|
|
Average Rating
|
4.89/5
|
|
# of Reviews
|
56
|
|
MSRP
|
$ 549.00
|
|
Weight
|
|
|
More Products from Marzocchi
Submit a Review
|
|
|
Description:Mg Marathon monolite one piece arch & sliders Marzocchi was there when Marathon racing was born. Endurance races and 24-hour events are increasingly popular, and components that address the unique needs of long distance riding are in high demand. Marathon racers want forks that are durable. They want smooth operation, mile after mile. These cutting edge designs satisfy those needs. These forks are experienced to the core, and they’ll see the sport of marathon racing into its old age.
Damping system: Dual Hydraulic Compression & Rebound Cartridge Damping
Open Bath HSCV Cartridge
Adjustability: PL/R/ECC 5
5-position Extension Control Cartridge
External positive&negative air preload
Spring type: Double Air (pos./neg.)
Travel: 85,105 mm
Steer tube: Alloy XC
Drop-out type: Standard
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Con Rinsrein
a Weekend Warrior
from upper state N.Y
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Stiff and strong with great steering capability. Point and Go forks. Very plush and top quality design and build. Extremely reliable and very low maintenance requirements! | | Weaknesses: | Manual is hard to follow. Get someone who knows these forks to set them up for you. | | Similar Products Used: | All the top makes have run by me. | | Bike Setup: | Giant Trance Frame custon built up. | | Bottom Line: | Even after over 3 years of hard use this is one amazing fork. I know that they are the flagship XC fork and they were expensive but you really get what you pay for!...thought I would upgrade the fork when I changed to a new frame but these Marzocchi's are so darned good that I just cannot find anything that can better them and now on my Giant they are superb, creating a real flying machine. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Nugent
a Cross Country Rider
from U.K
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Coed-y-brenin | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Great forks.....reliable and so adjustable. They needed to ware in at first but they have been super reliable ever since. Track great, brake great, exceptional seals and bushes and open bath oil lubrication and they do not lose air! | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | I've switched from Fox....like other guys here because the Marzocchi forks are better, more reliable, cheaper to buy and cheaper to service. | | Bike Setup: | Thses forks are now sitting on a new Giant Trance 3 | | Bottom Line: | Great forks....they do everything I want without any fuss for all the reasons I have outlined above. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan Dare
a Weekend Warrior
from Chester U.K
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Karrimore Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Local Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Stiff, smooth, reliable, very adjustable, excellent seals and bushings, steers well, needs no maintenance. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | GT I-Drive, XT spec, etc | | Bottom Line: | Simply top forks.
I have not had them serviced in nearly 3 years because they perform flawlessly. These are very adjustable whether you are on or off the bike and the steering and braking is handled withh no fuss at all. The escence of a good fork is that it performs well years after you bought it, not just how it works in the shop. Can't believe that these are better than my Fox forks which I paid nearly £200 more for!
I'm sticking with Marzocchi from now on as I am well pleased. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Garsfield
a Cross Country Rider
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Merlin | | Strengths: | Strong and lite, tracks well, very adjustable and dependable, very good seals and bushes, very plush, hard to top out, oil bath. | | Weaknesses: | Bad instructions.
I got the set up information by going to:
http://www.cycle1st.co.uk/marzocchi1.htm | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Skareb, Rockshox SID, Fox, | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Marin Mount Vision much updated. | | Bottom Line: | Excellent forks and still going strong. I had them serviced for the first time last week and the guys in the shop said that the stanchions were like brand new!! They have proved to be completely reliable with great control.The set up instructions in the manual are pretty poor and it took me a while to work out what to do but the best information on them came from going to this site:
http://www.cycle1st.co.uk/marzocchi1.htm
After that the performance has been fantastic.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
McGill
a Cross Country Rider
from Wyoming U.S
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Smooth and reliable. Plenty of adjustments to get the whole thing right for you. The seals keeps the air and the oil in and the debris out. Good tracker and holds up well on hard front braking. | | Weaknesses: | Like others have said maybe the manual could have given more information. | | Bottom Line: | These forks do what they say they do.
