XC Forks Redux: Marzocchi, Marzocchi or Marzocchi? Drown me in input, please.

[Slash]

So I've managed to narrow it down to three Marzocchi forks. I actually broke my own budget rule and
am considering two forks that approach $300. Here's the rundown.

#1 - 2002 Marzocchi MXR $219 + s/h = ~$240
http://pricepoint.com/product1529.html

Seems like a good all-around fork. Proven, reliable, responsive and still resistant to flex. Not the
lightest, not the heaviest. Has preload and rebound controls with (apparently?) internally
adjustable damping rate. Open bath oil/coil, 100mm.

#2 - 2003 Marzocchi MX Pro w/ETA $270 + s/h = ~$300
http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&ID=16053

This one wasn't even in the running until I wandered across the Alfred E Bike page selling it at
what seems to be a very good price indeed. Is this fork more or less the 2003 replacement for the
MXR Air? Haven't been able to track down much information on this one due to it being relatively
new. The info I've been able to find is positive, but I'm still not completely sure about the
tradeoffs of air vs coil designs. As such I hesitate to jump into an air design without knowing the
details, but the price seems very tempting. Features ETA, allowing a semi-lockdown with 25-30mm of
travel. Useful? I don't know. My guess is that it'll be entertaining for a while but I can
definitely live without it (and have). Hell, technically I don't even need suspension to begin with,
but what can I say, I'm a gadget *****.

Would this being a 2003 model make any difference? Build quality (Taiwan vs Italy, anything odd like
that), warranty work... the manual seems better at least. Lots of goodies, SSV adjustments, air,
ETA, 105mm travel.

#3 - 2002 Marzocchi Marathon 100mm $300 + s/h = ~$320
http://www.speedgoat.com/PROD/store/categorie.asp?pid=3316&c=3

Magnesium lowers, 3 way ECC lockout, adjustable pos/neg, basically has all the stuff I want and a
lot of things I don't even know how to utilize yet. Again, this seems to me like a killer price.
Yes, it's 2002, yes, it's on closeout, but god damn it is one sexy piece of bicycle part. All of my
concerns from the MX Pro apply to this one, since they apparently both share similar air designs.
Unless I'm misreading the Marathon listing and it's actually coil... is it? I know the 2003 line has
the S and SL designations, but from what I read the 100mm Marathons are all air.

So basically I don't know which to get. Should I just get the MXR? Or should I spring for the
Marathon? They all seem like solid forks on paper, they're all quite good looking (not that it's
really a factor in the end, but...) and I've already gotten good feedback about the MXR - and I'd
sooner trust the regular posters here than soulless mtbr.com "reviewers"...

I'll have to make a decision by saturday, when my self-imposed deadline hits. I figure if I can't
make up my mind by then, it isn't going to matter which one I get so I'll just go with the MXR. Any
way I go, I'll be sure to post my impressions of the fork, an installation report and maybe even a
ride report.

Thoughts? Comments? Bring it on!

-Slash
--
"Ebert Victorious"

- The Onion

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

Anthony Sloan <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Slash wrote:
> >
> > #3 - 2002 Marzocchi Marathon 100mm $300 + s/h = ~$320
> > http://www.speedgoat.com/PROD/store/categorie.asp?pid=3316&c=3
> >
> > Magnesium lowers, 3 way ECC lockout, adjustable pos/neg, basically has all the stuff I want and
> > a lot of things I don't even know how to utilize yet. Again, this seems to me like a killer
> > price. Yes, it's 2002, yes, it's on closeout, but god damn it is one sexy piece of bicycle
> > part. All of my concerns from the MX Pro apply to this one, since they apparently both share
> > similar air designs. Unless I'm misreading the Marathon listing and it's actually coil... is
> > it? I know the 2003 line has the S and SL designations, but from what I read the 100mm
> > Marathons are all air.
> >
> >
> > Thoughts? Comments? Bring it on!
> >
> > -Slash
> > --
> > "Ebert Victorious"
> >
> > - The Onion
>
> The Marathons are all air. One positive chamber per leg, and a negative air chamber in one leg.
> pos/neg air chambers allow infinite adjustability to the compression characterisitics of the fork.
> It is, IMO one of the most underutilized features im mountain biking. I say this because I hear
> about too many people riding a fork that they have not attempted to fine tune for their riding
> style at all.
>
> Re: the 2002 Marathon. I have two of these, and both have been back to Marzocchi. One has gone
> back twice. It seems the the negative air cartridge was defective in many of these forks. The
> defect caused the o rings to not seat properly, which in turn allowed the negative air chamber to
> suck in a bunch of oil on rebound. This, quite effectively, transformed the fork onto a 40mm
> travel fork.
>
> It is a great fork, but you may well run into this same problem. If the fix is indeed in, as they
> claim, then at worst it will result on one warranty trip back to Marzocchi. The whole process
> could be expedited if they would just send out a negative air cartidge, but they like to see the
> stuff they are warrantying, and I understand that. Otherwise they are just sending out free
> replacement parts.

