Review: Marzocchi's New Z1 Coil Fork - The Return of a Classic

Jan 14, 2020
by Mike Kazimer  
Marzocchi Z1 Coil


Depending on when you started mountain biking, there's a good chance that the Marzocchi name still brings back memories of open bath, coil-sprung forks that were dead simple to set up and service. When the original Z1 came out in 1997 it helped fuel the fire of the freeride movement, and the years that followed saw the release of classics like the Monster T, Junior T, and then the 888 and 66.

Marzocchi returned the Z1 to their lineup in 2018, but it was air-sprung, and despite its excellent performance, fans were still left clamoring for a coil-sprung option. Well, the wait is over, and the coil-sprung Z1 is back. The $749 USD fork is nearly identical to the air-sprung Z1 – it still uses a Grip damper for compression and rebound adjustments – except that now there's a coil spring sitting inside the left stanchion, with a dial on the top to adjust preload.
Z1 Coil Details

• Intended use: all-mountain / enduro
• Coil-sprung
• Grip damper
• Wheel size: 29" or 27.5" options
• Adjustments: compression, rebound, preload
• Travel: 150mm (29 only), 160, 170, 180mm (27.5 only)
• Offsets: 37mm (27.5"), 44, 51mm (29")
• 36mm stanchions
• Weight: 2,552 grams (29")
• Price: $749 USD / Conversion kit: $175 USD
www.marzocchi.com


Four different coil spring weights are available, which should accommodate riders between 120 – 250 pounds. Additional springs are priced at $45. Perhaps even better is the fact that it's possible to convert an air-sprung Z1 or Fox 36 Rhythm fork to coil for just $175 USD. At the moment, those are the only forks that can be converted to coil - the kit isn't compatible with any other series of Fox 36 forks, such as Factory, Performance Elite, or Performance, at least for now.

The 29” Z1 can be configured to have 150, 160, or 170 millimeters of travel, and the 27.5” version can be set at either 160, 170, or 180 millimeters. Not a fan of the flashy red lowers? There's also a black version available.


Marzocchi Z1 Coil

Marzocchi Z1 Coil
Marzocchi Z1 Coil


Chassis Details

The chassis of the Z1 Coil is the same as the air-sprung version, with 36mm stanchions constructed from 6000-series aluminum. A Grip cartridge damper, which uses a spring-backed internal floating piston to compensate for the displaced oil as the fork is compressed resides in the right leg. Low-speed compression is adjusted by rotating the big gold dial on the top of that leg, while rebound is adjusted via the red knob that's hidden under a black cap at the bottom of the right leg.

It's on the spring side where things are a little different than the air-sprung model. The top cap has a dial that's used for preload adjustment, which is used to adjust the amount of sag. Remember, just like on a coil shock, preload doesn't affect the spring rate or curve. In other words, if you're reaching the end of the travel too quickly, adding more preload isn't the answer. On that topic, Marzocchi designed the coil spring unit to have built-in bottom-out resistance thanks to the air and oil that's trapped in the lower leg. The amount of ramp-up isn't adjustable, but the design should help give the fork a slightly less linear curve as it nears the end of its travel.

Looking for even more adjustability? One potential option would be to install a Fox Grip 2 damper. At around $300 it's not a cheap upgrade, but it does add the ability to adjust high-speed compression and rebound.

Marzocchi's quick-release thru-axle holds the wheel on, although, as I mentioned in the original Z1 review, I wish a bolt-on axle was the stock configuration. A bolt-on axle may be ever-so-slightly less convenient, but they're also cleaner looking and there aren't any moving parts to deal with.

Marzocchi Z1 Coil
A look at the Z1's spring-side internals. The red spacers are used to adjust the travel, and the green plastic sleeves around the top of the spring helps prevent any rattling.

The 29” version of the Z1 coil can be set at either 150, 160, or 170mm, and the best part is there's no need to buy any additional parts to make a change. If you're comfortable doing a lower leg service on a fork, the procedure should take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Once the lower legs are off and the C-clip at the bottom of the stanchion is removed, the spring unit slides out. Adding a spacer below the shelf that the main spring rests on reduces the travel, and putting one above the main spring increases the travel.

Over the course of the last few months I've had the Z1 in all three travel configurations – it spent time at 150mm on a Nukeproof Reactor, at 160mm on a Norco Sight, and at 170mm on a Banshee Titan.


Marzocchi Z1 Coil


Ride Impressions

Marzocchi's spring rate charts put me on a blue / medium spring for the 160 and 170mm configurations, but I ended up preferring the green / firm spring for all setups - the blue spring was too soft for my liking. Bumping up a spring rate helped ensure there was still travel left over for the really big hits, and more of my time was spent in the middle of the stroke.

On the air-sprung Z1, I ran the compression lever about 1/8 of the way through its range, while on the coil Z1 I ended up running the lever in the midpoint of the range. That additional low-speed compression helped give me the ride height I was looking for and helped prevent the fork from diving too deep into its travel. There aren't any detents in that compression lever, which means riders might want to make a mark on the crown with a paint pen to denote their preferred position. That'll make it easier to get back to that spot quickly if the lever gets bumped, or rotated to add even more compression for a long climb.


Marzocchi Z1 Coil


The air-sprung Z1 isn't exactly lacking when it comes to its overall trail feel - when I reviewed it last year I wrote, “I have zero complaints in regards to stiction... There's minimal breakaway force required to get things moving, and small bumps were dispatched without any issues.” Those words still hold true, but going the coil route takes the level of small bump sensitivity to the next level. The coil Z1's smoothness is very impressive, and it delivers a welcome amount of additional traction when it comes to dealing with wet, slippery, and off-camber sections of trail.

Of course, if your trails tend to be smoother and flowier the Z1 Coil isn't going to deliver much of a performance difference compared to the air-sprung version – it's on rougher sections of trail where the benefits of a coil spring really stand out. Hard, fast and repeated hits melted away nicely, which helped keep my hands and forearms happy on long, sustained descents. My ears were kept happy too - the plastic sleeves that surround the Z1's spring worked very well, and I didn't encounter any annoying knocking or rattling.

On bigger hits, the end-stroke ramp up is much less abrupt than what an air fork full of spacers feels like. I used the full amount of travel every once in a while, usually on larger drops to not-that-steep landings, but overall the ramp-up is very smooth, just enough to keep the fork from going through all of its travel too quickly.

Are there any downsides to the Z1 Coil? Well, there's that 2,500 gram weight to consider, which is around a pound more than an air-sprung 36 or a RockShox Lyrik, or approximately 340 grams more than the air-sprung Z1. There's also the fact that it's not really possible to fine-tune a coil shock in the same way you would with air, which means some riders could potentially end up between spring rates and need to settle on a slightly stiffer or softer setup than they'd typically run.


Marzocchi Z1 Coil
Wade Simmons in his element aboard the Z1 Coil. Photo: Nicholas Kupiak


Pros

+ Extremely easy to set up and adjust
+ No extra parts needed to adjust travel
+ Super smooth & supple in rough terrain


Cons

- Not for gram-counters
- Only four spring weights
- Some riders may want more adjustments



Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesThe new Z1 Coil hits the mark, delivering tons of traction and comfort at an attractive price. The coil conversion kit is also a welcome option, giving riders the ability to change the ride feel of their current Z1 or Fox 36 Rhythm without breaking the bank. Mike Kazimer






Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,719 articles

301 Comments
  • 297 1
 ahhh spring is in the air..
  • 38 2
 one minute you are in winter then BAM here it is
  • 24 2
 @sewer-rat: hardly enough time to rebound
  • 207 3
 That comment is Z1 I was waiting for.
  • 14 3
 Not shocked to see this bounce to the top
  • 20 22
 I can't stanchion more puns.
  • 19 2
 coil is air to the throne.
  • 7 5
 Preload your pun gun. It's going to rebound from all directions
  • 8 22
flag duzzi (Jan 14, 2020 at 7:55) (Below Threshold)
 Still remember my Z1! Circa 1998 (my gods ...). I recently got a PUSH ACS3 coil Kit for my Pike Dual. It made a good fork into the best I ever owned. Weight penalty was 225 grams, and the ACS3 controls the end of travel with air pressure! Coil is real!
  • 1 3
 While a coil spring fork will never be a SuperFly weight, you'll be thankful for the cushion at every big Drop Off.
  • 2 4
 Z1 coil fork is a breath of fresh air
  • 3 2
 This is Z1 for me
  • 161 1
 But will it bind at a 57° HA?
  • 87 0
 I have a 36 Rhythm with a vorsprung smashpot.

