Submitted by
hotrodmarlin
a Weekend Warrior
from Winston Salem, NC Date Reviewed: October 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
top secret
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
mock orange bikes
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
cartriges, adjustments, poorly made.
Similar Products Used:
rock shox totem, Rock shox domain, manitou
Bike Setup:
Kona Coil-air deluxe complete.
Bottom Line:
I bought a new Kona Coil-air Deluxe that fork came on. The fork never lasted more than 3 rides. It went back to Marzocchi 2 times. Each time it took them 3 weeks. The 3rd time the cartriges failed the local bike shop got replacements from Marzocchi and installed it.
The last time I rode the fork, I crashed and twisted my ankle pretty bad. After I picked up the bike, I realized the fork was compressed all the way down and was stuck. I got it fixed for the 4th time at another shop and never rode it again.
I'll have to say that Marzocchi customer service is some of the worst I've ever dealt with. They lied to me about putting in the 09 cartriges and denied any problems with the 55ata forks. They refused to rush to get the fork back to me. Here I had a brand new bike and couldn't ride it for 6 weeks.
Kona was also not helpful and lied to me. (see my review on Kona Coil-air Deluxe.
In my opinion there should be a class action lawsuit against Marzocchi for this fork. it is defective and dangerous.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
infamous24
a Weekend Warrior
from SLO, CA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
Stiffness
Weaknesses:
Just about everything, see below.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float 36 RC2, Pike
Bottom Line:
Well where to start with this horrendous fork? It has now been in for service 3 times, seems Marzocchi can't figure things out.
The first time the forks ATA catridge had broken and the travel adjust wasn't working anymore. This happened with the first owner, I purchased it once it was back from warranty. Biggest mistake I ever made.
Worked find for about a month, then noticed the fork lost about an inch of travel. The fork went back to Marzocchi, which took about 2 weeks. When it came back it had 2009 cartridges, which "had no problems."
Well about a month later the forks rebound and compression circuit were blown. The rebound adjust didn't work, nor did the lockout feature. It is in for warranty as I write this review.
Anyways as soon as the fork is back I am selling it, and will never buy another Marzocchi fork again. Even when it did work the fork was not that impressive. I replaced the fork with a 36 Float RC2, which blows it out of the water. As far as suspension performance goes, Marzocchi can't even come close to Fox or Rockshox.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ezgo
a Weekend Warrior
from Sde Warburg, Israel Date Reviewed: June 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Downiville
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$748.00
Purchased At:
beyondbikes
Strengths:
When it works...it's light and rigid and "irons" every tough element out there.
Weaknesses:
It never works...third time in less than a year was sent to complete rebuild.
warranty seems to be very good and the guys here are nice but it is NOT reliable and at this point I switched over to Fox 36 talas RC2. Every single part of my fork has been replaced and yet it keeps breaking down.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float 32 RLC, Fox 36 Talas RC2
Bike Setup:
Ibis Mojo (aka Green Mamba) w/ fox dhx air5, 36 talas rc2, magura martha SL, stan no tube arch hadley rear hope 2 front, gravity dropper.
Bottom Line:
Do not be tempted!
Waist of money and extreme disappointment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dirtcoach
a Downhiller
from Lakewood, CO Date Reviewed: June 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$700.00
Strengths:
Smooth Travel, Nickel Coated Sanctions
Weaknesses:
Durability is poor even with my scrawny 150lbs. Fork locked out after 5 hours of use TST failure. The bad part I was instructing a MTB camp at the time. The fork was repaired and worked fine for a month them the same thing well it has been back to Marzocchi four time now I have so far spent $200 in shipping costs and have to wait a month each time to have it returned, apparently they have a lot of warranty issues.
Similar Products Used:
Fox 36
Bike Setup:
Giant Reine XO 09 Saint Shifters and Derailleurs, Gravity Light Crank & Stem, Gravity Carbon Bar, Hadley Hubs Sun Equalizer 31 rims, Rocco Air Rear Shock.
Bottom Line:
Spend your money else were, Marzocchi quality and durability has really slipped the last several years. It is the last Marzocchi product I will buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
erezgolan
a Weekend Warrior
from Israel Date Reviewed: February 23, 2009
Favorite Trail:
ben shemen
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Strengths:
Rigid, adjustable, light for 165mm of travel
Weaknesses:
complete air chamber failure. replaced with 2009 parts under warranty and worked fine since. Chrome coating coming off creating rough surface.
not too reliable.
