Mark Adams This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com and other Amazon websites.
As its name suggests, this bike is designed to help you nail the perfect run, carve berms and blast back down the trail in style. The Marin Nail Trail is a modern aggressive hardtail, which features modern long and slack geometry, awesome components, thru-axles and is compatible with dropper posts – it’s ready for riding anywhere in the mountains with composure, efficiency and speed.
SRAM 11 Speed Drivetrain, RockShox Suspension and Shimano Disc Brakes
Its equipped with a SRAM 11 Speed drivetrain, RockShox suspension components and powerful Shimano disc brakes to ensure you are prepared for anything. This bike efficiently powers its way to the top of the highest peaks and smooth out any trail hazard that’s trying to slow you down.
Boost Hub Spacing, Tubeless Compatible Rims and Dropper Seatpost Ready
This trail tamer from Marin is equipped with a superb Marin finishing kit and it rolls on Marin wheels wrapped in Schwalbe tyres for outstanding performance in all conditions. Plus, it has internal cable routing, uses modern Boost hub spacing, is dropper-post ready and its rims are tubeless compatible, which makes it a future-proof investment at a superb price-point.
All Marin bikes on Chain Reaction Cycles are covered by a 2 year warranty. Proof of purchase is necessary.
Features:
- Frame: Series 3 6061 Aluminium, 27.5″ Wheels, Double Butted Frame, Internal Shifter and Dropper Post Routing, 148x12mm Boost Thru-Axle
- Fork: RockShox Recon RL 27.5″, 120mm Travel, Compression and Rebound Adjustment, Alloy Tapered Steerer, Solo Air Spring, 110x15mm Boost Spacing, Maxle Stealth, 51mm Offset
- Rear Derailleur: SRAM NX 11-Speed
- Wheelset: Hubs: Formula; Rims: Marin Aluminium, Tubeless Compatible
- Crankset: Marin Forged Alloy 1×11, Hollow Spindle, Steel Narrow-Wide 32T Chainring, 76mm BCD
- Cassette: SunRace 11-Speed, 11-42T
- Brakes: Shimano M425 Hydraulic Disc
- Handlebars: Marin Mini-Riser, 6061 Double Butted Aluminum, 780mm Width
- Grips: Marin Single Clamp Locking
- Stem: Marin 3D Forged Alloy, 45mm
- Seat Post: Marin Alloy Light
- Saddle: Marin Speed Concept
- Tyres: Front: Schwalbe Nobby Nic Performance 27.5×2.3″; Rear: Schwalbe Racing Ralph Performance 27.5×2.3″
Marin Nail Trail 6 Review:
Marin Nail Trail 6 Review- Handbuilt & Customer Service 5 stars
I took delivery of a Marin Nail Trail 6 last week and have been riding it extensively over the last few days.
I was very impressed with the build quality of the bike right from the outset. The cable management is clean and tidy with none of that complex braiding that can get knocked or come loose. I would class the build as semi-pro level.
The sizing is spot on. I’m 6’0″ tall with a 30″ inseam and ordered a 15″ Nail Trail 6 and it fits me perfectly.
The ride is very intuitive and efficient, with an amazing level of control in the tightest turns. I have owned several other bike brands in the past, but this is by far the most versatile. It climbs as well as any other hardtail I have owned, but stops and turns on a dime when needed.
The rear suspension is very controlled and never feels dead in the twists and turns, but the bike is very firm over the uneven stuff and copes with roots and rocks with ease. I have early season trails here in Cornwall and even at this time of year with relatively wet and boggy mud trails this bike inspires a lot of confidence and speed. Despite having a very low bottom bracket and 58t chain ring the leverage required to spin the pedals is very light, with the best cadence I have ever experienced on a hardtail. It just feels right!
Countering this however, is the chainset. It has a massive range, but this means the jumps from 1 ring to 2 are very big, with the smaller ring, at 58t, being a similar size to a 61t chain ring. This may be fine for the true hardtail fanatics with big legs, but for me, it’s just a bit big.
