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Submitted by
Shawn
a Weekend Warrior
from Schomberg, ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Spoke O Motion | | Strengths: | Great for trial riding | | Weaknesses: | Terriable for dirt jumping snapped them in half on a very small jump | | Bike Setup: | Norco Wolverine | | Bottom Line: | These forks ar awsome for trail riding but don't ever try to hit jumps with then because they will break. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gtracer226
a Weekend Warrior
from
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | oswegatche | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | bike way | | Strengths: | mad durable, smoothe, great never served me wrong | | Weaknesses: | i dont even notice the weight. havent found a weekness yet | | Bike Setup: | speciaized hardrock comp disc with marzocchi baby | | Bottom Line: | love the shocks, i do dirt jumping all the time and there all good. saved me tons of times landing unlevel. i love it. Go Buy One! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nikolas Clarke
a Weekend Warrior
from Redmond,Washington
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$101.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Light weight and soaks up everything | | Weaknesses: | I really don't like the oil slushing noise. | | Similar Products Used: | RST Gilla (Crap) | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Trek 4300 disk (just about stock exept for fork) | | Bottom Line: | This is an awsome fork for the price. It soaks up everything!!! I needed to put air in the fork.
Im 120 pounds and im running 45 pounds of air.
Still need to add more oil.=)
Buy It!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan Smallman
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster Town !!
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Helvellyn | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Johns Bike Shack | | Strengths: | The eta really helps on steep decents and just to play with! | | Weaknesses: | havent found 1 yet | | Similar Products Used: | mx pros | | Bike Setup: | amazing because its mine ! | | Bottom Line: | the bottom line is the amazing value for money if your a xc/freerider !! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Travis Hardy
a Cross Country Rider
from New Hampshire, USA
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | kingdom mountain trails VT | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | stiff, plush, predictable, great price/value! | | Weaknesses: | loud oil sound? little heavier than others? | | Similar Products Used: | Rockshox quad 21r, manitou mach 5 SX, RockShox Judy SL | | Bottom Line: | I'm about 175 and I live near MTN Agamenticus in York Maine where there is A LOT of rocks and roots. I punish this fork on a weekly basis and it's been solid. Love the feel and response from it. Great fork.. guess i could have paid a lot more for other lighter forks.. but it seems the only to top it is a FOX and I would only be shaving weight at that point for much more money.
Great fork, i'm in love :D | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a
from San Rafael, CA
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | CBO | | Strengths: | plush, air ajust, hasnt broke yet | | Weaknesses: | ETA, internal rebound, crown | | Bike Setup: | planet x pitbull pro, mx comp w/ eta, deore hydro | | Bottom Line: | Tis fork i gues is okay for xc, but i absolutely hate it for djs. The rebound is soooo springy and it looks horrible. If i could, i would buy a new fork, but i have no money at the moment, but dont buy this fork if you do anything besides xc or am. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Hayden, ID
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Cave Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | Blue Sky Cycles | | Strengths: | Progressive compression and predictable handling. A great upgrade for an old bike. | | Weaknesses: | Rebound adjustment, ETA lockout, "wooshing" sounds. | | Similar Products Used: | OLD Rock Shox Judy XC | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper M2 FS, WTB Speed V, Avid Speed Dial Ti, XT V brakes and components, Mavic UB Control, Eggbeater SS, IRC Mythos | | Bottom Line: | I bought this fork to replace the old worn out 60mm Judy XC fork on my Stumpjumper. The 100mm travel changed the geometry slightly, but the bike handles more predictably now. Performance over rough terrain is excellent, and rarely bottoms out. I weigh 170 lbs and set the air pressure to around 40 PSI with good results. On the downside, there is no way to easily adjust the rebound of the fork. I dropped the little stick into the stanchion when I missed the adjuster slot, which was a big headache to fish out. The ETA lockout lowers height of bike and changes handling, making the front wheel light on climbs. I find that the 20mm lockout it isn't really necessary anyway. The MX Comp is somewhat heavier than comparable Fox forks, and it makes a weird "wooshing" sound with sudden compression. Overall, though, it works great on my Stumpjumper and was a great deal. I'm giving it a 3 rating instead of a 4 only because of my lost evening fishing out the rebound adjuster stick. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Little Britain,PA
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Fair Hill, MD | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$199.00 | | Purchased At: | E-Bay | | Strengths: | Everything | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Stock RST Gila T6-JUNK!!! | | Bike Setup: | 06 Trek 4300 w/SRAM and Race Face components | | Bottom Line: | Bought cheap on E-Bay and had lbs install for $25.00. Blows away stock fork. I am a super clydesdale and am very happy with fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Feri Tivadar
a Cross Country Rider
from Slovenija, Lendava
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Strengths: | it's "imortal"! ;-) | | Weaknesses: | a litle bit heavy (cca. 1,8 kg) for a XC rider, but for this price no problemo. | | Similar Products Used: | Suntour Axon - no good! ;-( | | Bike Setup: | Focus Black Forrest, XT/LX, Julie,... | | Bottom Line: | I bought a 2005 model for a good price.
