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Submitted by
George Taylor
a Cross Country Rider
from Saltash, Cornwall, England
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Gunni Loop | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Strengths: | Incredable long life(3 years of continued abuse), without being serviced(although they desperately need it!). Not to heavy and can handle light freeride. On top of that they are still like butter. | | Weaknesses: | They slowly lose air pressure over time, possibly due to damage on one stanction and having not been serviced. | | Similar Products Used: | 05 drop off's | | Bike Setup: | maxlight kinesis with easton tubing, lx/xt groupset(hollowtech 2 xt chainset)717 rims, hope xc hubs, easton bars+seatpost, hope mono mini brakes f+r | | Bottom Line: | These forks are amazing, all the good things that people say about marzocchi's reliabilty is true. I've used them for light freeride, dirt jumping and even xc racing throughout their life and they still work. They are worth every penny you pay for them. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brett Brett
a Downhiller
from s
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Helter skelter @mtwashington | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | Russ Hayes | | Strengths: | good fork for the money
can handle large drops and jumps
stiff, low flex fork | | Weaknesses: | within a month of buying the fork i crashed and the ETA knob broke off when the bars twisted. i still havent fixed it yet and i dont plan to because its expensive but the fork still works great | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Norco Wolverine | | Bottom Line: | If you want a good all around fork then get this
it has enough travel that i can jump and do drops with it but it is light too
it is good when i go dirtjumping and ride downhill at mt washington
it can also handle street riding like stair drops and stuff.
it is a good fork for the money but grind down the ETA knob before it snaps off or ull be sorry. but it dont matter to me cause i never use the stupid ETA anyway.
this is a good fork for the money so get it if u like riding | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tomasz
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Strengths: | tough, immensly strong, top-performance fork | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | rock shock | | Bike Setup: | cannondale killer v900 | | Bottom Line: | One thing I noticed from the reviews here is that the fork sells much cheaper in US and UK. I paid for it about 500$ at my local shop last year and the price has not gone down until now. It applies to almost all top-grade bike components, which makes buying on ebay the only sensible way to go. Sick country. The guy in the shop, a racer himself, is a finished mechanic, quite skilled at this stuff. He noticed that in that fork you can swap ETA from the left to right leg if you happen to have any air leak. There is no clear reason why it works but the forks seems to accept either setup perfectly, if not better after the swap. Pump it up to the maximum indicated in the manual if you are about 200lbs. In road bike components Campagnolo set the standard which almost kills the competition; it seems that Marzocchi followed suit in mtb. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joshster
a Weekend Warrior
from N. California
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | eldridge grade | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | craigslist (the best source) | | Strengths: | laterally stiff, bulletproof, ETA, bombproof, predictable action, weight, simplicity | | Weaknesses: | lack of small bump sensitivity, not quite as smooth as an oil/coil fork | | Similar Products Used: | EXR Air, fox vanilla, judy, short-future shock | | Bike Setup: | kokopelli | | Bottom Line: | This fork is the best fork that I've used. The ETA works like a dream, accentuating the riding position to offset uphill climbs, locking in instead of locking out. The Vanilla has much better small bump sensitivity & is overall more plush, but the marzocchi does enough of a job with the medium & large bumps (where the suspension really matters) to make for it. If I could combine the feel of the vanilla with Marzocchi's ETA, I'd be in Heaven. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
martin
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver, b.c., canada
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Whistler A-Line | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$239.00 | | Purchased At: | Universal Cycles | | Strengths: | Stiff, plush, easily adjustable (except for internal rebound). | | Weaknesses: | ETA lever, tire clearance | | Similar Products Used: | RS, Manitou | | Bike Setup: | Me - on top, bike on the bottom (preferably). | | Bottom Line: | Here's my follow-up review after thrashing this fork for a year (with virtually no maintenance). Fork has been performing great - took it through local trails, some urban 3-4 ft flat landings, Whistler bike park abuse (at least 15 full days of up-and-down riding with jumps/drops there(3-4 ft jumps and drops, and I am 200 lbs with gear). Only thing I've had to do is occasionaly check the air pressure and keep the stanchions clean. Air pressure has held the set level for a year now. This fork has delivered way more than what Marz claims it's designed for. I only wish it had greater tire clearance (can't fit anything larger than a 2.7" Mobster), but this is an aggro XC/All mountain fork, not a FR/DH anyway.
