Marin DSX 2 review: Flat-bar fun on a budget

Whatever you think of flat-bar gravel bikes yourself, it’s becoming clear that the category is gaining in popularity, and for pretty good reason. Simply put — and as we’ve mentioned elsewhere — the additional leverage of a wider flat bar adds a healthy dose of fun to gravel bikes, making them easier to toss around and more controllable when conditions get dicey. Plus, many riders just prefer the more upright positioning and the casual attitude that comes with it. While some brands have taken a halfhearted approach to the whole flat-bar gravel thing, Marin has decided to jump in headfirst, with three models built around two dedicated aluminum frames, both with longer reach dimensions than what the company uses for its drop-bar models. The DSX 2 is the middle child in Marin’s flat-bar gravel lineup, based on the the company’s Gestalt X collection of drop-bar gravel bikes. Like that Gestalt X, the DSX is made of TIG-welded 6061 aluminum and appears to use the same tubeset, sharing similar characteristics lik