[therollex]

Hi, thers not many reviews on this one but how does it stack up. I want a new fork to hang of the front of an Ellsworth Truth. How are they for all day XC riding. No jumping. I weigh about 90kg or 200lbs? would it be up to the job or too flexy?

Fox are too expensive

I'm looking at new ones on ebay

from NZ where these retail for $1300 and fox $1600 !!!

 

[logbiter]

Hi, thers not many reviews on this one but how does it stack up. I want a new fork to hang of the front of an Ellsworth Truth. How are they for all day XC riding. No jumping. I weigh about 90kg or 200lbs? would it be up to the job or too flexy?

Fox are too expensive

I'm looking at new ones on ebay

from NZ where these retail for $1300 and fox $1600 !!!

all the marathons are great forks, I'd buy one w/o any qualms. I'd also look at a reba for something in a similar price range.

 

[Flyer]

I've owned an Marathon SL and a XC. I'm 185 lbs and found them both to be very reliable BUT also flexy and the Axel-to-Crown height was too much. I also bought a Fox Vanilla and liked it a lot more. I recently bought a Rockshox Revelation and like it at least as much as the Vanilla but it may be a little stiffer as well so it's the best so far.

That high Axel to Crown height really throws off the geometry and makes the handling very sloppy. When I put the Fox on instead of the XC, it made the bike handle MUCH better so make sure you buy the fork your bike was designed around. I'd go with a Fox (Vanilla/Talas) or Rockshox (Reba/Revelation) and only a Marzocchi if your bike was specifically designed for a higher A-C fork like the Marzocchi.

 

[GspotRider]

I've owned an Marathon SL and a XC. I'm 185 lbs and found them both to be very reliable BUT also flexy and the Axel-to-Crown height was too much. I also bought a Fox Vanilla and liked it a lot more. I recently bought a Rockshox Revelation and like it at least as much as the Vanilla but it may be a little stiffer as well so it's the best so far.

That high Axel to Crown height really throws off the geometry and makes the handling very sloppy. When I put the Fox on instead of the XC, it made the bike handle MUCH better so make sure you buy the fork your bike was designed around. I'd go with a Fox (Vanilla/Talas) or Rockshox (Reba/Revelation) and only a Marzocchi if your bike was specifically designed for a higher A-C fork like the Marzocchi.

The long axle to crown distance is bugging me too. On my blur xc I am running the fork with about 85-90mm of travel to bring the front down enough to get the bike to handle the way I like it. With fox 100 float on it...no problems with handling and I got more travel.

I don't like the flex of the marz marathon sl either. Setting up the fork can be fussy. Seems like more stiction than other forks (reba, fox). With all my gripes, I seem to ride just fine with it.

 

[Astroguy]

I have a different opinion of the above poster...I had a Vanilla which was OK, however the damper went belly up after a weeks use so I got a Marathon XC instead. In my opinion, I honestly thought the fork outperformed the Vanilla, and also it's proven to be a more reliable fork. And the features like the preset rebound settings and the ETA travel adjust are fantastic! Also, the 2006 Marathons have redisigned the axle and crown so the height is 15mm less that the previous years...should help to solve some of criticisms the other posters have with it. Check out the link below for more info. Never rode the Rock Shox, but you probably can't go wrong with it or the Marathon.

http://downshiftcycles.sslpowered.c...t_info&osCsid=8b68747dadef09182dafef289d6d8fc

 

[anden]

So what is the axle-to-crown length for the 100 mm Fox forks? Fox doesn't seem to mention. According to the manufacturers:

100 mm 06 Reba has 453 mm with 20% sag.

100 mm 06 Marathon has 459 mm with 20% sag.

100 mm 06 F100 has ???

 

[Flyer]

If the new XC has a lower Axel to Crown, it will be much better AND stiffer though I don't think they use 32mm stanchions for 2006- or dp they?

I loved the Vanilla and love the Talas too. I did think they were stiffer than the XC or the SL, especially the Talas I have now. HOWEVER, the RS Revelation is really nice- very plus and easily adjustable so the Reba will be nice too. My Vanilla survived me though I do no crazy drops- it is one plush fork.

I like Rockshox now but if the new Marzocchis are lower by 15mm, that eliminates the geometry issue and makes them a good choice. That was my main complaint. The flex exhibited itself only when running the fork at over 105mm travel on the XC. At 115-120, I felt quite insecure on fast descents. At 105, it was okay.

 

[frankenbike]

That article on DownShift Cycles' website was very helpful. Thanks for that link! It convinced me to buy the Marathon XC.

 

[therollex]

Frankenbike, let me know what you think once it arrives