[Relayden]

Wanted to rant and see if I'm not alone. First Zocchi started the trend of black stanchions now Manitou. what the hell!!! where did they get the idea that all black is good or nicer or whatever they are thinking, why don't leave us at least(and the ones who like black ones) with choices. Luckily Fox and Rock Shock haven't followed. One advantage I see with regular gold like stanchions is that its easier to identify when they get sratched or marred in order to try and correct and prevent future leaks and contamination of damper's. Something they should have done is put travel indicators on one of the tubes, now that's something useful especially on infinite variable travel units like the nixon, minute etc.

 

[Ultra Magnus]

How is it easier to identify scratches on a gold stanction vs a black one? It would stand to reason that the contrast ratio of silver (scratch) against black anodizing would be most visible.

BTW, I think the super glossy smooth black stantions look hot. The 888 being one of the first forks I saw in person (with black/black) and I loved it.

For fork manufacturers, colors for stantions are limited. Hard anodizing 7075 aluminum doesn't give you a lot of options or control over what color you get. The only consistent options you really have is black, or clear in hard ano (clear hard 7075 = gold color, I don't come up with the stuff, it's just the way it is). Manufacturers who want to keep sales up need to make some kinds of aesthetic changes every so often as to not get stale, so when you've been doing hard clear for a while, the only other option (practically) is hard black. Black "goes" with just about anyting anyway...

PS. Rock Shocks had done forks wiht travel indictators printed in the ano on some of their U-Turn models. I agree, very helpful and nice. From my understanding from looking into printing with anodizing, few people do it, fewer do it well, and it ain't cheap.

 

[SuperBri]

What's old is new

This is not a new trend, but a rehash. 1994 Manitou 3's had black stanchions. I think they gave up on that when they realized that the coating was wearing off the first inch or so of visible stanchion, where the small bumps make the stanchions rub against the seals full time. Whatever process is in use nowadays may allow the color to stay on better. Or time will tell...

 

[856er]

Some stanchions are black or of another finish due to a coating of a low friction material and its performance related not just for aesthetics.

 

[jrm]

the marzocchi stanchions

are coated with a hardening finish that is supposed to be less prone to scratches like with earlier ones...

 

[Jayem]

This is not a new trend, but a rehash. 1994 Manitou 3's had black stanchions. I think they gave up on that when they realized that the coating was wearing off the first inch or so of visible stanchion, where the small bumps make the stanchions rub against the seals full time. Whatever process is in use nowadays may allow the color to stay on better. Or time will tell...

Since that time, fork manufacturers have figured out how to lubricate forks.

 

[Tracerboy]

are coated with a hardening finish that is supposed to be less prone to scratches like with earlier ones...

This is very very true.

Just about every Gold stanchion Marzocchi I've ever had has scratched easily in the stanchions.

All of my buddy's black ones have no scratches, and I know they get hit all the time.

 

[Relayden]

This is very very true.

Just about every Gold stanchion Marzocchi I've ever had has scratched easily in the stanchions.

All of my buddy's black ones have no scratches, and I know they get hit all the time.

Now this is interesting and woul be a good excuse (if true) anyone out there know more.