Great fork, more than enough for the majority of riders out there and you can't beat the price, especially now - getting 120mm of travel on 2004 models. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Primo
a Weekend Warrior
from Torino
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Strengths: | Very good performance and strongly built. Almost no flexing and no flutter when hard braking with discs. Not expensive. Very very good ETA so the climbs are easier. Check for correct oil level in forks to make sure of full travel. | | Weaknesses: | Rebound control only gives a little change from end to end and there could be more controls but the standard fork is so good but check the oil level from factory as it is sometimes too high and will not give full travel. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi Z1, Z2, Flylite, Z5, Manitou sx-r, Mars comp, Skareb, Spider, Rochshox everything (not stiff), Girvin, Pace RC36, 38, Ballistic 600, 800, Fox float R, talas. | | Bottom Line: | For the price it is just not possible to buy a fork that is anything as good as this. For twice the price it is VERY hard to buy a fork as good as this. So strogly built and you can ride so hard with no worry. The ETA is so good for the climb like a short travel racing fork and then switch off and the fork is 105mm of hammering fork. It turns perfectly. Very good! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean
a Cross Country Rider
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | ELAN sport shop | | Strengths: | Stiff, great price, plush... | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Jet, Rock Shox Jet T2, Rock Shox Judy XC, Rock Shox Judy SL... | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Giant ATX 880 | | Bottom Line: | At first there was some stiction and oil leak so I have to admit that I was a little bit worried, but...without any intervention all problems have just gone after 20-30 hours of riding. Since than (and now is more than 1 year) I had no problem what so ever. Fork is very plush and it absorbs allmost everything. The bigest difference after dumping my last fork (Judy SL-plush, light, but lot of flex) is how my bike now handles. It feels like it is on rails. ETA is nice but somehow I have not found realy any need for it. On very steep climbs I just stay glued on the saddle and there is very little boob. This fork have absolutely made me a better descender because now I have found that I ride downhill quite faster and still feel confident (I am not a downhill fan!!). Since now I have found no need for any maintenance and there is no oil or air leak and no loss of performance.
CONCLUSION: I am XC/trail rider (not racer) and I ride about 4000 km per year. I think that the most important thing in mountain biking is to find what kind of bike is right for you and than to ride it. I have found that combination of hardtail and Marzocchi MX Comp ETA seems to be just right for me (and I have tried also full suspension bikes).
That fork is great so I can only recommend it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam Mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Twentywell Rd Sheffield | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$195.00 | | Purchased At: | Chainreaction UK | | Strengths: | Very smooth stroke, which gets better when worn in. ETA system is fantastic for uphill climbs and works perfectly - And the fact that you get people staring at the front of your bike :) | | Weaknesses: | When I got them they went through their travel very fast (yes, all 120mm and more) so I used heavier oil and pumped them up a bit, and now they're fine(which is strange, as reading reviews on here people have the opposite problem; I must be too fat:) | | Similar Products Used: | SR Suntour (?) RS Sid, zocchi Z5, Z3, Dropoff 04. | | Bike Setup: | dmr ts, hope c2s f&r, single speed, halo combat rims | | Bottom Line: | This is indeed a VERY good fork for it's price (I have the 120mm 04 version) I would strongly recommend buying them. I tested the amount of travel I got, and for some reason it was 122mm, and the stantions are about 125mm, this did worry me slightly, but it was easily fixed. When they're in 30mm mode, they are just like bouncing on a very hard spring, but it soaks some bumps up, and is good for going up hill with. If you ride hard XC, then these are the forks for you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Los
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | the A line | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | River valley cycle | | Strengths: | Fork is plush and is very hard to bottom out. Looks great. Light. Soaks up everything you give it. Great for almost any style of riding. | | Weaknesses: | Soaks up too much sometimes and causes me to do endo's but that is because I need to get used to it. Can't seem to find out how you get full travel. | | Similar Products Used: | rock shox judy tt | | Bike Setup: | gt i-drive 3.0 | | Bottom Line: | the fork performs better than you would think it would for what you payed for it. great for almost anything. so for the price you pay for it, it delivers great performance.