Similar Products Used:
Fox float 32 rlc 140mm
Bike Setup:
Ibis Mojo w/Lopes Link , XTR, gravity dropper, ZTR Arch with hope 2 hubs, magura martha xl.
Bottom Line:
Don't make the mistake I made. I was tempted by the long travel and light weight but it is not worth it. Poor product for the price. Moving on to the new fox talas 150 15mm QR which tends to be reliable and rigid enough for hard AM rides. Local distributers here were very nice and replaced everything under warranty.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vaughn
a Weekend Warrior
from Oroville, CA Date Reviewed: February 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Kenosha to Breckinridge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light weight at less than 5 lbs with 160ish mm travel Nice lateral rigidity. Quick release thru axle. Technical support.
Weaknesses:
2008 was not ready for market, service manual and online support were marginal. Initial setup was made much more of a guessing game than it should have been. I should not have to call or google a nonMarzocchi chatroom or blog to figure out my air settings. By the way, my riding weight is about 190 pounds, positive air pressure at top of stanchion is about 45, and negative air pressure at bottom of leg is 120. The adjustment knobs are nice aluminum, but the travel adjust knob is sharp and digs into the fingers to dial down. The TST knob is not a nice tight smooth rotation. It is kind of up down play when it should just be sliding forward and back in its infinite terrain sensitive adjustment. Honeycomb brake arch is a mud trap. Aluminum steerer inner diameter is very narrow, not accomodating star nut or other usual inserts for fender. Previous years of Marzocchi All Mountain forks have had their own threaded attachment points for Marzocchi fenders, this one does not.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing with this much travel. Fox 32 a couple variations up to 140 mm travel. Rockshox Revelation Air U-turn at 130 mm.
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Moment, setup more xc with weight 31 lbs. 203mm front rotor with Hayes Stroker Carbon brakes
Bottom Line:
First the good;
1) I finally understand what all the fuss is about with the new thru axle offerings. This one is 20mm thru axle of course. I am really pleased how the fork goes where I point it. Hardly any tire deflection.
2) Travel is more than I need for xc, but lets me go faster than I have ever gone when pointed downhill. Gives enough confidence that it is the first bike I have ever jumped more than four feet in the air, and it assuredly could do more.
3)40mm of hand wind travel adjust from 165 to 120 makes long steep climbs more palatable. Not worth all the hand cranking for rollers
4)Customer service was excellent. Unfortunately, had to get to know them, but they were very accomodating and helpful getting my fork up and working, which brings me to the bad
1) Within 100 miles of ride time the fork was spewing oil, I forget which leg, then the positive and negative air chambers were bleeding into each other.
2) Marzocchi USA ultimately swapped me both left and right leg cartridges. Unfortunately, the ATA cartridge was bad after the first ride, so it went straight back. Zokes sent me a new one without waiting for the old cartridge to show up, which was nice. My TST cartridge never did go bad, but they replaced it without question after I questioned what I had been reading about here on MTBR about garage rebuilds, and Marzocchi USA repair solutions. From speaking with Mike and Johner at Zokes, it is apparent that many many other people were having the same problem with the 2008 Marzocchi ATA. At one point Zokes USA was waiting for updated model TST cartridge shipment from Italy before I could get that leg replaced.
3) I have gotten in a couple hundred miles since it was repaired with the new guts, essentially 2009 guts, in October and I must admit it has run awesome. No issues with air loss or bleed over. No oil loss. No squeaks or hardwear niggles.
When in working order, small bump compliance is ok, moderate speed compliance is good, and wide open downhill banging is unbelievably good. It is not quite as cush as my brothers coil All Mountain, but being more xc oriented I prefer the lighter weight
I have never had a fork go bad so quick, nor have I spent so much on a fork before, so I will take two points off. I should take another point off for the lack of a service manual or setup information, but I will give Marzocchi a break for being so helpful with me when I actually did contact them by phone. I speculate whether the move of manufacturing from Italy to Taiwan was cause for quality control issues, or whether these problems were an intrinsic design problem trying to get as light of weight as possible on a big travel fork. Who knows.
I may be selling the bike and fork to a friend shortly. Despite my issues with this fork, I would definitely consider this fork again, but I would do more diligent research on service issues, to make sure it is all ironed out for 2009 and beyond. I really hope Zokes can get their act together and re-earn their reputation as builders of bulletproof forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nik Benko
a Racer
from Los Osos, California US Date Reviewed: February 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Ridge Trail MDO
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Came with bike from
Strengths:
Has the potential to be super smooth and great feeling and Its really light. has cool adjustments in theory.
