[richeyr]

I am getting a new fork for my Fisher Marlin. I am tossed between three forks. They are the Rock Shox Duke XC with U-turn, Marzochi MX Comp with ETA, and the Marzochi MX Comp without ETA. I ride XC and rarely see three feet of air. I only do downhill if it is in a trail I am riding. The trails in Indiana are pretty flat. Looking for a stiff fork upgrade for my 80mm MAnitou Six. Thanks for all your advice.

 

[team-lt]

i would take MX Comp without ETA cuse its for total loosers who are pushing theyre fork when climbing. save yourself some money

 

[JohnnyPedals]

Duke

I would go for the Duke XC.I own a lower end Marzocchi (MXC coil) and a Duke XC Uturn.

The Duke is far and away the better fork.It is much stiffer than the Marz and has smoother damping.

Also Marz customer service is the worst I've ever seen.

Don't believe all the Rock Shox bashing you read on these boards.

 

[team-lt]

umm ive tried Judy, Pilot, Psylo, Duke with all the "stuff" - compr, rebound, u-turn, air assist, lockout.. cant tel 100 % cause i didnt ride to trails bus on pavement and drops it feels absolutely like p.0,s and besides my buddy busted almost everythink on his Psylo SL. i had Axel whick cracked on RA and it was very soft and smooth. now i have Drop Off 2 whick is very hard and stiff. guess what - M eliminates bumps much softer than Axel with FFD. Marzocchi has SSV - i respect this system, feels incredibly progressive, its soft and hard at the same time

 

[JohnnyPedals]

LOL!

You're comparing an Axel(low end xc fork) to a Drop Off(freeride fork).

Give me a break.

Of course it is stiffer and more plush.They're built for different types of riding.

 

[JohnnyPedals]

Please explain how they're not alike?They both have the SSV damping and are coil sprung.

Also I rode my friends bike with an MX comp and it felt MORE noodley than my MXC!


Nice try though.

 

[JohnnyPedals]

Ohhh you ride a TURNER so you MUST know!

I also have been riding my Duke for 2 years in the rocky rooty east coast with not one

problem.

But maybe I don't ride a SERIOUS Machine!

BTW I run air topcaps(preload) on my MXC and it also has ECC.

I know what I rode and the MX COMP is NOT a great fork.

It's not bad just not as stiff as a Duke.

AS far as reviews go I take them with a grain of salt.

I know Rock Shox is not as cool as a Bomber,but the fact is the Duke is a good fork

the money.

 

[Guest]

Wow, Johnny, simmer down...

Ohhh you ride a TURNER so you MUST know!

I know what I rode and the MX COMP is NOT a great fork.

And you must know because you've never ridden the MX Comp w/ ETA. Which is, BTW, a fantastic fork. The reviews for the 2003 and the 2004 model are right on the money. This is one of the best fork values available today.

Don't slam it if you haven't tried it. The MX Comp IS NOT the same fork as the MX Comp w/ ETA.

 

[Cary]

Just to throw another in the mix, have you considered a Manitou Black? The are constantly blowing them out and there are some really good deals on them. Also, check out Larry at mountainhighcyclery for much better prices on Marzochi than the regular mail order places.

 

[Jaybo]

That is funny....

Just because the pistons are SIMILAR does not mean they handle the same at all.

First, the MX Comp is one side air, one side coil. Next, you have an ETA cartridge on the other side. Next, you have different construction to the lowers, as well as being one piece. The crown is different.

I ride a Turner with an MX Pro ETA and if it wasn't a serious fork, it would not be on the front end of something as serious as a Turner. It's been handling drops and jumps regularly for the past year.

If you rode both, as you say, you would not be saying that it feels the same. That's why I discount your uninformed and baseless statements. You have zero experience, yet claim to.

There's a reason why the MX Comp/Pro were two of the highest rated forks of last year here. You fail to include that simple fact. The number of reviews and how consistantly high they were.

As serious as a Turner! LOL! The Duke is a nice fork. I don't like it as well as the Marzocchi, but a great fork too.

I'm sorry, but your comments made me laugh. Is my Turner serious. Hardly. I laugh the whole time I ride, so if it was serious, I would have to lose it.

Jaybo

 

[JohnnyPedals]

Hey indigosky

Except for the ETA cartridge they are the same fork.

And the ETA cartridge has zero to do with how the fork rides.

But I will agree the ETA is the best lockout in the industry.

"edit"
I just check the Marz website and it appears they are different.The comp eta is 1 side coil 1side air while the comp is dual coil.

That might explain why the Comp I rode felt so similar to my MXC,they both are dual coil SSV.

 

[Guest]

um...

Except for the ETA cartridge they are the same fork.

MX Comp = 2 coil springs

MX Comp w/ ETA = 1 coil spring, 1 air spring

Makes a big difference.

 

[JohnnyPedals]

Sorry I just saw that on the website

Thanks for the info.

