Trek Marlin 4 2022 Should I buy it?

[Balsa Montenegro]

Hey everyone,

I'm thinking of buying Trek Marlin 4 2022.
What concerns me is that most of the time I will be driving in city and on paved roads. I won't use it on tracks at all, only on good paved roads and roads with pot holes.
I think it will be good for that since I don't care for any speed records, only to have a decent bike that can go on any road and that can be used everywhere.
Is it okay for that use?

 

[Sittingduck]

If you’re only going to cycle on roads why would you get an MTB, I don’t get it.

 

[vickster]

Yep you can ride virtually any bike on those surfaces. Maybe a 29er another option, bigger wheels for roads but can also go off-road. Or a rigid fork hybrid bike with 32-40mm tyres, if you want a more road feel

I ride 25mm or 28mm tyres on a roadbike on pretty crappy surfaces, never felt the need for a mountain bike.

 

[cougie uk]

Just get a road bike that has wide tyres. Check out the gravel bikes. No point in MTB if you're not using it off road.

 

[Balsa Montenegro]

The thing is that it's hard to find any gravel bikes here. I thought of gravel bikes but I don't have much choise.
Also,some roads here are terrible,in city there is a lot of sidewalks, curbes and stuff that would be easier to do with mtb.
My only concern is this, is the difference between mtb like this one and gravel bike that significant that it would be stupid to buy an mtb in my situation. 😅

 

[Arrowfoot]

The thing is that it's hard to find any gravel bikes here. I thought of gravel bikes but I don't have much choise.
Also,some roads here are terrible,in city there is a lot of sidewalks, curbes and stuff that would be easier to do with mtb.
My only concern is this, is the difference between mtb like this one and gravel bike that significant that it would be stupid to buy an mtb in my situation. 😅

I had the same notion that an MTB would be the right utility bike for the roads. How wrong I was. Get a hybrid or a road bike. No need gravel.

 

[vickster]

The thing is that it's hard to find any gravel bikes here. I thought of gravel bikes but I don't have much choise.
Also,some roads here are terrible,in city there is a lot of sidewalks, curbes and stuff that would be easier to do with mtb.
My only concern is this, is the difference between mtb like this one and gravel bike that significant that it would be stupid to buy an mtb in my situation. 😅

Gravel bikes have dropped handlebars… if that’s what you want don’t get an MTB.
Shouldn't be riding on sidewalks, so no need for curb hopping

 

[cougie uk]

I had the same notion that an MTB would be the right utility bike for the roads. How wrong I was. Get a hybrid or a road bike. No need gravel.

Good thing about gravel bikes is that they'll take wide tyres. Even the roads round here seem more suited to gravel bikes than road. God knows how I managed on 18mm tyres back in the day.

I'd get a double chainring though whatever.

 

[Cycleops]

Get a hybrid, most are now like MTBs with wider tyres and you'll get a suspension fork although Id advise against that and go for a rigid.

 

[Cathryn]

I have a Trek Marlin 6 and I adore it. I ride in on roads regularly as part of my rides and it's absolutely fine. It wouldn't be my first choice of bike if I was mainly riding on roads (I'd pick a hybrid by the sound of your requirements) but a Marlin is a cracking value bike.