Weaknesses:
I had a really hard time getting this fork set up right and I'm pretty suspension savvy, it has loads of stickchion the general durability of the fork basically sucks
Similar Products Used:
RS Pike, 2008 Marzocchi 888 RCV, Marzocchi All mountain 4, 55 R
Bike Setup:
stock 08 Mongoose Kyhber Super
Bottom Line:
When I first got this fork the first thing I noticed was how sticky the fork felt. I tried putting fork oil and stanchion grease on it and it temporally fixed the problem. It was also really hard to get the right air pressure for my weight, the recommended pressures were nothing near what I wanted the fork to feel like and the ATA air chamber had a leak. After a few weeks of trial and error I finally got the fork running smoothly but then about two months later the fork started riding low in the travel and would not return to full travel.
I contacted marzocchi when I noticed the travel issue and they wanted me to send in the forks and get them back weeks to months later, I racing a series now, so going weeks without a fork was not an option so I ended up selling the frame and fork and using a different bike.
Like I said all of the adjustments are good in theory but the build quality and overall execution just plane stinks. A few of the bike at the shop I work at have the new 08 marzochhi 55's on them and I have yet to see one that functions like a fork you would expect of a $2,500+ bike that they come on.
I didn't pay much for them so 3 on the value but the poor quality and service forces me to give it 2 on the overall
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Redmond, WA, USA Date Reviewed: September 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Dirt Merchant, Whistler
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Bothell Bike and Ski
Strengths:
The fork is quite adjustable and relatively light for its travel and versatility.
Weaknesses:
Poor quality and workmanship
Bike Setup:
08 Kona CoilAir Deluxe, stock.
Bottom Line:
The manufacturing quality is quite poor. In just three months I have had two major failures. First the TST cartridge failed and had to be replaced, and then the ATA cartridge failed a month later. Although I would like to think I'm an aggressive rider that just is hard on equipment, the fact is I'm not. My bike has been out of commission for a full month (of the three months I've had it) while waiting on replacement parts from Marzocchi.
The fork has nice features, but the quality and workmanship are definitely questionable. My interactions with the retailer, Bothell Bike and Ski, and Marzocchi have been less than spectacular as well. My preference was to have the fork replaced with a new one due to the numerous indications I had a "lemon", but neither were interested in discussing other options. I'll continue to sit and wait, bikeless, while Marzocchi replaces another failed part. :-(
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
big-boy
a Weekend Warrior
from IK Date Reviewed: August 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
nice colour . . . . .
Weaknesses:
dampers last about ten rides, TST lever undoes itself, legs are corroding, sloppy bushes, sticky travel, poor small bump control and not as smooth as old marzocchis . . .
Similar Products Used:
RST, Rockshox, Marzocchi z1, bombers,
Bike Setup:
Commencal meta 5
Bottom Line:
Update to my first review,
Well these forks have been back three times now, not really what you could call the most reliable fork ever and I question the advertising that says butter smooth straight out the box as they are worse than my old old old RST HI5s on my pub bike!!!!! not impressed, they have quickly lost the damping control and I have not really been able to ride more than one month every two as a result of them being back for repairs, service from windwave is pretty good, they have about a week turnaround for repairs. . . not that it should need to go back every two months!
They should not have put these things to market in this state, after I received them back the last time they said they had a 2009 damper fitted to solve problems but then something else went wrong! oh well I have got my local bike shop to swap them for a set of lyriks as they have refunded me the 55s under warranty which was nice! come on Marzocchi you can do better, maybe next year, just don't try testing out your products with my money!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brownbomber
a Downhiller
from buffalo, ny, us Date Reviewed: August 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
autobahn blue mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The bottom out control is mint, and it is a good looking fork
Weaknesses:
Every cool adjustment feature is defective right from box. I've been on 4 rides and I'm shipping the fork back already.