It’s good, really good. This looks like a more polished product and I like the preload adjustment but the hydraulic bottom out control on the smashpot is quite simply awesome. It’s supple, quiet and confidence inspiring. It’s heavy AF but you don’t notice it at all.

The feeling of nostalgia with this fork is high with the Z1, what’s old as new Like how I used to Tie an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em.
  • 35 1
 Grampa Simpson?
  • 3 0
 @Smokey79: lol totally
  • 10 0
 Gimme two bees for a quarter.
  • 15 0
 @Brasher I'm cold, and there are wolves after me.
  • 5 0
 I pieced it together, mostly from sugar packets.
  • 6 0
 Damn kaiser... forcing us to use the word dickity.
  • 3 0
 @Sweatypants: stole the nine!
  • 2 1
 My Lyrik with Smashpot coil conversion and RC2.1 Charger is confidence-inspiring like nothing before. The only drawback is now lack of skill Smile
  • 1 3
 smashpot is super cool but an elastomer gets it done almost as well without the cost, complexity, or weight. You can see the elastomer used in this setup
  • 1 0
 @jewpowered: using an elastomer for bottom out resistance is fine if you have HSC adjustment. Without it in the case of this fork, I prefer Vorsprungs solution
  • 5 0
 They didn't have coil forks, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big airsprung ones.
  • 27 2
 Just to point out that while coil springs are this year's must-have, that weight of 2500g is the same as a set of 2020 Boxxers.
So which would you rather have?
Ultra stiff with never creaky crown or slightly better small bump sensitivity.
  • 19 0
 This is actually a great point. Same weight, way stiffer, no creaking, and the axle-to-crown height of a 200mm 29" boxxer is 20cm more than a 170mm 29" z1. That means a Boxxer reduced to 180mm is the same axle to crown as a 170mm z1. More travel, same weight, stiffer, same geo.
  • 16 0
 Fox needs to pull the Zoke titanium coil out of the archives.
  • 5 3
 The Z1 is heavy, get a Pike with a Push ACS3 and you around 2100-2200 depending on coil. My pike with ACS3 is at 2150. And yo have the added benefit of controlling the end of travel with air pressure.
  • 5 1
 @gumbytex: Or just get an MRP Bartlett... it's basically an enduro dual crown that you can run at 170mm or self adjust in 5mm increments up to 190mm.
  • 5 1
 I’d rather have my frame warranties. You’re talking about 2 different forks for 2 different bikes. If you’re worried about weight this isn’t your fork. If you want a fork that just straight up works on a budget. This is your fork.

I ran the standard z1 back to back with a factory 36. Weight didn’t bug me but I did notice the added stiffness. This just adds the weight of the spring set up to the z1. My remedy still sub 30 with this fork on it.
  • 3 2
 Is that a 2020 coil boxxer that weighs 2.5kg? Or is it the air boxxer?

I get your point on weight, but the point of this fork isn’t that it’s heavy, it’s that it’s got a coil spring in it. The one with no coil spring is 300g lighter, because the coil spring weighs 300g. Therefore the target customer for this fork is someone who is willing to take a weight penalty for the smoothness and low maintenance of a coil spring.

My guess is, people who care about weight will buy a Pike. People who want a reasonably cheap coil fork have one option (because the ACS 3 and the Smashpot are not cheap conversions).

I like the idea though for people who like air. Mojo had a fox 36 dual crown upgrade kit, I don’t know if it ever came out. There is the Bartlett which I have never seen in real life.

It raised the question, if a suspension company wanted to design an enduro single crown from scratch with legs that could only extend to 180mm, super light top crown, tapered to fook upper sections of the legs, and a minimal lower crown, perhaps even a steerer tubeless design, what would that weigh? Surely two crowns could weight the same as a big fat single crown. The weight of the taller stanchions could be offset by removing the steerer tube. Is 2kg theoretically possible?
  • 1 0
 @gumbytex: literally started drulling then.
  • 1 0
 @jaame: there aren't coil Boxxers in 2020, only air.

I'd argue that both forks are in fact targeting similar audiences. I'm not necessarily saying one is better, just that their weight and intended use are very similar bearing in mind you can run 2020 Boxxers at 180mm travel (and presumably less).
  • 1 1
 @onemanarmy: hows working at fox?
  • 3 0
 @jaame: that exact fork exists. It's called the Manitou mezzer, I have one and it's fantastic in all aspects
  • 2 0
 @naturaltalent: Sorry, I meant an enduro dual crown with totally pared down crowns and no steerer tube. I didn't mean a single crown.

The Mezzer yes, it is a fork I've looked at buying. They look sweet and I love the Tomac era graphics.
  • 2 0
 Yeah I reckon you could get a double crown fork closer to 2000g if you trimmed it down. Get rid of the steerer, 180mm travel max, butted stanchions, use Lyrik lowers
  • 2 0
 @IllestT: that would be totally interesting to see. Certainly 2.2kg would be possible if not 2kg.
  • 2 0
 @jaame:

Mezzer is great. Issues seem to be sirted out. Mine woried fine from the Beginning.

Other way: get a used cheap yari, an awk/runt dual positive air chamber cartridge and an avalanche or M-Suspensiontech tuning cartridge. Great supportive, sejsitive forks with smooth and reliable damping. Better than thos le stock lyriks and so on.

Or a Mezzer and if something does not fut, make a small shimstack tune and you are done
  • 51 29
 If you want a real marzocchi go and hit a freaking DVO. Reliable. Aesthetic. Stiff. Smooth. Engineered by the guys at the REAL FORMER MARZOCCHI
  • 27 41
flag onemanarmy FL (Jan 14, 2020 at 6:38) (Below Threshold)
 Heard all this before. Just copy and paste from every other Marz post on pinkbike. Come up with something new.
  • 28 13
 You mean the guys, who literally sells glorified Monarch Plus as innovative rear shocks?
  • 12 21
flag Uchwmdr (Jan 14, 2020 at 7:53) (Below Threshold)
 @onemanarmy: Something new? You mean like buying a dying brand, and reselling its best product but as one of tour worst products? Like fox put the Z1 name on literally the lowest end possible fox fork and it instantly became a hit?
  • 5 3
 @carlpresseault: what do you mean?
  • 10 4
 @Uchwmdr: it is something new.

