2005 Marzocchi Product Introduction
The Marzocchi Bomber Sessions might be the best product introduction in the mountain bike industry. To demonstrate the 2005 Marzocchi product line and promote the mountain bike freeride movement, they invited press from around the world to Whistler Mountain Bike Park. We got to test the new Marzocchi forks on the mountain and hang out with pro freeriders like Richie Schley, Shaums March, Gareth Dyer, Robbie Bourden, Josh Bender, and Mike Kinrade. Kona, Norco, Rocky Mountain, and Cove provided bikes built up with the 2005 Marzocchi forks so that we could really test them out.
Marzocchi 66
The most innovative and impressive new Marzocchi product is the 66 fork. It's a single crown coil fork with 170mm (7 inches) of travel and 35mm stanchions - essentially a single crown 888. And believe it or not, there seems to be no penalty for trading a triple-crown for a single crown fork with the new 66. For really steep, rocky downhill, where a slacker head angle and extra stiffness are really important, the 888 is probably still a better choice. But pretty much everyone agreed that for most downhill and freeriding, the new 66 is an excellent fork. It's all I wanted to ride and I'd happily replace the triple-crown I have on my current downhill bike with a 66. The 66 flat out kicks ass on Whistler's A-Line trail and most of the other terrain at the park.
There are three 66 models - the 66 RC, the 66 R, and the 66 VF. A lot of the features of the lighter forks are missing on the 66. That's because it's a freeride and downhill fork. If you want adjustable travel, lockout and other trail-riding features, the 66 isn't for you. It's got 35mm stanchions, a steel steerer tube, and weighs just over 6 pounds. Preload is controlled by air pressure and it's got springs in both fork legs. Compression and rebound damping are controlled with two 30-click adjusters. There's nothing fancy about the 66 fork except the way it rules on burly, technical, downhill terrain.
Marzocchi Marathon Race
Other notable new Marzocchi products are the All Mountain and updated Marathon fork lines. The Marathon Race is a brand new, light, Doppio Air fork intended for endurance and other types of cross country racing. It has reduced oil volume for a weight of 3.3 pounds and features Marzocchi's new TST (Terrain Selective Technology) damping system. TST damping is controlled with a 5-position lever on the top of the left fork leg. It allows the rider to tune compression and lockout for different types of terrain, making the fork a great climber as well as able to take big hits on the downhills. TST will be available on all the Marathon forks and selected models of the new All Mountain fork line.
Marzocchi All Mountain 1
The new All Mountain forks are all-purpose, long-travel, air-preload forks with 32mm stanchions and a regular quick release dropout. The top-of-the-line, All Mountain 1, features the new Marzocchi TST damping system as well as their new TAS (Travel Adjustment System) system for adjustable travel from 110-130mm. It's got a coil spring in one leg and an air spring in the other for pre-load adjustment. It also has ETA (Extension Travel Adjustment) for on the fly fork height and travel adjustment. The All Mountain 1 has pretty much every feature a rider could ask for. Aside from the Marzocchi hucker forks, I'd say this is the crown jewel of the Marzocchi line. It's a perfect compliment to the trail bikes most of us ride every day and it's got all the latest and best Marzocchi suspension technology built-in. The whole All Mountain line features a new, lightened, All Mountain Crown. The All Mountain 1 weighs in at 4.8 pounds and the All Mountain 2 and 3 both weigh 4.3 pounds.
The Z1 line is back with a couple of changes. There's a new axle and dropout system to replace the QR20. If you want a Z1, you're gonna be using a 20mm axle and hub. Normal quick release dropouts are no longer available on Z1 forks or any of the Marzocchi triple-crown forks.
Marzocchi Tires?
One of the most interesting items to show up with the Marzocchi folks was a Marzocchi downhill tire. The new tires have a unique, Marzocchi "M" tread block and were designed for downhill and freeriding. They come in 3.0 and 2.6 inch dual-compound downhill casings, and 2.6 and 2.3 inch gumwall, OEM casings. There were some available for us to try at Whistler but I didn't get enough of a chance to really form an opinion. They're already in production in Finland and should be shipping very soon.
New bikes provided for journalist abuse were the Norco Six and the Kona Stab Garbanzo LX. The Norco is a 6-inch freeride bike that works great at Whistler and is a perfect match for the new 66 fork. The Kona Stab Garbanzo LX is the new Whistler rental bike. The Whistler rental bikes will be spec'd with a Marzocchi 888R triple-crown fork, Hayes disc brakes and a mix of SRAM and Raceface components. Kona and Whistler estimate that each of these rental bikes will see over 1 million feet of vertical descent this season. For that kind of abuse the Stab Garbanzo LX has to be built and spec'd very carefully. Konas downhill bikes have proven themselves at Whistler in the past and the new, Stab Garbanzo LX, appears to be up-to-the task. It's especially impressive as a rental bike.
