review videos where the reviewer talks all about geometry that everybody cares so much about but the average rider doesn't need, specs on this and that and on and on. You're 100% right in saying that the average consumer who wants a "good" bike isn't going to spend $2k to get one. There are other makes like Giant, where I landed with my Fathom when you bought your Marlin, which are known as not so much of a high end bike (they make high end stuff though). They sell more bikes than anyone on Earth, so they lack the high-end image of companies like Trek. But the bikes are every bit as good or better in the ways that matter, and they're a lot cheaper. I agree with you there's nothing wrong with mass-appeal in your products.

Great video! I have a question for you. I’m getting my first mtn bike and wanted to know which you recommend. A new roscoe 8 on sale for $1450 or a marlin 8? Could a roscoe be used for same stuff as a marlin?

Price to spec ratio for Trek, Santa Cruz, Specialized is very high. I went with Marin for that reason. On the other hand, some people feel good paying top dollar for stuff and telling everybody about it.😁

Thank you for being real about what’s going on with Trek.

Thanks for your perspective on both your bike buying experience and the latest Trek news. It's appreciated. Trek's plan to reduce the number of SKUs is a good move. They don't need half a dozen trim levels of each bike. The Fuel alone comes in 5, 7, 8, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9. Not to mention size and color differences. I'm sure I missed some other options. Your thoughts about to much focus on racing is to common in the industry.

I went to a trek store a few months ago and they were trying to sell me a very expensive bike even though I told them that I am looking for an entry level bike so I can try mountain biking. I did my homework and I ended up buying a different brand instead because the other store were very helpful and like you said they made me very comfortable and got me the right bike for my skill level

Glad to see you promote Polygon. They are great specd affordable bikes. I have a 21' D6 that I have slowly upgraded. I also ride a 22' Trek Marlin G2 that I have done small upgrades to. The Trek is a backup/ guest bike that is budget friendly if something breaks. I ride my D6 most often and love it. Come out to AZ. Great trails all over the state. Sedona MTB festival is going on this weekend as well

You absolutely nailed it.

i grabbed a status 160 frame only kit for the same reason. can't beat the deal for a full sus frame. trek makes good bikes but they better start being competitive again in pricing

I agree with 100% bro… I love my Trek Marlin 6 but I really want a Trek Fuel EX 5. Dropping $2,500 in today’s economy is like giving up a kidney lol. The crazy thing is I’m still going to get a Trek Fuel EX 5 soon because I became a Trek guy.

Trek gets away with higher prices because they just have really good brand recognition. When I got into MTB last year my research led me to getting a Canyon Grand Canyon 7, as it had the best components I could find for the best price. My wife wanted to get a bike too, and insisted on getting a Trek (Marlin 6) even though she was paying almost the same price as I did for my Canyon and getting significantly lower-end components. And she knew she was paying more and getting less, but for her it was a matter of always knowing of/seeing Trek as a high-end brand, and always wanting a Trek if she were to get a nice bike some day. I feel Specialized is similar to Trek in this way, but I think their bikes are quite a bit better than Trek's. Also you're right - I have always seen Trek as the brand that caters to suburbanites, weekend warriors, and familes - not a brand that makes high-performance machines like Yeti or Santa Cruz or something.

Every bike company did the same thing, push the expensive bikes. Especially during the big V timeframe. They are too greedy to go back to the core customer. They are hungry for that easy green.

I like how you entered the bike world and moved your way up in skill level, and your view on the trek brand and 100% agree with you!!

Two of my previous bikes were all demo bikes which are usually getting sold off in the fall. Great way to get a gread deal on a bike. I paid $2800 shipped for a $5000 Salsa Backsaw from a dealer in Colorado, fully tunned. I did ended up upgrading almost everything on it with time and use it as my winter bike. Back around 2016 I scored a demo Ibis SL with a nice build for $1700 and sold it for $1600 two years later and it was still a good deal.

This is why my bike shoprecomended me a Kona Lava Dome over the Marlin, the Kona has a tappered head tube, better for future upgrades.

