Marin El Roy

The El Roy doesn’t quite make rational sense… it isn’t all crazy though — it’s offered with a no-nonsense build, and comes in at a reasonable price… A significant part of what you’re paying for is a higher-end frame… The El Roy is a bike for terrain where most people would want a full-suspension Trail or Enduro bike, but for the riders who want to tackle those sorts of rides with a hardtail… If you think the notion sounds absurd, that’s okay. It’s not for everyone. Bring the right attitude and some decent bike handling skills to the table, though, and you’ll be amazed by what the El Roy can do.

Riding this bike was really fun, the learning curve was slow but little by little we got used to it… the El Roy’s great advantage over other hardtails is its ability to ride exactly the same lines that you would on your enduro full suspension bike… we were able to go down sections that we did not think possible at first, the confidence that this bike provides is something remarkable, we may have tried the fastest hardtail on the market.

If you want to experience your home trails in a completely different way, you should definitely think about buying a Baller hardtail. The El Roy shines with its downhill-oriented geometry, long reach, smoothness at high speed and a really chic look… However, if you are looking for a playful bike that is efficient uphill and allows maneuvering downhill, you might want to consider the San Quentin from the same company instead.

Due to its length and the slack head angle, the El Roy requires a little more concentration on winding trails than you are used to from classic hardtails. This is certainly not a challenge for experienced trail pilots. Initially, beginners may find the ride style takes some getting used to.