My favorite bike to ride at this year's Marzocchi Bomber Sessions was the 6- inch Rocky Mountain Switch with a Fox coil in the back and the new Marzocchi 66 RC fork on the front. Last year I had the most fun on a 7 inch Rocky Mountain RMX prototype with a Marzocchi 888 fork on the front. Maybe I've gotten a little better, but I was really impressed with the Switch's ability to handle everything at Whistler. I wouldn't have expected to be happy riding a 6-inch bike with a single-crown fork on A-Line. That's nuts - this is Whistler we're taking aboot!. But it worked great on the jumps, it was quick in the technical stuff, and had enough rear suspension to keep me stuck to the ground. A little more plushness would have been nice for my forearms. But for Whistler, I think the Switch/66 combo might be the perfect setup.
Intended Use
Marzocchi talked a bunch about intended use at this year's product intro. They're very concerned that their forks get used safely and spec'd appropriately. This means that low-priced freeride and dirt jump bikes shouldn't come spec'd with inexpensive, long travel, cross-country forks. And if you want to go big, they want to make sure you buy the best and safest fork that you can afford. Towards this end, they've created an intended use fork chart that lists how the different Marzocchi fork lines should be used. They're also working with the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) to develop test standards for forks and other mountain bike components. It's nice to see that Marzocchi's commitment to mountain biking extends to the safety and active protection of the riders that use their products.
Whistler Rules!
My story isn't all about forks and bikes. This year's Bomber Sessions were timed to coincide with the opening of the new Garbanzo expansion. The new Garbanzo lift triples the vertical drop of the park. There's now a total of 3400 vertical feet for riders to play on. The Bomber Sessions participants got to ride the new lift the day before the official opening, when the trails were still fresh, raw, and damp. The 4 new trails, No Joke, Original Sin, Goat's Gully, and In Deep, are steep and rooty, with big rock faces, and spectacular views of Whistler Village and the coast range. They're a great addition to the 35 lower trails, with their own flowy, technical feel.
Whistler is the future of freeride. With their commitment to providing the kind of stunts and terrain that riders want, and companies like Marzocchi developing equipment that allows riders to push the limits, Whistler Bike Park has become more than a novelty. Other ski areas are starting to pay attention and follow in Whistler's footsteps. IMBA is working with land managers and property owners to develop other freeride-specific parks and public riding areas. But Whistler is currently the Mecca for mountain bike freeriders. It's a regular destination for a lot of mountain bikers and freeride and downhill superstars make the village their home in the summer. Where else in the world can you find 3400 vertical feet of mountain bike-specific trails built and maintained specifically to make you feel like a hero?
Thanks to Marzocchi, Whistler, Rocky Mountain, Norco, Cove, the pro riders, and everyone else who made the 2005 Bomber Sessions possible. And those of you that haven't been to Whistler yet - start planning. You don't know what you're missing and it's time to find out.
The Marzocchi Bomber Sessions might be the best product introduction in the mountain bike industry. To demonstrate the 2005 Marzocchi product line and promote the mountain bike freeride movement, they invited press from around the world to Whistler Mountain Bike Park. We got to test the new Marzocchi forks on the mountain and hang out with pro freeriders like Richie Schley, Shaums March, Gareth Dyer, Robbie Bourden, Josh Bender, and Mike Kinrade. Kona, Norco, Rocky Mountain, and Cove provided bikes built up with the 2005 Marzocchi forks so that we could really test them out.
Marzocchi 66
The most innovative and impressive new Marzocchi product is the 66 fork. It's a single crown coil fork with 170mm (7 inches) of travel and 35mm stanchions - essentially a single crown 888. And believe it or not, there seems to be no penalty for trading a triple-crown for a single crown fork with the new 66. For really steep, rocky downhill, where a slacker head angle and extra stiffness are really important, the 888 is probably still a better choice. But pretty much everyone agreed that for most downhill and freeriding, the new 66 is an excellent fork. It's all I wanted to ride and I'd happily replace the triple-crown I have on my current downhill bike with a 66. The 66 flat out kicks ass on Whistler's A-Line trail and most of the other terrain at the park.
There are three 66 models - the 66 RC, the 66 R, and the 66 VF. A lot of the features of the lighter forks are missing on the 66. That's because it's a freeride and downhill fork. If you want adjustable travel, lockout and other trail-riding features, the 66 isn't for you. It's got 35mm stanchions, a steel steerer tube, and weighs just over 6 pounds. Preload is controlled by air pressure and it's got springs in both fork legs. Compression and rebound damping are controlled with two 30-click adjusters. There's nothing fancy about the 66 fork except the way it rules on burly, technical, downhill terrain.
Marzocchi Marathon Race
Other notable new Marzocchi products are the All Mountain and updated Marathon fork lines. The Marathon Race is a brand new, light, Doppio Air fork intended for endurance and other types of cross country racing. It has reduced oil volume for a weight of 3.3 pounds and features Marzocchi's new TST (Terrain Selective Technology) damping system. TST damping is controlled with a 5-position lever on the top of the left fork leg. It allows the rider to tune compression and lockout for different types of terrain, making the fork a great climber as well as able to take big hits on the downhills. TST will be available on all the Marathon forks and selected models of the new All Mountain fork line.