Yes - my understanding of air vs. coil forks is that generally, air forks are less reliable/need
more maintenance, and re not possessed of quite as smooth an action, tend to suffer more under
heavier riders/harder hits, but the pos/neg air chamber shocks have far superior adjustment, which
is good, if you need/like/desire that sorta thing, and air are lighter, sometimes considerably.

Still, for my riding (bumpy as hell rocky (sometimes) XC, playing at little drops/jumps, general
clumsiness and abuse), my weight (160lb) etc. I'd stick to coil/oil even if I had cash oozing out
the shitter.

As for their warranty, I also understand their position (it's part of my job) - sending out new
stuff before a possible problem part is reviewed is asking for trouble, mostly.

Shaun aRe's life truth gem for today: - _All_ decisions are _easy_, once you've made the right one.

 

[Michael Dart]

"Slash" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So I've managed to narrow it down to three Marzocchi forks. I actually broke my own budget rule
> and am considering two forks that approach $300. Here's the rundown.
<Snip stuff I have had no experience with>

> #3 - 2002 Marzocchi Marathon 100mm $300 + s/h = ~$320
> http://www.speedgoat.com/PROD/store/categorie.asp?pid=3316&c=3

FREE SHIPPING!!! from Speedgoat. $300 even.

>
> Magnesium lowers, 3 way ECC lockout, adjustable pos/neg, basically has all the stuff I want and a
> lot of things I don't even know how to utilize yet. Again, this seems to me like a killer price.
> Yes, it's 2002, yes, it's on closeout, but god damn it is one sexy piece of bicycle part. All of
> my concerns from the MX Pro apply to this one, since they apparently both share similar air
> designs. Unless I'm misreading the Marathon listing and it's actually coil... is it? I know the
> 2003 line has the S and SL designations, but from what I read the 100mm Marathons are all air.
>

I purchased the Marathon 100 from Speedgoat last year. It has been a great fork to me and probably
the best XC air fork I've ridden. I also have a '99 RS SID and a '01 X-Fly 100 and the Marathon
blows both of these away. It has been criticized for it's 3 position ECC damping adjustment. The
first position is too fast, the second is just right and the third is locked down which is great for
long climbs. I've had a little trouble with oil getting in the negative air chamber and haven't gone
into the fork to sort it out yet. But I just gave it a 'burp' once and it has been fine since. You
read correctly, the '02 is an air fork, for '03 they have a coil/oil offering as well as air/oil.
$300 bucks is a terrific deal on this fork, heck if I had the money I'd buy another for a spare. ;^)

Mike

 

[Slash]

On Fri, 21 Feb 2003 08:09:20 -0500, "Michael Dart" <[email protected]> scribbled:

>> #3 - 2002 Marzocchi Marathon 100mm $300 + s/h = ~$320
>> http://www.speedgoat.com/PROD/store/categorie.asp?pid=3316&c=3
>
>FREE SHIPPING!!! from Speedgoat. $300 even.

Unfortunately, I doubt that'll apply to Alaska. It never seems to, so I dare not get my hopes up.
I'll call later today to find out for sure, though. Would certainly make this fork a little bit more
attractive than it already is - which would be quite a feat.

>I purchased the Marathon 100 from Speedgoat last year. It has been a great fork to me and probably
>the best XC air fork I've ridden. I also have a '99 RS SID and a '01 X-Fly 100 and the Marathon
>blows both of these away. It has been criticized for it's 3 position ECC damping adjustment. The
>first position is too fast, the second is just right and the third is locked down which is great
>for long climbs. I've had a little trouble with oil getting in the negative air chamber and haven't
>gone into the fork to sort it out yet. But I just gave it a 'burp' once and it has been fine since.
>You read correctly, the '02 is an air fork, for '03 they have a coil/oil offering as well as
>air/oil. $300 bucks is a terrific deal on this fork, heck if I had the money I'd buy another for a
>spare. ;^)
>
>Mike

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I'm getting some good replies here, keep 'em coming.

