Marin RIFT ZONE E1 Review

In the automotive and motorcycle world, Japan has always had a reputation for being a breeding ground for excellent engines. Shimano is doing its utmost to live up to this reputation in the e-bike world with the EP600 engine. Even nasty steep sections are effortlessly climbed by the motor. The Shimano EP600 conveys a riding feeling. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the RIFT ZONE E1 with only an average range.

Rough descents take away some of the fear thanks to the average chassis. Bad brakes reduce the riding pleasure. Fortunately, this is not the case with the RIFT ZONE E1. With their four pistons and large brake rotors the TRP brake brakes good. The average shifting components and accessories leave some tuning potential open. For most e-bikers, this should be an acceptable point. When it comes to the geometry, Marin does not go completely crazy. The head tube angle and reach values were chosen with care. The result: A balanced riding behaviour with a good combination of playfulness and straight-line stability. The bottom bracket is high, which costs handling points. This tends to make the rider stand on the bike. On other EMTBs it feels better integrated. Due to the short chainstays , when climbing steep sections, it requires active weight shifting to prevent the front wheel from lifting.