P
- Status
J
Jonathan Bond
Guest
p2k@van wrote:
> I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>
> Thx.
>
>
Marzocchi Marathon SL.
Jon Bond
> I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>
> Thx.
>
>
Marzocchi Marathon SL.
Jon Bond
D
David Bailey
Guest
p2k@van <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>
> Thx.
>
Marzocchi don't make an especially light fork and the Marathon doesn't get great reviews/feed back,
flexy and not super plush like the Z series is. But then a SID is really not an option as they a
high maintenance (like a blonde super model) and the Manitou Skareb is not real plush, pretty
reliable and more stiff than the SID The Marathon is probably your best option now I think about it.
The Duke is not bad but I'd only run the u turn model not the air version. Try the Fox Float or
Talis, big bucks but they got it right first time.
> I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>
> Thx.
>
Marzocchi don't make an especially light fork and the Marathon doesn't get great reviews/feed back,
flexy and not super plush like the Z series is. But then a SID is really not an option as they a
high maintenance (like a blonde super model) and the Manitou Skareb is not real plush, pretty
reliable and more stiff than the SID The Marathon is probably your best option now I think about it.
The Duke is not bad but I'd only run the u turn model not the air version. Try the Fox Float or
Talis, big bucks but they got it right first time.
J
Jonathan Bond
Guest
David Bailey wrote:
> p2k@van <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>>
>>Thx.
>>
>
> Marzocchi don't make an especially light fork and the Marathon doesn't get great reviews/feed
> back, flexy and not super plush like the Z series is. But then a SID is really not an option as
> they a high maintenance (like a blonde super model) and the Manitou Skareb is not real plush,
> pretty reliable and more stiff than the SID The Marathon is probably your best option now I think
> about it. The Duke is not bad but I'd only run the u turn model not the air version. Try the Fox
> Float or Talis, big bucks but they got it right first time.
>
>
The new marathons are pretty nice. They also have a fairly lightweight coil sprung one.
Air, even dual air (+/-) is never going to be as plush as coil, but it is a lot lighter and
infinitely more adjustable. The marathons are the stiffest air forks you'll find, and are up there
on plushness too (unlike the x-fly models, which were a mediocre showing from marzocchi). I asked a
marzocchi guy if the marathons were going to change for next year, and he said they most likely
wouldn't, so if you can't wait you're not giving up anything by buying one now. If you can, then you
might be able to get one cheap when the "new" models come out (which will be only very slightly
different).
Jon Bond
> p2k@van <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>>
>>Thx.
>>
>
> Marzocchi don't make an especially light fork and the Marathon doesn't get great reviews/feed
> back, flexy and not super plush like the Z series is. But then a SID is really not an option as
> they a high maintenance (like a blonde super model) and the Manitou Skareb is not real plush,
> pretty reliable and more stiff than the SID The Marathon is probably your best option now I think
> about it. The Duke is not bad but I'd only run the u turn model not the air version. Try the Fox
> Float or Talis, big bucks but they got it right first time.
>
>
The new marathons are pretty nice. They also have a fairly lightweight coil sprung one.
Air, even dual air (+/-) is never going to be as plush as coil, but it is a lot lighter and
infinitely more adjustable. The marathons are the stiffest air forks you'll find, and are up there
on plushness too (unlike the x-fly models, which were a mediocre showing from marzocchi). I asked a
marzocchi guy if the marathons were going to change for next year, and he said they most likely
wouldn't, so if you can't wait you're not giving up anything by buying one now. If you can, then you
might be able to get one cheap when the "new" models come out (which will be only very slightly
different).
Jon Bond
P
Paladin
Guest
"p2k@van" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>
> Thx.
Sure, you can always exchange that polished steel for plastic. You'll even save a pound. May I
suggest RockShox?
Paladin
news:<[email protected]>...
> I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
>
> Thx.
Sure, you can always exchange that polished steel for plastic. You'll even save a pound. May I
suggest RockShox?
Paladin
D
D Heath
Guest
"David Bailey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> p2k@van <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
> >
> > Thx.
> >
> Marzocchi don't make an especially light fork and the Marathon doesn't get great reviews/feed
> back, flexy and not super plush like the Z series is.
But
> then a SID is really not an option as they a high maintenance (like a
blonde
> super model) and the Manitou Skareb is not real plush, pretty reliable and more stiff than the SID
> The Marathon is probably your best option now I think about it. The Duke is not bad but I'd only
> run the u turn model not the air version. Try the Fox Float or Talis, big bucks but they got it
right
> first time.
I'd have to differ about the high maintenance on the SID. I rode my 99 SID XC up until
December, when it finally leaked oil out for the second time. I ignored the first leakage as it
was minimal, but after the second time, I knew I had lost a significant amount and I needed an
excuse to get a new fork. I got a 2002 Marzocchi Marathon S with 100mm travel. The SID has
NEVER been torn down, and rarely even lubed externally. The boots on mine were the finest boots
I've seen and allowed almost nothing inside to foul things up. However, I had gotten to the
point that I was pumping it up before EVERY ride, which was only mildly irritating but not
enough to go without long enough to have it serviced. It did not leak at ALL for about the
first 3 years I had it. I put somewhere in the neighborhood of 4000-4500 miles on it during the
time I had it. I fully intend to get it serviced to stop the leaking, because the bushings are
NOT worn enough to say so, regardless of what others my have experienced with theirs. That all
being said, I do like the Marathon S very much. I have only been able to ride it 3 times, and
yet it feels good already. Many reviews said it had a slow break-in period, but if it's this
good now, I'm really going to be grinning if it gets better still. I definitely recommend
getting a 100psi pump for this fork, because the folks who warned about higher gauge pumps
making it hard to be precise are correct. I tried it with my 250psi pump first, but it's almost
impossible to tell the difference between say, 34psi and 38psi when the gauge is that wide a
range and the fork takes that low a pressure. When I got a Buzzy 100psi pump, I was able to
dial it in, and I was amazed at the difference in feel with just 4psi difference. Dialing it in
can make you MUCH happier with your fork. Another thing I like about the Marathon I have is the
lockout setup. The second setting, which doesn't really lock it but slows the action, is really
sweet for most climbing. It makes the ride much smoother by not reacting to every small rock
along the way. I don't expect to need the total lockout position on anything but the absolute
steepest climbs where I need to lower the front end significantly. I am still figuring out how
much difference the supposedly less flexy fork will make compared to my SID. I never had a
Marzocchi before so I had nothing to compare to, and I will admit that I do think it is stiffer
than my SID, even though it is 20mm longer travel. I think I will realize more and like that
more as I get to ride it more, but so far it is just an early impression. My Klein Mantra
(don't bother slamming it, cause I have learned its strengths and weaknesses and can deal with
them just fine; it's a great bike FOR ME) has always been ready to toss me over the bars, so
this added travel has made it more stable. I'm gonna like this bike for a long time, I hope.