I respect trek. My GF bought an EX5, it came with a 175 crank which was much too large. I wrote the company and they set it straight by getting her a 170 crank installed. We have since upgraded the bike and it is wonderful. She loves it.

Such a chill point of view man, I'm the same way. I don't let my wallet speak for me, I let my riding speak for me. I came across the 2021 Sombrio Shovel for 50 percent off, and other than the fork, it was am all around solid bike for the price. I used the money I saved and got a Marzocchi Bomber Z2 150mm fork and the thing shreds ! I spent about 1300 on it with some big upgrades, and it competes against bikes far more expensive than mine. The bike community is so easily fooled into overspending and overbiking, when you can spend your money reasonably and enjoy it for far cheaper

I ride a 2012 Trek Marlin 29r. I upgraded the fork,bars, drivetrain, brakes. And it now rides like a much more expensive bike. Mine has a tapered head tube.but yes no thru-axle .I guess since it's an early model. In 2012 the Marlin, Mamba and Excalibur had the same frame with the tapered head tube but with different forks and drivetrain and components. Minus the no thru-axle i was still able to upgrade the fork from a suntour to a Rock Shock XC32 air shock and to a SLX drivetrain with a race face front chainring.and Origin8 crank.

My first Trek was a 4300 in 2010, I uprated the transmission and brakes and rode that thing everywhere and finally got rid of it in 2015 when my Doctor told me that because of my back injuries I shouldn't be riding. Roll on 2020 and I once again aimed to get myself a bike but because of covid and the world shortage and also the pricing I could not afford a Trek and ended up with a Cube Analogue, which with the Hydraulic brakes 1x12 Sram drivetrain and Rockshock remote lockout forks Trek would have cost me 50% more than what I paid for the Cube which I could not afford at the time. You are most definitely correct, the industry on a whole are pushing dub and through axles as they havnt yet set on a standardised system like we had for so long with QR skewers and they dont offer these new technologies even though they cost pennies to manufacture to those on a smaller budget. Last year I spent another £500 on upgrades on my Cube but I am literally at the end of what I can achieve in upgrades due to all the higher end wheels/hubs, drivetrain and front shocks literally not being able to fit on my frame and with more of the industry going bust and closing their doors it is getting harder to find companies that cater with great quality for the cheaper frame and fork sets. I am literally 44 and dont see myself upgrading my bike anytime soon as it is more important to make sure my Son gets the best possible moving forward but the manufacturers need to come to a decision moving forward that not everyone can afford the massive outlay on a new bike, but what they will do over time is pay to upgrade the bits on the bike they already have chasing the bike they always wanted, for me it is simple, upgrade every part to the bits I want and the last change is to buy the better frame and transfer everything over to it and put the standard parts back on the old bike and sell it or pass it on, this would allow me the opportunity to have a bime that would probably retail in the thousands but to have built it myself and with a better spec than the manufacturer would ever give me I think we also need to stop chasing electric everything on cycles, I dont need a gearing to not work just because I forgot to charge the batteries, I want simple cable operated gearing but to the same high spec as the electric versions, I am forever seeing AXS systems, whatever happened to a really well designed and high spec derailleur like the 3x9 SRAM XO from 2008 with its billet aluminium and carbon with red accents, they looked great on my Trek 4300 and maintenance was simple and the shifting was just sublime.

I went from a khs to a Roscoe 8 to a Santa Cruz carbon chameleon and finally a Santa Cruz hightower v3 2024!! And definitely stuck with Santa Cruz ounce I swapped brands

I have to agree. I bought a Marlin 7 Gen 2 because of your channel. It was my first bike shop MTB. Prior to that I always had the Walmart variety because I really didn't care. I just wanted something to ride. I had no idea MTB was such a global thing like road bikes are (Tour de France type stuff). This was just a year ago. I still have it but im thinking heavily about a Roscoe 8 as my primary hardtail. I also purchased an Orbea Occam H20 LT as my first FS bike. I wanted a Trek Fuel EX but the components/specs to price point just didn't make sense. Not going to pass up a Fox 36 PE for a Rockshox Recon with similar travel.