But if you are a downhill racer, don't buy this fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glenn Tress | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Strengths: | Solidly built and tracks great. No flexing and goes where you point it. Loads of travel and brilliant ETA. And so cheap for this staggering quality!! | | Weaknesses: | Just check that the oil level is right or you don't get the full travel. | | Similar Products Used: | Rockshox everything. Manitou everything. Pace RC38. Ballistic 600s & 800s. Fox 100r & Talas R. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro/Hope hubs/discs/317s/Xt & Easton kit. | | Bottom Line: | What a fork & what a price.
If you want to pay twice the price you don't get a fork to match. This is a real top quality and top performing fork. And the price gets you to think that it can't be that good but it is. How they sell it so cheap gets me. It tracks as well as the very best you can buy. The travel is smooth and gradual. The ETA control is the best I have ever used...you turn it as you ride, one 45 degree turn & you have a travel reduction to about 30mm. Amazing. Turn it back & it's 105mm. It's that simple and that effective. I've had mine 2 years almost. I haven't had to even change the oil yet...no leaks and it still performs great.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tanto Muchos
a Weekend Warrior
from Gtr Cornard
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle1st.com | | Strengths: | Rigid well constructed & strong with good travel & superb ETA control. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox, Manitou, Pace, Fox. | | Bike Setup: | Mountain Cycle Moho SLiX, Full Shimano XT, Hope Mini Discs on Hope Hubs & Mavic 317s.
| | Bottom Line: | An incredible value for money Fork.
It re-defines what value for money means. I have it on my Mountain Cycle, but my Specialized has the Fox Float F80X fork, which feels just slightly smoother that the Marzocchi. Difficult to describe without riding the two, but the Fox is just slightly smoother. But the Fox price is not just a bit smoother, it's very much more expensive than the Marzocchi & that price difference does not give it much of an edge on this superb Marzocchi MX. I compare the two because I think they are quite similar in build. I can only imagine that Fox's production costs must be much higher than Marzocchi.
Anyway the Marzocchi is an excellent Fork, it tracks great, no independant leg movement. No tip flutter under hard braking. No plunging through it's entire travel at the sign of a rock....a-la-Manitou. And the price is incredible. It's just totally recommendable! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Collin
a Cross Country Rider
from Minneapolis, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Biker Bobs | | Strengths: | Strong, Smooth and Sexy | | Weaknesses: | Weight...pretty standard for forks these days though! | | Similar Products Used: | '01 Judy SL (Great fork btw) | | Bike Setup: | XTC NRS - XT, Mavics, Truvativ, etc. | | Bottom Line: | A great fork all around. I use this for XC and aggressive single-track and it performs perfect for both. Never bottomed the thing (I weigh 200lbs mind you). It keeps my front wheel glued to the trail like it should. So damn strong, it will outlast my entire bike (besides my Raceface taperlock BB). I've ridden a few Fox forks and I think those are WAY overhyped. A $800 Fox fork didn't feel any better than my $300 MXcomp. Can't beat the value of this fork! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Ashland, OR, USA
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | catwalk | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$269.00 | | Purchased At: | JensonUSA | | Strengths: | Does not bottom out no matter how hard I hit the trail and I am a 235 pound 6ft 6in rider | | Weaknesses: | Constant knocking sound? In manual it states that this sound may be due to oil flow? | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Judy C........just doesn't cut it. | | Bike Setup: | 2001 GT Aggressor 1.0 hardtail with sram 9.0sl transmission and Raceface Prodigy DH crankset/sunrhino lite wheels etc | | Bottom Line: | This fork is the best bang for the bucks and I have ridden other forks such as Rock Shox Psylo SL (lowsy), Manitou Black Elited(bottoms out)Rock Shox Judy TT and C ( both are awful forks) The Marzocchi MX Comp w/ETA and 105mm of travel is so easy to adjust when climbing it rocks. This is a great product from the Italian company. Thanks | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike P
a Cross Country Rider
from Bath
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Dalbeattie | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle1st.com | | Strengths: | Strong, great ETA, stiff, good travel, plush, excellent tracking. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Spec FSR Full XTR. | | Bottom Line: | I couldn't justify spending more because these forks are superb. I can't flex them and the travel once bedded-in is great. Also the ETA transforms long erduous climbs.