Good reliable and low maintenance, they have not yet let me down in getting on for 3 years of hard riding. The seals or bushes are first class. Light enough and low flex plus a good tracker. I paid less for these Italian made forks than for the equivalent U.S made Fox forks, and nobody is going to tell me that these aren't every bit as good.... for less money! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Leroy
a Weekend Warrior
from Utah. U.S.A
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Very reliable and plush fork that gives a gamet of adjustments. Strong and tracks well. Good under hard braking....doesn't squirm. Great seals/bushes. Better than the Fox and cheaper. | | Weaknesses: | The Instruction Manual. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox..Manitou..R/Shox..RST. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR Enduro etc...etc. | | Bottom Line: | Great forks, after getting on for 3 years I have had no problems. Very adjustable on and off of the bike. The air seals work. Personally I have not had a hint of a leak from the positive or negative chambers but I know some of the early 2002 and 2003 ones had some issues. These have made my riding a pleasure. Before this...after transporting my bike to a meeting for 6 hours only to find that my Fox Forks has spilled most of their oil all over the back, I chose to look for Forks more reliable and less costly. These are it. Excellent! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Tracks well, doesn't lose air, works well when it's working | | Weaknesses: | Left hand cartridge. After 12 months the negative chamber filled with oil. Replaced under warranty (after 2 month's wait!!) the new negative chamber also lasted about 12 months, but with lots less use as I had had a knee injury for 4 months. This time the Australian distributor said they would 'fix' it. It lasted 100km before it went again.
Australian distributor's level of service is pretty weak, also. | | Similar Products Used: | 1999 Z2 BAMs are about the closest thing I can compare them to. | | Bike Setup: | First on an NRS, now on a Blur. | | Bottom Line: | I'm a 75kg wimp. The best way to take a jump is to keep both wheels firmly on the ground. No way have I abused this fork, but it keeps breaking. Even that would be bearable if it could get fixed properly and quickly. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Buck
a Weekend Warrior
from Utah
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Really solid design and construction. Super reliable seals and bushes. Stiff and very smooth action. Adjustable even on the bike with the ECC 5 system. Needs very little maintenance and so dependable. No leaks of air or oil. | | Weaknesses: | It took time to get the forks bedded in and if you replace the seals/bushings at a service interval you need to let them bed in too. This is no real problem. The manual is kind of vague though. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox Float 100 RLC & F100 X, Manitou Axel, Skareb, Mars Comp, Pace RC 40, Rockshox Duke SL & SID other Marzocchi like Z2 BAM and MX Pro ETA.
| | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR with SRAM, Easton, WTB perch, 959 pedals, Mavic 717 on Hope hubs and M4 discs with WTB Weirwolf 2.3 and Motoraptor 2.24. | | Bottom Line: | A really good set of reliable and consistently top performing forks. I worked my way up thru the ranks to what I thought were the best...Fox. A few seals blown and oil leaks later I decided to try these Marzocchi forks and they cost me less! Well impressed...great performance ....fit and forget. That's what I like dependable rugged low maintenance units. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K
Date Reviewed: December 23, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | So reliable with no air leaks. Very smooth performance with no harsh bottom out. Good tracking ...steers very well on rough ground. Good steady brake performance with little end flutter, seals are the usual excellent Marzocchi quality. Tabs are so good that I didn't have to face them to fot Hope Discs. | | Weaknesses: | The manual is not too clear and the seals need time to wear in. | | Similar Products Used: | Other Marzocchi, Manitou, Rockshox and Fox...which are expensive and prone to leaks. | | Bike Setup: | Turner Flux, XT transmission, X-Lite fittings, WTB seat, 959 pedals, Mavic X717disc rims on Hope Disc hubs, Hope M4 brakes. | | Bottom Line: | Great forks, just the best I have used. They are reliable, smooth, stiff, rugged, hard wearing and inspire confidence. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Travers
a
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glenntress | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Beautifully made and finished. Stiff and solid without being unrealistically light. Very smooth. Excellent 5 way rebound control. Lockout that is easy to apply. Great tracking with very little deflection on hard hits. Amazingly good seals for an air fork. | | Weaknesses: | Take a while to bed in and until they do it can be misleading as to their true worth. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou SL Skareb, Mars Comp, Black, Rockshox everything, Ballistic 600, 800, RST 381, 481, MozoPro, Marzocchi Z1, Z2, Z3, MX Comp, MX Comp ETA, MX Pro, FOX F100X, Float 100RLC, TALAS, and Vanilla. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mount Vision, XT drivetrain, Hope Minis on X717 rims, XLR bits, Shimano 959 pedals, Continental Vertical Pro tyres, Maxis lite tubes. | | Bottom Line: | THIS IS AN UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS REVIEW.
