Devinci Marshall Carbon first ride review
Short-travel 27.5+ bike with aggressive angles
Published:
Devinci has a new carbon plus bike in its 2017 line, the Marshall, and it’s a short-travel 27.5+ trail bike with slack angles and rowdy manners.
Devinci Marshall Carbon highlights
- 120mm front / 110 rear travel
- Split Pivot rear suspension
- Adjustable geometry
- 1x-specific frame
- Carbon option is new for 2017
Less rock, more roll
Apparently, someone thought Devinci was being sacrilegious by branding a bike with the name of the rock deity. Even though Marshall was Jimi Hendrix’s middle name, it’s probably not the bike Jimi would have ridden, as it’s neither elegant nor precise. It’s probably the mountain bike that Dee Dee Ramone or a Stooges-era Iggy Pop would have gravitated toward — it’s short on travel, but the slack geometry and plus tires encourage you to ride like a hooligan.
Devinci Marshall Carbon frame and equipment
Other than the name switch, the most significant change is the addition of carbon versions. For 2017, Devinci offers three Marshall builds with carbon front triangles, as well as a frameset. The mid-level rig I tested is still attainable to mere mortals at $5,129 (UK and Australian pricing TBC) and sports a mix of XT and SLX components.
The Marshall rolls on Race Face Aeffect +40 wheelset wrapped in Maxxis 27x3in Chronicle tires.
Devinci Marshall Carbon ride impression
If I went into this test without knowing the bike’s specs, I would have guessed it sported more than just 120mm up front and 110mm in the back. This isn’t due to the up-sized tires as much as it is to the geometry, which is very slack for such a short travel machine.
It handles essentially how I would imagine a 27.5+ version of Evil’s The Following would. The Marshall rides just like a longer travel bike and requires a bit of speed before it comes into its own on the trail.
The Marshall has adjustable geometry with high and low positions. In the past, I’ve generally set every test bike in the lowest/slackest position and happily rode away. In the case of the Marshall, I actually found myself preferring the steeper mode. It made this plus bike feel more agile and responsive. The plus tires provide plenty of plow-bike prowess on their own.
Early verdict
Other than tires that didn’t suit the agro nature of the bike, the Marshall is the sort of 27.5+ bike that riders accustomed to long-travel trail and enduro bikes will appreciate.
Product Specifications
Product
| Name | Marshall Carbon SLX/XT |
| Brand | Devinci |
| Brakes | SHIMANO SLX M7000, 180mm rotors |
| Seatpost | ROCKSHOX REVERB STEALTH, 125mm, 31.6mm |
| Front Wheel | RACEFACE AEFFECT +40, 27.5 |
| Tyres | MAXXIS CHRONICLE 27.5x3.0 |
| Wheelbase (in) | 1172 |
| Top Tube (in) | 23.6 |
| Standover Height (in) | 28.5 |
| Seat Tube (in) | 17 |
| Chainstays (in) | 17 |
| Bottom Bracket Height (in) | 13.2 |
| Chainring Size (No of Teeth) | 30 |
| Year | 2017 |
| Wheelset | RACEFACE AEFFECT +40, 27.5 |
| Stem | RACE FACE TURBINE 35mm |
| Shifters | SHIMANO SLX M7000 |
| Seat Angle | 74.8 |
| Cassette | SHIMANO SLX (11-42T) |
| Saddle | SDG BEL-AIR |
| Rear Tyre | MAXXIS CHRONICLE 27.5x3.0 |
| Rear Shock | ROCKSHOX MONARCH RT3 DEBONAIR |
| Rear Derailleur | SHIMANO XT M8000 |
| Headset Type | ZERO STACK |
| Head Angle | 67.3 |
| Handlebar | RACE FACE ATLAS 20MM RISE 35MM 800MM |
| Grips/Tape | DEVINCI PERFORMANCE W/LOCK-ON |
| Front Tyre | MAXXIS CHRONICLE 27.5x3.0 |
| Front Derailleur | N/A |
| Fork Offset | 51 |
| Fork | ROCKSHOX PIKE RCT3, SOLO AIR, 120mm |
| Cranks | RACEFACE TURBINE |
| Rear Wheel | RACEFACE AEFFECT +40, 27.5 |
Authors
Josh Patterson is a BikeRadar contributor and former technical editor. He has spent most of his career working in the cycling industry as an athlete, mechanic and journalist. He holds a master's degree in journalism and has more than 20 years of experience as a cyclist and 12 years of experience riding and writing for BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Dirt Rag, RoadBikeReview and Outside Magazine. A native of the Flint Hills of Kansas, Josh was a pioneer in the gravel cycling movement, having raced the first Unbound 200 and many other gravel events around the globe. He considers himself a cycling generalist and enjoys road, gravel and mountain biking in equal measure. When not traveling for work, he can be found exploring the singletrack and lonely gravel roads that surround his home in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to his love of cycling, Josh is an enthusiastic supporter of brunch, voting rights and the right to repair movement.