 

[mbogo]

Actually, for Indiana, I think the three you mentioned will do just fine. I f you were riding Rocky Mountain trails and depending on your weight and how hard you ride, I would recommend something like Black Manitou Platinum, Elite or Scareb Platinum if you can afford them.
The Rock Shocks that I am familiar with, the Judy TT, Pilot and Duke seem to have a hard time staying together and functional. Most of the hard riders here are switching to one of the Manitou Forks I mentioned or buying bikes that already have them.
I'm still riding a Cannondale F-600 with the Fatty Ultra DL set at 130psi for my weight. I'm satisfied with it, but I'm not the hardest rider in our group.

 

[Guest]

nice one Steve3!

Yup Johnny. Just check your info before you post.

I will restate the MX Comp ETA is a fantastic fork and if you shop around, you may even be able to swing the Pro.

Stating clearly for those reading into it way too much: Turners are designed for heavy duty riding and that's exactly how I ride. I would not trust anything less that what the frame could handle and that's why I have an MX Pro ETA on the front of mine. I regularly do jumps and drops and the fork has not given any trouble, whatsoever. I have been using Marzocchi since 98 and have been very happy.

Here you are suggesting that the seals on your beloved Duke aren't any good. I guess that's you buying into the hype that Rock Sucks seals suck:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=263966&postcount=4

Here you are stating that the converted Zoke you have is "not bad":

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=164082&postcount=4

Here's another interesting thread about Marz with some more posts from you and I:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=22528

Here you state the MXC is stiff, yet not as stiff as the Duke. You stated the MX Comp is noodly. Which one is it?

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=156627#post156627

I would suggest that if you don't like Marzocchi so much, don't ride them. You have the bottom end fork, with different construction from the better models and you are offering advice when you don't know anything about the upper models.

Nice one. LMAO!

 

[endurowanker]

Marzocchi forks are real nice.

 

[JohnnyPedals]

Steve

If you notice I said in my post that I have a lower end Marzocchi.Which I believe is comparable to the MX comp I rode.

About the seals,yeah they suck but so does everyone elses compared to Enduros.Your
not going to tell me Marz seals are good are you?

As far as the noodley comment.Everyone brags about how STIFF Marz forks are.Compared to the Duke I don't think the ones I've rode are are that stiff.

Yeah I converted the MXC to coil.I tried everytime to get that fork to work (oil heights,weights,different springs,etc.).I never could get it to feel good.Check that post I said I'm still playing with the adjustments.

I don't feel the SSV damping is very good.It feels to me like it has alot of spiking at higher speed(much more than the DUKE).

And in your post here you state about comparing the MXC to the MX comp.Then say get the MX comp ETA.They are not the same right?I said I rode my friends MX comp.Which is a dual coil.

My original point was Rock Shox get bagged on these boards all the time.I really wonder how many people have ridden them before they put them down.

What I hear is oh yeah my buddies Rock Shox sucks.

 

[JohnnyPedals]

I have not attacked you personally yet you continue to do so to me.

If you search the boards you will find discussions on SSV damping's spiking.And no that's not how you tune out bottomout.That's why they make the HSCV cartridge.

For the price of the SSV forks there are alot better options out there.I have not ridden any SSVF forks so they might be better.

The MXcomp I rode was not a DRIVEWAY test ride.It was ridden on a 14 mile ride because I was waiting on rear bushings for my Sugar.

BTW have you ridden a Duke.Or a Black for that matter?

Someone asked an opinion I gave mine you gave yours that's it.Everyone has opinions and that's all they are.

 

[JohnnyPedals]

This is my last post on this subject.

I don't think you have any right to call me a LIAR!!! Misinformation campaign PLEASE.
Show me where I said ALL Marzocchi forks suck.I SAID the MXC and MXCOMP are not that great.

Yeah Fourteen Miles on a Flexy fork.Hard to believe?You should join us for a Fourteen Mile ride in Ringwood,N.J.I see your from N.Y. not too far from me.

Bushing play?I guess I've been lucky huh?2 years no play.
Or maybe I don't ride as "SERIOUS" as you!

 

[Scabby Elbowz]

To your original question...

I am getting a new fork for my Fisher Marlin. I am tossed between three forks. They are the Rock Shox Duke XC with U-turn, Marzochi MX Comp with ETA, and the Marzochi MX Comp without ETA. I ride XC and rarely see three feet of air. I only do downhill if it is in a trail I am riding. The trails in Indiana are pretty flat. Looking for a stiff fork upgrade for my 80mm MAnitou Six. Thanks for all your advice.

I bought a MX Comp w/ETA (120mm) recently, and have put about 60 hrs of hard riding on it. It's a good fork and I like it very much. I bought it as a budget intermediate/black-diamond XC fork, and it is very well suited to that use.

On long rides, I do occaisionally wish I had a choice of travel somewhere between the 1" and 5" extremes. It does exhibit steering deflection when in the 120mm setting. It also brake-dives like a pig. But it soaks up hits like a champ, and I don't think I'll break it any time soon.

I think it mostly boils down to what type of terrain you'll be riding. If you ride mostly tame endurance rides, or race XC, get the Duke. If you like to play in some heavy surf, but don't want to break the bank, get the 'Zoke. If steering precision is your main criteria, you may want to look at the Black. They're all decent forks with a few flaws (that's why they're all affordable). Get the one that best suits the riding you'll be doing and don't worry too much about which one is in fashion.