How are you going to say they’re reselling their best product and knock them for that... which they’re not. Then say they’re rebadging Fox products and knock them for that? Pick one. At least then you wouldn’t sound like every other idiot beating this horse.
  • 10 6
 @onemanarmy: seems you havent red my comment carefully. Ive already picked my statement and expressed it prettty clearly. This fork has nothing to do with the real og except it is a coil sprung now and it ha the same name. Everything else is fox’s. Dont get me wrong, i think fox are pretty good forks, one of the best in fact, but this is far from their best products. My first comment was an absolute truth, because if you dont know, it is namely Ronnie and Bryson from DVO, who CAME UP WITH THE VERY VERY FIRST BOMBER Z1. Then, when Marzocchi was a sinking ship, they left it, and took away the legacy of the legendary forks, putting it into a modern shape- DVO. Im not some fanboy who denies other brands, but i choose dvo because it suits me better, and feels like my thing. Not saying fox is garbage, but this exact item is nothing but a hype over some old nostalgic times.
  • 14 1
 @carlpresseault: it's not a monarch plus. It's a suntour.
  • 6 11
flag carlpresseault (Jan 14, 2020 at 10:26) (Below Threshold)
 @Uchwmdr: Have you ever serviced a Topaz? It's a Monarch Plus. Not a copy. It's the same shock.
  • 5 3
 @spaceofades: have you ever serviced one?
  • 8 0
 @carlpresseault: I've not, but I know the T3 air uses the same chassis as a Suntour Triair. And that's a FACT
  • 8 2
 @carlpresseault: have you ever serviced one?
  • 3 4
 @carlpresseault: i own both shocks. Replaced a 3 month old monarch plus with a topaz because the monarch felt like there was sand instead of grease, oil and air inside. True, they look so similar, but let me tell you the difference is STELLAR. My only rides of the topaz so far ate at the temperature range between 8 and -10 degrees celsius. Let me tell you that it performes like it is a completely different shock. These temperatures are very extreme for a system like an air shock meaning it is supposed to feel extremely stiff. Im not someone who does not maintain his bike in fact im very caring about it and do know how things work, so i gave both shocks the exact amount of care and atention. The result was obvious for me. Dunno if it is the blader of the topaz, or the whole build quality, but it works waaay better than imagined a shock could work when i was on the monarch. Im curious, have you ridden one of these shocks, that you are soo sure in formulating your opinon about them?
  • 13 12
 @Uchwmdr: I'm a suspension tech. It's only the bladder or the placebo effect. I can rebuild a Topaz with a Monarch plus service kit minus the bladder. The better build quality is between your ears.
  • 3 4
 @carlpresseault: well, the fact that the one feels better is enough for me. At the same design and construction as you say, the topaz feels significantly better from my experience. That bladder will turn out to be a pretty big deal.
  • 11 1
 @Uchwmdr: Where marzocchi went wrong is because they went after the racers and not the dirt jumpers, freeriders and hardtail riders who they had in their back pocket right up to the 888. We liked them because they were bomb proof, didn’t break and could go long periods without maintenance and you could service them yourself. Looks like this is what fox is trying to do here. This forks cool as f*ck and I definitely want one.
  • 2 1
 @Uchwmdr: I have ridden the monarch plus, the triair and topaz. I haven't serviced any of them but I was in a similar boat as you; the Monarch did not ride well at all. Slapped on the Topaz/Triair (2 different bikes, same company) and the ride was so much better. And the fact that I can do alot of the service myself if need be was also a great selling point. And there is nothing wrong with being like the monarch plus. There are only so many ways to do MTB suspension so I am not really sure that's worth complaining about. To each their own i guess.
  • 1 2
 @carlpresseault: can the monarch be fully serviced at home like the topaz?

as far as i know the topaz is based on the suntour, but with DVO's better product support. maybe the monarch is based on the suntour as well?
  • 5 2
 @xeren: The monarch has a nitrogen ifp instead of bladder so it 'cant' be serviced at home unless you have a nitrogen charging setup. Can be gotten around with the right shock pump, but not recommended.
  • 6 4
 @spaceofades: The rebuild guide states that you can use both but nitrogen is recommended.
@xeren: No it's the DVO that's a Monarch Plus. SR Suntour ones are different. You can rebuild it at home.
  • 2 0
 @carlpresseault: I find it tough to get the pump to keep all the air in, a bit seeps out when unthreading the fitting. Also, most pumps only go up to 300 when the ifp charge is often 350
  • 7 0
 @carlpresseault: as someone that was a brand rep for suntour i have serviced the triair rear shock we use and on top of that ive even used the seals from the topaz, suntour manufactures for dvo and to say the triair and topaz are copies of a monarch is dumbing them down, while they have similarities the topaz and triair perform in a far different way to the monarch, i think shock tune and suspension kinematics have more to do with ride quality then shock but i believe the triair and topaz are both superior to the monarch
  • 10 1
 It is really difficult to believe that the Topaz is the Monarch plus. Sram designs its own stuff, and DVO designs its own stuff. Sram has manufacturing in Taiwan and China, factories that actually say SRAM on the outside. DVO is known to be part owned by SR Suntour and manufactured in the SR Suntour factory that says SR Suntour on the outside, among other things. Therefore I find it so unlikely as to be implausible that they are made in the same factory.
If they are the same shock as you claim, I guess it would mean DVO copied the Monarch plus and had SR Suntour manufacture it with a bladder instead of an IFP.
This would raise two questions. First, why would they copy a shock that was shit? Second, why didn't SRAM sue them for copying?
I'm not saying you're wrong, just that I find it hard to believe and also that this is the first time I've heard that claim.
  • 9 1
 @Uchwmdr: makes me wonder if you know what low end is because a rs dart or a Sr suntour xct is low end. Z1 is far from low end. Just because it's not top tier stuff doesn't mean it's junk. Your reply reminds me of a spoiled rich kid where it's gotta be the best or nothing you probably have an I phone 11 that your parents bought for you.
  • 5 3
 @jaame: Take a Topaz apart. Take a Monarch Plus apart. Let me know. I swear, it's the same thing. It's probably used under licence or something but it's not close, it's the same...
  • 6 0
 @carlpresseault: I had a monarch plus first gen in 2011 or even 2010. What a piece of shite that shock was. I had it serviced three times in the first six months because it kept shitting itself. I hope I never see another one in my life. It actually put me off air shocks for good. Even now I want a coil shock for my new bike.

Like I say, you could be right. I don't know for sure.
  • 1 1
 Trust me, you do not want anything designed by them.
  • 1 7
flag Uchwmdr (Jan 15, 2020 at 4:03) (Below Threshold)
 @mhoshal: sorry to disappoint you buy im a broken ass med student who pays for bike parts with money gained by working as a surgery sanitary at the hospital cleaning all kinds of things you can imagine.
  • 1 4
 Dvo didnt copy the garbage monarch. They made their own shock, that looks like it on the outside, but is way more aesthetic. Of course they share some similarities, after all they are both air shocks with piggy back, and as far as im concerned, there isn’t too much to be different in both shocks. Oh wait, there is. The one works awesome and does not feel like shit, on top of that looks awesome and the other looks quite shitty and according to many people, not just me, it works like crap. In my opinion the monarch is a mild shock, made for xc and light trail. Thats why it becomes shitty if ridden harder like i my case. Another thing is that DVO IS NOT OWNED BY SUNTOUR. In a specific interview of Bryson Martin, he said that when they started, they needed some factory to produce their stuff since they had left marzocchi, and in case dont know, it is quite hard and expensive to just start a production of lets say 300 000 forks. Thats why they have a contract with suntour factories to do the manufacturing for them. But i assure you, that despite being assembled in similar factories, dvo and suntour products are quite different. People always associate suntour with their lowest oem products like xct forks, bur from an xct fork to a durolux fork there is a lot of difference, just like between a dvo onyx and a suntour durolux.
  • 4 3
 @Uchwmdr: You don't get it... Did you open one already. Go open a Topaz. It's not a copy... It uses the same. exact. parts.
I mean they are interchangeable. I could install a bladder reservoir from a DVO topaz on a monarch plus. I could take a M+ RT3 metering rod and put it straight into a Topaz.
What is the part that you don't get?
  • 3 4
 @carlpresseault: i dont get why you keep saying this?
  • 5 1
 @Uchwmdr: I don't get what you don't get man. What is the part of "The" and "same" you don't get. You never opened one and you claim I'm wrong.
  • 5 0
 can someone @srammedia and @dvosuspension chime in and settle this please
  • 3 0
 @jaame: see my last reply
  • 1 2
 @carlpresseault:
Okay man, i agree with you that they indeed might be the same in construction. This does not change the fact that the one outperforms the other.
  • 2 3
 @carlpresseault: Doesn't the Monarch Plus use an IFP instead of a bladder, like the Topaz? That's a pretty minor, but distinct difference.

I've not broken down all three, but I've heard from those that have that there are striking similarities between the Monarch, TriAir, and Topaz. DVO is pretty open that they use SR Suntour for manufacturing and I know SR Suntour whitelabels manufacturing for other brands. It seems likely that they manufacture the Monarch, as well, which may explain the similarities.