After nearly 3 years of really hard riding, this Fork is still the best heavy duty cross country fork that I have ever used.
Totally reliable, keeps the air pressure....amazing.
Marzocchi know how to design and manufacture Forks!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aidy Sainter
a Weekend Warrior
from Utah U.S
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Very well made.
Very good bushes and seals with perfect air pressure retention.
Very good tracking with little twist.
Excellent adjustability off or on the bike.
Low maintenance requirement with open bath system. | | Weaknesses: | Poor instructions from the accompanying manual.
Long bedding-in period ( But I would not trust a Fork that didn't ) | | Similar Products Used: | Forks from Rochshox, Manitou, Girvin, Pace, Fox and other Marzocchi over the years. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mount Vision/ Marathon/ Shimano XT/ Hope Hubs & M4 Brakes/ Mavic 717 7 959's/ Easton hardware/ WTB Weirwolf & MotoRaptor. | | Bottom Line: | A set of Forks that was designed perfectly right from the start!
Not often, in the MTB world, is there a product that delivers like it says it will but these Forks excell right from the the moment that they are bedded in.
Provided that the owner has the experience to tune these Forks correctly with positive and negative air you got a piece of top equipment. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Freeman
a Cross Country Rider
from B.C Canada
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Really smooth and totally reliable. Keeps it's air, very adjustable. Good tracking and great under braking. Bushes and seals are first class. | | Weaknesses: | Manual is vague. | | Similar Products Used: | Lots by Manitou, Rockshox, Fox and Marzocchi. | | Bottom Line: | I always go back to Marzocchi as the stuff is just so good. Here is just another example...first class forks. Really smooth and totally reliable. Keeps it's air, very adjustable. Good tracking and great under braking. Bushes and seals are first class. Needs little maintenance and gives so much confidence. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Colin
a Weekend Warrior
from B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Strong / stiff / fairly light / great trake r/ great under braking / no lateral flex / very smooth / very adjustable / excellent bushes / excellent air retention. | | Weaknesses: | Product manual could be more informative and less generalised.
