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Trek Marlin 5 (2022) with several upgrades from AliExpress. Marlin is a simple non-boost 100mm fork XC 29er bike, I paid $850 CAD for it and it came as a 2x8 shimano altus drivetrain with a suntour xct30 fork.
>(~$200) Shimano Deore m6100 12 speed drivetrain with 34T chainring 11-50T sunrace cassette
>(~$300) Rockshox Judy Silver airfork (non-tapered)
>(~$90) Schwalbe Marathon 700c-38 tires for commuting, stock 2.2in MTB tires for fun, using stock 20mm rims for both
>ODI rogue grips and some gel seat
I didn't know much about bikes when I bought this bike, my goal was 80% transportation/exercising and 20% fun, wanted a light fast bike that would do a bit of everything and be harder to break, wanted to hop curbs. After I called to have it built in March they would not let me in the store without a mask, so they sold it to me in the parking lot and I never got to look at other bikes, wish I now went with another brand that had a tapered head tube like a Kona, but I think there was a shortage on those. Probably would have made more sense to just buy a Kona Mahuna and put a bigger chainring on it to get the same shit.
Very happy with it though