Regardless, I'd rather have the Topaz simply because I can get DVO on the phone. As an individual, I can't interact directly with SRAM, which is frustrating. I've had DVO products before and, while I wasn't a huge fan of the Topaz (it's overdamped), their forks are real easy to work on and felt better than equiv. RS/Fox products.
  • 3 1
 @shinook: "Take the bladder out of the equation." It's effectively the main difference.
  • 1 0
 @carlpresseault: Fair enough, I didn't see your most recent posts when I asked that.
  • 6 0
 @jaame: I can verify that indeed SR SUNTOUR manufactures DVO products in our Taiwan facility. That has been mentioned by DVO since Day 1. There is no secret to that.

There are a few overlapping products that we use between the 2 brands but the DVO product range is positioned as a more up market product with a higher cosmetic fit and finish. DVO also uses their tried and true bladder system where as SR SUNTOUR utilizes a more user friendly IFP for do it yourself yearly maintenance. Both systems are well proven and should be chosen based on user preferences.

DVO is the only brand we manufacture in our facilities.

Cheers.
  • 3 0
 @SSNA-WERX: "DVO is the only brand we manufacture in our facilities."

Right on, good to know. For some reason, I thought you did manufacturing for others. Thanks for the info.
  • 2 0
 @SSNA-WERX: thanks. That's what I've been saying.
  • 2 2
 Fox bought marz took their damper put it in their high end forks and put their budget dampers in the marz forks.
  • 2 0
 @reverend27: true. The new fox damper is exactly the same as the damper in the 380’s. I had a set, broke them in the first few weeks but they were absolutely class after that. Must have been an assembly issue.
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: My 55 was the best fork I'd ridden in 2013, until it broke. After it was fixed it was never as good. Weird.
  • 1 0
 @carlpresseault:

But s the piston design the same, too. One can see easily that the outer structure of both shocks is almost identical,but is with the comoression and main piston design?
  • 1 1
 @bansaiman: Maybe DVO tune them differently but it's effectively the same.
  • 21 0
 @mikekazimer when do we get the full Banshee Titan review?
  • 1 0
 Already got my z1 with a grip2 and smashpot ready for my Titan in the spring. Pretty interested in a review on it!
  • 2 0
 I’ve had one for a couple of months and I’m a huge fan. I’m not kaz but I live in the same town. Let me know if you want any details but short story I love it.
  • 2 0
 @andrewfif: the z1 or titan?
  • 1 0
 @jazzawil: xl titan Smile
  • 1 0
 @andrewfif: I tossing up between Titan and Reign 29 adv pro 1. Look on paper like they should ride pretty similar but haven't managed a test ride on the banshee.
  • 1 0
 @andrewfif: It looks like the only difference between the Titan and Prime frames is the rocker and shock. Heard anything on that...? Be kinda cool to be able to convert between the two...?
  • 1 0
 That’s a good question I haven’t even looked man that would be cool! @stiingya:
  • 23 9
 "Marzocchi returned the Z1 to their lineup in 2018" ... i know things change
but

Marzocchi was Marzocchi when there was a bunch of Italians who had innovative and creative ideas and did things with the ability of Italian artisans
  • 44 7
 Very romantic, but unfortunately the market did not support the way those italian artisans did business and the company went bust...so we can only thank Fox for bringing back this name and giving it an identity in the market that makes a lot of sense and will hopefully give it longevity!
  • 16 0
 Long live the RC3 Ti chassis
  • 15 9
 @metareal: The market does not need this Marzocchi, there are enough forks out there ... it's Fox that needs the Marzocchi brand
  • 7 1
 @blacktea: pretty sure Fox is successful enough on its own. Market diversification helps, but clearly they do not "need" Marzocchi as much as Marzocchi has benefitted from them.

Having said all of this I don't want to spread hate, I am super stoked about this from both a brand perspective and a product concept...let alone the fact that I am Italian and love to see Marzocchi do well!
  • 20 27
flag WAKIdesigns (Jan 14, 2020 at 6:02) (Below Threshold)
 @blacktea: you are delusional. Nobody gives a flying damn about Marzocchi since 2009 and most interested died completely in 2010. Their morbidly overweight forks with no real damping were the weirdo at the party for years. This Z1 is literally the best fork that has ever been sold with Marzocchi logo on it. And it’s still worse than Fox 34/36 grip2 or Lyrik/Pike Ultimate.
  • 6 0
 @blacktea: Without Fox, Marzocchi would have faded into obscurity.
  • 3 1
 @blacktea: how do you figure? Fox is doing just fine.
  • 2 0
 @milehi: Amen. Still own mine @ 170mm. To bad it only works with tiny wheels.
  • 9 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I bought the Z1 to replace a 36 that came on my bike... I do have big nostalgic pullings towards Marz as I had a few Bombers back in the day and the NRC(bad stiction), and I am aware this is a rebranded Fox. But, I was able to get the 150 travel with red lowers(makes me happy), and, for me it rides much better than the, what I consider overcomplicated 36. I'm more of a "set and forget" type rider and this fork just does what it's supposed to do, rides well, is stout, and I'm not having to think about if I turn that little dial in conjunction with the four others, how the fork will feel.
  • 3 0
 @GlassGuy: I really like the grip damper... and the ease of going full firm on climbs or at the pump track
  • 2 1
 @GlassGuy: I know what you’re saying. My last fork was a Fox 36 RC2 factory. I always ran the HSC totally open. I wish I could have opened it more to be honest. The rebound is set and forget on any fork. The LSC is used but not very often. Now I have a Yari which is a fork the snob in me would never want... but it’s been spot on! Really supple, nice linear stroke that I like. What more do you want?