-Slash
--
"Ebert Victorious"

- The Onion

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

Slash <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I'm getting some good replies here, keep 'em coming.

You will get useful advice here, because we can understand what you write, and you don't come across
like a jerk with serious social and psychological problems. You have done your own research first as
well, rather than coming here empty handed and expecting everyone to *molly-coddle you by doing all
the leg work for you (*which tends to **** people off not a little!).

Hang around why not (we can always use more folks that can keep hold of a clue) - it's fun in here
as well as informative, unless you got skin thinner than gold leaf (heh) and yer head up yer ****,
in which case, well.....heheheheh ',;~}

Shaun aRe

 

[Spider]

Slash <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> So I've managed to narrow it down to three Marzocchi forks. I actually broke my own budget rule
> and am considering two forks that approach $300. Here's the rundown.

After having run air forks for a few years, I "downgraded" to a coil Z2 BAM on my hardtail. I
wish I had done it sooner, and to my FS bike. It just feels great. I won't go back to air if I
don't have to
- coils rule.

I read on this group a quip that a coil will never leak out and leave you with a flat fork on
the trail.

To hell with gadgetry - coil/oil is proven tech, and you will like it over time, I promise.

BTW - you can grommet your rim holes for Presta. Your LBS should be able to fix you up for less than
two bucks.

HTH,

Spider

 

[Tsheer]

"Anthony Sloan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The Marathons are all air. One positive chamber per leg, and a negative air chamber in one leg.
> pos/neg air chambers allow infinite adjustability to the compression characterisitics of the fork.
> It is, IMO one of the most underutilized features im mountain biking. I say this because I hear
> about too many people riding a fork that they have not attempted to fine tune for their riding
> style at all.

Can you provide some helpful tuning advice? I recently switched from a coil fork with preload,
rebound damping, and compression damping knobs. I understood what the knobs did and could dial the
fork in like I wanted it. On the new Marathon, it's not clear to me what the pos. and neg. chambers
are doing, despite reading the manual. Any advice appreciated, thanks.

 

[Craig Brossman]

"Slash" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So I've managed to narrow it down to three Marzocchi forks. I actually broke my own budget rule
> and am considering two forks that approach $300. Here's the rundown.
>
> #1 - 2002 Marzocchi MXR $219 + s/h = ~$240
> http://pricepoint.com/product1529.html
>
> Seems like a good all-around fork. Proven, reliable, responsive and still resistant to flex. Not
> the lightest, not the heaviest. Has preload and rebound controls with (apparently?) internally
> adjustable damping rate. Open bath oil/coil, 100mm.
>
> #2 - 2003 Marzocchi MX Pro w/ETA $270 + s/h = ~$300
> http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&ID=16053
>
> This one wasn't even in the running until I wandered across the Alfred E Bike page selling it at
> what seems to be a very good price indeed. Is this fork more or less the 2003 replacement for the
> MXR Air? Haven't been able to track down much information on this one due to it being relatively
> new. The info I've been able to find is positive, but I'm still not completely sure about the
> tradeoffs of air vs coil designs. As such I hesitate to jump into an air design without knowing
> the details, but the price seems very tempting. Features ETA, allowing a semi-lockdown with
> 25-30mm of travel. Useful? I don't know. My guess is that it'll be entertaining for a while but I
> can definitely live without it (and have). Hell, technically I don't even need suspension to begin
> with, but what can I say, I'm a gadget *****.
>
> Would this being a 2003 model make any difference? Build quality (Taiwan vs Italy, anything odd
> like that), warranty work... the manual seems better at least. Lots of goodies, SSV adjustments,
> air, ETA, 105mm travel.
>
> #3 - 2002 Marzocchi Marathon 100mm $300 + s/h = ~$320
> http://www.speedgoat.com/PROD/store/categorie.asp?pid=3316&c=3
>
> Magnesium lowers, 3 way ECC lockout, adjustable pos/neg, basically has all the stuff I want and a
> lot of things I don't even know how to utilize yet. Again, this seems to me like a killer price.
> Yes, it's 2002, yes, it's on closeout, but god damn it is one sexy piece of bicycle part. All of
> my concerns from the MX Pro apply to this one, since they apparently both share similar air
> designs. Unless I'm misreading the Marathon listing and it's actually coil... is it? I know the
> 2003 line has the S and SL designations, but from what I read the 100mm Marathons are all air.
>
> So basically I don't know which to get. Should I just get the MXR? Or should I spring for the
> Marathon? They all seem like solid forks on paper, they're all quite good looking (not that it's
> really a factor in the end, but...) and I've already gotten good feedback about the MXR - and I'd
> sooner trust the regular posters here than soulless mtbr.com "reviewers"...
>
> I'll have to make a decision by saturday, when my self-imposed deadline hits. I figure if I can't
> make up my mind by then, it isn't going to matter which one I get so I'll just go with the MXR.
> Any way I go, I'll be sure to post my impressions of the fork, an installation report and maybe
> even a ride report.
>
> Thoughts? Comments? Bring it on!
>
> -Slash
> --
> "Ebert Victorious"
>
> - The Onion
I have the MXR w/o ECC, 100mm of travel. Huge improvement over the RS Judy it replaced, nice balance
on my Truth F/S ride. I don't have a lot of experience with forks, but I've had no problems with
this one, I like the way it eats the both small and large bumps, and it seems much stiffer than the
RS it replaced.