When I tried it, I was suprised how good it works, before MX I had only cheap forks (Suntour). MX is "imortal", you can do all kind of things with them, and they survive everything. The ETA works good, I use it by climbing and on a road. I like the "noise of oil" when the suspension works. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alan
a Weekend Warrior
from Mexico City
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Blue Sky Cycling | | Strengths: | CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! Sure, there are better forks, but paying like 3 times more for a fox fork, is exaggerated to me.
You get the best of both worlds (air and coil)in this fork. It is very plush and very progressive at the same time. | | Weaknesses: | Although the rebound is "set and forget", it is really a pain in the a$$ to change it if you want to experiment. You have to fiddle with a long metal stick in the right leg. If the stick happens to fall, its really difficult to take it out without spilling the oil. However, this is a minor weakness, considering the overall quality of the fork and its price. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox Vanilla, Zoke Z1 Freeride, Zoke Marathon | | Bike Setup: | Giant Rincon with Mx comp eta, etc etc | | Bottom Line: | The trails where are ride include looong climbs as well as dh trails (with shuttle and all). There are many drops and jumps, most of which Ive hit with this fork. Its true that Im pretty light (100lbs), but this fork has recieved tons of abuse and is still working like new. I know this fork was not meant for light freeride and downhill, but ive been using it until I get a real FR bike. The downside of this is that I have to pump more air than normal, so it isnt as responsive in small impacts. However, ive used it it XC trails with the recommended air pressure and sag, and let me tell you: IT ROCKS! It is very plush and stiff. I REALLY recommend this fork if you want very good performance for a excellent price. You honestly can not go wrong with this fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Darius
a
from Manila, Phils
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | too many to list | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay retailer | | Strengths: | Plush, light compared to my other bombers, lock down, not flexy | | Weaknesses: | None found yet | | Similar Products Used: | Many species of Marzocchi | | Bike Setup: | Kona Caldera with the works | | Bottom Line: | I picked this up from an ebay retailer for $200 clams, new in the box. I weigh 250+ and was a bit nervous to try an air fork. I had one of the original x-fly forks which sucked big time and might as well have been rigid. Then spent 4 years on Z1s and DJs, with 20 mm through axles, and loved them. But this much lighter fork is a perfect match for my hardtail. It is responsive on the small stuff, and ramps up smoothly on the big stuff so that I never bottom out. I have not had to add any air in six months of abuse. I liked it so much that I got one for my wife's new Superlight, and the beauty is that I can swap these things from bike to bike and rider to rider without having to change springs and oil height. If the bushings and seal hold up for more than a year, despite my size and aggressive riding style, then I will be really really impressed. So far the thing is flawless. They say Fox air shocks do this all very well too, but at $600 a pop I doubt I'll ever experience one.
I nearly forgot, the ETA works even better than on my Z1 - which gradually opens back up to its full extension over the course of a long hill climb. Once you lock the MX down, it stays down. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fumanchuchu
a Weekend Warrior
from bellingham wa
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | fun ones | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$260.00 | | Purchased At: | nashbar? jenson? bluesky? | | Strengths: | cheap, smooth, plush, quiet, stiff, eta, looks | | Weaknesses: | I suppose if you spend $800 on a shock it MIGHT be better, maybe.
too small for my bullit frame | | Similar Products Used: | manitou splice and oem crap | | Bike Setup: | (dont't laugh) motobecane 500ds--stripped of all stock parts and rebuilt with sram and marzocchi | | Bottom Line: | If you want a real fork and don't count grams BUY THIS.
ETA is awesome, flick a switch and turn your bike into a climbing machine. Flick it back and it soaks up all the roots and 2 footers you can throw at it.
Threw a few pounds of air in it out of the box and it has performed great.(now that I'm more familiar with I might reread the manual and adjust)
They're cheap these days(under 200) and you'll never regret the purchase.