Did Fox save Marzocchi? I was under the impression they bought the name and the designs, not the employees or facilities. If I’m right about that, Fox did not save marzocchi. Rather, they allowed the people who owned marzocchi to get out with money in their pockets, as opposed to getting out broke as beggars. I doubt the people of marzocchi, and by that I mean the employees, would have seen any of that money. Maybe a bit I guess if they got redundancy. They still had to find new jobs though.
  • 1 0
 @jaame: I can't look at the Z1 with the same sort of pride I did when I had the chrome/red Bomber of the past...kind of felt like more of a bad ass with those forks. But knowing it's owned by Fox the name doesn't have that same cache' and cool factor, but I can't help but want to have a Z1...and it's bright red...and it actually rides really well, even if it is a Fox inside. I guess kind of like still loving Jaguar even after they were bought by Ford! ha ha
  • 4 1
 @GlassGuy: To be honest, it's all good. This fork says Marzocchi on it, it's got a coil spring and the Grip damper was originally designed by Marzocchi and called the DBC. According to some people that DBC design was a factor in Fox buying Marzocchi's intellectual property. All they need to do now is make a new lower leg casting with disc mounts on both sides and paint it orange. Instant street cred.
  • 1 7
flag WAKIdesigns (Jan 14, 2020 at 13:30) (Below Threshold)
 @GlassGuy: Last year I rode Fox 34 with grip as well as 36 with grip 2. The latter was the best fork that I have ever ridden beating by a bit the second best fork that I have ever ridden the 2011 36 RC2 Van. I can and like to turn the knobs, I know te balance of grip and stability that I want - LSR And HSR are particularly important to me. I can live without them, after all I have a Lyrik RCT3 with Charger 1, that os no better than Yari RC. But when they give me the knobs, I can make use of them. Grip damper is quite similar to Rockshox RC. Gets the job done for majority of people. But Grip 2 is worth the cash for me. One day!
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: the fact that you compare forks that have 10-15 years of difference already says something ...
  • 2 7
flag WAKIdesigns (Jan 14, 2020 at 15:04) (Below Threshold)
 @blacktea: what does it say? I had 2011 Van RC2 between 2014 and 2015. Then bought Lyrik RCT3 and it was never as good. Took me a month to dial it kind of near it. 2011 RC2 had everything RS Charger 3 has. Bladder, Separate high and low compression and rebound. It took RS 7 years to match the first FIT damper. Not to mention that older RC2 had proper axle interface. Now I happen to have ridden the 380CR and sorry it is a noisy mother of five at the right time of the month. Rode it on Dark Matter woth EXT, it was messing up an otherwise stellar bike. Not to mention the failure of this silly espresso coating. Rode 44 as well as 55 RC3Ti wonderful (actually better than 360 and 380) until you ride actual big holes or slam brakes on steeps. Most fans of pre Fox Marzocchi are mistaking underdamped and undersagged plushness for performance.
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I was talking about the real Italian Marzocchi pre 2008. All that came after was certainly the rescue of the company and the employees but it lost that freedom of action that could bring innovative and high-level products to the market. Currently Marzocchi is run by Fox as a sub-brand, as I see it.
  • 3 0
 @Chadimac22: This is what happens to companies when they end up in the hands of the holding companies
  • 4 0
 @blacktea: It's difficult to argue with that. I wish Shimano had bought Marzo and tried to make something really different.
  • 1 4
 @blacktea: at the time 1998-2006 Marzo were best by a fair margin. Then they went to crap and Lyrik, Boxxer 35 along with Fox 36,40 happened. They kind of came back in 2010 with RC3 Ti. And these were fair products. Then 380 and 360 happened and it was a half assed attempt at making first MZ fork with midstroke support. It's just that everything else went to crap and damper never matched Fit RC2. I do get that some people liked the plushy mushy feel of MZ.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: If you wanted to get the best out of a Marzo you had to have it tuned by Ronnie . A custom tuned Marzocchi was far superior to anything rock shox or fox had at the time.
  • 5 4
 @BeerGuzlinFool: Now imagne if Ronnie tunes a Fox 36... I am in this PB world for some time, I have heard folks go:
- Marzocchi is best when you put AVA cartridge into it
- did you try Ava cartridge in Fox or RS?
- No, but, Marzocchi...
- Oh... so basically we are suddenly comparing women with breasts implants with women without them?
  • 4 0
 @jaame: Fox just turned marzocchi into low end foxzocchi
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Haha. Not really. I'm not talking about completely switching out the internal parts. Just having it shimmed for your weight and riding style. And the reason so many people use marzocchi's with an Ava cartridge is because marzocchi built there forks stiff and the seals were reliable. Unlike their competition back in the day.
  • 1 1
 @BeerGuzlinFool: At the time, I owned 66RC2x and it was by far the best fork out there. History may have turned out differently IF Manitou didn't shot themselves in the foot with SPV, because TPC+ was better than anything Marzo had IMHO. Dorado may have been too flexy for hammering berms and big jumps but boy it would really raise your eyebrows on natural trails. If only Sherman 150 came out with TPC+. There was a very tiny exception from the rule Travis 150 with TPC+ - it was brilliant. Hard to get though. I am not sure but I think Their intrinsic damper was the protoplast for Fox Grip2.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Can't forget about the '14 Evo V2's. Marz upped the stock spring weight to firm from medium combined with the Evo V2 damper it's night and day to the '10's. Having owned both the '14 was the pinnacle of what a Marzocchi should have been. Sadly it was only a 26" and was too little too late to save them from themselves.

Now I'm not sure if this is rumor or not, but did Marzocchi's DBC damper design evolve into Fox's Grip2 damper?
  • 1 2
 @eshew: Historians will correct me but I believe Manitou Intrinsic was the first damper in MTB fork to use coil to preload an IFP. I am however pretty sure there are trade offs to this design, compared to the bladder and vice versa. Considering the body of knowledge Fox has due to their moto and automotive division, as well as long history of developing Fit tech with the failure of CTD as a big lesson. I really doubt they bought Marzo to grab their tech and let’s be honest Mz has never been Öhlins or Kowa to own some edgy tech. There’s more to a company than just tech. Supply chains, sales channels, human capital etc.

Buying a plot with a house on it doesn’t cost much more than a plot without one Smile
  • 1 0
 @eshew: I had a Marzocchi 55 CR in around 2013, it had "gold race coating" on the uppers. It was like an orange anodised finish. That had the DBC which was described as a spring backed self purging cartridge. I have definitely read on PB that Fox wanted that design, and when the reviews said the Grip damper was better than the RC2, they released it on the 36 factory. So yes, I think you're right. Grip is DBC. (But apparently Marz got the idea from motocross).
Still, SRAM got narrow wide from tractors and they still have a patent on it...
  • 2 2
 @jaame: Grip 1 came just after the 3 year period when Fox decided to take otherwise good dampers like Fit gen 1 and RLC and throw them to the garbage and replace them with appalling CTD and pretty average Fit2 with limited adjustment range. I honestly don’t see anything appealing in Grip 1 over RC found on cheaper RS forks, also comparable with Suntour originals or X- Fusion. A budget system, not on budget price. Then they came back with Fit 4 which is really good and I probably wouldn’t be able to tell difference in a blind test between Grip2 and Fit4 Rc2.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I like the Grip1. A lot. I love Grip2. I can definitely tell the difference between my RC2 and my Grip2....like instantly could tell the difference.

I just flipped back and forth between those 3 systems multiple times over the last 6 months. The Grip1 on my Z1 rips. The Grip2 on my 36 is freaking amazing. RC2... was very happy with it until Grip2 came around.
  • 1 1
 @WAKIdesigns: wait, son you’re saying that Fit4 is a good damper? Dude, are you whacked? Do you really ride these forks? The reason Fox created Grip and Grip 2 is because the Fit4 damper sucks arse.

The only positive thing about the Fit4 is folks like Vorsprung can make money selling kits to make it functional.

As for RS, their dampers are crap, you couldn’t pay me to ride one.

Waki, you need to change your name to Chuck.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: in 2016 Gwin and Minnaar used long stroke grip cartridges instead of fit4. My Z1 is definitely better performer than my Fox 36 RC2 ????‍♂️
  • 1 0
 @nurseben: Weight wienies like the Fit4.


I'm with nurseben though. I did like my G1 Z1 a lot.
  • 9 0
 At last a almost affordable coil fork,the low friction with a coil it’s just unbelievable,it’s a different world compared to the air ones (I have tried a 36 rhythm e bike specific and that was almost like a coil ,very impressive)but I’m glad that coils are coming back ,because the quality ride is just impressive,and the low maintenance is just a very welcome
  • 2 0
 I second the praise of the Rhythm forks, great pieces of kit.
  • 6 0
 whats the reliability/service cycle like on these?

I think there is a market for a fork: not the lightest, not the smoothest, not the most adjustable, but the one that you service once in a blue moon, and the full service comprises popping the top off, flushing out the oil and topping 'er back up

One where the damping cartridge takes the oil out the bath in the leg on the downstroke, but on the rebound sprays it out the top of the cartridge, coating the internals in lube and coolant. couple of O rings to look after at most.

If i could get the old 2004 MX comps, in 36mm with 150mm travel, for a 29er, i would be all over it.
  • 1 0
 it's 125 hours per the press release. that's for both the lowers and the damper.
  • 3 1
 If the manual says 50 hours, it means five.
If the manual says 125 hours, it means you might service it once in the next five years but after you do it you’ll wish you didn’t bother because it feels exactly the same after the service.
  • 3 1
 It's essentially a fox 36 with a different name and a coil spring so service needs will be the same. On the bright side there no way the idiots at the fox assembly factory can fill the air spring with grease (because there is no air spring) so you won't need to rebuild it right out of the box
  • 8 0
 Sounds like we have a Banshee Titan Pinkbike review coming soon......??? Such a fantastic bike. Can't wait to read it.
  • 5 0
 I'm now looking forward to a progressive coil. It would be the best of the two worlds, with a slight weight penalty.
Maybe we could get progressive coil with sprindex system on the "light" side of the coil, either on the fork and the shock...
  • 2 3
 Progression is handled by the air chamber. IF you were to get a progressive coil, you'd need to find a way to remove the factory-set air chamber. I don't see this being a thing.
  • 3 0
 @dangerfoot: I liked my marzocchi coil fork with air assist. It worked really well!
  • 2 4
 @jaame: they still dived Under braking like a Scottsman after a penny. You may have had a hard time bottoming one out of a huck to flat at 30% SAG but If it was steep enough and you pressed a brake harder they were folding. Even The late RC2X.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Mine was a DJ2. No hassles. It was divey but unlike a lot of Pinkbike readers I like a linear fork and I'm not afraid of bottoming my suspension. At least it means you're using all the travel. I would take a maintenance free coil fork that bottomed out hard a couple of times a ride over a coil fork with hydraulic bottom out assist that cost $300 for the conversion and needed servicing every year.