For me, I will give up weight savings for lack of maintence. I ride 2-4 days a week here, often
leave at a moments notice, and hate to have to screw around with things mid-season. The MXR was a
good purchase for me.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

 

[Michael Dart]

"Tsheer" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "Anthony Sloan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > The Marathons are all air. One positive chamber per leg, and a negative air chamber in one leg.
> > pos/neg air chambers allow infinite adjustability to the compression characterisitics of the
> > fork. It is, IMO one of the most underutilized features im mountain biking. I say this because I
> > hear about too many people riding a fork that they have not attempted to fine tune for their
> > riding style at all.
>
> Can you provide some helpful tuning advice? I recently switched from a
coil
> fork with preload, rebound damping, and compression damping knobs. I understood what the knobs did
> and could dial the fork in like I wanted it. On the new Marathon, it's not clear to me what the
> pos. and neg. chambers are doing, despite reading the manual. Any advice appreciated, thanks.
>
>

The positive air chambers are your "springs". You set them up for your weight and to get the "sag"
you want when you get on the bike. They are low pressure/high volume so you are working somewhere
around 25-40psi. A pump with a smaller range on it's scale is very useful in fine tuning. The
negative air chamber opposes the positive 'springs' and gives the fork a head start into it's travel
when you hit a bump. Increase the pressure in it to increase 'plushness'. It is high pressure/low
volume, I usually run about 100psi in it. I set the ECC switch to it's middle position for best
damping when riding.

Mike

 

[Craig Brossman]