Have to concentrate to get the + and - Air pressures right. | | Similar Products Used: | Loads by Manitou, Rock Shox, Fox etc. | | Bike Setup: | Marin East Peak, Sram Transmission, Cloud 9 Shock, 959 pedals, Hope hubs Hope Mini brakes, Mavic 317 rims. | | Bottom Line: | This is a term-of-reference set of Forks against which all other Marathon forks should be judged. They excell at their job. One of the best components that I have ever bought. After more than 2 years of hard riding they perform like they are new. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stu
a Racer
from Charleston, SC, USA
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Harbison | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$470.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | response, stiffness, adjustments, lockout (I love the fact that it locks down and not up), very nice grey metallic paint job, cool stickers | | Weaknesses: | slighly heavier than I would prefer but not a big deal | | Similar Products Used: | '04 Fox RL 100, '04 Marzocchi MX Comp ETA, '05 Marzocchi Marathon SL | | Bike Setup: | '04 Turner Burner | | Bottom Line: | This is a keeper. I bought the '05 Marathon SL thinking it would be an improved version of the '04. Not true! The '05 was about 1" taller than the '04, even with it lowered to the 105mm setting. And the '05 locks out in the up position. This combination caused my front wheel to lose contact with the ground going up hill. It killed my forward momentum. The '04 locks down, but I haven't even used it. It has lowered my front end enough that I don't lose contact with the ground without locking it down. And I have much better control overall on all sections of trails. The fork is buttery smooth. It's a bit tight right now but I know that once the seals set in it's going to be phenomenal. The 5 position ECC knob for adjusting damping response to suit the trail conditions is sweet. This fork totally rocks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rene Hoepelman
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Beach, CA
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | reliable, no leaks, price, looks, excellent customer service | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou, rock shock | | Bike Setup: | a freekin mountain bike | | Bottom Line: | Early 2005 I was in the market for new forks. I have two MTB's. So I started my research. Manatou and Rock Shox was out of the question. I was going to follow the crowd and go with FOX until I found a great deal on ebay to buy two 2004 marathon SL's from the same seller for $600. What a deal I get two Marzocchi forks for the price of one FOX. I checked back with MTBR, and reviews for the 2004 marathon SL's were excellent. So I bought both pairs for $300 a piece plus $15 shipping for both. I could not be happier with my choice, even 6 months later.
When I recieved the forks one of them leaked oil all over the inside of the box. I had my LBS install the good fork on my Klein. I called Marzocchi, with no questions asked they gave me an RA # and I shipped them the leaky fork. I live in Long Beach. One of the Marzocchi head quarters is here in Los Angeles so I pretty much get free overnight shipping.
I had a fork back within the week. The original was gun metal grey and they replaced with a black one. I really liked the gun metal grey color but what can you do. I believe they just gave me a new fork alltogether.
I am 6ft 185lbs. On my hard tail I have the fork set super plush to make up for lack of rear suspension, and on my Fuel 100 I ride much stiffer. I have no problem with either set up. They both work perfectly for what they are supposed to do. Im confident they will get me through the next 24 hour race just as well as they get me though the trails on the weekends. Im so glad to have went with Marzocchi.
You have to set them plush for the first month or two depending on how much you ride. Once they losen up and you have them dialed in you never have to mess with them again. They hold air perfectly. Dont lose the adapter that comes with the Fork its proprietary, not that you will need it for too long.
Anyway Im sure the Fox makes great forks. I bet all the high end forks on the market today are great but I went with Marzocchi and am very very very happy.
5 chilis for the actual fork itself and 5 more chilis for Marzocchi customer service They kicked ass!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Van Helsen
a Weekend Warrior
from B.C Canada
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Stiff and light. Very smooth and no nasty bottom-outs. Tracks great. Reliable with the legendary Marzocchi seals. | | Weaknesses: | Takes a little time to dial-in the right settings for your personal preferences, takes time for the forks to get well run-in. And the manual sucks. | | Similar Products Used: | So many from Rockshox, Manitou, Pace, Fox and other Marzocchi. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized M4 Fsr with XT, RaceFace and Sram. | | Bottom Line: | This is the set of forks to judge all other hard X-country/Light to medium Freeride air forks against. And they will take a lot of hard riding not just X-country.