The others reviews make this obvious but I read these all the time and thought I should contribute. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Pfeister
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Dryer Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$166.00 | | Purchased At: | Beyondbikes.com | | Strengths: | Incredibly stiff and super smooth. Soaks up all the small stuff. ETA is great for climbing; really appreciate the lowered angle on the fork on steep climbs. Holds air quite well also! | | Weaknesses: | Weight, but for under $200 (including s/h) can't beat it for the price! ETA is great, but getting to it can be tricky at times. | | Similar Products Used: | '98 Rock Shox Indy S (yes, I know it's compairing apples to oranges) complete POS | | Bike Setup: | '98 Kona Lava Dome, Marz MX comp w/ETA 120mm, easton EA50 riser, STX/LX components, Mavic 221 rims on XT hubs | | Bottom Line: | Really great fork; heck, it's a Rider's Choice winner! If you can still buy a '05 model, get it! I am a price conscious shopper and this fork far exceeded my expectations! I am considering transferring this fork on to a future bike...it's that good! Soaks up the small stuff and keeps you on the bike, even after the biggest drops! (my old fork sent me flying over the handlebars) ETA is an excellent feature for this fork and really helps keep the bike XC-friendly on climbs. 4 Chilis for Overall b/c of the weight. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Glenn Siegrist
a Weekend Warrior
from Giebelstadt Germany
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Hausberg, Germany | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | stiff, smooth and sexy Italian finish. I got these to replace the Judy on my Sworks M2. I used them for over a year at 5000 ft in Afghanitan and had no issues with them. I did not even have to air them up once that whole time. These forks are combat tough!! | | Weaknesses: | A little on the heavy side, | | Similar Products Used: | Cdale fatty, Judy rockshox | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Sworks M2 | | Bottom Line: | Good fork for the money I would buy another set if I had to.
The lock out for the climb is a great plus. It brings you fwd over the top tube as you climb helps keep the front tire down and no bobing. \
You cant go wrong with these!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Strengths: | rigid! works perfect !!! eats everything what gets under my wheel! ETA !! | | Weaknesses: | weight | | Similar Products Used: | rock shox Judy XC, SID | | Bike Setup: | CUBE, LX/XT, | | Bottom Line: | The marzchocchi works great!! It`s incredebily stiff! What I like the most is ETA lock out! It`s very usefull going up-hills and also at the road! Unfortunatelly I have got model with steel steering tube and that makes my marzocchi f%^$`en heavy (over 2kg). Anyway this fork is far cry better than any other at that price!
As a result.. minus 1 chilli for weight | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, BC
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything fun | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Strengths: | Bombproof XC Fork, Looks awesome, | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Other Bombers | | Bike Setup: | TST Ti hardtail, Marzocchi MX Comp ETA, FSA Orbit XLII, Thompson hardware, Shimano drive, Crankbrother Candys, Chris King Hubs, Mavic 717 rims, etc | | Bottom Line: | I'm a 210lb XC rider who, like many other reviewers here, love this fork. I have the 120mm version which is plush and takes anything I give it. I don't use the ETA much but do find it helps on long non-technical climbs to give a steeper angle.
I have used only Marzocchi forks and am continually pleased with their performance and durability. I'm sure I'll have this baby for years to come.
Plus, I paid $150 for it so I feel like I stole this thing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Zanesville, OH
Date Reviewed: March 10, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Dillion State Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$240.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | Very smooth and fast. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Bike Setup: | Voodoo Bantu, XT, Titec stem/handlebars, Deore crank, Mavic Rims | | Bottom Line: | Great fork at great price. Makes a hardtail feel great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$210.00 | | Purchased At: | PricePoint.com | | Strengths: | Smooth and consistent travel, look great, build quality for $200. | | Weaknesses: | Paying extra for a fork pump. Decals come off easily. | | Similar Products Used: | rock shox SL u-turn | | Bike Setup: | Trek 9000 hardtail, XT geartrain, hubs, MIB rims, LX brakes with Fibrax pads, Continental tyres, Tange headset, Azonic headlock. | | Bottom Line: | These forks finally showed me what suspension was supposed to be about. The bike was bought second hand in London, UK and when I moved to Charlotte I started playing with the setup as I got more into riding off road. I would describe myself as a fairly leisurly XC rider and these have transformed my confidence on the trail, especially going over tree roots that appear a little large.
I don't really use the ETA on the trail. Occasionally I put thinner 1" cyclocross tires on the bike and ride a loop round my neighborhood that incorporates road, gravel and a grass field. Here the ETA is great for getting the power down on the hard stuff.