Similar Products Used:
You name it
Bike Setup:
'goose super khyber
Bottom Line:
I really have no idea how this fork is suppose to feel, but with the problems I've had already I suggest buying a lyric instead.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
boulimik
a Downhiller
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: July 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
bufflo jump
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
united cycle
Strengths:
great QR, looks great
Weaknesses:
price, over all preformance
Similar Products Used:
fox 36 talas, magura
Bike Setup:
05 banshee scratch from, pig pro dh head set, dmr revolver single speed 14mm axel rear hub, dmr revolver 20mm front, shimano saint cranks and bb, thomson elite x4 0 degree stem, sun rim mtx 24" rims, dmr moto rt tires
Bottom Line:
ive had nothing but problems with this fork. the ata would wind down after pushing it downhill. the tst would slip out of place all the time. and after 3 days of having it, it bottomed out and stayed bottomed out. i blew out the par chamber and brew the rebound clean out the bottom of the fork. it was weak when it came to the stiffness in the lower end.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nuculur
a Weekend Warrior
from South Windsor, CT, USA Date Reviewed: July 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ridge 157-Provo, UT
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$525.00
Purchased At:
Used
Strengths:
Excellent small, mid-range, and large-bump performance. Very tunable to suit different riding styles using main spring, progressive spring, compression and rebound damping. Perfect travel adjustment range. (125mm-165mm in ~30 clicks); I can set the bike's head angle *exactly* where I want it! Laterally stiff, minimal flex. Nickel stanchions are smooth and tough. Graphics make me feel young again.
Weaknesses:
QR Axle is a little hoaky. The design uses an O-ring to help set the torque threshold. Good idea to keep a few extra on hand. No lack of stiffness or stability though. Nearly as fast on/off as a standard QR. Seriously, the graphics remind me of high school art class. Whatever happened to the heavy-metal looking M decals with the space-age lightning bolts?
Similar Products Used:
Fox Talas 36, Fox Talas 32; Marzocchi Z1 FR Sl; Marzocchi Z1 FR ETA; Marzocchi Super T; RockShox Pike
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth '06 Moment w/ Romic, Marzocchi 55 ATA, Hope Bulb Frt, DT FR Rear laced to Sun Equalizer Rims, Race Face Atlas Cranks, Thomson Stem & Post, Atlas AM Handlebar, King Steelset ~32 lbs.
Bottom Line:
The fork does everything it says it does. I've been a Fox and Marzocchi rider for the past 9 years, and I've come to appreciate Marzocchi's moto feel. The fork has an adjustable positive spring (with self-adjusting negative) and a progressive air chamber, which is great for setting the bottom out progressiveness. I agree with the other posts that warn not to follow the air pressure settings in the manual. Look for the ones on marzocchi's website, and spend some time dialing the fork in by feel. I was able to get mine set up just the way I want it within 3 or 4 rides, and it hasn't lost air. At first when I got the fork, it had only been used a couple times, and had huge amounts of stiction. That is a characteristic of some newer Marzocchi's before the seals and bushings break in. After a month's worth of riding the fork feels as plush as my old Talas 32, which was the plushest fork I'd ridden since my old Z1. Excellent fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ScottW
a Weekend Warrior
from ABQ, NM Date Reviewed: June 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
Looks good, when it's not broken has a nice ride.
Weaknesses:
Leaking ATA, air valve cores not seated deeply enough, axle loosens when riding, TST micro stopped working, had to be sent back.
Similar Products Used:
Marz Z-1 light, Lyrik 2 step
Bike Setup:
Intense 6.6
Bottom Line:
I've been a Marz user for many years but this fork has changed that. When I got the fork the first thing I found was that the upper ATA wouldn't hold air. The valve core did not seat deeply enough into the cartridge to allow it to seal closed as the pump was removed. I ended up grinding the core pin down a couple mm. Seems like the threads needed to be cut in a little bit deeper. Next issue was the PAR chamber leaking air into the ATA. I fixed this by finding the appropriate metric o-ring and replacing it. Then the TST micro lost any noticeable adjustment which was a big difference from the feel when brand new. I ended up having to send it back to Marz, then arguing with tech support to get them to actually do anything to it. After the TST cart was bled it is working ok. The latest issue is the axle developing looseness after riding a few mile. I think the problem is that the axle doesn't torque hard enough so once you start riding it loosens. This requires you to stop and re tighten.
I should note that all these issues occurred in the first month which is why I know ride a Lyrik 2 step which has been fantastic.
I will say that the idea behind the 55 ATA is good. With the PAR the fork can be set up plush but still resist bottoming out. TST is ok but I don't know why the don't use a proven system like RC2.