I made a good choice to buy these and would but them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Delaney
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver,BC
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | The next challenge | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Strong. Light. Good tracker. Tight legs. Steer well. Great seals and bushings. Very reliable. The best air forks for keeping the pressure. Smooth. | | Weaknesses: | Fiddly to set up right and the instruction book is vague espacially on the neg air pressure ratios. Got to let them break in so you do not judge the performance on how they feel in the shop. Have a little faith baby! | | Similar Products Used: | A lot of Marzocchi. A few Rockshox, Manitou, Fox and Pace. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized M4 | | Bottom Line: | These forks have surprised me. I'm real cynical with all the bike world blurb about components especially the bull that comes from reading so called Bike magazines tests. But I got to say that I have yet to ride better medium travel forks than these. Not much more to say. Worth the money...deliver the goods. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil Schofield
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: March 4, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | I'm reviewing the 105mm Fork
This is a fork that has been given real thought to with strong design features like great tracking over most bad terrain, great ECC control with lockdown, good lateral stifness, fabulous smooooth action over just about anything except the most extreme downhill, oil bath system, great valving and most of all bushes and seals that really work and make an air fork dependable and reliable. Also the price is O.K | | Weaknesses: | The instructions are vague and there is more info about set up on the net. Breaking in takes time but so what it means the bushes really work. Check the valves from time to time and get a tire valve core extractor tool to tighten the valves. | | Similar Products Used: | Most of the range form Fox, Manitou and Rockshox also one or two flimsy Pace forks. | | Bike Setup: | Common or garden but ace Marin Rift Zone pretty much as it comes but XT crankset and these forks plus CaneCreek Cloud 9 | | Bottom Line: | You get what you pay for with Marzocchi, real top quality forks that a group of experienced designers have thought about and carefully designed. The strength is that they have been making top motorbike& motorcross forks since 1949 so they know about seals and strength....I wouldn't use anything else on my motorbike so I know just how good they are. These MTB forks just rock. It's kind of hard to say too much about forks that do what they say they do. Just get them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Doran
a Weekend Warrior
from Upper St NY
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | On Line | | Strengths: | Fantasic feel to these forks as they soak up small and large hits equally well. Well made, steering is precise, very good bushings, oil bath, light, reliable, holds air well and a good price | | Weaknesses: | Poor manual. I did not mind the long break in period because I know that translates into long life and durability. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox, Manitou, Rockshox and other Marzocchis. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mount Vision...stock apart from these forks and Shimano 959 spd. | | Bottom Line: | Since I got these forks my riding has improved and the enjoyment too. No worries with these as they deliver how they should every time. I feel guilty that I hardly ever check the air pressures or get them serviced but they work, have great seals, great performance and they need no attention. This is what I like good reliable and dependable gear. I've adjusted the air pressure in the Fox rear shock more times in a month than this Marzocchi fork in a year. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Halsall
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Very strong and light with superb performance. 105mm is just the right amount of travel. ECC is excellent with outstanding rebound control. Very very good seals and bushes. Great tracking. Oil bath.. | | Weaknesses: | Takes a while to bed in.
The manual is vague. I went to this site for the information on the best set up....http://www.cycle1st.co.uk/marzocchi1.htm | | Similar Products Used: | Z1. Z2. Manitou everything. Rockshox and Fox(too expensive). | | Bike Setup: | SantaCruz Heckler | | Bottom Line: | Truely top notch forks with an excellent build quality.
Tracking is what you expect from Marzocchi....spot-on. Get the air pressures correct from the start and you are away. I got the best information about the pressure ratios from the reviews section of www.cycle1st.com and since then my forks have performed unbelievably well. Again the sealing and the bushes is so much better than anybody elses forks ...even Fox. Maintenance with these forks is almost completely unecessary. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Racer
from australia
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | allof'em | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | Nice and plush, good amount of travel, light, cheap | | Weaknesses: | Flexy!!! | | Similar Products Used: | '99 Judy hydracoils, '96 marzz Z1's(original) | | Bike Setup: | litespeed obed fs 3" travel, pedals, handelbars,and wheels as well, plus some brakes to stop. | | Bottom Line: | I bought the 120mm Sl Marathons.
These are a very nice fork compared to what i was riding previous, very light out of the box thinking they are too light. Once I installed them I realised that my head angle was very different.
Im 65kg/140lb so I set them up 20 and 40 i forget which at the moment but they are the munbers i used.
Used mainly for XC racing e.g 8,12,24 hr races
at least 100 racing hours and probably 500 just riding hours
Took them on a 90km/40mile? To break them in, they took a while to get fully active but once they took a few hits they were nice n plush.