I guess the real problem is that it makes me want a fully suspended bike give my @$$ some more comfort!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
unipedal
a Downhiller
from St. Louis, MO
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Wash U campus (drops galore) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$230.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Plush throughout travel, easy to adjust, sucks up hits up to 3' no prob and with enough air pressure won't bottom out with hits over 5'. ETA is fantastic. Not too heavy even by Marzocchi standards. | | Weaknesses: | Loses air pressure quickly with larger drops and extremely aggressive riding. I went from 45lb to about 15lb internal pressure in less than two weeks. A previous Marz fork did the same thing until it was fully broken in and then the leak completely stopped. Hopefully this one will too. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Black Comp Elite 80-100mm, Marz Z1 Freeride, Older Z1 and a Z3, RS Psylo, Fox Talas, the usual suspects for my area | | Bike Setup: | 2002 K2 Brass Monkey, XT hubs, XT front and rear deralleurs, Hayes Hydraulic brakes, Rhyno lites with steel spokes and brass nippies, Kenda 2.6" Stick-Ez tires | | Bottom Line: | This fork is the jams. It has saved me several times after not approaching a hit correctly. It WILL make you a more confident rider, which WILL lead you to develop a better technique to push yourself harder, which ultimately means you WILL become a better rider. Go BIG baby! I'm 205lb, and I do!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
alan
a Cross Country Rider
from northwest indiana,usa
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | three ravines | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$230.00 | | Purchased At: | Blue Sky .com | | Strengths: | Nice fit and finnish on this well made fork. Offers both rim and disk brake options. ETA option is good for climbing. Plush ride yet fairly stable over chatter, takes hits well. The eta legg is coil and the other side is air preload, making it easy to find the right ride feel. Fairly heavy. | | Weaknesses: | Internal rebound adjustment is a pain to adjust in the garage, forget about being able to adjust it on the trail. Eta is very useful on steep climbes, however by not have a remote you have to reach down to turn on and off which in the midwest with our short and rapid hills, makes it imposible to take advantage of this usefull feature. Out of the saddle sprints are rewarded with excessive pedal bob. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Judy
Rock shox Reba
Several RST models | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight w/5th air element shock, Mavic 717 rims w/xt hubs, avid 7 rim brakes,Raceface cranks,xt/xtr drivetrain. | | Bottom Line: | Overall I think this is an excellent fork for the money. It looks great and rides nice. For the money you will not find a better fork. That being said, this fork has a couple of glaring weaknesses, no remote on the eta makes it hard to take advantage of. Lack of external rebound makes it hard to get the maximum performance from this fork on the trail and it bobs excessively pedaling out of the saddle.
You would have to spend much more money to get a fork that would give you any real noticable perfomance gains over this one. It does everything pretty good but nothing great.
I think anyone who is looking to upgrade their OEM fork could do a lot worse than this fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CHaDSTeR
a Weekend Warrior
from Granda Hills, CA USA
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Eagle Rock | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$224.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel World | | Strengths: | price,smooth,firm and ETA | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | manitou Axel Elite | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS3, Avid BB7, Marzocchi MX comp+ETA, Alexrims Crostini D1.0 with sealbearing hubs | | Bottom Line: | this fork is AWESOME!! very stiff, long smooth travel for a great price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ifestion Papadam
a Cross Country Rider
from Thessaloniki, Greece
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$270.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Reliable, Strong, NO OIL LEAKS, just set the air pressure and forget. | | Weaknesses: | Rebound setting somehow difficult | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Axel Elite 100mm air assistance 2005 version | | Bike Setup: | Canyon Big Mountain 1 frame,Risse Astro 5 rear shock,Deore XT 2005 Front & Rear Redaulier & Crankset,Mavic Crossride wheelset,Chris King headset, Avid 203mm Disc brakes | | Bottom Line: | Very nice handling and steering, great dropping perfomance for it's class, ETA works great, gives too much confidence to the rider. It's a great fork, compared to the crup Manitou produces, so get it where ever you can find it.
I will go for the 2006 version next year with full confidence. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Rockfod, il, usa
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | split tree | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$270.00 | | Purchased At: | bluesky | | Strengths: | light for 120mm, varry cheap compared to equivalent fox shox, bomber? bombproof!! | | Weaknesses: | none its soo cheap ppl might think thayl break it | | Similar Products Used: | none tracks like a hound on a trail of blood man! | | Bike Setup: | haro escape frame high end sram tran, avid bb7 | | Bottom Line: | this fork is where its at, no doubt about it for the price you wont find a fork like it for at least another 200 bux, indestrucable bomb drops agressive xc light dh anny thing at all especcially dirt jumping this the the fork of forks marzocchi is king | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Kon
a Cross Country Rider
from Canberra Australia
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Sparrow Hill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Full length coil and air in the same length a real usable XC fork | | Weaknesses: | None could use a handlebar trigger for the ETA, but not really a weakness..... | | Similar Products Used: | None this good, used a Manitou skareb comp 80mm which was so undersprung even at highest pressure, it was a joke.