We all aim for perfection but there comes a point where the law of diminishing returns sets the level for us. I know you also buy a lot of second hand stuff. Me too. In real terms, there isn't a lot of difference between a straight coil fork and something else with all the bells and whistles. It's the rider that makes the difference, and I'm a shit hot rider. I would beat most people on a Peugeot Caribes.
  • 1 3
 @jaame: which DJ? They had one For several years that weighed 2.8kg and insides were all plastic Big Grin
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I believe it was a DJ2. It came stock on a Giant STP1, the green one. Maybe 2009 or 2010 model year. It had an aluminium damper from what I recall. No compression damping, or at least not adjustable, and a really annoying axle that you needed two 6mm allen keys to undo, and a 4mm for the dropout bolts.
Still, I liked that fork. It was on the bike that got me back into mountain biking after ten years away.
  • 1 2
 @jaame: Then you had the ligther one. They made one that weighed more than a Boxxer.
  • 4 0
 I was on the phone with the lovely folks at Fox / marzocchi Canada and they claim the Z1 conversion kit is compatible with performance and factory 36. Are they mistaken? I understand the ID of the stanchion is slightly larger in the performance and factory vs the Z1 and rhythm. Does that small difference render it incompatible?
  • 1 0
 Seems a different size plastic spring isolator would fix that pretty quick. Im guessing the fox 36 gets adjustable bottom out.
  • 3 0
 No, the inside diameters of the stanchions are different. The c-clip and negative spring plate on the coil kit will not fit in the larger diameter stanchion of the Factory/Performance elite/Performance and will shoot out of the bottom of the fork on your first compression/rebound stroke. Smile
  • 2 0
 That kit for the Performance, & Factory is coming they just have to decide how much more to charge for it.
  • 6 2
 It's weird how they made the lowers the same colour of the Lyrik. Maybe Marzocchi was first with the colour I duno.

Would be funny if Rockshox made a fork with "factory orange" lowers just to spite Fox though Big Grin
  • 3 3
 It would never happen. Rockshox likes to choose classy colours only.
  • 5 0
 I wonder if Fox is trying to get people to subconsciously associate red with cheaper products, since Marz is now their more budget focused brand.
  • 2 1
 Rockshox should definitely release the TK32 or whatever their shittest fork is called in bright orange with gold uppers, even if they lose money in doing so. It would be hilarious.
  • 1 0
 @jaame: This would be hilarious. I would throw one on The Grim Donut
  • 4 0
 I weigh 165. Coil fork options are always either too soft or too stiff. For rear shocks I can get 50lb or even 25lb increments and I can find a good spring, but forks seem to offer fewer options for a good match.
  • 2 0
 You need to check out the MRP Ribbon Coil... 5 different spring offerings... comes with 3. Or Smashpot... 11 different spring options!!
  • 2 0
 Hey, same weight, tons of experience on this issue, and tuning the marz 380, I added extra spring side bath oil to get some extra ramp up with the softer spring.
  • 5 0
 Its looking like I'm ordering an all Marz set-up. I hate air, going coil front and rear. Thanks Marz for making a 180mm coil fork at a decent price.
  • 5 2
 Can Marzocchi please pick another color than this BORING red for their identity? I get it, even though the Z1 has been iconic in orange before anyone at Fox even dreamed of making forks, Fox now owns Marzocchi and their go-to color is orange. It's okay. But red has been RockShox since the damn 1996 Judy DH, not to mention all the Boxxer iterations. Aren't here enough colors on the spectrum? Last year's purple specials for Rampage and Worlds were awesome, the old metallic green of the Z2 Atom Bomb or the Z1 Dual has personality too, even the green on the 1999 Drop-Off, not to mention all the polished forks of 1999-2002, those flagships were awesome. Can't Marzocchi pull a few of those off? I know that it's more important that our forks work well, but since most of them are decent these days, even cheaper ones, how about we escape the sheer boredom of black forks and other vapid repetitive colors? Let's make forks look good again! Because, frankly, there is more life in the 1997 Judy line than in this year's line-up off all major brands COMBINED.

First world problems,
Mx
  • 2 0
 The black version of this fork looks alright. I wish they would go back to the slim M arch on the 05-06 era forks, and the matching crown in shiny black ano. Those forks were tasty. I can deal with some extra grams for the looks, maybe they could even use a 20mm axle to get back any lost torsional stiffness? hmmm..
  • 2 0
 I wonder how different the stock compression tune on the Grip1 damper would feel with a more linear spring. Would not being able to tune in more high speed compression would result in having to run more compression overall to keep from bottoming through the end of the travel?
  • 5 0
 Did I just read on a Banshee Titan? That is good news.
Do you also have a Spitfire V3 in for a review?
  • 2 0
 Hoping not to get hammered on this, but I am pretty sure there are several million bikes still out there with 1-1/8” size head tubes that might want to upgrade the fork.... any fork manufacturers hearing this??? A 100mm base model rock shox shouldn’t be the only option.
  • 2 0
 @mikekazimer I just received one of these for a customer and I can confirm that it DOES NOT include soft and firm springs. It comes with medium installed, that's it. I called Fox and they confirmed the fork does not ship with three springs.
  • 3 0
 Thanks for the info, @hypermoto. I was under the impression that one extra spring was included - I'll update the article.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: I got the impression that the conversion kit will come with more than one spring, but I can't confirm.
  • 1 0
 Looks like conversion kit can be had on its own at $130, coils are separate at $45.
  • 1 0
 I ran Pikes for a while and then had a new Pike 160 converted to coil by TF Tuning, who supply/fit the Push conversion. Been riding it on my BTR Pinner for two years now. Definitely a better fork than the air Pike for the rocky Yorkshire/Derbyshire terrain I ride on.
I agree with Kazimers main points, but I can add that it jumps and pulls controlled air much more naturally and easily then the airs sus. equivalent. Technique as normal, a little before take-off point, pre-compress and then stand up/pull up on take off. The coil loads and unloads in a way that gives a smooth controlled take-off. As Kaz wrote, landings are also more progressive, which aids control. Coil rear shocks also interact better.
  • 2 0
 Can we please get a DJ fork? Make a 26” w/ 80mm & 100mm travel w/ air or coil as options. Keep it simple stupid, so it can cost less than $500. It’s a DJ fork after all.
  • 2 0
 I’ve got a z1 anniversary from 2007.