Watching from the UK I get you completely. I've been thinking about a Domane SL5 and every year they add £300 to the price even when it went down to 1 isospeed. More money for less bike. I can't justify the price so now thinking about Ribble, even though am a Trek fan.

I’m not brand loyal. And I’m always looking for the best tek ,groupset ect and geometry for what I’m riding. Alway bang for my buck. Great channel man 👍

This is really interesting, as a Trek Fuel EX owner with a wife that rides a Polygon Siskiu D7 I understand all the arguments on both sides...however...I use the Trek site quite often and ever since this information was "leaked" the site has been slow. I decided to look at bike availability, and while my comments are anecdotal, there's plenty of bikes that are not available. Is it possible this "leak" has created a buzz? 🤔

I have purchased two trek bikes (roscoe 9 and fuel ex 8 gen 6) and i have to say they are absolute monsters, got them on crazy sale as well so i cant really say a bad thing about them/

My first bike was 2015 trek marlin 5, loved that bike but as my skills progress I couldn't really upgrade anything on that bike so I ended upgrading to stumpy and now I ride ibis dv9

I don't think there is any issue here, why push the bikes that sell themselves? Their time is better spent trying to get those higher end bikes to the people who have started with Marlins and want to upgrade. They've recently dipped their prices a bit and seems like things are falling back into place.

I ride a 2012 trek fuel ex 8 It’s been absolutely great the last 10 years. That’s why i stick with trek

Why would Trek advertise and promote a less expensive bike in their range like the Marlin 6 when it is already one of their best selling bikes. They likely have a number of marketing ploys, hoewever, they certainly are utilizing something called decoy pricing. They market a very expensive item next to much less expensive options which makes buying a less expensive option seem like a no brainer.

I guess if Trek went the GT route they could sell their XC budget friendly hardtail at a big box type store as well. In Canada Sportchek carries GT and my first bike with gears was a GT Aggressor comp 29, it did the job despite the geometry making it feel more like a road bike than a trail bike, I guess thats just XC type geometry in general though. Because I have 25+ years on street/park BMX bikes though, I progressed to riding black diamonds in only a matter of months, basically once my fitness level improved enough to find them. At that point I knew I needed a hardtail that was more robust like a big BMX to smash around and take some actual abuse, unfortunately GT doesnt really have an inbetween entry level and full suspension higher end bikes, so when I was getting my GT tuned up at a local shop I checked out a Canadian brand with a lifetime frame warranty, Devinci. The price on their hardcore hardtail "Kobain" was more than double what my Aggressor was, but I went with it anyways, its very similar to the Trek Roscoe series, but its not made overseas whatsoever which I like that fact as it means providing jobs directly to Canadians, and stricter quality control. So far so good, Hardtails can do everything for the most part, Full suspension is just useful for softening chunk and absorbing big drops, also to help with high speed control, but it is what it is, I have fun on the hardtail and the Devinci Kobain flicks around a little more like a BMX, although I'd like to try 27.5 wheels someday as the 29s still really make a bike feel absolutely massive compared the 20's I rode for 25 years. Hopefully Trek makes some good decisions and maybe getting them into a major retailer would be beneficial, at least to push out even more Marlins and maybe even Roscoes.

I was a bicycle patrol officer for a major Police Department. I was the purchasing officer for the new bikes and every year we would put bikes out for bid. Trek was our preferred bike but often they were too expensive, and we would have to purchase a competitor's bike. Most often we went with Cannondale. Every few years Trek would win the bid, but most of the time they would be too expensive. I personally ride a specialized for the same reason.

Love your video. Back in the day ( 40 plus years) Trek was made in Wisconsin and had to cut corners in components to compete with the Japanese / Taiwan bikes. The lad test problem with Trek is that they are going to do their own stores instead of dealers. This isn't a good idea if the economy goes into a recession.

They did the the same with road bikes, 10 yrs ago 105 and Ultegra equip was attainable for aver riders. Now thats a $5-6000 bike, too rich for most

For $1000, at the minimum, you should get a tapered head tube and through axles. QR and straight head tubes are not upgradeable. Its really this simple.

