Bolinas Ridge
Origin
Marin Bikes was founded in 1986 in Marin County, California — the birthplace of mountain biking, where the sport's pioneers first bombed down Mount Tamalpais on modified cruisers. The company names its models after local landmarks, and Bolinas Ridge is a real ridgeline in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area with a famous singletrack trail. The Bolinas Ridge has been Marin's dependable entry-level XC hardtail for well over two decades: BikeRadar reviewed a version as far back as 2007, and the model has carried on continuously as the affordable on-ramp into Marin's range. Over the years it has tracked the mainstream of budget MTB technology — migrating from rim/early disc brakes and triple cranksets toward hydraulic discs and simpler 1x drivetrains, while keeping the well-regarded aluminium frame at its core.
Specifications
- Frame
- Series 1 6061 aluminium, low standover, 68mm BB shell, 135mm forged dropouts, chainstay-mounted disc mount
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- Trim-dependent: Ridge 1 = Shimano Tourney (2x7 on 2025, 3x7 earlier); Ridge 2 = Shimano Essa 1x8 (2025) or Shimano Altus 3x8 (2020-2024)
- Brakes
- Ridge 1 = Tektro mechanical disc, 160mm rotors; Ridge 2 = Tektro hydraulic disc, 160mm rotors
- Wheels
- Marin double-wall alloy rims, forged alloy 32H disc hubs, black stainless spokes; 27.5" (XS-M) or 29" (M-XL)
The verdict
- Well-regarded aluminium frame with proper trail geometry — a strong, upgradeable base
- Excellent value: real disc brakes, suspension fork and Marin build quality at a low price
- Smart 27.5"/29" size-specific wheels give good fit and handling across the size range
- Entry-level SR Suntour coil fork is heavy and basic — the first thing many owners replace
- Lowest components (Tourney, mechanical disc on Ridge 1) are functional but not durable under hard use
- Not a modern aggressive-trail hardtail — XC-leaning geometry and 100mm travel limit rough descending
Generations
Classic XC era (2000s-2010s)
- Reviewed by BikeRadar in 2007 (4/5); a light, spirited XC hardtail praised for its frame.
2020-2024 era
- Modern 27.5"/29" size-specific wheels, hydraulic discs on Ridge 2, still triple cranksets.
2025 era
- Simplified to 1x on Ridge 2, added a step-through 'ST' model; cleanest, most modern spec of the line.
Versions & builds
Every official build side by side — differences highlighted.
| Spec | CurrentBolinas Ridge 1 (2025) | CurrentBolinas Ridge 2 (2025) | CurrentBolinas Ridge 2 ST (2025, step-through) | Bolinas Ridge 2 (2020-2024) | Bolinas Ridge 1 (2020-2024) | Bolinas Ridge (classic XC era) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | 2023 | 2022 | 2010 |
| Frame | — | — | Step-through Series 1 6061 alloy | — | — | — |
| Drivetrain | Shimano Tourney 2x7 (36/22T) | Shimano Essa 1x8 (32T, 11-45T) | Shimano 1x8 | Shimano Altus 3x8 (42/34/24T, 11-34T) | Shimano Tourney 3x7 | Triple crankset, 8/9-speed |
| Brakes | Tektro MDM280 mechanical disc, 160mm | Tektro M280 hydraulic disc, 160mm | Tektro hydraulic disc, 160mm | Tektro M275 hydraulic disc, 160mm | Tektro Power CX7 mechanical disc, 160mm | V-brake or early disc (build-dependent) |
| MSRP | €650 | €750 | — | €700 | €600 | — |
| Purpose | Value | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Value | Value |
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