Submitted by
Leotis Denetclaw
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterflow, NM USA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002
Strengths: Marzocchi.....the best! The look, color, and ride.
Weaknesses: Air Shock
Bottom Line:
This fork Rules......wasn't to sure I should go with an air fork. Especially since I am a heavier rider, but so far the fork is doing better than expected. The fork is plush, great on the big hits and able to support my heavy rear end. I rode the first generation Manitou fork and the then the first generation Judy forks, they were very good for their time, but nothing like marzocchi's Atom Bomb. It was my favorite fork till I rode the X-Fly 80 fork. I would recomend this to any heavy rider. I understand that it may not be as plush for lighter riders, but overall it should be perfect for all riders.
Similar Products Used: RockShox Judy XC, Marzocchi Atom Bomb, early Manitou.
Bike Setup: Schwinn Homegrown frame, XTR components, Raceface cranks and BB, Ringle wheels, CT2 carbon bar, Syncros stem and carbon seatpost, and Sram shifters.
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Submitted by
Mikey www.mtbfreak.com
a Racer
from Australia
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2002
Strengths: durability, stiffness vs low weight, lack of maintenance, look cool
Weaknesses: rim brake bosses should be able to be taken out if you want but cant be
Bottom Line:
I thought I'd better send in my take on these forks a couple of years down the track.
To be blunt, they have been absolutely superb.
Havent had to do anything to them at all and have given them some serious riding. These forks have taken everything I have dealt to them with absolutely no fuss. No leaks, big hits, little hits, no stiction, no wear or tear. Nothing basically. Thus far I cant justify upgrading to a lighter xc fork because there's nothing wrong with these forks even 2+ years down the track with no maintenance (I dont recommended doing that though). Won a XC race on them just last week and have won nationals sports class xc rounds on them too. Am aware of the gripe about not being able to take out the brake bosses but if you dont touch them you will be fine. Have done some big air in races on these forks and they always come up trumps. Luv you marzocchi!!
Submitted by
Zeke McDaniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Middletown, CT
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2002
Strengths: Light, stiff, adjustable, switchable to coil springs, customer service
Weaknesses: Stupid schrader valves
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2001 X-Fly 80.
Great fork after riding all summer. I personally prefer air/oil forks for weight and adjustability reasons and this fork has not let me down yet. Eats up the big hits and is supple throughout with MASSIVE stiffness. Good damping control via the knob on top and no problems with anything creaking or coming loose. Wiper seals appear to be holding up and I've had no air or oil leakage.
Only problem with the fork was that the original shrader adapter was 0.025" too short to compress the plunger in the valve - darn hard to fill the shock that way. Got zero response from the main Marzocchi website *but* got a response from the Marzocchi USA site in < 4 hrs! They sent me a replacement adapter (3 days) no questions asked. Annoying, but great service and had the problem solved by the time I got the time to get the fork on the bike. Personally, I prefer the old Mag-21 needle type air filler to the screw-in schrader adapter - needles are everywhere for basketballs etc. and are very quick to insert, check, and pressurize as necessary. I don't like screwing in the adapter (awkward) and worry about the aluminum threads, but so far so good.
I really like this fork, overall 4 chilis only because I haven't used it long enough to rate long-term durability and maintenance issues. Money well spent so far - don't know why I waited so long to upgrade! Highly recommended.
Bike Setup: Nishiki Alien (old school!), XT/XTR setup.
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Submitted by
Denis Thibodeau
a Cross Country Rider
from Rutherfordton
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2002
Strengths: durability, adjustability
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Around here everybody rides marzocchi, no wonder cause they rock. Absorbs bumps like an olympic mogul skiier. Doesn't bounce when going uphill. I don't even want dual suspension anymore. If you need a fork look no further. Great for lightweight rider cause you can for 110lb rider. I weigh 175lb and set it to the suggested pressure.
Bike Setup: Klein pulse pro 97, full 02 xtr, Cane creek Aeroheat wheels
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Submitted by
J.R.
a Cross Country Rider
from Encino, Ca.
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2002
Strengths: Great looking fork with a reasonable weight.
Weaknesses: Improper set up, improper oil level, leaking oil, unidentifiable clicking noise on rebound. Product and service online should be much smoother (i.e.Manitou) E mail tech and customer service do not respond, I have sent over 6 e mails with no response!!! be the judge.
Bottom Line:
If your an expert rider with a tech shop then this a good fork, since it will need some TLC out of the box, but dont expect" a set it and forget it " installation scenario. As noted above the Marzoochi service is weak and undeveloped as far as dealing with real customers. They dont have the time to respond to real customer inquireies or questions. I not sure how they do it in Italy but in the U.S. a little customer service is appreciated at times. Maybe there a little preoccupied with the World Cup who knows. In any case go with a Manitou they have excellent and responsive customer service with a great product. Unfortunately, I am stuck with my fork due to buying with Supergo store also know as SuperNO. Good Luck.
Similar Products Used: Manitou forks and Rock Shox products both smoother out of the box.