(Cash flow says I better love it!)
--
Off to ride the mountains, Dale Heath To reply, poke out my eye.
news:[email protected]...
>
> p2k@van <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > I ride a 2001 Rocky Mountain Element Race, mostly XC...
> >
> > Thx.
> >
> Marzocchi don't make an especially light fork and the Marathon doesn't get great reviews/feed
> back, flexy and not super plush like the Z series is.
But
> then a SID is really not an option as they a high maintenance (like a
blonde
> super model) and the Manitou Skareb is not real plush, pretty reliable and more stiff than the SID
> The Marathon is probably your best option now I think about it. The Duke is not bad but I'd only
> run the u turn model not the air version. Try the Fox Float or Talis, big bucks but they got it
right
> first time.
I'd have to differ about the high maintenance on the SID. I rode my 99 SID XC up until
December, when it finally leaked oil out for the second time. I ignored the first leakage as it
was minimal, but after the second time, I knew I had lost a significant amount and I needed an
excuse to get a new fork. I got a 2002 Marzocchi Marathon S with 100mm travel. The SID has
NEVER been torn down, and rarely even lubed externally. The boots on mine were the finest boots
I've seen and allowed almost nothing inside to foul things up. However, I had gotten to the
point that I was pumping it up before EVERY ride, which was only mildly irritating but not
enough to go without long enough to have it serviced. It did not leak at ALL for about the
first 3 years I had it. I put somewhere in the neighborhood of 4000-4500 miles on it during the
time I had it. I fully intend to get it serviced to stop the leaking, because the bushings are
NOT worn enough to say so, regardless of what others my have experienced with theirs. That all
being said, I do like the Marathon S very much. I have only been able to ride it 3 times, and
yet it feels good already. Many reviews said it had a slow break-in period, but if it's this
good now, I'm really going to be grinning if it gets better still. I definitely recommend
getting a 100psi pump for this fork, because the folks who warned about higher gauge pumps
making it hard to be precise are correct. I tried it with my 250psi pump first, but it's almost
impossible to tell the difference between say, 34psi and 38psi when the gauge is that wide a
range and the fork takes that low a pressure. When I got a Buzzy 100psi pump, I was able to
dial it in, and I was amazed at the difference in feel with just 4psi difference. Dialing it in
can make you MUCH happier with your fork. Another thing I like about the Marathon I have is the
lockout setup. The second setting, which doesn't really lock it but slows the action, is really
sweet for most climbing. It makes the ride much smoother by not reacting to every small rock
along the way. I don't expect to need the total lockout position on anything but the absolute
steepest climbs where I need to lower the front end significantly. I am still figuring out how
much difference the supposedly less flexy fork will make compared to my SID. I never had a
Marzocchi before so I had nothing to compare to, and I will admit that I do think it is stiffer
than my SID, even though it is 20mm longer travel. I think I will realize more and like that
more as I get to ride it more, but so far it is just an early impression. My Klein Mantra
(don't bother slamming it, cause I have learned its strengths and weaknesses and can deal with
them just fine; it's a great bike FOR ME) has always been ready to toss me over the bars, so
this added travel has made it more stable. I'm gonna like this bike for a long time, I hope.
(Cash flow says I better love it!)
--
Off to ride the mountains, Dale Heath To reply, poke out my eye.
[ My Klein Mantra
(don't bother slamming it, cause I have learned its strengths and weaknesses and can deal with
them just fine; it's a great bike FOR ME) has always been ready to toss me over the bars, so
this added travel has made it more stable. I'm gonna like this bike for a long time, I hope.
(Cash flow says I better love it!)
--
Off to ride the mountains, Dale Heath To reply, poke out my eye. [/B][/QUOTE]
Hi Dale,
I just posted a question on what folks thought about the Klein Mantra and there you were with one. If you've got the time let me know what you like and what you don't. I'm not a downhiller. Fire roads, single track, some technical is about it. Lots of it at night too.
Pat
(don't bother slamming it, cause I have learned its strengths and weaknesses and can deal with
them just fine; it's a great bike FOR ME) has always been ready to toss me over the bars, so
this added travel has made it more stable. I'm gonna like this bike for a long time, I hope.
(Cash flow says I better love it!)
--
Off to ride the mountains, Dale Heath To reply, poke out my eye. [/B][/QUOTE]
Hi Dale,
I just posted a question on what folks thought about the Klein Mantra and there you were with one. If you've got the time let me know what you like and what you don't. I'm not a downhiller. Fire roads, single track, some technical is about it. Lots of it at night too.
Pat
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