A top fork! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | fast and furious | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$270.00 | | Purchased At: | JensonUSA | | Strengths: | Takes a licken... ETA for stand up climbs | | Weaknesses: | Internal rebound adjustment. Does not provide advertised travel. Considerable flex. Plastic ETA lever. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock shox judy 80mm, Marzocchi FR Sl air. | | Bike Setup: | I-drive 1.0. Marzocchi FR Sl air, Fox Float rear, shimano disc, Mavic 317's | | Bottom Line: | The good:
This fork takes a beating. I was 240lbs when I started abusing this fork. It took everything I threw at it. I spent 9 hour in the saddle at Mammoth with it. It leaked a little oil out of one leg. Never leaked after that. Has never leaked air either.
The Bad:
Does not give full advertised travel. 30mm stanchion flex is considerable. Heavy for 30mm forks. Internal rebound adjustment is "mentally challenged". Packs or bottoms out under any real suspension test. Overall this is a good entryl level fork for the "Weekend Warrior" | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc W.
a Weekend Warrior
from Oxford, Uk,
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Brecon Beacon Wale's | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$240.00 | | Strengths: | Durable solid design, plush, air and coil sprung, ETA feature. Overall well made and feels as though it will last a long time.
Its a Marzocchi Bomber Fork!! | | Weaknesses: | For the price not many, the levers feel a bit flimsy but have not cause'd me any trouble. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shock Judy TT, Manitou Mars, Rock Shock Psylo SL, Marzocchi DJ2, Suntour XC80, RST Gila. | | Bike Setup: | I have the 105mm versions on a GT Aggressor frame with a mix of Deore and XT parts. | | Bottom Line: | I love these forks they feel solid and inspire confidence, from the time I got them they have felt good, but once bedded in they feel even better. I am still amazed at how active and plush they are for a budget fork.
Using a shock pump your able to fine tune the sag, increasing the PSI also helps increase the compression so you can tune them to your weight and terrain. The rebound is supposed to be adjustable but the instruction on how to do this are not clear. You can put stiffer springs in and different oil to tune them if you wanted to. But the MX comp ETA is fine as it is for most riders.
The ETA feature is handy although I do not use it often, but when I do use it I really appreciate it!! the ETA lever on the 03 fork does not look very robust, but I can't see me ever breaking it! so I have no problem with it. The 04 MX comp ETA has a stronger lever.
I use the MX comp for some very aggresive XC riding, I am a very hard rider and put anything I use through a very rough time, so I like to have stuff on my bike that I know can handle my riding, and MX comp does! Its very controlled holds up to repeated hits without packing up to badly, and can even handle jumps and drops as long as you are good at landing!!
I rate the MX comp very highly it was on par if not better than the RS Psylo SL I used to have IMO.