It’s got an air spring to supplement the coil allowing added ramp up and increased spring rate. Will that be the next iteration? They also weigh 2.7kg !
  • 3 0
 13 years later and the legend lives on.
  • 5 1
 Didnt the RC3 EVO TI Models had the same- they are so smooth and ate everything up, it was insane.
  • 1 0
 @browner: the legend never dies

What rings u got
  • 1 0
 great fork - I miss mine (but not the weight)
  • 3 0
 @NotNamed: I ran a 55rc3ti on my other bike at the same time. Adjusted it once ran it for 4 years with some oil changes. Had my best time down the Fort William World Cup track on it Smile
  • 5 0
 Oh man... I'd love a 58 Coil Fork for my next DH Bike
  • 4 0
 Oh Flock yes. They really should have opened with this, because it was what everyone wants in a Bomber.
  • 3 0
 Can't they just make a progressive spring (they are really easy to make), then you can please everyone apart from the weight weenies.
  • 2 2
 Progression handled by air in the fork, per the article. If you were to double up on bottom out resistance, you'd not like it I bet.
  • 3 1
 @dangerfoot: Afraid not, its a coil fork top to bottom, oil in the lowers offers some bottoming support, the air in there does not. It would be a hybrid air/coil fork if that was the case, which it is not. A progressive spring would be an excellent upgrade.
  • 1 0
 @RaceOnlySprings: how available will progressive springs be, any ball park on a cost?
  • 1 1
 @subwaypanda: I don't think they make progressivebsprings that fit bike forks. They just buy dirt cheap regular springs from China and sell them to idiots for $750. A spring fork contains almost nothing but a spring and oil. Simple is often the best. Just convert any fork with a good dampener and wait for someone to put an order for 10,000 progressive springs in China and sell them for $150, like MRP did for their progressive rear shock spring.
  • 2 0
 It's funny they label it 2021 fork, as it will premiere in 2020, and it's only January. I'm aware that companies have ideas for 2023 already (if not 2024), but it's plain silly. 2020 date is so nice, like 20/20.
  • 3 0
 Not surprised they are bringing back the coil. Better in pretty much all handling characteristics except weight penalty. The Fox Van 36 was a great fork.
  • 2 1
 If you love gnar this fork will be the shit. Into agressive riding on flow trails get an air fork. Adding a coil adds a pound of weight no getting around that. If you add oil to the lowers you decrease the air chamber size. Increasing bottom out resistance.
  • 1 0
 Progressive springs? It has existed forever for motorcycles, but never for bikes. A regular spring will feel great at small chatter but dive when you brake, unless you get a firm spring, but then it is not as plush anymore. A Push AC-3 is still an air fork, to some degree.
  • 1 0
 We have progressive fork springs for (old) Boxxer and shock springs for 75mm shocks.
  • 1 0
 According to UPS my Z1 should be waiting for me at home this evening. I was thinking about a Smashpot for it, but if I can retain the warranty and get a Foxzocchi coil conversion for way cheaper. This is some great news. However I don't see the coil conversion kits for sale on Marz website...
  • 3 0
 a cat-fight actually broke out less than half-way into the comments. I've hung out with soccer hooligans with calmer demeanors than half the people here.
  • 2 0
 Meow
  • 1 0
 Only 4 different springs? Even the 5 most forks have don’t overlap enough. I’ve been between springs on a couple of coil forks, including my current mrp ribbon(on the firm w/zero preload which is a tad too firm, the med was too soft even at max preload and who wants max preload anyway?). One in between would be perfect. So annoying. Coil rear shocks generally have 10 different springs rates to cover almost all rider weights/leverage ratios with a close overlap so riders can fine tune the ride height without excessive preload. Forks, which are more important for how the bike rides, get 4-5 it’s just stupid. Just cheaping out I guess.
  • 3 0
 I remember buying a set of Z1's in 1997. Absolutely game changer at the time. A fork that actually worked.
  • 2 0
 Why won't any fork manufacturers integrate a fender? The Syncros-Fox combo is OK. Zocchi did it right in 2005! Plastic flaps and zip ties look like $**T.
  • 1 0
 One came with my DVO Diamond but I never mounted it. If it’s important to ya I’d check them out
  • 1 0
 @Kiowa008: Thanks
  • 4 0
 Good to see the Z1 coil bounce back.
  • 1 0
 I wonder how this compares to a vorsprung smashpot? As hilarious as the smashpot’s price is, this conversion costs nearly half as much, and it sounds like this still has some form of bottom out resistance
  • 2 0
 Vorsprung has many more spring options, and you can convert back to an air spring if desired. Not sure if you can with this one.
  • 1 1
 This doesn't seem to have any form of bottoming control beyond the force generated by the linear coil spring itself.
  • 2 1
 @Socket: Article specifically says "Marzocchi designed the coil spring unit to have built-in bottom-out resistance thanks to the air and oil that's trapped in the lower leg."
  • 2 1
 @dangerfoot: The exact same as every other coil fork, a higher oil level in the bottom of the fork generates a certain amount of bottoming resistance at the very end of the travel. We do this with Boxxers and our progressive springs, offers a little more support where its needed. Simple as that.
  • 3 0
 @dangerfoot: Not the same as a bottom out damper like the ACS3 (air) or Vorsprung (oil), probably adequate for an entry level coil fork, but not as good as a more refined design like Push and Vorsprung.
  • 2 0
 @zyoungson: Can't convert back to air with Smashpot... just read their FAQ: "Can I convert my fork back to air afterwards?
Going back to air, should you wish to, may not be an option - spring rub may score the inside of your stanchion, so the the piston may not seal again. The spring is both isolated and guided to minimise stanchion knock and rub, however there are no guarantees an air spring will seal again after riding with a spring installed. We'd be pretty surprised if anyone actually wanted to do this after riding the Smashpot though."
  • 1 0
 @nurseben: Ah, @worldwidecyclery had an article that specifically named the chamber as Air Assist CHamber or something...it was 5.30am and must have not read it correctly as just being normal...

Yeah, I appreciate a good bottom out damper - I actually juuust built a Marz Z1 with Avalanche damper and coil hybrid spring (so retains the factory air spring for progression tuning with low pressures while using the coil to support the top/mid stroke).
  • 1 0
 @dangerfoot: either I missed that or it was added in after I read the article, but thanks for the clarification. The hilarious thing about that is you still have a sliding air seal on the spring shaft in the fork, so they've actually only removed one of the two air seals. Will not have the same low friction as a Smashpot then.
  • 1 0
 @islandforlife: Forgot about that, I must be thinking of the ohlins cartridge setup
  • 2 1
 The Fox boys from the office next door have hidden all the orange paint.
  • 4 0
 Okay great. But does it 'squelch'?
  • 4 0
 Excellent! Next up, purple.
  • 1 0
 Good damper, spring addition is cool, maybe not as refined as Vorsprung or ACS3, but a nicelynpriced and quality product for the average joe. It may be Fox, but Marzocchi is back in spirit.
  • 3 0
 The comment section asked for a coil Marzzochi and here it is. Eat your damn cake and be happy
  • 3 0
 Looks like it’s time to spring for a new fork.
  • 1 0
 Man 300 bucks for the Grip2 upgrade would be amazing... in Europe they’re 400 and up, fork service and upgrade package is 500€.
  • 2 0
 The price is almost the same as in Europe VAT is included in the price while in the US it isn't.
  • 1 0
 With a few exceptions, some states have no sales tax, we end up having a tax charge tacked on at purchase.
  • 3 0
 Grim Donut? Nah, Z1 coil should be setting the internet on fire.
  • 3 0
 This on the front of a RAAW Madonnna V2? Who says no!?
  • 3 0
 Yeah but do the squeltch?
  • 3 4
 I think that it is finally pretty clear, that neither air nor coil is better. The best case is to get th best of both worlds: progression and support of air and suppleness of a coil. There are two things in the market that come close to this optimum: push acs 3 and forks with negative coil springs. You get the initial sensitivity without bothering about the support. Dvo did pretty good job with their Ott. The fork basically feels like its a coil the first 70 mm of travel, but then it acts like an air spring, because it is. Best of both worlds.
  • 5 0
 Air does not provide support in the midstroke, coil does.

And a negative coil spring acts just like a negative air spring without any possible adjustments... You're confusing negative coil spring + positive air spring with positive coil spring + small air cartridge causing the end of the stroke to ramp up.

Plus, in the latter case, it can be arguably discussed that the added air cartridge may increase friction due to its seals.
  • 2 2
 @gui21st: "And a negative coil spring acts just like a negative air spring without any possible adjustments"

DVO's OTT adjustment allows adjustment of the coil negative spring. generally, the heavier and or more aggressive rider you are, the more OTT you add to add more resistance to the coil negative spring
  • 2 0
 I gave my 26er to one of my kids, but the Z1 FR SL (Air!) on there still feels great. I miss old Marz.
  • 1 0
 ah yes, the doppio air? I guess I'm thinking of my old italian Z150 SL
  • 3 4
 "A bolt-on axle may be ever-so-slightly less convenient, but they're also cleaner looking and there aren't any moving parts to deal with."