"Andrew Sisson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Craig Brossman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "Slash" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > So I've managed to narrow it down to three Marzocchi forks. I actually broke my own budget
> > > rule and am considering two forks that approach $300. Here's the rundown.
> > >
> > > #1 - 2002 Marzocchi MXR $219 + s/h = ~$240
> > > http://pricepoint.com/product1529.html
> > >
> > > Seems like a good all-around fork. Proven, reliable, responsive and still resistant to flex.
> > > Not the lightest, not the heaviest. Has preload and rebound controls with (apparently?)
> > > internally adjustable damping rate. Open bath oil/coil, 100mm.
> > >
> > > #2 - 2003 Marzocchi MX Pro w/ETA $270 + s/h = ~$300
> > > http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&ID=16053
> > >
> > > This one wasn't even in the running until I wandered across the Alfred E Bike page selling it
> > > at what seems to be a very good price indeed. Is this fork more or less the 2003 replacement
> > > for the MXR Air? Haven't been able to track down much information on this one due to it being
> > > relatively new. The info I've been able to find is positive, but I'm still not completely sure
> > > about the tradeoffs of air vs coil designs. As such I hesitate to jump into an air design
> > > without knowing the details, but the price seems very tempting. Features ETA, allowing a
> > > semi-lockdown with 25-30mm of travel. Useful? I don't know. My guess is that it'll be
> > > entertaining for a while but I can definitely live without it (and have). Hell, technically I
> > > don't even need suspension to begin with, but what can I say, I'm a gadget *****.
> > >
> > > Would this being a 2003 model make any difference? Build quality (Taiwan vs Italy, anything
> > > odd like that), warranty work... the manual seems better at least. Lots of goodies, SSV
> > > adjustments, air, ETA, 105mm travel.
> > >
> > > #3 - 2002 Marzocchi Marathon 100mm $300 + s/h = ~$320
> > > http://www.speedgoat.com/PROD/store/categorie.asp?pid=3316&c=3
> > >
> > > Magnesium lowers, 3 way ECC lockout, adjustable pos/neg, basically has all the stuff I want
> > > and a lot of things I don't even know how to utilize yet. Again, this seems to me like a
> > > killer price. Yes, it's 2002, yes, it's on closeout, but god damn it is one sexy piece of
> > > bicycle part. All of my concerns from the MX Pro apply to this one, since they apparently both
> > > share similar air designs. Unless I'm misreading the Marathon listing and it's actually
> > > coil... is it? I know the 2003 line has the S and SL designations, but from what I read the
> > > 100mm Marathons are all air.
> > >
> > > So basically I don't know which to get. Should I just get the MXR? Or should I spring for the
> > > Marathon? They all seem like solid forks on paper, they're all quite good looking (not that
> > > it's really a factor in the end, but...) and I've already gotten good feedback about the MXR -
> > > and I'd sooner trust the regular posters here than soulless mtbr.com "reviewers"...
> > >
> > > I'll have to make a decision by saturday, when my self-imposed deadline hits. I figure if I
> > > can't make up my mind by then, it isn't going to matter which one I get so I'll just go with
> > > the MXR. Any way I go, I'll be sure to post my impressions of the fork, an installation report
> > > and maybe even a ride report.
> > >
> > > Thoughts? Comments? Bring it on!
> > >
> > > -Slash
> > > --
> > > "Ebert Victorious"
> > >
> > > - The Onion
> > I have the MXR w/o ECC, 100mm of travel. Huge improvement over the RS
Judy
> > it replaced, nice balance on my Truth F/S ride. I don't have a lot of experience with forks, but
> > I've had no problems with this one, I like
the
> > way it eats the both small and large bumps, and it seems much stiffer
than
> > the RS it replaced.
> >
> > For me, I will give up weight savings for lack of maintence. I ride 2-4
> days
> > a week here, often leave at a moments notice, and hate to have to screw around with things
> > mid-season. The MXR was a good purchase for me.
> >
> > --
> > Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
> >
> >
>
> That's good to hear about the MXR. I just recently 'downgraded' from a SID SL to the MXR on my new
> Truth. I couldn't resist the pricepoint deal
($219)
> and the opportunity to move to 100mm of travel and a LOT less flex. Unfortunately we've had too
> much rain to get out and ride - very frustrating.
>
Let us know how you enjoy it. I have considered replacing my AD10 with a coil over shock as well,
just for the responsiveness. I've had no problems with the Cane Creek, but I think I would be
supprised with the feel of a coil over ... in a good way. Then of course there are disk brakes, a
new road bike, new levers ...
--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

 

[Tsheer]

"Michael Dart" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "Tsheer" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Can you provide some helpful tuning advice? I recently switched from a coil fork with preload,
> > rebound damping, and compression damping knobs. I understood what the knobs did and could dial
> > the fork in like I wanted
it.
> > On the new Marathon, it's not clear to me what the pos. and neg.
chambers
> > are doing, despite reading the manual. Any advice appreciated, thanks.
> >
> >
>
> The positive air chambers are your "springs". You set them up for your weight and to get the "sag"
> you want when you get on the bike. They are
low
> pressure/high volume so you are working somewhere around 25-40psi. A
pump
> with a smaller range on it's scale is very useful in fine tuning. The negative air chamber opposes
> the positive 'springs' and gives the fork a head start into it's travel when you hit a bump.
> Increase the pressure in it to increase 'plushness'. It is high pressure/low volume, I usually
run
> about 100psi in it. I set the ECC switch to it's middle position for best damping when riding.
>
> Mike
>
Thanks, that was very helpful. So the ECC knob controls rebound damping, reaching infinite in the
full clockwise position?