It make's a great all round trail fork able to soak up heavy abuse, and in its price range its one of the best fork around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jewkes
a
from Mesa, AZ
Date Reviewed: February 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Durable, cheap, and stiff. Smooth! | | Weaknesses: | Not as adjustable, light, or new as some of the other designs out there. | | Bottom Line: | I hate this fork.
It is so strong and well built that I doubt it will ever break and the travel is so smooooth that I can’t talk myself into replacing it with one of the new, hip, cool, more adjustable forks. I’m somehow sure that if I had one of the new forks, I would become a much better rider and, even more importantly, I would be a happier, more well adjusted person in all aspects of my life.
If you are one of those uncool people who want a very good fork that will last a very long time, buy this fork. If you want a very light and cool fork that will last just long enough for the next better, stronger, faster fork to come out, look elsewhere.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
R B
a
from CrazyTown, TX USA
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | LikeEmAll | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$288.00 | | Purchased At: | www.madducksports.com | | Strengths: | Marzocchi quality, reasonable weight, rides very well. ETA is actually pretty cool and easy to access and use. This is for the 2004 120mm shock. | | Weaknesses: | I could see the plastic ETA lever causing some grief if you were to crash...but who crashes anyway. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocksucks products, FOX and Manitou. | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Bullit 2004, Crossmax XL, XT/XTR drivetrain, Avid Mechanical Disc. | | Bottom Line: | Probably the best riding cross country fork you can lay you hands on for the money. I have been riding another Marzocchi fork for over a year now with zero problems, no air loss, not a single issue. Get the 2004 model while you can. I tried to get the 2003 a few months back and could not find it in stock anywhere. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike McConnell
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Noble Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | atombomb.com | | Strengths: | Actually a 2004 w/120mm travel
Rides great, for the short time I was able to ride it. | | Weaknesses: | Beware the ETA knob!!!!!!!
I clipped mine off with my downtube on the first ride out. Marzocchi is trying to get me a new one - but I need a whole new ETA ($$$) and parts aren't yet readily available. | | Bike Setup: | titanium hardtail | | Bottom Line: | File that bulky knob down before it breaks your entire ETA! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Earl
a Racer
from Woodstock, GA
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$329.00 | | Purchased At: | Roswell Bike shop | | Strengths: | This fork is super strong, plush and is very easy to set up | | Weaknesses: | This fork is fairly heavy, but for the most part, I don't notice it | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Judy, Marzocchi Marathon SL | | Bike Setup: | Trek 6700 hard tail | | Bottom Line: | Even though I got gouged on the price (bought it when I first started riding) This fork is probably the best fork you can get for the money. It is incredibly stiff, and the most important thing...able to take abuse! The only draw back to this fork is the inability to set the rebound. However, I have not really noticed the need for it. I just set the positive pressure on the fork to where I like it, and voila...it does the rest of the work for you. I plan to replace my 29er with a new full suspension frame, and this fork is going to be used on that, even though it is a heavy fork. I just can't beat it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tor
a Cross Country Rider
from Oslo, Norway
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$290.00 | | Purchased At: | Sykkeldelisk | | Strengths: | Price, plush, long travel | | Weaknesses: | must be the plastic ETA lever | | Bike Setup: | Gekko Garrulus ( http://home.no.net/vfr750f/sykkel/Gekko%20Garrulus/ ) with complete Shimano Deore LX Gold Edition equip. | | Bottom Line: | Best fork I've tried. Its nice on paths, its superb on gravelroads, the ETA-system is supersmart. Flick the switch just before the steep climb starts, and you reduce the hight of the front with a significant amount of millimeters. Supersmart it is:-)
So, do you want a good allround fork, with lots and lots of value for your money, and som smart solutions to, get the MX comp ETA. The price difference from MX Comp is worth it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Torrance
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$195.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Bottom Line: | Thanks Collin for the tip to make an ETA lever out of a chain link. Mine didn't break, it fell off on the trail. I called Supergo and was told that I need to bring my fork in so they can send it back to Marzocchi. What? This doesn't make any sense. Why would they need to send the whole fork in when I just need a new ETA lever. Supergo in Santa Monica sucks. I called Beach Cities cycle in Hermosa Beach. Instead of helping me like a Marzocchi dealer should, they gave me a lecture on why I shouldn't buy stuff online and said they only deal with warranty issues for customers that buy from them. They were no help.