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Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Area
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2002
Strengths: Rigidity, damping, looks, reputaion, option to change to coil springs if desired.
Weaknesses: oil level waaaay off as delivered, making fork only have about 60 mm travel. Funky adapter makes setting accurate air pressure not as easy as others. I will probably soon lose the tiny rubber caps for the air caps. A little harsh over small bumps, (we'll see how it feels after it's broken in)
Bottom Line:
I am reviewing the 2001 model. Believe the hype! This forks rocks! The price was right. Being an air fork it is not much heavier than the Mars that it replaced. My first ride I was not that impressed. It was harsh and loaded with stiction at the recommended air pressure, and according to my trusty zip-tie, I was getting about 60 mm of travel.
I did a little research and discovered a large number of these forks were coming with the oil level set to high. So I had to put a wrench on my brand new fork with only two rides on it.(ouch!) I found the oil level on the left leg set way to high, about 10 mm from the top. I removed enough oil to bring it down to 45 mm. I applied silicone oil to the wiper seals and it felt much better. Adjusted the air pressure and went racing.
So my third ride on the fork is race day. A grueling 22 mile course. The X-Fly bottomed 3 times, only on the hardest hits. I could probably add a tiny amount of air so it does not bottom at all.
The best fork I've ever used? Maybe. Definitly the best short travel fork, far better that the Mars. At least as good as the Lefty.
The only thing that prevents a top rating is the quality control. How hard is it to dump the correct amount of oil in a fork leg?
Similar Products Used: Mars, Lefty, old school Judy, Manitou Pro, Mag 20
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Superlight
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Submitted by
t
from australia
Date Reviewed: December 13, 2001
Bottom Line:
the brake bosses hold the forks together/air and oil in as well as holding the brakes on. that's why the manual says you should never remove them. moot point because they've been taught to remove themselves. i don't need to tell you what happens next.
Submitted by
Rik Stevens
a Cross Country Rider
from Tarheel Country! NC
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2001
Strengths: Super smooth compression, plush damping, light weight by any standard, 30mm stanchions, holds a track well, that inherent Bomber sexiness!
Weaknesses: I'm not sure i get the full 80mm of travel at high psi's, non-standard shock fork, still a great fork though!
Bottom Line:
This fork rocks, I got a steal at $150! Super light, the compresson is great, and I always feel secure doing downhill switchbacks and the like because this thing has NO FLEX! Very durable and Marzocchi's tech support is the best in the business. I called these guys when one of my air valves popped off, within 5 minutes the guys had gotten my address to send me FREE REPLACEMENT PARTS and talked me through how to fix it myself, saving postage and helping me be better able to do my own maintenance. These guys ride, they know that stuff happens, they asked no questions about how it broke. They just want you back on the trail! No more Rock Shox for me, I'm gonna ride Bombers forever. Ride on!
Similar Products Used: Judy XC (somewhat flexy, heavy!, good damping though)
Bike Setup: 2000 Trek 7000, Zoke Z-2, full xt w/ sram 9.0 rear der. and shifters, XTR hubs w/ Velocity Aeroheat (great rims!), DT Revos! 21.5 pound hardtail!
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Submitted by
Peter McCann
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2001
Strengths: Performance and reliability.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Yeah, there were a few minor glitches in early production, but experience has shown that this happens far less often with the Zokies than with their competition. Most of the problems I'm reading here are due to lack of set up knowledge-something easily remedied with a little reading on their website or a quick call to tech support. Marzocchie stands behind the products, and once repaired, this fork has performed flawlessly through 20 months of hard riding under my 190lbs. in places like Moab and Durango. The fact is that this fork will outlst and out perform anything else in its travel range. So if you don't have anything better to do than break down your noodle-light plastic P.O.S. fork every ten hours of use, then go right ahead. As for me, I'd rather be riding. My primary goal in the sport is adrenalin charged fun (since '82). I've enjoyed some success racing, but have learned the hard way not to sacrifice reliabily for weight savings. Your not going to place with equipment failures. I am buying an '02 Z1FR (5"), and already have a friend who can't wait to buy my X-fly. Ride on!
Submitted by
fattirewilly
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2001
Strengths: Light(relatively, perfomance, and seal integrity
Weaknesses: Overhaul costs
Bottom Line:
This fork performs wonderfully (I'm 6'4" and 220 pounds). I would check the air pressure occassionally and it never needed any. I looked under the dust caps and thought I was wasting my time. Anyway, after a year and a half of heavy use and NO maintenance, I got tired of the front wheel slopping back and forth between the front brakes when I hammered. This is a condition that developed slowly over time, and I dealt with it for a month or two.
After not being able to stand the rubbing any more I purchased a SX-R on closeout for $99.00 to use a back-up while I attemped my first Bomber overhaul.
Bomber parts are expensive: Top seals=$35, Bushings=$40(each), Parker seal kit ($40). Including oil, the overhaul cost me about $165. That's a lot more than my NEW SX-R. It realy blows my mind.