 

[D T W .../\\...]

snip
>
> The Marathons are all air. One positive chamber per leg, and a negative air chamber in one leg.
> pos/neg air chambers allow infinite adjustability to the compression characterisitics of the fork.
> It is, IMO one of the most underutilized features im mountain biking. I say this because I hear
> about too many people riding a fork that they have not attempted to fine tune for their riding
> style at all.
>
> Re: the 2002 Marathon. I have two of these, and both have been back to Marzocchi. One has gone
> back twice. It seems the the negative air cartridge was defective in many of these forks. The
> defect caused the o rings to not seat properly, which in turn allowed the negative air chamber to
> suck in a bunch of oil on rebound. This, quite effectively, transformed the fork onto a 40mm
> travel fork.
>
> It is a great fork, but you may well run into this same problem. If the fix is indeed in, as they
> claim, then at worst it will result on one warranty trip back to Marzocchi. The whole process
> could be expedited if they would just send out a negative air cartidge, but they like to see the
> stuff they are warrantying, and I understand that. Otherwise they are just sending out free
> replacement parts.
>
> A
> --
> My hands are full of thorns but I can't quit groping for the rose.
>

Anthony,

I have a 2002 "S" 100mm, that seems to be working fine. How do you know if the chamber is taking on
oil, other than watching the travel decrease?

What do you run for Pos-Neg air pressures? Amount of Oil? I'm 170 lbs and use 25/100lbs on a Klein
Adept. I have an Aireon 100lb pump that's great for this fork. Don't know how much oil's in there. I
haven't yet been able to ride / test it much, as we're buried in snow here in Boston.

DTW ..../\.../\.../\...

 

[Michael Dart]

"Tsheer" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> > about 100psi in it. I set the ECC switch to it's middle position for
best
> > damping when riding.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> Thanks, that was very helpful. So the ECC knob controls rebound damping, reaching infinite in the
> full clockwise position?
>

Yes and no. It is a three position switch. Position 1 is what Marz calls DH or fast. I call it no
damping. Position 2 is what Marz calls XC or slow. I find it the best for all around riding. This is
fortunate because there is no other choice. (The '03 fork supposedly has 8 positions). Position 3 is
the ECC lockout which locks the fork down into its travel. This is used for long climbs as it lowers
the front end and makes steering and weight distibution better going up. So in a nutshell it's Off,
On and Locked out. You have other options to change the way the fork rides by changing the air
pressures and the oil viscosity. It comes stock with 7.5wt oil.

Mike

 

[Anthony Sloan]

D T W .../\\... wrote:

>
> Anthony,
>
> I have a 2002 "S" 100mm, that seems to be working fine. How do you know if the chamber is taking
> on oil, other than watching the travel decrease?
>
> What do you run for Pos-Neg air pressures? Amount of Oil? I'm 170 lbs and use 25/100lbs on a Klein
> Adept. I have an Aireon 100lb pump that's great for this fork. Don't know how much oil's in there.
> I haven't yet been able to ride / test it much, as we're buried in snow here in Boston.
>
>
> DTW ..../\.../\.../\...
>
>
>
>

The fork will shorten up, and the front of your bike will be lower. Most noticeable when your bike
starts handling wicked quick. Also, if you take a small screwdriver and just tap the valve of the
negative chamber, oil will come old faithfulling out of there.

25/100 interesting. I run 40/100, but I have wondered lately about reducing the positive pressure to
about 30 or so. I imagine that with
25 (1according to spec) mm travel, I should rethink my pressures anyhoo. As for Oil, I run whatever
Marzocchi puts in there, as they have been the people who have rebuilt it the last two times.

A

--
My hands are full of thorns but I can't quit groping for the rose.

 

[Slash]

On Fri, 21 Feb 2003 14:51:28 -0000, "Shaun Rimmer" <[email protected]> scribbled:

>You will get useful advice here, because we can understand what you write, and you don't come
>across like a jerk with serious social and psychological problems. You have done your own research
>first as well, rather than coming here empty handed and expecting everyone to *molly-coddle you by
>doing all the leg work for you (*which tends to **** people off not a little!).
>
>Hang around why not (we can always use more folks that can keep hold of a clue) - it's fun in here
>as well as informative, unless you got skin thinner than gold leaf (heh) and yer head up yer ****,
>in which case, well.....heheheheh ',;~}
>
>
>Shaun aRe

Heh, I've been lurking for a good six months or so here, I'll probably be around for a while. Hell,
I might even post something entertaining occasionally.