So I continued my search online for Marzocchi small parts and found that cost of the tiny lever close to $20 counting shipping and taxes.
Luckily I saw Collin's suggestion here and decided to make my own lever. I took a link off my old chain. Using a drill, I enlarged the link hole to just a tad smaller than the ETA knob. Then, I screwd the link onto the knob. The screw forces the knob to go thru the hole and the two bind to each other. It took me only 10 minutes to make the lever. Try it if your lever breaks.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fergal Whitehead
a Cross Country Rider
from England
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | anywhere thats fun | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$269.00 | | Purchased At: | all terrain cycles | | Strengths: | superb for all round riding, good for a bit of trialsing and really easy going on cross country trails. | | Weaknesses: | It bottoms a bit too easily | | Bottom Line: | suuuperb forks , wicked at trialsing and dirt jumping takes the strain and pain out of mtb . | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Collin
a Cross Country Rider
from Minnesota
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Hillside, Lutsen | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$169.00 | | Purchased At: | BikerBob.com | | Bottom Line: | Just thought I'd let people know I got a tip to use a single chain link for the ETA knob if it breaks! HAven't tried it, but he said it works great! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco Bay Area
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Pauley Creek - 2nd Divide, Downieville | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$270.00 | | Purchased At: | Internet | | Strengths: | ETA, 105mm of Marzocchi. Noir's nice color.
coil (and air). coil's good. a pair's even better. | | Weaknesses: | no Weaknesses. something to keep in mind: weight 4.3# (i don't feel the weight, but then I weigh 15 "stones"). one of them tubes got an air shock (and coil in the other): why bother with (half) air?
lame stickers. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi 1998 atom bomb 70mm, was good - in 1998. RS Indy S (now on my wife's bike) | | Bike Setup: | 1998 kona lavadome (butted cromoly steel frame - survived many gnarly crahes with mere paint scratches). Titanium mcmahon seatpost -- makes a difference. irc clawcomp 2.1 x 26 rubbers. | | Bottom Line: | Faster on the way down...way! Can reduce front bobbing and wheel wandering by reducing the travel with the ETA gizmo, reduces my handlebar height by 1.5 inches, enough to make some difference. 105 mm travel seems so much more than 70mm travel of my older fork such that I'm not even curious about feel of the 2004's 120mm travel (really, i'm not, really...)
sometimes, on a looooong climb, i wonder why i didn't buy the the svelt RS Sid fork...then when the fast "rocks and rolls" happen I relish I didn't get a silly air fork... now i feel the need for hydro disk brakes to slow down. Besides, who likes doing maintenance.
Outstanding performance, good value. (but rememeber, the 2004 model has 120mm, if .6" makes a difference to you.) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from San Carlos
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$260.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria | | Strengths: | Cheap. Stiff. Plush.
ETA travel adjustment is THE BEST way to do it. No other lockout/travel adjustment systems work as nice. | | Weaknesses: | ETA lever broke. New, metal one, for $4.50 - from Larry, is much better. No more troubles.
Manual is a joke. No useful information for maintenance. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Black (OK). Judy (crap). | | Bottom Line: | After I installed a new metal ETA lever yesterday (just an e-mail away for you, thanks Larry), I can honestly give a good review now. Hard to give a good review for ETA when I was unable to use it twice - because the damn plastic cracked and had to be glued.
Now it is an excellent product with the most clever adjustment system out there.