Marzocchi All Mountain 1
The new All Mountain forks are all-purpose, long-travel, air-preload forks with 32mm stanchions and a regular quick release dropout. The top-of-the-line, All Mountain 1, features the new Marzocchi TST damping system as well as their new TAS (Travel Adjustment System) system for adjustable travel from 110-130mm. It's got a coil spring in one leg and an air spring in the other for pre-load adjustment. It also has ETA (Extension Travel Adjustment) for on the fly fork height and travel adjustment. The All Mountain 1 has pretty much every feature a rider could ask for. Aside from the Marzocchi hucker forks, I'd say this is the crown jewel of the Marzocchi line. It's a perfect compliment to the trail bikes most of us ride every day and it's got all the latest and best Marzocchi suspension technology built-in. The whole All Mountain line features a new, lightened, All Mountain Crown. The All Mountain 1 weighs in at 4.8 pounds and the All Mountain 2 and 3 both weigh 4.3 pounds.
The Z1 line is back with a couple of changes. There's a new axle and dropout system to replace the QR20. If you want a Z1, you're gonna be using a 20mm axle and hub. Normal quick release dropouts are no longer available on Z1 forks or any of the Marzocchi triple-crown forks.
Marzocchi Tires?
One of the most interesting items to show up with the Marzocchi folks was a Marzocchi downhill tire. The new tires have a unique, Marzocchi "M" tread block and were designed for downhill and freeriding. They come in 3.0 and 2.6 inch dual-compound downhill casings, and 2.6 and 2.3 inch gumwall, OEM casings. There were some available for us to try at Whistler but I didn't get enough of a chance to really form an opinion. They're already in production in Finland and should be shipping very soon.
New bikes provided for journalist abuse were the Norco Six and the Kona Stab Garbanzo LX. The Norco is a 6-inch freeride bike that works great at Whistler and is a perfect match for the new 66 fork. The Kona Stab Garbanzo LX is the new Whistler rental bike. The Whistler rental bikes will be spec'd with a Marzocchi 888R triple-crown fork, Hayes disc brakes and a mix of SRAM and Raceface components. Kona and Whistler estimate that each of these rental bikes will see over 1 million feet of vertical descent this season. For that kind of abuse the Stab Garbanzo LX has to be built and spec'd very carefully. Konas downhill bikes have proven themselves at Whistler in the past and the new, Stab Garbanzo LX, appears to be up-to-the task. It's especially impressive as a rental bike.
My favorite bike to ride at this year's Marzocchi Bomber Sessions was the 6- inch Rocky Mountain Switch with a Fox coil in the back and the new Marzocchi 66 RC fork on the front. Last year I had the most fun on a 7 inch Rocky Mountain RMX prototype with a Marzocchi 888 fork on the front. Maybe I've gotten a little better, but I was really impressed with the Switch's ability to handle everything at Whistler. I wouldn't have expected to be happy riding a 6-inch bike with a single-crown fork on A-Line. That's nuts - this is Whistler we're taking aboot!. But it worked great on the jumps, it was quick in the technical stuff, and had enough rear suspension to keep me stuck to the ground. A little more plushness would have been nice for my forearms. But for Whistler, I think the Switch/66 combo might be the perfect setup.
Intended Use
Marzocchi talked a bunch about intended use at this year's product intro. They're very concerned that their forks get used safely and spec'd appropriately. This means that low-priced freeride and dirt jump bikes shouldn't come spec'd with inexpensive, long travel, cross-country forks. And if you want to go big, they want to make sure you buy the best and safest fork that you can afford. Towards this end, they've created an intended use fork chart that lists how the different Marzocchi fork lines should be used. They're also working with the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) to develop test standards for forks and other mountain bike components. It's nice to see that Marzocchi's commitment to mountain biking extends to the safety and active protection of the riders that use their products.
Whistler Rules!
My story isn't all about forks and bikes. This year's Bomber Sessions were timed to coincide with the opening of the new Garbanzo expansion. The new Garbanzo lift triples the vertical drop of the park. There's now a total of 3400 vertical feet for riders to play on. The Bomber Sessions participants got to ride the new lift the day before the official opening, when the trails were still fresh, raw, and damp. The 4 new trails, No Joke, Original Sin, Goat's Gully, and In Deep, are steep and rooty, with big rock faces, and spectacular views of Whistler Village and the coast range. They're a great addition to the 35 lower trails, with their own flowy, technical feel.
Whistler is the future of freeride. With their commitment to providing the kind of stunts and terrain that riders want, and companies like Marzocchi developing equipment that allows riders to push the limits, Whistler Bike Park has become more than a novelty. Other ski areas are starting to pay attention and follow in Whistler's footsteps. IMBA is working with land managers and property owners to develop other freeride-specific parks and public riding areas. But Whistler is currently the Mecca for mountain bike freeriders. It's a regular destination for a lot of mountain bikers and freeride and downhill superstars make the village their home in the summer. Where else in the world can you find 3400 vertical feet of mountain bike-specific trails built and maintained specifically to make you feel like a hero?
Thanks to Marzocchi, Whistler, Rocky Mountain, Norco, Cove, the pro riders, and everyone else who made the 2005 Bomber Sessions possible. And those of you that haven't been to Whistler yet - start planning. You don't know what you're missing and it's time to find out.