Aventon Ramblas vs Trek Marlin+ 8 | Power Vs Precision

Current Pricing on the Aventon Ramblas:
Current Pricing on the Trek Marlin+8:

Full Written Comparison:

Two new hardtail eMTBs have emerged in recent months that look very similar on paper, but couldn’t have more different personalities. The Aventon Ramblas represents the nicest ride ever produced by a dominant e-bike brand. The Trek Marlin+ is one of the most affordable e-bikes from a cycling giant with decades of experience making premium rides.

So…. which is the better buy?

We’ve ran each bike through extensive testing. From speed tests to brake tests to range tests and more. See how these different rides stack up so you can determine which one is better for you!

00:00 Ramblas vs Marlin+
00:38 Specs
4:18 Hill Test
8:39 Range Test
10:03 Speed Test
11:41 Head-To-Head
14:14 Conclusion

#emtb #trek #aventon #ramblasvsmarlin

[ElectricBikeReport]

E-Bike Question of the Day: Ramblas or Marlin+, which are you rocking with? Let us know in the comments!

[Rod]

You could easily upgrade for the fork on Ramblas and still be cheaper than Trek. I went with the Ramblas and have no issues. Yesterday I rode 3 hard trails back to back over rough and steep terrain. normally i am toast after 1 on my full suspension . it's a game changer for me. uphills are now down hill for me. and still had 80% of battery afterwards. Ramblas was available at all three big bike shops in my town. I was able to get mine before the price increase.would have thought that you would test the Ramblas against the Marlin 6 since they were at the same price point. $800 can get you a lot of upgrades

[LebronPhoto]

You can buy the Ramblas, replace the coil fork with an air fork and it will still be less expensive, have more range, more power, and the upgraded fork can also reduce the weight by 3 lbs. Therefore, I would pick the Ramblas.

[hasher]

Am I missing something.. Aventon Ramblas clearly better value 👍.

[ralph]

Not getting why you give Trek so many underserved flowers here. If the price differential was put towards the Ramblas, it would have better components across the board and destroy the Marlin in every way. It’s nearly better now! There is no comparison unless you just want a name.

[richp]

Great comparison. There are no reviews of the Rocky Mountain Fusion power play line. I'm considering the Fusion 30 or the Ramblas. I'd love to know if any of you have an opinion about that? My local bike shop is selling the Ramblas for $2, 900 and closing out the 2023 Fusion 30 for $2500.
Thanks
Rich

[StacyODell]

If you could invest the cost difference in a fork upgrade for the Ramblas, would that make it a clear winner?

[allanflippin]

This video continues a theme of reviewers scrambling to find justification for why Bosch-powered Ebikes cost so much more. They just do.

[BrundleFly]

I bought a Trek road bike in 1979 when they were probably about the size that Aventon is now. No doubt they still build nice bikes that are arguably worth the money, but you do pay a premium for the brand recognition and overhead of the much larger company they have become. With Aventon building out a dealer network, that advantage is going away. I was able to test ride the Ramblas at a local shop and will be taking delivery of a fully-assembled bike tomorrow. The weight difference is marginal and due largely to the greater battery capacity and motor torque. The forest roads and trails I ride are less technical but longer with a lot of altitude gain so climbing power and range are priorities for me. As others have pointed out, the price differential will pay for upgrades to make the Ramblas easily outclass the Marlin on paper and if the Marlin had comparable range and power, that differential would be even higher.

[KalidasRadhakrishnan]

I did get a Marlin+ 6 for the main reason that the official Trek shop is around 2 miles away from my home and I also have the benefit of having a handful of Trek dealers within a 5 mile radius. It is my first eBike (my first MTB at that as well), so I went with what I think is a more established brand with a great support around my area. I was not sure that I would do justice with those dropper seat post feature. At some point, I might upgrade the suspension, but I really don't feel the need to at this point. It is like having to choose between different versions of the iPhone. There is always something just a little bit more expensive packing a few extra features. I have already done some beginner trails with my family and I did that with the assist turned off (Pushing myself to lose some extra lbs). I do mostly do Eco (which essentially negates that extra weight of the battery + motor) or the Tour+. A more experienced rider might probably not choose a hardtail at all. They might pay a $1000 more and choose a full suspension eBike from Trek or Specialized or Pivot (more that a few thousands pricier) or something like that.

Now, if there was a Aventon dealer nearby, I sure would might have gone with the Aventon 6 times out of 10 (I frankly did not know about the brand until I started researching eBikes). For the record, I do have a Canondale Synapse that I ride as well (When I was around 20 lbs lighter).

[gbird]

Hey guys. I’m sure Griffin knows it but maybe some of the viewers don’t but Trek bike shops ( at least in my area) will work on whatever sort of bike you bring them so don’t let not having an Aventon shop in your area be a deterrent to buying a less expensive bike that looks like a great alternative to the Marlin

[fadedpages]

It's like y'all are reading my mind 😮 these are the exact emtb i am considering, leaning towards Ramblas because going on long, hilly day trips around the PNW is my main interest. Excited to watch!

[MrSaaadpanda]

If the Fork was really the only difference between the two which you liked more then wouldn't it be said that you could sell the fork from the Ramblas and just buy a better fork with the money saved which would lead it to be a better over all bike for the money.

[alvink]

Ramblas. Is what I chose. Been a great bike. My only flaw is the noise. It's a tad annoying but I can deal with it. It's powerful and battery is great. Gonna upgrade forks and tires prolly next summer.

[robertcurtis]

How is the power to weight ratio? I know some emtb are heavy or have not much Newton Meters of Torque which makes it ridiculous, and might as well get an analog (acoustic) bike which is a lot easier to pedal.

[brianmartindale]

I rode both. The Trek is smooooth, but I am buying the Ramblas. It feels substantial and solid in ways that the Marlin does not

[MrSaaadpanda]

When you did the range test and you wanted to find out which was more efficient you divided the Miles traveled with the batters size. But you never considered the power of the motor such as NM which if you applied it to the Efficiency test the results would be different.

[WiscoColby]

I love the content, but man not doing the true head to head with the Marlin+ 6 this just seems off. With that said, I’m happy to see content with the LBS brands. More Giant, Trek, Specialized etc. content please! Don’t necessarily want to see less DTC, just would be great to see a better mix.

[DMatalas]

I cannot comment on the Trek, want to tell you I put Fox 38 team addition front forks, top of the line dropper post, tubeless, carbon fiber handle bars on my Ramblas.. Then test drove a full suspension carbon Giant trance with the same motor.. .. Then I rented the Giant trance for my kids who had little mountain bike riding experience but advanced motor dirt bike experience and they said, the Ramblas felt more lighter than the Giant trance and faster, but the Giant was slighter more comfortable in the big bumps.. I was confused as the Ramblas despite me shaving 3 pounds was at least 7 pound more heavier, so I did AI deep research and because of the extra weight it will go faster in the down hill parts, and faster up hill with the 15 percent more powerful motor, and the tubeless and carbon fiber bars made the steering lighter.. the Battery lasts about 50% longer so the bottom line is a modified hard tail Ramblas is on par with a 6000 dollar plus full suspension e-bike and we go back to the hard tail versus full suspension debate lol

[mazamota]

Underneath the Ramblas fork, you can adjust it