Trek has been pricey, but my local dealer has been nothing but amazing

Problem with Trek is you're paying for those brick and mortar locations. You're paying for their sales reps and your biggest expense when buying a Trek, you're paying for their marketing and advertising. When you're on a $600-$800 budget, you're not getting much bike after you trim all the fat. Worst part is, these beginners ask their friends what to get, and they don't know any better so they recommend a Marlin 7 which IMO is trash. End of the day I hope people are happy, and if it gets them off the couch and on a bike, that's a good thing no matter what they're riding. It's about being happy and getting a little exercise, and you can do that on a Walmart bike, a Trek or a $15,000 Specialized e-bike.

Man... This is such a good video!!

I’m still riding a 2014 Trek 4300. 😀

my first mtb was 1995 - I tried the stumpjumper M1 and the Kona hei-hei - both second hand for 1k - I bought the hei-hei. Only recently upgraded from 25 years ago to a canyon grizl but I still ride a kona explosif as a pub bike!

Ive been looking at the marlin mainly because it has rack mounts and i want to carry some gear off road, not necessarily hitting jumps and extreme trails but just enjoy the outdoors

I agree 100%

Thank you for being real.

Polygon shook the game up during the pandemic. Great content, and very true statements.

Marlin platform is undergoing a running change to the geometry (Gen 3 comes with a slacker tube construction) and the technical features are rolling down to lower models. Interesting to see TREK sells just fine here in Canada, where they are a little more expensive...

Rock on Matty, you speak the truth here. FWIW, like you, Trek has been nothing but amazing to me and my family; but dadgum man, they are expensive in comparison to other brands. The whole market reminds me of buying a car.

This needed to be said.

My bike, Radimir Lenin, is a Marlin 5. I love it. However, I would like to hit actual MTB trails instead of rail to trail. I took it out to a "Dirt Church" event in Lawrence, Kansas, and the issue I had is the Marlin sucks in sand, where the trails in Lawrence had an abundance of. Looking at the Roscoe for my next hardtail so I can get the dropper post and bigger tires. Also dealing with the issue of having lost weight so my Fox shorts are too big and catch on the saddle.

Amen Brother!

Went to the Trek website - See a whole slew of Marlins. You make it sound like they no longer sell them. They are still available.

I don't know if they will bounce back. I hear they are doing a 10% cuts( redirect) across the whole departments and a 40% cut on all of their current skews. This indicates major changes. What do this means for the consumer?

You are absolutely correct!!!!!! Trek needs to market more to just regular people and families who just like to ride bikes. The average person cannot afford and doesn't need or want an elite road bike or an elite full-suspension bike. Bicycling is getting more popular in urban areas and NOT on extreme mountain trails. I think these elite road bikers wearing spandex look stupid and I will never be jumping off mountain cliffs with my mountain bike. The Trek Marlin series should be improved and it should be Trek's greatest selling group of bikes. I have a Marlin 7, a Roscoe 8, and a Checkpoint 5. I ride them all but I have to say that the Marlin 7 is my favorite to ride in town. Trek needs to WAKE UP!

I have a roscoe 9 and recently noticed the rear brake caliper bolt isnt square. At first I thought the bolt was bent so took it out to put a new one in but it's totally straight, nothing wrong with it... Basically the hole for the bolt wasn't drilled square, it is 1 maybe 2 degrees off causing the bolt and more so the washer to get extremely close to the brake disc. Thus making it a PITA to adjust and get right. I spent far too long getting it set up right the other day. You think when paying so much for a bike you get decent quality

Your 100% right I have the same exact marlin 6 as you have I've spent $400 to make me happy with it, and I love that bike it's my baby, ride it more then my big bike "polygon t8" but my wife has a walmart kent trouvaille and that what ive based this bike off of and I still like hers more. I also own a polgony t8 and absolutely love it. You can't beat it for the price only. Upgrades needed to me are a saddle and pnw dropper post lever, but I am coming from a mx background. But I love the simplicity of a hardtail!