Rock Shocks SL U-Turn better than the Manitou but not even close in performance to this MX Comp ETA. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC 2 le, 2005. | | Bottom Line: | If you are a reasonable heavy rider 100kg and want a fork that won't bottom out on real XC trails this is for you.
I weigh 90kgs, 6'3" and have had trouble finding a fork that suits trails in my area (All mountain to XC) This baby is plush and progressive it works so well you just ride baby!
Soaks up small ruts, tree roots with its plusher first 2inches of travel then it progressively gets firmer so you won't bottom out or flip the bars!, on larger ruts and stuff.
I was going to get a fox but this fits the bill nicely worth every cent and more!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay Koby
a Cross Country Rider
from Hillsborough
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Lewis Morris | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Plush, great price, ETA, improved steering | | Weaknesses: | No pump | | Similar Products Used: | Judy TT | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Hardrock Pro, Time Attack clipless, WTB saddle | | Bottom Line: | This is a great fork for the price, especially if you can catch a closeout at the end of the season. It is so much smoother and more precise than my old Judy TT, a lot lighter too. I use the ETA a few times on each ride and it makes a very noticeable difference, it tips you forward nicely, and yet it still has enough travel to smooth things out, it might even been smoother fully dropped than my old fork ever was, LOL! I'm still in the break-in as it is a little sticky, so I expect it to get even better. Perfect fork for a cross country rider on a budget, or someone who doesn't want to spend as much on a fork as they did on their bike. It really makes me wonder if forks costing twice as much are really twice as good?
5 Chillis for value, it can't be beat for the price. 4 Chillis overall, mostly because I assume there is something you get for the extra $200-$600 that the top end forks cost. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Anthony Burton
a
from Harrogate, England
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Yorkshire | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | evanscycles.co.uk | | Strengths: | Looks Good, feels solid, takes the knocks- big and small, 105 mm travel feels plush- nicely adjustable on the preload, ETA is great for me- use it everyday on the road climb to work- also great for sprinting on the hardpack- easy to reach and locks out in down position- great for putting on the power- but still retains a few mill of travel for the odd bump. They have given my 98 Orange Clockwork hard tail yet another lease of life- 105 mm dosent throw the geometry out noticably. | | Weaknesses: | Why not supply a pump? You really have to have one- so give us one!
I can feel a tiny, little bit of play (front to back)when rocking on the front brake... not enough to worry me- but thought id tell you... | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Spyder- came as stock on bike. | | Bike Setup: | Orange Clockwork, XT, LX, Mavic wheels, Selle Flight Ti, etc. | | Bottom Line: | Look good, dont weigh enough to worry me, feel good, ETA works so well- wouldnt be without it now! All round great buy for price- did plenty of research and got what I wanted and expected. (Arnt forks expensive though!!?) Still, happy with these! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Reading, Berks, England
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Plush! | | Weaknesses: | None found | | Similar Products Used: | RockShox Judy TT | | Bike Setup: | Kona Kahuna | | Bottom Line: | If you suffer from a cheapskate bike company that thinks it can get away with putting RockShox Judy TTs on your bike from the factory and want some forks that actually work instead, these are your puppies!
Totally transformed my bike, it now steers where I point it, instead of the bike basically going where it wanted to, and it soaks up every hit with total control.
Not entirely sure there's much point to the ETA, but it's a nice gimmick to have when I really have to climb hard.
