Marin Headlands 2 in bikepacking review

With the Marin Headlands 2, the iconic US brand sent us their brightly coloured carbon bike for our bikepacking group test. Does the bike, with clearance for 700 x 45C tires and a dropper post, tick all the boxes for your next adventure? To find out, we put its mountain bike DNA to the test.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best bikepacking bike in review

**Marin** Headlands 2 | 9.81 kg in size 56 | Manufacturer’s website

The Marin Headlands 2 presents itself with bright colours and a modern look paired with progressive geometry. It builds on the knowledge gained from the Marin Gestalt X and, as a carbon frameset with clearances for up to 700 x 45C or 650 x 50B tires, 12 mm thru axles and numerous bolt-on points for bottle cages and gear, steps up to the bikepacking competition. The rear triangle as well as the fork have eyelets for mudguards, though if you don’t have them, the bridge on the seat stays can be removed. The frame will even accommodate racks and, thanks to a multitude of bottle cage bosses in the front triangle, it also lends itself well to using custom-made bags that bolt directly to the frame. Unfortunately the forks don’t share the same practicality, lacking the triple cage mounts that many of its competitors have.

The € 2,899 flagship model of the range weighs in at 9.81 kg in size 56 and comes with a 1×11 groupset consisting of FSA Gossamer Pro crankset, SunRace 11-Speed XD cassette and Shimano’s GRX 600 rear derailleur and brakes. Marin’s aluminium double wall rims are shod with 700 x 40C Schwalbe G-One Performance tires which look a little lost in the frame. Rounding off the build is the 105 mm TranzX YSP11 dropper post and in-house aluminum components for the cockpit. The internal cable routing keeps everything looking clean but, unfortunately, the plugs at the entry and exit ports came loose.

**Adaptation is the word of the hour**
The bridge between the seat stays can be used to mount fenders or removed for a cleaner look. The carbon frame also has eyelets for a pannier rack.

**When the beat drops**
The dropper post matches the character of the bike to a tee. If necessary, you can drop the saddle 105 mm and get it out of the way.

**Out of proportion**
The 40 mm wide Schwalbe G-One all-round tires look a little lost in the massive carbon fork. They should definitely be swapped for wider tires with a more aggressive tread.

**Thumbs up for threads**
The threaded BSA bottom bracket simplifies maintenance and is significantly more robust than the press fit alternatives.

Marin Headlands 2

€ 2,899

Specifications

Seatpost TranzX YSP11 Dropper Post
Brakes Shimano GRX RX810 160/160 mm
Drivetrain Shimano GRX RX810 42 (10–42)
Stem Marin 3D Forged Alloy 60 mm
Handlebar Marin Butted Alloy, Flat Top 440 mm
Wheelset Marin Aluminium Double Wall
Tires Schwalbe G-One Allround RG 40C

Technical Data

Size 49 52 54 56 58 60
Weight 9.81 kg
Wheelsize 700C

Specific Features

fender eyelets
rack eyelets
15 bosses on the frame in total
max. 700 x 45C / 650 x 50B max. tire clearance

**Revelate Designs**
Sweetroll (18 l, € 139.99) | Yakataga Dry Pocket (4.3l, € 169.99)
Tangle Frame Bag (3.5 l, € 129.99) | Terrapin System Seat Bag (14 l, € 209.99)

Size	49	52	54	56	58	60
Seat tube	440 mm	470 mm	490 mm	510 mm	530 mm	550 mm
Top tube	522 mm	535 mm	545 mm	565 mm	595 mm	615 mm
Head tube	120 mm	135 mm	150 mm	170 mm	190 mm	210 mm
Head angle	70.5°	71.0°	71.5°	71.5°	71.5°	71.5°
Seat angle	74.0°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
BB Drop	76 mm	76 mm	76 mm	76 mm	76 mm	76 mm
Chainstay	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm
Wheelbase	1,010 mm	1,007 mm	1,008 mm	1,029 mm	1,059 mm	1,080 mm
Reach	370 mm	373 mm	373 mm	386 mm	411 mm	426 mm
Stack	550 mm	566 mm	582 mm	601 mm	620 mm	639 mm

The Marin screams at you to load it up, climb aboard and have fun!

**Helmet** KASK VALEGRO | **Glasses** Smith Wildcat | **Jersey** Flying Pizza Jeans
**Shorts** Mavic Sequence Pro Bibshort | **Shoes** Adidas Sneaker Sambarose

Accelerating, the Headlands 2 is very direct and picks up speed with ease. However, in direct comparison to the competition it isn’t the most efficient at carrying that speed, especially when riding long distances on flat terrain. The shifting performance is fine but you’ll notice that Marin have cut a few corners with the components of the groupset, especially when riding aggressively. The handling is lively and playful while always remaining predictable, making it a suitable choice for beginners. The bike generally remains easy to control even when you’re hauling a lot of luggage, though the front wheel tends to wander on steep, slow climbs.

The large hoods of the Shimano GRX brifters offer plenty of grip and cleverly allow the dropper post to be actuated with the left shifter. In general, the dropper post suits the playful character of the bike with just enough drop to get the saddle out of the way on steep descents. Whether intentional or not, the dropper post’s horizontal flex and the carbon fork provide a balanced level of comfort while the frame does a good job of absorbing high-frequency vibrations. Together with the braking performance of the GRX brakes and the non-existent toe overlap, you’ll always feel confident on the Marin. On off-road terrain, the bike is limited by the lack of grip offered by the Schwalbe tires.

Tuning tips: buy the frameset and build your dream bike – the frame deserves it! | more aggressive tires for better off-road performance

Conclusion

The Marin Headlands 2 is all about having fun and a great bike for short, high-intensity rides on technical terrain with minimal luggage or the occasional overnighter with sections of singletrack. Overall, the excellent frameset can’t live up to its full potential due to compromises in its components. For gravel fans who like veering off onto more challenging terrain or those with a mountain biking background, the Headlands 2 is a good starting point.

Tops

high fun factor
comfort and vibration dampening
lively handling and modern geometry
integrated dropper post
no toe overlap

Flops

components don't do justice to the frameset’s potential
tires limit the bike's versatility

For more info head to marinbikes.com.

The test field