Submitted by
crisps
a Downhiller
from Somerville, MA, USA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Hellion
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
JRA Cycles - Best Sh
Strengths:
It's cheap.
Weaknesses:
It's cheap.
Bike Setup:
2008 Kona CoilAir w/Magic Link
Bottom Line:
It's an inexpensive fork. This came stock on my bike and honestly, if it weren't on the bike I'd be pretty teed of that I had paid money for it. Started off plush and worked OK for a few months but then travel dropped to less than 3". Had its well-known issue repaired under warranty but now it's a sticky fork and just feels harsh despite cleaning and lubing the stanchions after each ride - giving me no confidence when riding. I would not recommend this fork to anybody unless it was stock with the bike build (and then I'd probably try to sell it before use).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bcass
a Weekend Warrior
from Hamilton, NZ Date Reviewed: July 24, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Cardrona
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
simplicity
Weaknesses:
tst2, lack of ability to upgrade
Similar Products Used:
rockshox lyrics, 55R
Bike Setup:
Sanction
Bottom Line:
These felt nice and plush and i loved them for the first few rides but that was all they lasted. They locked out and would not travel more than 3 inches. Have sent them for warranty and returned in good order, they now are leaking oil and are way too soft. Even loading them up with 20psi pre-load which firms them up nicely isn't working as it is blowing off whenever hitting anything of reasonable size. Tst knob is useless for bush rides as keeps spinning to lockout position when brushing against anything which sucks when you're in the zone! Thumbs down in general, will be upgrading very soon.
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Submitted by
decamun
a Downhiller
from Friday Harbor, WA Date Reviewed: June 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Evolution, Bellingham, WA
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
n/a
Strengths:
Very plush. Good lock out. Looks good.
Weaknesses:
Paint chips, decals you can scratch with your finger nail, bad seals, weak construction, incosistant compression damping, no adjustment range, leaks oil.
Similar Products Used:
66, 888, kowa, domain, pike
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign x2, 08. x9, stroker, roco.
Bottom Line:
Because of this fork, I am dubious about buying from marzocchi. It was origanally a 55 rc, and 6 months into use, the spring side hydrolocked so badly I could only get about an inch of travel. I sent it in to marzocchi, and they kept it there for a month and a half. Then they made me pay 150 dollers to upgrade it to this, which they said would fix the problem. Well it did, except that now the air side has blown seals, and are leaking oil. If you want my advice, stay away from 55's. These are horrible. Unless you are a cross country rider, you're going to want something beefier, and that's before they start breaking. These feel weaker than the pikes. Again, stay away.
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Submitted by
jwood1157
a Weekend Warrior
from nh Date Reviewed: March 3, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
good fork can take just about anything you can dish out and the tst work well if you need to lock it out for any reason
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
pikes manitou stance
Bike Setup:
08 coilair funn bars and stem 5050xx gravity gap
Bottom Line:
came on my coilair and i have taken 6 foot drops to flat and it just sucks it up i actually busted the tst switch so it was stuck and could not lock out but the forks still works perfectly just no lock out but dont us it much anyway good fork super plush would recommend to any one looking for a do everything fork
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Submitted by
Joan B
a Weekend Warrior
from Barcelona, Spain Date Reviewed: February 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
El Moro
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Ciclos Manrubia
Strengths:
Strengths: Air preload, easy lockout system, buttery, was fine while it wasn't breaking
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses: breaks really easily
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi 66 ata, Rock Shox Pike 426 Coil U-Turn
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign with stock shock, E.13 bash, XTR gear, Maverick seatpost, deemax and Juicy Seven
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line: Loved the fork while it lasted, but I broke the fork twice in the fist 6 months, and couldn't stand it anymore. It represents 3 weeks without fork.
Broke the TST2 cartridge on a step-down, with no weird landing or bottom out or anything. Then, after about 5 months of use, the fork would not compress any more than 3 inches down.