Now if they put some minimal maintenance/overhaul manuals some where on the web, it will be even better. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$279.00 | | Purchased At: | Toronto bike shop. | | Strengths: | Very stiff, easy to engage eta., plush. | | Weaknesses: | Cannot engage eta with broken lever. Decals peel off. Manual is trash. Customer support is non-existant. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Black Comp(very nice), Marz Z4 | | Bike Setup: | Norco Nitro, XT etc. | | Bottom Line: | ETA lever broke off the third time that I tried to engage it and the decals peeled off after 2 weeks. The manual is a freaking joke - I have never seen anything so useless. I also developed an oil leak after 1 month of riding. Customer support is terrible. I don't think that anyone actually works in that dept. On the plus side, Marz. forks are always stiff and plush and the price can't be beat. But this doesn't make up for the other problems and the lack of support for their product. I would recommend the Manitou Black Comp which I have been riding now for 1 month. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rasmus
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunny Scunny, England
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Wales (all of it) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | supercycles - nottingham | | Strengths: | for 165 notes (sterling that is) it can't be beat, plush, loads of travel and tons of adjustability | | Weaknesses: | eta lever looks cheap, crap handbook (which literally tells you nothing, must have lost something in translation) and the decal is pretty poor compared to the rest of the range.. | | Similar Products Used: | rox shox, rst and other Marzocchi's (EXC - MX COMP) | | Bike Setup: | kona cindercone - lx xt groupset - hope bulb/f321 | | Bottom Line: | the forks are super lush out of the box, easy to install if you posess half a brain (although the handbook is completly useless, put it on top of the toilet and use it as toilet paper, probably the only usefull thing it's good for). little brake flutter and has ability to take some of the harder knocks, but it's worth remembering it's not jumping/street fork.
not sure if im getting full travel out of mine (about 95 mm) but this is to do with the oil level (which again the handbook gives crap all info about... it would be nice to know oil levels/wt)
buy them... they're cheap!!!!!!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from LA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | new on ebay | | Strengths: | quality of construction, price, smooth travel | | Weaknesses: | none | | Bottom Line: | Why pay $600 for a Fox fork when you can get the same ride quality for a lot less in this one? Also less things can go wrong without all the useless adjustabilities. Fox has a lockout but MX comp ETA has ETA...effectively compresses the shock while partially lock it up. By compressing the shock you get steeper headangle which really helps today's long travel trail bikes climb much better. You will imediately notice that the tendancy to do willies on steep climbs is gone. Don't buy MX comp, buy MX comp ETA. I am a lot better climber with it. Also because I don't have to get off the bike to shorten the fork travel (unlike Psylo and Fox talas) by turning a knob 20 revolutions, I find myself engage the ETA with a flip of the switch on every steep climb. Marzocchi rules. By the way, don't buy Marzocchi Marathons, in my opinion the MX series offer a lot better values than the Marathons and only weighs 0.2lb more than the Marathons. If you want more adjustability like rebound control, get MX Pro ETA...about $150 more than MX comp ETA. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ty
a Cross Country Rider
from Eugene, Oregon
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$275.00 | | Purchased At: | Paul's | | Strengths: | Strong, very smooth, ETA works great, very low maintenance, | | Weaknesses: | manual is not very descriptive--if you don't already know how to work in the fork, you won't learn it from the manual. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou, Rock Shox | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Rockhopper Comp, new stuff upgraded as old wore out. | | Bottom Line: | Great fork, as stated below. Worked perfectly from day one...no stiction or anything. At 230 lbs, it holds me up better than any others I have ridden--inspires confidence better than other brands out there. Over 3 months on it, no problems, haven't even had any maintenance to do yet--doesn't even lose air, so I haven't bothered to buy a pump! I anticipated purchasing heavy springs, but the one's in it work well enough I haven't even gotten around to that yet. Big riders can ride this fork with confidence that it will do its job. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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$ 269.00
