Marin Four Corners 2 vs Rose Backroad AL GRX 400
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Marin Four Corners 2 comes out ahead (66% against 58%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Marin Four Corners 2 is £1 cheaper — £1,899 against £1,900.
- Weight
- The Rose Backroad AL GRX 400 is 1.9kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Marin Four Corners 2 sits you more upright (1.53 stack-to-reach against 1.47). The Rose Backroad AL GRX 400 is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Rose Backroad AL GRX 400 takes 53mm tyres against 50mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Marin Four Corners 2 has the easier bottom gear (21 gear inches against 24), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
- Mudguards
- Only the Marin Four Corners 2 takes mudguards, which decides whether it can be your winter bike.
Side by side
| Spec | Four Corners 2 | Backroad AL GRX 400 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,899 | £1,900 |
| Weight | 12.5 kg | 10.6 kg |
| Frame | steel | alloy |
| Groupset | SRAM Apex 1 12-speed mechanical | Shimano GRX RX400 2x10 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.53 | 1.47 |
| Tyre clearance | 50 mm | 53 mm |
| Lowest gear | 21 in | 24 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | No |
| Comfort | 81 | 65 |
| Speed | 10 | 22 |
| Climbing | 45 | 46 |
| Value | 3 | 8 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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