Very nice forks! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Me Myself
a Weekend Warrior
from St.paul MN
Date Reviewed: September 25, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Lutsen Mountain Bike Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$375.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Chain | | Strengths: | It's very ajustable and somewhat light for 120mm | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't come with a pump. | | Similar Products Used: | Alot | | Bike Setup: | 03 Jamis Dakar, XT rear, deore Rynolight wheel set, Avid bb7 mech discs | | Bottom Line: | I haven't used it very much yet but it seems very plush. It absorbs every thing very well. I love the half air haif coil setup. No problems so far. The ETA is great when climbing. I would highly recomend it. Ride hard, have Fun! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
grant
a Weekend Warrior
from greenville sc
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | mountain creek - paris mtn | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$234.00 | | Purchased At: | blue sky | | Strengths: | Cost, strength, value, performance. Looks cool too! | | Weaknesses: | Internal rebound hard to adjust. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Axel Comp | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Specialized FSRxc with this fork, Yeti hardcore grips and Haro Pro platforms | | Bottom Line: | This is a nice upgrade to the Manitou Axel Comp that came on my bike. It wasn't really all that bad (much stiffer) but this fork is much smoother and gives a plush ride. For the money, this is a great fork. The only problem is that the rebound adjustment is hard to get to, turns easily for negative adjustment and hard for positive adjustment. I really don't notice much difference in the shocks performance either way tho. I am 210 lbs and run it between 50 and 65 psi, depending on the trail. ETA works as it should but I hardly ever use it. There is a bit of noise, sort of a "chink" sound at impact when the bike front end is raised and dropped from about 6 inches. This sound is heard on the trails too, when hitting objects. It performs well so I guess this is normal. My bike shop checked it out and found nothing wrong. I would recommend this to anyone riding agressive XC. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a
from Boston, MA
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$339.00 | | Strengths: | - Tracks incredibly well
- Handles bigger drops than I thought possible on an XC fork
- Light
- The ETA makes climbing absurdly easy
- Awesome styling | | Weaknesses: | Expensive, I guess... | | Similar Products Used: | RockShox, Manitou, blah blah. | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Gary Fisher HKEK, Avid BB5 Discs, MonkeyLite SL bars, etc. etc. | | Bottom Line: | Get the Fork -- You'll love it. It's that simple. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Harley Webter
a Cross Country Rider
from Surrey UK
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Swinley Forest Gully | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$240.00 | | Purchased At: | Winstanleyscycles.co.uk | | Strengths: | Bomb proof,
Great looks ( declas, colours)
Light | | Weaknesses: | I cant find anything wrong with them | | Similar Products Used: | RST Gila | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Hardrock with Avid 185mm disk brakes, dmr pedals, truativ stem, cranks. | | Bottom Line: | An awesome fork, can take a beating
, they are soo light sao cross country riding is not a problem i go up hills with ease now.
They can take moderate drop offs and are great for dirt jumping, save $50 and get these instead of Marzocchi dirt jumpers, my frinds has some they are practically the same just 3x as heavy!!!
Get some, it will improve your confidance, riding and make your bike look don.
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Submitted by
marc
a Weekend Warrior
from leesburg
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | D&D trail | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | blueskycycling.com | | Strengths: | Deasel parts,not to heavy, graphics | | Weaknesses: | Not sure, It seems it almost bottoms out wheni tested it. I think it is at 105.. not sure if i missed something in the instructions any have answers | | Similar Products Used: | 2004 axel super | | Bike Setup: | Gary fisher, MZ MX comp eta | | Bottom Line: | Good fork, damn good price for it. It is the 105mm and it seems alittle weak, if i did somewthing wrong i dont know. if any one nows how to make it better email.
lax4marc2002@yahoo.com | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mo
a Cross Country Rider
from Cedar City, UT
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$259.00 | | Purchased At: | Blueskycycling | | Strengths: | Cheap, Plush, fairly light, strong, doesn't leak air | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Axel, Skareb, Duke, Pilot | | Bike Setup: | GF Marlin frame w/ scram 7 & Shimano LX/XT | | Bottom Line: | Execllent fork for the $$. Can almost keep up with my friends on the downhill now. They were getting tired of waiting for me. Like the adjustable air. I'm a 135 lb weakling so its nice to have a fork that I can make really soft and responsive for my exact weight and riding conditions. Fork was a little sticky at first but has broken in oh so nice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
brennon
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairbanks, AK