Anyway, after the overhaul (and 50 miles this weekend) the Bomber works good as new. No rubbing! The 5 turd overall rating is there, but value is only a 3. I guess you get what you pay for, but man I hate paying that much! I'll try changing the oil regularly to extend the bushing life.
Submitted by
Ron Posner
a Cross Country Rider
from Caracas, Venezuela
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2001
Strengths: It's light, stiff - as in no flex, tracks well, has a very plush ride, soaks up large bumps easily and is easy to tune. Top quality parts and construction. It's a joy the way it handles any ride condition you throw at it.
Weaknesses: The only weakness is that you have to tune it to your weight and ride specs. Which means you have to set the oil volume and air pressure. Is that a weakness?
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend this fork. Forget the SID SL. Marzocchi forks are AWESOME. After you lube the stanchions and break it in you will love this fork. Since I do my own maintenance on the fork I did the following - 1. Downloaded the Technical Manual and the General Overhaul, Maintenance and Parts Manual pdf files off the Marzocchi website, 2. Purchased the Marzocchi tools (slider protector, oil seal press, driver and pump), and, 3. Purchased the main Marzocchi parts (O-rings, upper and lower piston seals, seals kit). Otherwise, have your local bike shop set it up for you. Once that's done, you can't go wrong with this fork.
Similar Products Used: Judy SL, White Brothers SC-70
Bike Setup: Merlin Mountain frame, Cane Creek C-2, Race Face 9-speed 42/32/20T chainrings, Caramba cranks 175mm, XT shifter pods, Precision Billet RD, XT FD, Mavic X517CD, DT Swiss 14/15/14 crossed, Chris King hubs, Salsa QR, XTR 8-speed 12-32 Ti, Ritchey Z-Max 2.1" K front, Continental Cross Coutry 2.0" K rear, IG-90 chain, XTR V-brakes, XTR levers, Titec ti bar, TNT HDS Ti BB, Sella Italia Flite XP Ti, Ritchey CroMo pedals, Thomson Elite stem and seatpost , Ritchey WCS bar ends, Yeti grips, ETC.
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Submitted by
Doug
from CA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2001
Bottom Line:
Help!
I put this fork on my wife's Titus Racer-X and because of her weight, 109 lbs, and her less than aggressive riding style, she can only get 55m of travel out of it. I have lowered the pressure in both legs to 9.0 psi, and still not enough travel. I was told to reduce one leg to 0.0 psi and only pressurize the other. This helped slightly, but did not completely fix the problem.
If you have some good ideas on how to significantly improve the travel for a light weight rider please let me know.
Strengths: VERY STIFF,BIG BEEFY STAUNTIONS,HAS VERY LITTLE TORSIONAL TWISTING.HAS ONE OF THE BEST DAMPENING ACTION FOR AN AIR SPRUNG FORK,VERY SMOOTH.ALSO HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING FORKS AVAILABLE.
Weaknesses: HAS SOME FORE AND AFT MOVEMENT SIMILAR TO OTHER FORKS. THIS FORK IS A BIT HEAVY FOR AIR SPRUNG FORK.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS BEST AIR SPUNG FORK THAT I HAVE RIDDEN SO FAR. VERY EASY TO SET UP.
Similar Products Used: 99 ROCKSHOX SID,00 MANITOU MARS.
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Submitted by
choyboy
from sydney,nsw.australia
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2001
Strengths: VERY STIFF,BIG BEEFY STAUNTIONS,HAS VERY LITTLE TORSIONAL TWISTING.HAS ONE OF THE BEST DAMPENING ACTION FOR AN AIR SPRUNG FORK,VERY SMOOTH.ALSO HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING FORKS AVAILABLE.
Weaknesses: HAS SOME FORE AND AFT MOVEMENT SIMILAR TO OTHER FORKS. THIS FORK IS A BIT HEAVY FOR AIR SPRUNG FORK.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS BEST AIR SPUNG FORK THAT I HAVE RIDDEN SO FAR. VERY EASY TO SET UP.
Similar Products Used: 99 ROCKSHOX SID,00 MANITOU MARS.
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Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Layton, UT
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2001
Strengths: stiffness, disc brake mount, adjustability, dampning, low air pressure with max air volume, very plush
Weaknesses: weight, v-brake posts are the main piece keeping the sliders and arch together
Bottom Line:
This fork continues the legacy of plushness Marzocchi is known for. Once the bushings are worn in, about 10 hours of use, this fork feels incredible. Fine-tuen the air pressure for to your likeness and it feels like you are riding with a Pro-Wind spring installed. I followed the Marzocchi setup instructions on the webpage and it is spot-on. I initially purchased the fork and noticed that the seals around the brake arch and sliders were dry-rotted. The fork was in a window display and never sold at the store. When it was noticed, before installation on my bike, Marzocchi was called and they said ship it to them. They completely rebuilt the fork and sent it back. I basically have a brand new fork and I love it. Marzocchi will stand behind their product. I have never had a problem with their tech support. I will never own another brand but Marzocchi. Even if a new bike comes with a differnt fork, I will install a Z-series fork.
