Marin Uses R3ACT Suspension For 2018 Wolf Ridge

It’s been a bit quiet on the Marin-front when it comes to full suspension bikes. Although the Northern Californian has an existing line of full suspension bikes such as the Rift Zone, Attack Trail and Mount Vision, there hasn’t been a whole lot of change with those models over the last couple of years.

As of today, the wraps have been pulled of Marin’s latest full suspension mountain bike, called the Wolf Ridge. An all-new bike with an all-new frame and suspension design, the new Wolf Ridge answers some questions about why Marin has been relatively quiet in this area over the past few seasons.

We’re told that the Wolf Ridge has been in development for nearly five years. It’s clearly been an ambitious project by Marin, and one that’s sure to wow the mountain bike market with it’s completely new and radical design.

Firstly, the looks are…divisive. We reckon there’s a little bit of inspiration from the Honda RN01 downhill race bike from a few years ago. Whether you like the look of it or not, there’s plenty to get excited about with the new Wolf Ridge. Marin has some big claims on the rear suspension performance, which has been licensed by Darrell Voss of Naild. You may have already seen the R3ACT suspension design on the new Polygon Square One, and Marin is now the second brand to utilise the same platform.

Fundamentally, the new Wolf Ridge is a long travel 29in trail bike. It has 160mm of travel front and rear, though Marin claims the R3ACT suspension design is so efficient that this bike blurs the traditional boundaries for bikes of this travel. Bold claims indeed…

2018 Marin Wolf Ridge Features

• Full carbon fibre frame
• 29in wheels
• 160mm rear wheel travel
• Features the R3ACT suspension design by Naild
• 66.5° head tube angle
• Designed for 160mm travel forks
• 1x specific
• 435mm chainstay length
• RRP: £5750 (Wolf Ride 9), £7750 (Wolf Ridge Pro)
• Available Summer 2017

So, that suspension design. It’s quite unique isn’t it? Using a floating pivot arrangement, the rear wheel is suspended on a huge one-piece carbon fibre swingarm. The swingarm is guided through the 160mm of travel via two alloy struts that connect it to the front triangle and the rear shock. What you can’t see from the photos is the use of a cylindrical guide shaft that sits above the bottom bracket, and controls the path of the swingarm.

“Naild’s R3ACT – 2 Play system has unique core kinematics which manage the inertia of acceleration loads. The system does not require platform/lockouts from external devices on any travel applications, even the 160mm travel of the Wolf Ridge. A custom kinematic was developed with Naild to ensure that the Wolf Ridge would have the pedaling prowess previously unattainable a long travel bike.” – Marin.

Here’s a wee video that Marin kindly put together to show us how it all works. Got it now?

2018 Marin Wolf Ridge Pro

• SRAM XX-1 Eagle drivetrain
• Fox 36 Performance Elite fork
• Fox Float X2 rear shock
• E*thirteen TRS Race Carbon wheelset
• RRP: £7750

2018 Marin Wolf Ridge 9

• SRAM X0-1 Eagle drivetrain
• RockShox Lyrik RCT3 fork
• RockShox Monarch DebonAir R rear shock
• Stans No Tubes Flow MK3 wheelset
• RRP: £5750

At present, we don’t have a whole lot of other details on the Wolf Ridge, such as frame geometry and sizing. However, our main man at Sea Otter, Chipps Chippendale the 3rd, will be on hand to see the new Wolf Ridge in the flesh, so stay tuned for more information.

As for right now, we’re yearning to get a ride on this radical looking machine. And if it proves to be as impressive as Marin says it is, then perhaps we’ll be seeing more R3ACT-equipped full suspension bikes to come from the brand…

For more information on the Wolf Ridge, you can head to the Marin Bikes website or UK distributor Paligap.

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