The adjustible rebound is a great feature.
climbs well doesnt suck up to much of the mountain and descending it feels great.
the descent of this ride is very rugged lots of exposed sandstone rock exposed. when hit, the fork absorbed nicely and the travel didnt ramp up not quite like SPV valving but similar.
one thing i did notice was how much these forks flex
I have been surprised that they havent broken yet.
it does say these are not downhill forks and i agree
but some of the trails around here are quite agressive in parts.
They hold up to their task.
Just remember they are XC forks.
If your a hard rider i'd go for a slightly stiffer fork but im using the 120mm version.
The reason I got these was that they were cheap via OS ordering. And that they are Marzzocchi forks.
tuning is a bit fiddly, I set mine and have left it as is | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
20_bandh
a Cross Country Rider
from Europe
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | DOWNSHIFTCYCLES.COM | | Strengths: | Robust, Plush, they work | | Weaknesses: | Not the lightest, Instruction Manual is poo ! | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox SID SL | | Bike Setup: | DEAN hardtail, XTR and Race Face etc etc | | Bottom Line: | I used to run SIDs but got fed up constantly having to repair and service them. Bought the Marzocchis (85mm) on account of their rave reviews on this site. I made a very wise choice and am chuffed to bits with them. These shocks work much better than the SIDs and remain true under hard braking. They arn´t the lightest but that doesn´t bother me. The only grumble I have is with the accompanying manual which was very vague when it came to the inflation pressures. I´ve already ridden 200 km´s on them and have had no bedding in problems whatsoever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dirtgirl
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$329.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | I waited until they put this baby on sale at half the price of a comparable Fox TALAS RLC. It locks down easy for the climb and handles the sick drops when fully extended. It actually gives me more control on the steep ups than my hardtail with a Mars Super fork. Tracks like a Marzocchi should. The dark gray color goes perfectly with the XTR disc brake. | | Weaknesses: | I'm 130 pounds and this puppy is set up really stiff for me. | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first long travel fork with a lockout. I've also had a RS Judy, Manitou Mars Super, and a Z3 QR20. | | Bike Setup: | '99 XCR 2000 i-drive, Azonic head lock, Race Face carbon riser, SL 120, XT shifters and disc brake levers, XTR fron disc brake, XT rear disc brake, XT tubeless wheels | | Bottom Line: | Best bang for the buck for epic rides with steep climbs and technical downhill with rocks and drops. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jean de Baptisie
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta Ga, USA
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | various | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Build quality.
Smooth consistent performance.
Strong, reliable, smooth bushes.
Stiff with Top tracking on any terrain.
Low maintenance and excellent reliability.
Good value for money.
Low weight for such a well built Fork (take note Fox!)
Adjustability - off the bike and on the bike and so much USEFULL adjustability.
| | Weaknesses: | Poor instructions on set up.
Long breaking in period. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox Racing Shox F100 X,Fox Racing Shox TALAS RLC,Manitou Black Elite 100,Manitou Skareb Super,Marzocchi MX Pro ETA
| | Bike Setup: | 2004 Specialized S-Works Epic. | | Bottom Line: | Excellent Forks.
Take time to set them up carefully and adjust the air setting as they bed in and you have a seriously great pair of forks that will deliver the goods in all but the most extreme of conditions. Definately improved my riding skills. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Twizo
a Weekend Warrior
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Strong and not too heavy. Good design and super smooth. Easy to maintain and very consistent. Very pre-tuneable to any desired setting and then more tuning available on the bike via the 5 position rebound adjuster with lockdown. | | Weaknesses: | Takes a little time to ease the bushes into full working order and the instructions are a little vague. | | Similar Products Used: | Rockshox SIDs, FOX F100X, Float 100RLC, Manitou Comp, Marzocchi MX Pro. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro with the usual trimmings. | | Bottom Line: | Stonking pair of forks. So smooth and so tuneable and I haven't had them serviced in nearly 2 years of hard use. Great bushes giving stiff and fast steering with minimal tip flutter under hard braking better than the Fox and cheaper...well better than the paper-mache SIDs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gerry LeRoy
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh,Pa.