I knew Marz quality control has been bad for the last couple years but I took a chance that they'd sorted out all their issues. Guess I was wrong, no more Marz for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Evans
a Racer
from Wildomar, CA Date Reviewed: June 2, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This is a follow up to my last review. The fork leaks air form the ata valve when you adjust the travel. The pressure goes to near zero and the air is in the legs somewhere and causes the fork to feel stiff. otehrs have reported this exact issue also.
Bottom Line:
hopefully this can get fixed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Evans
a Downhiller
from Wildomar, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 27, 2008
Favorite Trail:
whistler
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
greenfish
Strengths:
wow.This fork is truly fun. Very adjustable. Damping is spot on: plush yet does not bottom out.
Weaknesses:
I've heard they have reliability issues.
Similar Products Used:
rockshox pike, rockshox totem
Bike Setup:
ellsworth moment
Bottom Line:
This fork is a blast to ride- much more functional then my totem. The totem was not plush over stutter bumps yet would bottom out on big stuff constantly, even with the high speed damping turned up. The totem does not even compare in ride quality to the 55 ata. I ride this thing hard. I've ridden for 10+ years and my rides range from 2 hour trail rides to 20 foot drops and 50 foot gap jumps. I have 7 bikes and am very conscious of how stuff performs and little nuances are easily perceptable for me cause I ride so much, and my initial impressions of the 55 made me come on ehere to write a review. I certainly hope it holds up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Banks
a Weekend Warrior
from SLC Date Reviewed: May 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
any and every
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
LIGHT, STRONG, FUNCTIONAL. You get all three!
Weaknesses:
Expensive. I got a used one off Ebay for 850, retail is more than a grand. Product manuals are worthless
Similar Products Used:
Fox 36 float, Marz Z.1, various Rockshox over the years.
Bike Setup:
Brooklyn Machine Works SR6 trailbike, X0, thomson all around.
Bottom Line:
These forks are notoriously hard for Marz to keep in stock, but for moderate freeriding (6-8 ft drops) mixed in with regular trail riding where you have to pedal, you can't beat a freaking sub-5 lb fork made by Marz. You do have to fiddle with the TST knobs a bit because the manual is worthless, just set your air pressure till you get proper sag then add the same pressure plus 30 lbs to the PAR chamber. You'll get plush trail performance with the last bit of bottom out resistance from the PAR chamber to take the massive hits when they come. It's really the best "do it all" fork out there. Definitely Marzocchi's answer to the (overly complex) Rockshox lyric.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy
a
from Bankok, Thailand Date Reviewed: May 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Wizards Tooth
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
From a friend in USA
Strengths:
Nice colour, stiff, light and plush.
Weaknesses:
Marzocchi fix the stupid tables ok!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Fox Talas 36RC2, Magura Wotan, Rock Shox Lyric 2step air.
Bike Setup:
Foes FXR(curnutt air), chris king headset, 55ata 125-165 fork,thomson stem 90mm, Easton EA70 bar, Hayes Stroker Trail 7" brakes, Sram X0 gearing (08), Mavic Crossmax XL wheelset, Continental Mountain King 2.3 tires, Shimano XT (08) crankset, Thomson seatpost and WTB saddle.
Bottom Line:
Foes makes a great riding frame with their air shock so with the combination of this amazing fork they work really well together. What ever you do DO NOT FOLLOW THE AIR TABLES from the Marzocchi guide book but go to their website and go to FAQ for you will find the right settings. The guide book gets a 0 out of 10 but the website is great. Stiff, light, plush and looks good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: May 7, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
strong, versatile forks, good travel adjustment. QR is helpfull.
Weaknesses:
mine leaked air out the ATA valve and my compression+rebound adjustment is useless. hopefully fixable though. both problems were technical faults, rider is not to blame
Similar Products Used:
fox 36 talas
Bike Setup:
specialized enduro custom
Bottom Line:
great forks for all rounders. works well on accents and decents. you need patience to get them set up perfect, but when running properly thier spot on!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Lake
a Downhiller
from Australia Date Reviewed: May 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
stromlo
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
the bike shed
Strengths:
they are a great all round fork when they want to work properly
Weaknesses:
In mine and my friends forks after about 2 weeks of riding they started to bottom out at smaller and smaller levels. they started at about 100mil and than as you continued to use them they got worse to around 40mil
Bike Setup:
equalizers,
Bottom Line:
they are a good fork but many of them are faulty
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Graeme
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: April 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Italia
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
with bike
Strengths:
Light, stiff and adjustable. quick release thru axle
Weaknesses:
longterm reliabilty. But has a 3 year warranty
Similar Products Used:
66SL
Bike Setup:
Commencal meta 666. 13.7kg. 160mm rear travel. Allmountain/light free ride
Bottom Line:
Great feel out of the box. Nicely adjustable compression curve. Thru axle is easier to use than the old 5mm quick release. Stiff, light and inspires confidence. A miner issue with the ATA winding down one turn but this has stopped. I like the TST for pedalling support. And adjustable travel, I couldn't ask for much more
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Pavlovich
a Cross Country Rider
from SLO, CA, USA Date Reviewed: April 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
McGill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$660.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Quick release thru axle. Lockout compression adjustment on top left. Light and very tuneable.