This has meant in order to achieve the required cadence for my style of riding I have had to go for a 32t front ring, as the smallest is 36t which is way to big a jump. I have swapped out the Shimano wheels that come with the bike for Mavic Crossmax SX (which I am also pleased with) so I’m a little limited in terms of what I can do with the cassette.
I ordered a dropper seat post with the bike, but the lever was not long enough to fit through the rubber grommet on the Nail Trail 6, so this had to be replaced. This left me with no graduated seatpost, so I purchased a KS Lev 132 RC2.
I have also changed the saddle out with a Fizik Antares which is not a particularly hard saddle, but is certainly stiffer than the one that came with the Nail Trail 6.
I am going to purchase a shorter stem and wider handlebars, but I have made the decision to do this gradually as I haven’t felt the need to change anything so far!
I am really pleased with the bike. It is very smooth and efficient on the uphills and descents, which is really useful in the trail centres here in the UK where the trails are pretty relentless. It is very solid and stable, so there are no worries about it letting me down.
My only request for Marin would be to offer a remote lockout button on the rear shock. This would make the bike very practical in everyday terms and would make it a great bike for all terrain riding.
Having said that, if you’re after a bike for your everyday commute and the odd weekend blast around at the trail centre, then I would recommend this bike. It rides really well, even with my very limited skills in the handling stakes. It is very comfortable and confidence inspiring and is a pleasure to ride. I am not going to replace it and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. It is certainly not lacking in any department and may be the only bike anyone would ever need.
Marin Nail Trail 6 Review- Reviewed by Todd Greenberg (New York, USA)
I purchased a Marin Nail Trail 6 in April of 2018 from Chain Reaction Cycles and have had the bike for a little over six months.
I am a racer at heart, and have competed at a pretty high level. There is definitely a big difference between bikes at that level and what is considered a mid- to high-level bike for the rest of us.
That being said, I have tried several bikes throughout the years, and have been riding this one for about six months now. It has held up well on the trails around here, near Albany, New York, and has pretty quickly become my go-to bike for all things mountain bike.
The Marin Nail Trail 6 is a sweet ride. The frame is so well built, and the welds on it look nice. I have had no issues with frame cracks or anything. The tubes are all sturdy, and they have beefy looking dropouts too. The chassis that holds everything together feels really solid and stiff. I would definitely not compare it to a high-end bike, but all the high-end components make it surprisingly stiff. For the price point, it is definitely a very stiff bike.
A lot of bang for your buck
At the end of the day, you get a lot of bang for your buck with this bike. It hits a nice balance of comfort and performance reasonably well. I do feel it could use a little more cushion in the fork. I have run a little suspension in front to adjust the ride a little, but I do feel like the fork could be a bit more cushioned to make it a little more plush over the rougher stuff and on the longer rides.
It is stable and fast, feels really confident to push it. I do like the fact that the longer top tube makes it forgiving if, say, you hit a root or stick coming up towards a jump and get a little off-line. It feels really comfortable in sharp turns as well. Personally, I do not like a short front end, even on trails that are pretty tight. This bike has a solid 55/57 one-to-one and 110 Boost. That is plenty for most people.
Riding the Marin Nail Trail 6 is a pleasure, and I have had a blast riding it. It is off-road capable, but it also makes a great commuter and is a good bike for a long ride or a short ride. The longer top tube and the easy handling help keep you feeling good on long rides. The short stem made me nervous at first – only because I am used to running low DH handlebars and a really long stem – but it has been a pleasant surprise.
I have so many rides on this bike now that I don’t think I can sum up a second of that riding with any one review. I can tell you that this bike rides like a dream and is probably the best Marin ever made. The only reason why I would hesitate would be the fact that there are other bikes with different travel that might be a little cushier and luxurious. But, at this price, the geometry and handling are amazing, and it is pretty stiff.