To put what you said in my terms, They're more than happy to sell a bike to someone to get em hooked and where the user will become a shortish term revenue stream due to the older standards(what an oxymoron). Then the less newb will see dang, I could have spent X more to have a better upgrade path and maybe that was explained in some way, but they don't make clear WHY newer standards(that word again) matter to someone who's at least semi-committed. I know this sounds like a victim POV, but it's not, it's more to do with changing what "standards" actually means, and IMO, that's the bigger issue. Solid vid Bubba and have enjoyed your journey!

I agree with you 100%, and I believe all the big manufacturers pushed the average rider to the side with these insane prices and slacked out bikes that suck on regular rails. This downturn in bike sales is what they deserve from all the greed and poor planning for the future of MTB. I also think MTB park owners have done the same thing. They have forgotten that a majority of riders are average at best and so they create dh trails that are designed for the best 15% of us riders. Thanks for the great videos!

I pulled the trigger on a trek dual sport 3. gen 5. best decision I've made. I also have a roscoe 9

I'm getting a full-spench this spring , thinking status or siskiu🤷🏼‍♂️

I’ve been watching the Marlin 6 for the last two years. We had a local bike shop that opened maybe 40 years ago. Most of their inventory has been Trek for the longest. Last year, Trek opened a factory retail bike store less than two miles from the bike shop. The shop had problems after C-19 when Trek started their big sale as the bike store had stock at regular price and the factory wouldn’t work with them. The new Trek store was underselling the local bike store and ended up putting them out of business. I’m not really happy about that as a small business owner. I wonder if that happened in other areas.

I hate to say it but just like some families always buy Chevrolet or Ford for decades, I mainly look at Trek for mountain bikes because my first mountain bike in 1996 was a Trek. For road bikes I almost always get Specialized for the same reason. Pretty dumb I know.

I have been riding a 2023 Marin Rift Zone 2 for the last year and a half. It’s a great single pivot full sus which is very easy to maintain, but I missed riding hardtail. I just bought the Roscoe 9 last weekend for $1800! It was on sale for $1999 and they stacked the military discount which made it $1799. $1799 is a steal for the Roscoe 9 considering the spec.

I still ride my Santa Cruz super light that I got back around 2009. All we have close to us is xc trails, so I never felt like the price of a new fs bike would be really worth it to me. A lot of steep hills, but no rocks or man made features.

You don't need to market your top selling product, the Marlin will be the top selling for two reasons, price point for the consumer, mark up for Trek and dealers want/need something to make it accessible and profitable. Now that you've been riding a little while you've become aware of what mountain bikers "want" i.e. tapered head tube. Well added stiffness in the fork, more durability etc. leads to more stability confidence and desire to hit up bigger trails, but the Marlin isn't for this. Trek is slimming its range by 40% because of bloat. From the comments below everyone has something to share on Trek, ultimately every company values itself in particular ways, being profitable though is always the biggest drive, otherwise you close the doors and turn out the lights.

On point brotha!I ride the cheap full suspension bike GT verb that is the same fun as my friends expensive bikes!My bike never hold me back.i just upgraded the parts that needed to Be changed when i started to learn the mountain biking world as i progressed.Keep it relatable brotha!great job!

100% right, my daughter and wife needed new bikes back around 2020, both got Marlin 6's for like 850-900 a piece :/ Thankfully they aren't going to need to upgrade anything that frame would limit them on. Personally, I'm on aTop Fuel 9.8 and Roscoe 8. I feel the same way as you about my full sus, Its awesome but frankly put I've never went anywhere that I couldn't still do my hardtail w/ a bit more "care".

I am a big marlin fan I have a Marlin 7 A Marlin 8 trek X caliber 8 and 9 And I am thinking about a trek A pro caliber 8.I am a big bike fan Keep making your great videos I enjoy watching them Take care my friend and be safe on your bikes whatever you do.

i think A lot of the money goes towards the aftercare. Very few brands look after you like Trek will. Although i do agree they are quite expensive