Marin has enjoyed a major resurgence in recent years. The age-old brand is now riding high on several solid mountain bikes, road bikes and the Cortina cyclocross lineup.
Built as a race CX, the Cortina T3 is ready to tackle rough and technical courses with the best of them. The foundation is a unidirectional carbon fiber frameset that’s built stiff and compliant with racy angles. It also features internally-routed cables that can accommodate either mechanical or electronic drivetrains (like the Shimano Ultegra Di2 featured here).
The geometry is very classic with the ability to get low and fast. But, like all modern CX bikes, the Cortina T3 has hydraulic disc brakes for the ultimate stopping power. The rear post-mount brake sits inside the rear triangle on a dropped chainstay to keep it from the elements and provide clean cable routing. And, tubeless will be a no-brainer with the Easton EA90 XD hoops.
Marin Cortina T3 CX Pro Features:
- T3 UD carbon frame and fork
- Internal cable routing
- Full Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain
- Easton EA90 XD wheelset
- Ritchey WCS cockpit
- Price: $5399
The Bottom Line
A revamped Marin delivers a racy CX bike for Saturday morning dominance. You can check off all the boxes for a modern ‘cross bike and other riders will give your bike a looksie as you get called up for the start.