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | JensonUSA | | Strengths: | great performing mid-budget fork | | Weaknesses: | uhm......nothing big | | Similar Products Used: | 2003 Manitou Axel comp | | Bike Setup: | Specialized 2003 Rockhopper | | Bottom Line: | (this is for the 105mm travel version) For the record, The only fork I have to compare this with is the POS 2003 Manitou Axel comp that came with my bike, and this blows it out of the water. 5mm more travel helps for sure. ETA is a really BIG deal, can easily flip it while riding with hardly a glance, and drastically increases steep hill performance. Air preload really lets me personalize this fork for my weight and riding style in ways coil forks simply cannot. And the resistance to blows acts like it it not linear, but exponential, as in, will fly up for the first 1/3 of travel for about anything, eating up small rocks and roots for a real smooth ride. But it becomes harder to compress it all the way, so I dont come close to bottoming it out in regular X-country. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jamie larson
a Cross Country Rider
from Boone, IA USA
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Squirrels Nest and surrounding trails | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Everything. Amazing fork for the price | | Weaknesses: | none thus far..... | | Similar Products Used: | manitou SX | | Bike Setup: | Kestrel CSX with XT group and Mavic Crossland wheels mated to Michelin UST tires | | Bottom Line: | This fork is the best thing under the sun for someone who has a budget. I paid a little more for the fork, but kept my money at the local bike shop. The ETA is the coolest thing I have ever ridden. It "locks" in the down position. A typical lockout locks in the up position. Being in the down position dramatically helps climbing. Not to mention still leaving 25-30mm of travel for those unexpected encounters on a climb. Super plush on jumps, feels like butter. super smooth and very simple to adjust. If you want a great fork at under $350, this is your fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jay li
a Weekend Warrior
from san jose, ca usa
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | fermont older | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | www.jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Easy to setup. ETA for the climbs. Price was low enough. | | Weaknesses: | Instruction manual. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox Vanilla 125 RLC | | Bike Setup: | 2003 NRS 2 frame. Custom build with Shimano, SRAM, Truvativ... | | Bottom Line: | Compared to the Fox shock on my hardtail bike, this fork is a great value. Dampening is not as smooth as Fox Vanilla, but it is an exceptional performer for about half the price.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pat harn
a Cross Country Rider
from san diego, ca.
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | socal | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | bluesky | | Strengths: | price. travel. ease of adjustment. 105 travel | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | rockshox duke sl | | Bike Setup: | santa cruz superlight all XT. | | Bottom Line: | This shock, for the price, is the best I've used. Very predictable for all kinds cross country riding. This shock takes medium bumps and hucks without a whimper. I have not used the lockout climbing and never had a problem with the knob slippage. Great service from Blue Sky. This shock is very durable and would be a good light free ride tool. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matthew gilbert
a Cross Country Rider
from boone,nc
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$265.00 | | Purchased At: | blueskycycling.com | | Strengths: | eats up any rock, root, or drop i can throw at it. soft, plush ride. great XC fork. not to heavy either. | | Weaknesses: | none discovered so far | | Bike Setup: | raleigh m80, mavic717, hope hubs, wtb weirwolf(f)/maxxis harddrive(r), ringle stem & bar, shimano xt derailers. | | Bottom Line: | This is a major improvement on the manitou six that came with my bike. my front wheel never leaves the ground now, it will eat up anything in the way. The eta function is helpful, but not needed on every climb. i would recomend anyone wanting to upgrade their fork to go with the mx comp eta. mainly for someone riding aggresive XC. Five Flamin Chilis for me! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Tasli, NC | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$265.00 | | Purchased At: | Blue Sky | | Strengths: | Prior to owning this fork, I was riding a 2002 SID XC that came on my bike. I loved the SID. I thought it was great, but when the SID wore out, I had to replace it on a budget, so I ended up with this fork. Am I dissapointed? Absolutely not!! I've had it for less than a week so far, but I've put it through the wringer thinking that I want to know sooner rather than later if it's going to break. So far, it's performed as well as, if not better, than my SID (keep in mind that the SID was a 2002 model in all fairness). It's a lot stiffer than the SID, it absorbs small stuff better than the SID, it has more travel than I had with the SID (105mm), and it has the ETA. I haven't used the ETA much, but when I did, I was impressed. I'm a fairly heavy rider (195lbs) and I like to ride what I think is affectionately known as "aggressive XC" or "All Mountain". It's handled my weight and riding just fine.
