Trek Marlin 5 Gen 3 vs Giant Talon 29 3
A side by side comparison of two mountain bikes available in Australia, on price and specs. Both are listed at the same price.
Which should you choose?
Two entry hardtails at almost the same price that take different approaches: the Marlin uses a simple 1x9 drivetrain and slacker geometry, the Talon a 2x8 drivetrain and a steeper head angle.
Trek Marlin 5 Gen 3
Choose the Marlin 5 for trail riding: a 66.5 degree head angle, 2.4 inch tyres, 1x gearing with one shifter and a fork lockout.
Giant Talon 29 3
Choose the Talon 29 3 if you prefer two chainrings for a wider spread of road and climbing gears, or quicker steering on smooth paths.
Desk research by BikeFinder from both bikes' published specs and geometry, checked 2 Nov 2026. Not a ride test.
Key differences
- Gearing: 1x9 Shimano CUES on the Marlin 5 Gen 3, 2x8 microSHIFT / Shimano Altus on the Talon 29 3.
- Head angle: the Marlin 5 Gen 3 is slacker (66.5 vs 68.5 degrees), which usually means steadier handling on descents and slower steering.
- Reach (size M): the Marlin 5 Gen 3 is 16 mm longer, for a more stretched position.
- Stock tyres: about 61 mm wide on the Marlin 5 Gen 3, 56 mm on the Talon 29 3.
- Sizes: 7 on the Marlin 5 Gen 3 (XS, S, M, ML, L, XL, XXL), 2 on the Talon 29 3 (S, XL).
Worked out from each bike's published specification and the price shown on its page. The full side by side table and a to-scale geometry overlay are below.
| 2 of 4 bikesDeltas are against the baseline | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price and where to buy | |||
| Current Australian price | $999.99 | $999Lowest | |
| RRP | $999.99 | $999 | |
| Price source | At Trek Australia. Stock not confirmed, checked 16 Oct 2026. | At Giant Sydney. Stock not confirmed, checked 14 Oct 2026. | |
| Retailers | trekbikes.com | giantsydney.com.au | |
| Overview | |||
| Category | Mountain | Mountain | |
| Type | Non-electric | Non-electric | |
| Model year | 2026 | Not published | |
| Frame and suspension | |||
| Frame | Aluminium | Aluminium | |
| Fork | SR Suntour XCT 30 | SR Suntour XCE | |
| Suspension | Hardtail | Hardtail | |
| Front travel | 100 mm | 100 mmsame | |
| Dropper post | No, rigid seatpost | No, rigid seatpost | |
| Wheels and tyres | |||
| Wheelset | Bontrager Connection, double-wall, 32-hole, 20 mm width, Schrader valve | Giant GX03V 29in alloy | |
| Wheel size | 29 inch | 29 inch | |
| Stock tyres | 29x2.40 (size M; varies by size) | 29x2.2 | |
| Max tyre clearance | 61 mm | 61 mmsame | |
| Drivetrain | |||
| Groupset | Shimano CUES | microSHIFT / Shimano Altus | |
| Shifting | Mechanical, 1x | Mechanical, 2x | |
| Crank | Shimano CUES U4001, 32T, 52mm chain line, 170 mm length (size M; varies by size) | Shimano FC-M315, 22/36T | |
| Chainrings | 32 | 22/36 | |
| Cassette | Shimano LINKGLIDE LG300, 11-46, 9-speed | Shimano Deore HG200, 12-32 | |
| Cassette speeds | 9 | 8 | |
| Lowest gearRatio of smallest ring to biggest cog. Lower is easier climbing. | 0.70 | 0.69Lowest-0.01 | |
| Highest gearBiggest ring to smallest cog. Higher is a faster top speed. | 2.91 | 3.00+0.09 | |
| Gearing character | Very low climbing gear | Very low climbing gear | |
| Brakes and weight | |||
| Brakes | Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc | Tektro HDC M275 hydraulic | |
| Rotors | 160/180mm | 180/160mm | |
| Weight | 15.1 kg | Not published | |
| Geometry | |||
| Size shown | M | M | |
| Stack | 609 mm | 611 mm+2 mm | |
| Reach | 440 mm | 424 mm-16 mm | |
| Stack to reachHigher is more upright, lower is more stretched out. | 1.38 | 1.44+0.06 | |
| Head angleLower (slacker) is calmer at speed, higher (steeper) is quicker steering. | 66.5 deg | 68.5 deg+2.0 deg | |
| Seat angle | 74.0 deg | 74.0 degsame | |
| Wheelbase | 1,163 mm | 1,150 mm-13 mm | |
| Chainstay | 438 mm | 455 mm+17 mm | |
| BB drop | 60 mm | 55 mm-5 mm | |
Geometry overlay
- Trek Marlin 5 Gen 3 (size M) is the baseline.
- Giant Talon 29 3 (size M): 2 mm taller stack, 16 mm shorter reach, 2.0 deg steeper head angle, 13 mm shorter wheelbase, 17 mm longer chainstays.
Stack, reach, head and seat angles, wheelbase, chainstay and BB drop are drawn to scale from published charts. Tube shapes are schematic.
BikeFinder Data Profile. Geometry and component figures are researched from published manufacturer and retailer sources, not physical ride tests, and can vary by model year.
Specs and pricing are listed in AUD and sourced from Australian retail listings. Confirm current details with the seller before purchase.