-Slash
--
"Ebert Victorious"

- The Onion

 

[Chris Phillipo]

> I have the MXR w/o ECC, 100mm of travel. Huge improvement over the RS Judy it replaced, nice
> balance on my Truth F/S ride. I don't have a lot of experience with forks, but I've had no
> problems with this one, I like the way it eats the both small and large bumps, and it seems much
> stiffer than the RS it replaced.
>
> For me, I will give up weight savings for lack of maintence. I ride 2-4 days a week here, often
> leave at a moments notice, and hate to have to screw around with things mid-season. The MXR was a
> good purchase for me.
>
> --
> Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
>

If you want that Judy feel back you can pour out the 1/2 pound of oil that is in your Bomber and run
it dry, that should remind you of the good old lightweight rock shox
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Chris Phillipo]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
> "Anthony Sloan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > The Marathons are all air. One positive chamber per leg, and a negative air chamber in one leg.
> > pos/neg air chambers allow infinite adjustability to the compression characterisitics of the
> > fork. It is, IMO one of the most underutilized features im mountain biking. I say this because I
> > hear about too many people riding a fork that they have not attempted to fine tune for their
> > riding style at all.
>
> Can you provide some helpful tuning advice? I recently switched from a coil fork with preload,
> rebound damping, and compression damping knobs. I understood what the knobs did and could dial the
> fork in like I wanted it. On the new Marathon, it's not clear to me what the pos. and neg.
> chambers are doing, despite reading the manual. Any advice appreciated, thanks.
>
>
>

Your negative air chambers replace your rebound springs in a coil fork. This is the one thing about
an dual chamber air fork I like, because you could never adjust the rebound springs on the coil
forks and Marzocchi didn't offer more than a couple grades of spring to replace them with. So
basically, the more air you put in the chamber, the stiffer the top out "bumper" in the fork, it
also happens to decrease travel because too much pressure will also increase the initial sag of the
fork. It helps to think of the inner legs of your fork not as a pogo stick on a spring but as a ball
suspended between an upper and lower rubber band.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Jonathan Bond]

Chris Phillipo wrote:
>>I have the MXR w/o ECC, 100mm of travel. Huge improvement over the RS Judy it replaced, nice
>>balance on my Truth F/S ride. I don't have a lot of experience with forks, but I've had no
>>problems with this one, I like the way it eats the both small and large bumps, and it seems much
>>stiffer than the RS it replaced.
>>
>>For me, I will give up weight savings for lack of maintence. I ride 2-4 days a week here, often
>>leave at a moments notice, and hate to have to screw around with things mid-season. The MXR was a
>>good purchase for me.
>>
>>--
>>Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
>>
>
>
> If you want that Judy feel back you can pour out the 1/2 pound of oil that is in your Bomber and
> run it dry, that should remind you of the good old lightweight rock shox

Hmm, and use a rubber band for your skewer. And keep it loose.

Jon Bond

 

[Michael Dart]

"Jonathan Bond" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Chris Phillipo wrote:
> > If you want that Judy feel back you can pour out the 1/2 pound of oil that is in your Bomber and
> > run it dry, that should remind you of the good old lightweight rock shox
>
> Hmm, and use a rubber band for your skewer. And keep it loose.
>

Hehehe...nice touch.

Mike - I have some old Judy leg stickers.

 

[Per LöWdin]

> > Re: the 2002 Marathon. I have two of these, and both have been back to Marzocchi. One has gone
> > back twice. It seems the the negative air cartridge was defective in many of these forks. The
> > defect caused the o rings to not seat properly, which in turn allowed the negative air chamber
> > to suck in a bunch of oil on rebound. This, quite effectively, transformed the fork onto a 40mm
> > travel fork.

I have had this problem too. Oil seems to seep from the positive to the negative chamber. I have
ridden the fork for nearly a year now and can say: when it works it is fine, stiff, smooth, and
comfortable. But it came with too much oil (to short travel), have had several leakages, had to
change the lids on the legs, later the air vents too, to change oil you need a special tool to
separate the lid form the negative chamber´s rod, and the darn thing is still fairly unpredictable.
A mitigating circumstance is that Marzochhi customer support in the US is very friendly and helpful.
Has even gone to the trouble of sending me me parts across the Atlantic. Chers to them!

Would I buy another one? For the ride, yes, perhaps, but only if I was certain that they have sorted
out the problems with the 02s. I would consider the coil version to be able to forget about leaks.

Per

http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/English.html