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | roller coaster | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Smooth performance and good travel on the 105mm model.
Stiff, light, strong, reliable, consistent, great seals or should I say bushes, tracks the ground like Bloodhound...all the usual stuff that you expect from Marzocchi. | | Weaknesses: | Like they say...the instructions are non too good but I followed the example of some other Guy who did a review here and went to cycle1st.com for the info. And they have stiction until they get ridden for a few times. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox/Manitou/Rochshox/Pace/Magura/Girvin. | | Bottom Line: | Five Star Forks.
It gets boring when a product is so good but you have to say it because when you have ridden so many forks you just can't take this kind of performance for granted.
Smooth performance and good travel on the 105mm model....I'll repeat..
Stiff, light, strong, reliable, consistent, great seals or should I say bushes, tracks the ground like Bloodhound...all the usual stuff that you expect from Marzocchi. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Geo Carlisle
a Weekend Warrior
from North Wales
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Gwydyr Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | www.cycle1st.com | | Strengths: | Excellent quality of craftmanship in design and construction. This fork holds it's air very well and delivers an exceptionally smooth and controlled ride time after time. The secret is in having the patience to set up the forks carefully in the first place. They are fairly light but not too light and so they are strong and track well on positive and negative cambers. They perform well under hard braking with no worrying nose dives and climbing is helped hughely by the ECC5 which is a cartridge that gives 4 rates of rebound adjustment and then a full lock out position. Some of the best bushes and seals of any fork anywhere. | | Weaknesses: | As other reviewers have said, the instruction manual could be better. The seals that people are talking about are actually bushes and these are tight at first but if they were not then I would be worried. Silicone spray applied before helps to speed the bedding in period and soon the forks are silky smooth. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox Racing Shox F100 X, Float 100 RLC, Manitou Black Super, Manitou Skareb Elite, RockShox Judy TT, Sid Race. | | Bike Setup: | klein attitude | | Bottom Line: | The Marathon SL has got to be one of the finest medium travel forks out there. With its adjustability, consistentcy and reliability it stands head and shoulders above its peers. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dermot Paisley
a Cross Country Rider
from Ireland
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | A good design team have put these forks together because they work so well. Very smooth, very stiff, corner well. No chatter when you brake hard and very consistent. They are miles better than the Rockshox SIDS. And they are as goos as the Fox air shocks and maybe better but much cheaper. I like the way the seals and bushes are very good quality and the air stays at the pressure you put it in. | | Weaknesses: | Stiff at moving up and down at first and the instructions does not explain what the negative air pressure should be. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox, Rockshox, Manitou, RST and Marzocchi. | | Bottom Line: | This is a blinding set of forks that just eat up the ground. They are strong and very smooth, very reliable, great at tracking the ground no matter how rough it gets and they need nearly no maintenance.
I was getting a set of Fox but I can see nothing better in how Fox make the forks and I paid much less for these Marzocchi forks with every bit as good a performance.
Top class forks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
philip
a Cross Country Rider
from NSW Australia
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | www.cyclehub.co.uk | | Strengths: | Really reliable seals, great tracking, excellent tuneability, top class bushes, solidly made with a solid riding feel to it and cheap for all that you get compared to Fox. Much stiffer than Pace or Rockshox air forks. | | Weaknesses: | The instructions are vague on pressure settings but by trying different set ups I got it just right. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox and Rockshox and Pace and Manitou everythings. | | Bike Setup: | Heckler XT hope | | Bottom Line: | Really impressive Forks!
Top class for air retention, solid tracking, versatile tuning, reliability, bushes, seals, build quality and value for money.
These could be about the best forks for all round trail riding out there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
|
Submitted by
Ben S.
a Cross Country Rider
|
|
|