But while it lasted, it was a fun fork. I hope to get it warranteed! Should be fine for trail riding, but I don't reccomend bashing away Dh-ing on it though
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Submitted by
rm_racer
a Downhiller
from Ridgecrest, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 29, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
supple, air preload, durable so far, very stiff, quick axle
Weaknesses:
kinda heavy. still a bit of stiction, but not much
Bike Setup:
08 mongoose khyber elite
Bottom Line:
this for came on my Khyber. when I first got the bike, there was too much oil in the TST cartridge so the fork wouldn't go through all of its travel. easy fix though. after breaking in it's been very good, nice and supple but still takes the big impacts well. held up perfectly to a summer of Northstar and Mammoth. no issues with the axle or anything besides the TST cartridge deal.
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Submitted by
asaf
a Cross Country Rider
from israel Date Reviewed: October 9, 2008
Favorite Trail:
home
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
with kona koilair 20
Strengths:
massive, nice loking, white, lockout, cheep.
Weaknesses:
heavy, 2.6 kg
Similar Products Used:
all mountain sl
Bottom Line:
very good deal ! great for heavy riders !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
philb_bmc
a Weekend Warrior
from ACT, Australia Date Reviewed: September 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Stromlo, Majura
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Tough, lots of travel soaks up mid and big hits beautifully.
Also with a little but of tech knowledge full user servicable and lots of info on the forums here.
Weaknesses:
Feels a little wooden on the mid speed hits, lots of rumours that they're not reliable. Suffer from a bit of stiction, though hopefully that will go away over the coming years.
Similar Products Used:
2006 All Mountains, RSTs
Bike Setup:
BMC Superstroke
Bottom Line:
I'm liking these forks and I'm also scratching my head about them. They work and they're very nice, they soak up the big hits, whoopsies and highspeed gullies, etc but after 3 months and hundreds of k's of XC and fast solid downhills I'm still trying to dial them in. There's just something not. quite. right.
Hitting rock gardens at speed is a can do but they feel wooden and just tend to thud through, on small rocks and roots the stiction gets to them a bit. There's a thread on the forums about this and it's got a good mod you can do where you swap a shimstack in place of some thick washers on the compression piston (gotta love that Marz servicability). It's not something that I've done yet but may.
The TST works very well, there's not many firetrails or places it's needed where I ride, but on the occasions that I do it's nice to be able to lock the front so you can stand up when your tired and climbing a smooth climb or half lock it so it's still soaks up a bit but doesn't rob you of power when your starting to get sloppy.
The place where these shine is on the big hits, big log jumps, drops, ploughing through big whoopsies and you always have confidence in their ability to absorb the impact. Its the smaller stuff that has seen me come unstuck because of them, not soaking up the small embeded rocks and roots, etc.
In all I'm happy with them, and the price I got them for doubly so, even if i bust one pair (as the rumours go) I could buy another set and still be in front of the nearest 160mm coil forks. But so far they've been fine (touch wood).
Buy them if you like a good deal and don't mind refining them a bit to get them perfect for your style.
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Submitted by
craig
a Downhiller
from Canada Date Reviewed: September 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
east side cycles
Strengths:
just a followup after a full summer of riding, strengths are still the same as before, such a plush fork
Weaknesses:
it isnt really a weakness, just a roadblock in the performance of this fork but the stock shock fluid that was in the fork caused it to lockout at 100 mm and i even took all the air out and still it didnt go past 100, easy fix tho, i got it warrantied and sum higher quality fluid was put in, and the mechanic also truned my tst2 knob 90 degrees forward so if u want it locked it will be in the position it was origionally in the open position.
Bottom Line:
great fork
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nor'eastDh
a Downhiller
from Vermont Date Reviewed: September 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Crank It Up
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Air preload, easy lockout system, buttery, was fine while it wasn't breaking
Weaknesses:
breaks really easily
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi 66 ata
Bike Setup:
Stock SX Trail except for 66 ata, E.13 bash
Bottom Line:
Loved the fork while it lasted, but I broke the fork twice in the fist 6 months, and couldn't stand it anymore. Broke the TST2 cartridge on a step-down, with no weird landing or bottom out or anything. Then, after about 5 months of use, the fork would not compress any more than 3 inches down. But while it lasted, it was a fun fork. I hope to get it warranteed! Should be fine for trail riding, but I don't reccomend bashing away Dh-ing on it though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DirtDiggler
a Weekend Warrior
from Arlington Date Reviewed: September 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Nam
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Buttery, stiff, cheap, light, adjustability, simple, no break in....love it!
