Devinci Marshall 29 Review // A $2,599 Complete Bike That Rips!

In today’s bike market there are so many options for the hard-core crowd but when it comes to budget entry level builds there are not to many great options available, Devinci’s Marshall stands out as a great riding well thought out build for riders new to mountain biking and those that are on a tighter budget.

THE DIRT
When it comes to putting tires on the trail the Marshal is right at home on smooth to moderate terrain. If your thing is fast float single track this bike is going to be a great option. While it shines on flow trails when it gets a little rough don’t check trail forks for another trail because it handles blue tech trails very well.

As a rider that is more advanced than this bike is spec’d for, I made a point to ride it in trails that the rider purchasing this bike would be spending the most time on. Duthie hill proved to be an awesome zone for this test period mixed in with some rough single track in Northern Phoenix.

Descending on the mix of green and blue flow trails at Duthie was an absolute blast, cornering traction was on point and when it was time to get airborne the bike reacted very predictably. Changing directions on tighter switchbacks was very manageable with the 1227mm wheelbase.

When riding down in the Phoenix area I was able to find the limit of the suspension, but this is very reasonable as the terrain there was unforgiving. At Tokul, another one of my favorite test zones I was able to ride all the trails I normally do but with a little more regard for the trail speed, the bike wanted to go but I was finding the limits of the suspension. With that said this frame is a prime candidate to grow with you as a rider. To me this is not a negative as the prime consumer for this bike won’t necessarily be blasting down double black trails and this is a key point to keep in mind with this specific build. Once you dial in air pressure and rebound the suspension kit is really set and forget. I only added air pressure when riding jump trails at Duthie for some extra support, this is something I do with all test bikes so nothing out of the norm here.

The 76.9 degree seat tube angle made the short punchy climbs super comfortable with minimal front end wander. The black xc loop at Duthie felt rewarding when getting up out of the saddle through some of the more technical sections. Out of the saddle climbing there was some apparent pedal bob taking place but when seated on longer sustained climbs it was hardly noticeable. On longer road climbs I turned the rebound down on the rear shock to allow the bike to sit into its travel a bit easier as there is no lock out on this shock. On trail, the split pivot frame design really had plenty of traction paired with that DRII out back. With a comfortable climbing position and ample traction those short super steep punchy climbs were no problem at all.

THE WOLF’S LAST WORD
If you are in the market for your first full suspension MTB the Devinci Marshall is a bike that should be highly considered. From its playful trail characteristics to confidence inspiring jumping the bike ticks all the boxes. Backed by a lifetime frame warranty and a solid spec option there is not much left to be desired for riders new to the sport. If you are an advanced rider on a budget this bike gives you a great starting platform to upgrade components down the road.

Price: $2,599
Weight: 34.9 lbs
Website: https://www.devinci.com/en/bikes/mountain/marshall29-deore12s-black-edition/

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