LOL that's what I thought until I owned a 36 with a bolt-on axle...now it's the number one thing on my list to swap out. Can't wait until I don't have to fumble for my 5mm t-handle allen wrench in the dark at the end of the ride only to have it strip out for the 5th time.
  • 1 0
 What a pain in the arse the four pinch bolts and screw in axle were on the 36!
  • 5 1
 I run one. I just keep a hex in my garage, one at the office and one in my trunk. Easy. Never have to think about it. Never stripped one. Never really had a hard time finding the hole... maybe I have more practice finding holes in the dark?
  • 1 0
 @onemanarmy: Chances are pretty good that you do.

Still, it's difficult for me to see a strong argument for the non-QR axle. Weight savings of a few grams isn't enough to outweigh the need to have a 5mm key at the ready wherever you need to remove your front wheel...which for me is at least twice every ride...then losing that key, multiple times, or breaking/stripping it or the bolts...etc. So much easier to just spin out the QR axle and be done with it.

This was my first build without a QR axle and it will be my last.
  • 1 0
 @TheRaven: My brother says the same thing. He thinks I'm crazy for running one.
  • 1 1
 @onemanarmy: I'm not bothered bout carrying an allen key and I've never stripped a thread in my life. Those bolts are only meant to be torqued as much as you can using the short end of an allen key anyway. It's not that, it's just that it's a pain in the arse compared to just undoing a lever and spinning it a couple of times. It takes an extra minute to get the wheel off, multiplied by three times a week for four years and before you know it you've wasted an hour of your life undoing those little bolts!
  • 4 0
 @jaame: I waste more time of my life on pinkbike every day.
  • 1 0
 @onemanarmy: But this is fun!
  • 1 0
 Hah. QR axles are one of the first things to go from my bike. I don't take my wheels off that often outside of my garage.
  • 1 0
 @lognar: Horses for courses. I usually drive to the place I'm riding at and my bike rack is that Thule one that you have to remove the front wheel and clamp the axle.
  • 1 0
 @lognar: Yeah anyone with racks or a truck that don't require taking the front wheel off it should be a no brainer.

Me... I have a wrx and I stuff my bike in the trunk. Still run one. LOL!
  • 2 0
 I got a monster case of the shivers when I heard, super T-errific news! Thank you Foxzocchi a great wrong has been righted.
  • 1 0
 What's up with the Euro pricing of these things? From a quick look Z1's, coil or air, seem to cost around 20% more than a Lyrik Ultimate.
  • 2 0
 They need a fat bike option as a spring would be the ultimate in cold winter riding.
  • 1 0
 Sounds like an awesome fork! Fox has done a great job to get Marzocchi back on the market and to the top where they were a decade ago tup
  • 3 0
 Back to the roots
  • 1 0
 come back to a double spring and open bath cartridge it will start to look like a marzocchi
  • 3 0
 Are those bombers?!?!?!
  • 2 0
 Cue Fox Vanilla 36 reboot before or at sea donkey
  • 1 0
 they will sell shittone (metric of course) of these upgrade kits to owners of entry level bikes
  • 2 0
 When is the air conversion kit available?
  • 1 0
 That last pic of Wade Simmons dropping in on a Marzocchi fork just brings back a wave of nostalgia for me.
  • 1 0
 "but going the coil route takes the level of small bump sensitivity to the next level."

Yep.
  • 2 0
 If it's good enough for wade.... it's good enough for me!
  • 2 0
 Sounds like there's a Banshee Titan review in the works??
  • 1 0
 Okay, so now please bring a conversion kit for 36 rc2 factory for 175 bucks and I'm yours.
  • 1 0
 Would be hard to give up my Yari unless it breaks but this would be my first choice of upgrade.
  • 1 0
 So can I put the 29er 36mm conversion kit in my Pike? I'm poor but want a coil.
  • 2 0
 should be 20 mm axle, instead of this new 15 mm waste!
  • 1 0
 But would it be 20x110 or the all new 110x20 boost?
  • 1 0
 And honestly - I want super slow rebound for climbing, not added compression to make me bounce off every rock and root
  • 1 0
 Looks pretty smooth to us...
  • 1 0
 It should have a 20mm axle and be made for 26" wheels.
  • 1 0
 İf you want more adjustments then buy grip2 upgrade
  • 1 0
 Marzocchi come back, good fork this year)))
  • 1 4
 Can you fit the Z1 spring assembly inside a Fox 36?

Top caps and threads could be similar, but there’s a difference with the inner stanchion diameter as far as I know (Rhythm and Marzocchi forks are somehow different. Could be cheaper than Smashpot etc.
  • 7 0
 I should have read the article first ;-) it’s all in there.
  • 2 1
 1lb heavier than MRP ribbon coil, ouch!!!
  • 1 0
 1.2 pounds heavier. That's not that much. Take a wee before you ride.
  • 1 0
 Well this is just fantastic news.
  • 1 0
 Now make this available for the Z2 and 34 and we are in business
  • 1 0
 Is the CSU the same design/warranty as Fox forks? Or improved?
  • 1 0
 Same as the rhythms which are beefier and a reviewer from NSMB didn't get creaking compared to a 36
  • 1 0
 Kaz is there a Nukeproof Reactor review coming soon then?? Cheers.
  • 2 0
 That actually came out a few months ago: www.pinkbike.com/news/review-nukeproof-reactor-290c-rs.html.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: That's right, I remember that now! Thanks Kaz!!
  • 1 0
 @duzzi: that was a duzzi to read
  • 1 3
 Nice, they Bring Out an old school Form, but won't have it in 26" ? Retards. Really thought of switching from pike, but ist's Not gonna be a new frame...
  • 1 0
 Drooling
  • 1 0
 I want one!!!
  • 6 6
 its fox , not marzocchi Razz
  • 9 0
 It's Marfoxxy.
  • 5 0
 Foxzocchi
  • 3 2
 Exactly. The original Marzocchi is dead. You have to buy DVO or Formula if you want the Marzocchi spirit.
  • 2 0
 @darrentheclaw: what does formula have to do with marzocchi other then tha fact they were both Italian made. That's like saying trek and gg are the same because they're both made in the USA.
  • 1 0
 @mhoshal: "Italian made" is the point. It's still pretty important to some people that products are produced more or less locally and not overseas.
  • 1 0
 @darrentheclaw: well both Marzocchi and formula are over seas to me lol I don't give a shit where its built as long as it works as intended. Look where the two biggest fork manufacturers are made Fox and Rockshox both made in asia and literally everybody rides it because its top tier stuff no one gives a shit where stuff comes from they care whether it works properly or not.
  • 1 0
 Good month.
  • 1 0
 Like hotcakes
  • 1 1
 Soooooo this is FOX but in red.Right ?
  • 1 3
 Coil Mz Z1 for 749$??? Are you sure guys that this is return of the classic and not just the way to grab some money from oldfags?
  • 1 0
 Vanilla is back
  • 2 2
 What a good fork!So i will choose boxxer and reduce travel.
  • 1 0
 Strange shade of orange
  • 1 2
 Wish they would come off that we b's. , bolt me on coach..
  • 1 2
 No 100mm 26" model. This isn't a Z1.
  • 1 0
 Dirtjump version should be on it's way from what I've heard, but with a 27.5" chassis and maybe a bit less travel to compensate the axle to crown length. Not too sure on the travel though.
  • 1 2
 Modern 66?
  • 1 0
 Man I wish...66 had more adjustability. Maybe GRIP2 with coil conversion, but then you still don't get to adjust air pressure.
  • 1 0
 @dangerfoot: I believe months later there will be 36grip2 with coil from this fork.
  • 1 0
 @dangerfoot: And look at the morden fork cateridges.there's no one with air pressured IFPs. So I'd rather believe this is a foxzocchi vanilla 66
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