Weaknesses:
The quick release axle is strange. I like to lock the axle down with screws. I haven't had any issues but other than that the fork is great. Oil levels are not perfect new. You might need to change it out (which is easy to do).
Similar Products Used:
66RC2-66SL-Totem-Lyrik-Pike
Bike Setup:
6 Point done up nice.
Bottom Line:
This is the best fork I have ridden and I have had a lot of forks! There is no break in time needed. Works perfect right out of the box. Has the smoothness of a coil fork but the weight of an air fork. I really have no complaints, it's that good. It makes you realize that all the bells and whistles on more expensive fork are really so the companies can charge more money. The TST actually works really well. It locks the fork out completely and everything in between. I can make this fork feel like butter or stiff at the flip of a switch. The is one air chamber and that's all you need. The simplicity is bliss. After owning forks like the 66 and Lyric it's nice to use a fork that works not only better but is much easier to adjust. Buy one.
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Submitted by
Tony
a Weekend Warrior
from BC, Canada Date Reviewed: May 31, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$425.00
Purchased At:
SPEEDGOAT.com
Strengths:
- Very Plush - Super stiff for a single crown - 20mm quick release axle - Very adjustable - Cheap - Lockout on the fly
Weaknesses:
- A little heavy - It's quite a tall fork making climbing a little awkward
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi All Mountain SL
Bike Setup:
2006 Transition Preston
Bottom Line:
This may not be THE best single crown freeride fork available, but for the price it can't be beat. This fork just eats up everything I throw at it and I can be a pretty sloppy rider. It did take a few rides to get er dialed in to my liking, I found that a really slow rebound and low preload work best for me. Climbing can be a little awkward at times because the fork is so tall and quite heavy for a single crown fork, but if you've got a long climb up a fire road you can lock out the fork on the fly which is nice. It seems to be best suited for trails with lots of roots and small-medium sized drops and jumps.
As far as the TST knob moving easily, yes it does, but I have never noticed it being accidentally moved to another setting. I have heard people talking about the new quick release system coming loose but it has never happened to me, you just have to make sure when tightening it clicks in properly.
If your looking for a cheap light-duty freeride single crown fork this should be at the top of your list.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
craig
a Downhiller
from canada Date Reviewed: April 7, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
very smooth, really like the new quick release axle. for the price in my opinion the best fork out there
Weaknesses:
the only things i can say arent the greatest arethat the disc mount only fits 6 inch disc brakes (unless there is a special adapter made specifically for this fork) and the tst when it is unlocked, it is in a really easy position to be hit into lock, probably not good for the fork to land a 10 foot drop with it locked
Similar Products Used:
manitou stance, manitou sherman, marzocchi 55
Bike Setup:
completely tricked out jackal
Bottom Line:
well i have only been riding this fork for a few weeks, but it is the smoothest fork ive ever tried, tst has 5 different selections, not just lock and unlock, and it is a great product for the price. only gets 4 chilis overall though because of the weaknesses above
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Submitted by
mike
a Downhiller
from kelowna Date Reviewed: February 25, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
feels like a mini-66 with a little less adjustability. reasonable weight for the price.
Weaknesses:
the tst2 control looks easy to accidentally turn on. I wish it was more difficult to turn because I won't ever use it. Also I have been told there is no blow off so if you land a drop with it on you could damage your internals (both yours and your forks)
Similar Products Used:
totem, nixon, fox36, 66, revelation
Bike Setup:
reignx
Bottom Line:
What unreal value out of this fork. Having used most of the high end single crowns (and been disappointed), this was refreshing. the first few inches are soft, then ramps up well. The height for ramp up is adjustable with the air preload. I have 20psi in the left leg for preload which feels balanced for the rear end of the bike. 6lbs is a full pound heavier than the fox36, but at the price you could afford to buy this fork and a lighter wheelset for the same cost as the fox!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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