Weaknesses:
Takes alot of turns to adjust from 165mm to 125mm, maybe 20 turns. Knobs hard to turn under load - weight on fork.
Similar Products Used:
Fox 32 and 36 Talas
Bike Setup:
Intense 6.6 w/ RP23
Bottom Line:
Very stiff and feels light, love quick release axle, run low settings on air adjustments, very tuneable with negative air.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
adg fde
a Downhiller
from british columbia Date Reviewed: March 11, 2008
Favorite Trail:
suffication
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
amazingly stiff can handle everything and the adjustability is superior over everything. and it only weighs less then 5 pounds and it it's a 165mm travel!!!!! amzing right. ig it's in your budget get one.
Weaknesses:
none at all.
Similar Products Used:
fox 36
Bike Setup:
transition bottlerocket,fox DHX 5.0 air,55 ATA fork
Bottom Line:
one of the best forks on the market and it's just as good as anyone of the 08 fox 36 forks are. Get one!!!!! sucks up everything on everytrail including ten foot drops and rarely bottoms out at all. personall I have nevered bottomed it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sio
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, OR, USA Date Reviewed: February 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Waldo Lake
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa.com
Strengths:
Super light for a 165mm all mountain fork at 4.64lbs which blows the Talas 36/Float 36, Lyric 2-step air and any other fork in this catagory. No flex anywhere and I do 6-8ft landings and the adjustments are simple to use.
Weaknesses:
What..........? Only white..........?
Similar Products Used:
Fox 36 Talas and Float 36 good products but too heavy, just kidding.
Bike Setup:
Yeti 575 w/ Rocco air shock, Sram X9 kit, Mavic Crossmax XL wheelset, Kenda tires, Hope M4 brakes, Thomson front and rear etc.
Bottom Line:
Forget the manual just use that brain of yours and play around with the psi ranges until you find that right setting write it down. It is easy I have used these forks before and it does not take more than 5 minutes to find that right setting for sag. C,mon folks it really is not hard. Great product and I will continue to pound the heck out of it till it fails me.......which is unlikely.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bigboy
a Weekend Warrior
from uk Date Reviewed: February 8, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Blazing Saddles
Strengths:
Plush and long and very strong
Weaknesses:
Marzocchi manual is very poor on setup
Similar Products Used:
Rock shox,RSTs, Marzocchi Z1 2004, Marzocchi Z1 Bolt through 150mm
Bike Setup:
Commencal meta 5.5 VIP custom build
Bottom Line:
I Have used this fork for a month after buying it to finish the build on my commencal, I am very pleased with it so far and have found that it has a really good range of adjustments to suit almost any rider, the progressive air chamber is superb and helps to make the fork act like a sprung fork whilst the ATA travel adjustment is great for on the fly tweaks , the new QR axle was a bit weird to use and I wondered why when I tightened it, it never seemed to point where I wanted it to, until I changed a tyre and found that if you (over) tightened it, you could click the lever around to where you wanted it to go, just like a torque wrench. Well impressed so far and time will tell whether I need to use the 3 year warranty! Buy it if you think your fork is too heavy and you need 165mm of travel!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Laguna Hills Ca. USA Date Reviewed: December 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Five Oaks Aliso
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
The Path
Strengths:
Nice size travel. Many adjustments
Weaknesses:
Maybe mine was a fluke, but it leaked and it wound down the travel on itself when the going got fast and rough
Similar Products Used:
Fox 36
Bike Setup:
'08 Heckler
Bottom Line:
This is the same Mike that gave the 55ata a review lower than I think it deserved so I'm manning up to my error. I noted before that the lowers vibrated on chatter. I ralized that my 36 does the same. I think it just looks more pronounced because of the white lower and black thru axle. It was a stiff fork when choosing lines thru the rough. My bike shop informed me that they called Marzocchi about the qr lever and they said that the qr is ratcheting and if you give it enough torque, it will move and reposition itself. I re-read the manual and it doesn't say anything about this. Lopes is our local hero, and I feel he wouldn't put his name on anything he didn't believe in, so I think my fork was just a fluke. I'm giving the rating for the one I had, not speaking for the entire batch.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd O
a Weekend Warrior
from Port Alberni, B.C, Canada Date Reviewed: December 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Scorpa & the Lake
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
Ozzies Sport and Cycle
Strengths:
I have been waiting for this fork since I first heard of it through a 08 press release. A big thanks to Lee at Ozzies for bugging Naz at Marzocchi to get me this, it was worth the wait. I don't know if it really weighs less then 5 lbs, but it feels light, lighter then my 05 firefly plus with ti spring. The fork perfoms really well, it is stiff and tracks well through the rough. Great range of adjustment, rebound, Travel adjust, new micro TST wroks great and now has a lock out feature and if that is not enough it has bottom out control and will make you a peanut butter sandwich. All of the Adjustments work well and are effective throughout their range. 165 mm of butter smooth travel.
