Trek Marlin 5 Vs Cannondale Trail 8 2021 – Better Bike for Beginners

Which bike should you choose as a beginner between the Trek Marlin 5 Vs Cannondale Trail 8 in 2021?

Cannondale manufacture a range of entry level bikes for beginners. The Cannondale Trail series is the mountain bike range that gives you off-roading capabilities on a budget. The Cannondale Trail 8 is the first entry into the trail series that gives you a products that’s a step above department store bike models.

Trek manufacture mountain bikes to perform well and continue doing so long after the first ride. The Trek Marlin 5 is no different and comes stock with a great set of components for the asking price.

How do does the Marlin 5 compare to the Trail 8?

Trek Marlin 5 Vs Cannondale Trail 8 – What’s Similar?

Grippy knobby Tires

The Marlin 5 and the Trail 8 are both spec’d with knobby tire for increased grip in looser dirt sections. The increased grip comes at cost of less rollability on flatter sections. If you’ll be riding predominantly on paved roads, the knobs on the tires will wear and become smooth giving you increased rollability on the road.

Lighter weight aluminum frame

The Cannondale and Trek are both built on a lightly constructed aluminum frame. This frame material is stiff and strong with the main benefit being the weight advantage it has over steel. With a lighter frame weight you can go further with less energy. You’ll also be able throw the bike around corners more easily and pull off cool jumps and hops more readily, increasing the fun factor off-road or in your local bike parks.

Trek Marlin 5 Vs Cannondale Trail 8 – What’s Different?

Suspension forks

You’ll get a longer 100mm travel with the Trek suspension fork compared to 75mm on the Cannondale. The longer travel is especially good for riders who will be using the bikes on rougher roads and tackling bigger drops. In addition, heavier riders will appreciate the longer travel fork. It’ll mean you can ride on a plusher setting while still being able to have  some fork travel in reserve.

Gears and Chainring System

Trek has 3 gears on front, 7 at back, the Cannondale has 2 up front and 7 on the back. The 2 x 7 system on Cannondale is generally preferred for off-roading as it is a simpler system. The 3 x gear ratios mean that some speeds on the Trek are unnecessary as the same speeds can be achieved with multiple combinations of gears. Some prefer the finer increments you can get on the 3x system of the Trek but a 2x front ring style is all you’ll ever need for recreational mountain biking on light trails.

Riser Bars Vs Flat bars Style

The trail will fill more stable downhill as the frame is designed with a downhill oriented head angle. In addition, the 25mm riser handlebars give you the confidence to tackle downhill sections at speed.

The flat bars on the Trek are more traditional for a cross country bike and are preferred for climbing and responsiveness.

Braking System

Treks hydraulic disc brakes give you more stopping power requiring less effort than the cable style brakes found on the Cannondale. This does mean however that you’ll need to do maintenance that is more complex and expensive than the mechanical cable braking system.

Trek Marlin 5 vs Cannondale Trail 8 – Head to Head

Internal Cable Routing and Internal Dropper Post Compatibility

Trek Marlin 5 has clean internally routed cable design throughout. In comparison the Cannondale has externally routed brake cables.

The  Cannondale Trail frame allows for internal dropper post cable routing through the downtube.  The dropper post being a game changing feature that makes trail riding a better overall experience. Internal dropper post routing gives the bike a much cleaner appearance and makes sure the cables are out of harms way.

Lock on Grips Vs Slide on Grips

The Trek Marlin comes stock with lock on grips that should be less prone to slippage on the bars than the slip-on style grips on the Cannondale. This will bear itself out overtime with general wear and tear but are an easy and cheap upgrade that can be done in just a few minutes.

Trek Marlin 5 vs Cannondale Trail 8 Specifications