But really, the thing that sold me on this fork was the attention to detail. It's those little things that tell you how much care a company puts into their products. The recessed bottom hole in the disc mount, the inserts for the v-brake post holes (one with the Marz logo and the other a cable guide), the aluminum (as opposed to plastic) cap for the valve, the superb finish and decals. Very nice all around. | | Weaknesses: | It's over 1lb heavier than my ol' SID, but I haven't noticed the additional weight very much. It would be nice if the rebound adjuster was external, but, let's be honest here-- once you figure out the correct setting, you don't need to monkey around with it anyway. I set mine about halfway through the range and it works great. The air pressure listed in the manual was also a little low for my taste. | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 SID XC | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC, now sporting the Marz MX Comp ETA | | Bottom Line: | There may be better forks out there, but there aren't very many and you won't get them for this price. If you need a fork and you have less than $300 to spend, you'd be a fool not to go for this model. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil Bray
a Cross Country Rider
from 29 Palms, Ca
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Hulda Crooks | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$325.00 | | Purchased At: | BIke Store | | Strengths: | Plushness and the ETA. Just did my first race a couple weeks ago on this fork and I loved the eta for the gnarly climbs and the full travel for the decents. It truly rocks. | | Weaknesses: | ETA accessability, if Marzocchi cam out with a remote eta function I would be the first to buy it. Sag is more than I am used to but I am told that if I add more preload I would be set. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock SHox | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail specialized S-Works | | Bottom Line: | Affordable, awesome and get one soon. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
anto kent
a Weekend Warrior
from dublin
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | the shoe | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$290.00 | | Purchased At: | www.chainreactioncycles.com | | Strengths: | 120mm travel, but shorter than most forks with similar travel, so it suits frames designed for 100mm forks. Easy to set up. Ridiculous reaction to bumps/ roots at high speed (as in the front wheel never leaves the ground!! It swallows up rocks, roots and anything in its path). I have not done any heavy trails with this fork yet, but it takes high jumps and drops at speed without a whimper. Also, many hours of reading up has suggested that marzocchi make the most reliable forks on the market | | Weaknesses: | The air cartridge causes a "swish swish" sound when you hit any kind of bump. It makes you worry the oil is running low or something! However, I have been reassured by marzocchi mechanics that this is normal. If fact, i've kinda come to like it!! | | Similar Products Used: | marzocchi mz comp, the johnny davis marathon special | | Bike Setup: | kona 7005 double "arsed" (butted) aluminium frame (ha ha!!) - raceface evolve xc crankset/ bb - xt shifters - xt rear mech, lx front - titec hellbent bars (the expensive one's) - bbb stem - mavic 717's with xt hubs, deore brakes, smica carbon seatpost, viper racing saddle, dmr v8's, cannondale grips (just for the craic) - tioga factory dh tyres | | Bottom Line: | Savage!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seth Spector
a Weekend Warrior
from madison, Connecticut
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Lime Rock | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Zanes Cycles | | Strengths: | 120mm's of plush travel! Pretty light. Dont Bottom out easily, lasted a 5 foot drop to flat and intense rock gardens. | | Weaknesses: | None what so ever | | Similar Products Used: | Psylo's and Fox Float 130r | | Bike Setup: | 02 Specialized Fsrxc, Lx and xt drivetrain, shimano m520 pedals etc.. | | Bottom Line: | This fork is a great deal for the price. They out perform many of teh shocks around this price value. Also, with a weight of about 4 pounds it is no wonder they are capable of launching off a jump or accelerate up a hill to make a pass. I have done all of my racing, downhilling, and freeriding with this fork. I give it 5 flamin chilis for its all around capability so whether you like xc riding, aggressive xc, free riding, and an occasional down hilling these are the shocks for you. However if you are looking for lightness for a light and fast race bike look into the Manitou Skarebs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from McKinney, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Erwin Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | Marzocchi Inc. | | Strengths: | Plush, Doesn't bottom out, 110mm travel, ETA and did I say Plush... **Marzocchi support ROCKS!** | | Weaknesses: | Stickers kind of suck. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi XC50 | | Bike Setup: | 95' GT Avalanche LE, LX group components, Mavic 230 wheels, and of course the MX Comp w/ETA | | Bottom Line: | Ok, given that I have only had an old Marzocchi XC50 I don't have a lot to reference off of. But I noticed a HUGE difference when I went to this fork. It was very very smooth and you almost don't notice all the bumps. My arms don't tire as quickly as they used to and if it wasn't for the stiffness of my hardtail frame I doubt I would feel as much of the bumps as I do. It takes the bumps slow or fast, big or small. Very plush on the smaller bumps but soaks up the large ones easily without bottoming out.
Now a note on Marzocchi support. If you notice the price I paid for this $300+ fork you may be inclined to yell BS. I had the old XC50 for about 10 years before I found out that 9 years ago it was recalled. I called Marzocchi and told them what I had and they managed to find an old crown as a replacement but since my fork was already in need of a seal replacement the manager offered me an upgrade. I had to pay for the upgrade but heck $150 for that fork was a no brainer. I made the decision on a Tuesday and had the fork on Friday. I have dealt with Marzocchi support in the past with my old fork and they were quick then too. Marzocchi rocks! But someone tell those folks to get better stickers...
If you want a very high quality product at a much lower price than you would get with a Fox then Marzocchi is the way to go. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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