Weaknesses:
New 'Quick" realease is simple in it nature but the lever on mine points straight out in the direction of the wheel and ready to snag on something. Any help with this out there? The Recomened air preasure for body wieght is way to high. I am 185 lbs and at 132 Psi (as Recomened) was almost locked out.
Similar Products Used:
06 Fox 32 talus , 05 Sherman Firefly Plus.
Bike Setup:
07 DunCon Tosa Inu (seriously look this company up, great bikes) 168mm travel. 08 55 ATA fork, xt cranks, 321 mavic rims, shimano mix drive train, xtr, lx deore, folding nevegal 2.35 tires.
Bottom Line:
This fork will make you wanna sing like Little Richard in a choir. It is smooth in its travel, can be set up for a variety of terrain and riding styles. I have the fork mounted on my, God I hate this term, All Mountian bike. Listen the reality is I have a bike that I don't need to shuttle it will climb, now it climbs better, because the 55 is lighter and can be lowered and locked out. The frame and the fork can handle a lot of fun on the way down, from trail riding to jumping to steeps, you can relax and have fun. If you were thinking that a fox 36 was in your future, you should look at a 55. There are a range of models available but the 55 ATA is really a great fork. I know I have not had it long, and I will come back to update but right now its the nuts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Downhiller
from CO Date Reviewed: November 24, 2007
Favorite Trail:
WINTER PARK
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Strengths:
Incredibly stiff... i dunno what the guy below me is talking about... not one problem and i do downhill on it. No ata wind down at all. they fixed it from the 07 year when i had the 66 ata when it did wind down.
Weaknesses:
TST sometimes does something weird in the lock out position... dont have a use for TST any way so i dont care.
Similar Products Used:
66 ata. 888.
Bike Setup:
Bottle Rocket gone slopestyle
Bottom Line:
Over all this fork is amazing for slopestlye and light downhill.... Feels very plush hard to bottom out no leaks. The whole set-up. And to get your axle outta the way you just have to play wiht it it isnt that hard. This fork is flawless. I reccomend it to anyone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from laguna hills Date Reviewed: November 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
the path
Strengths:
light, lock out option
Weaknesses:
tst cartridge nut came loose, tst micro knob rattles loud enough to irritate while riding,ata would wind down while riding, srprung a leak after it was fixed. fork feels sticky on stanchions, thru axle lever tightened to leave its' lever vulnerable to catching bushes.
Similar Products Used:
'06 36rc2, '0736rc2, lyric u-turn,rockshox tora air motion control 130mm
Bottom Line:
I was waiting for this fork to come out, I circled it, then decided to buy it because I would never know how it was until I tried it. On the trail, I could see the lowers vibrating like the fork wasn't stiff. It sprung a leak, the tst had a 'cheap' feeling to it, and the ata would wind down on its' own about 5 clicks a descent. The fork travel was sticky feeling, the thru axle lever wouldn't position itself out of harms way when it was properly cinched. I feel I gave this fork an honest chance. I went back to the quality of Fox, though I wish the 36 had a type of motion control. I'd give Marzocchi some time to iron out the new product bugs that this potentially wonderful fork has. The Path was more than fair to accomadate me with a quality fork afterwards.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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