[Udi]

http://www.marzocchi.com/Template/detailProdotti.asp?LN=UK&idC=1528&IdFolder=113&IdOggetto=20307

I think they were air only in 2014, it's brilliant to see Marzocchi sticking to their guns instead of trying to win the weight game like everyone else. 2150g puts it at ~200g over a pike / float, not a huge penalty really.

 

[Udi]

Although being Marzocchi, there will be no information on how to service anything, the footnuts will rotate perpetually when you try to undo them, and both the user manual and service manual will just be one page of warnings repeated in 30 different languages to form a booklet.

 

[Sandro]

I think more people on longer travel rigs will go back to coil, i've already seen people retrofitting their Pikes and Mattocs with springs.

Their new Enduro shock is also really tempting and on paper, offers everything i would want in a shock, but there is no way i'm buying a first generation Marzocchi product.

 

[tomasis7]

Sounds promising and I hope I see some competitive prices.

 

[iRider]

2150g puts it at ~200g over a pike / float, not a huge penalty really.

Yeah, but add oil, a through axle, all kinds of bolts and a steerer tube that is not cut to 2 cm and you will be 500 g over the next competitor.

 

[tomasis7]

And you ride faster when you get what you want.

 

[tomasis7]

Although being Marzocchi, there will be no information on how to service anything, the footnuts will rotate perpetually when you try to undo them, and both the user manual and service manual will just be one page of warnings repeated in 30 different languages to form a booklet.

I guess 350 is not much different from 380? On the website oil levels are quoted.

 

[Udi]

I think more people on longer travel rigs will go back to coil, i've already seen people retrofitting their Pikes and Mattocs with springs.

Their new Enduro shock is also really tempting and on paper, offers everything i would want in a shock, but there is no way i'm buying a first generation Marzocchi product.

Agreed on all counts, Marzocchi's shocks in particular aren't the most reliable.
Aside from that though, I just converted my trail bike to coil with a kash 36 Van RC2 + RC4/Ti rear and now I actually want to ride my bike instead of avoiding it. Also rode the 40 Float for a while before conceding to it being a downgrade from my previous coil 40 and dropped a coil rod + Ti spring in the new chassis, still ~2850g and doesn't feel like a peasant's fork anymore.

The worst thing is that a lot of companies ditched coil springs a generation ago, so you get a bloated weight difference between air/coil that is actually mostly due to a better engineered / optimised chassis compared to the much smaller difference in weights of the actual spring assemblies.

The Fox 40 is a classic example:
~3140g (old chassis with coil)
~2710g (new chassis with air)
~2850g (new chassis with coil)

I bet the 36 would show similar results, probably even better if they gave it a Ti spring. If you need the 2-step travel adjust for climbing (ala TALAS) then fair enough going with air suspension, but that's about the only significant legitimate reason I see for it.

I guess 350 is not much different from 380? On the website oil levels are quoted.

Yeah I was partially joking, they really need to provide better documentation/support (and maybe make their products a little easier to work on, because RS/Fox are often much more pleasant to wrench on despite what some think) but most people can usually figure it out themselves.

 

[supercow]

I wouldn't say they went back to coil, or sticking with their guns.
They just give the buyers the option

http://www.marzocchi.com/Template/detailProdotti.asp?LN=UK&idC=1528&IdFolder=113&IdOggetto=20308

I must be one of the weird folk who actually prefer air forks though, but would prefer a coil shock on the other hand.

 

[tomasis7]

Anyone who has a cartridge and wants upgrade chassi, 350 R looks bargain!! Only 350 euros in CRC.

It's tempting to put Avalanche cartridge in this fork. I guess Titanium spring would work in any 350 chassi?

 

[djjohnr]

Yeah, I just bought two new forks and was depressed that I had to buy air sprung for both of them. One weird thing about the NCR Ti is it has a pedaling platform built into the damping. Not sure how they implemented it, but the Marzocchi rep stated it's in there over in the MTBR suspension forum.

 

[djjohnr]

It's also ironic that their most expensive fork in the line is the coil version

 

[tomasis7]

It's also ironic that their most expensive fork in the line is the coil version

Not really if you know who is Marzocchi (mx etc.) I'm glad that coil system lives without being replaced by a new standard.

Based on my experience, I found out that air damping is more unconsistent so it makes sense to have coil if one wants consistency even under prolonged break between riding.

 

[supercow]

It's also ironic that their most expensive fork in the line is the coil version

Not really, the Marzocchi TI coil is fucking expensive (to buy standalone at the very least)

 

[Udi]

Exactly, Titanium costs more than a couple of 5c o-rings!

I wouldn't say they went back to coil, or sticking with their guns.
They just give the buyers the option

They definitely are sticking to their guns.
It's only so obvious to me because I've followed the Fox lineup for a while, and they stuck with coil-only for 9 years on their DH forks while everyone else (Marz included) toyed with air stuff. I think the only reason they finally gave in with this Float rubbish is because the market demands it - I've definitely fallen victim to trading light weight for performance in the past so I don't claim to be immune either.

To market a coil fork as your top-end fork in this age (especially without an equivalent air option alongside it, as is the case for the 380) is a mildly bold move - as the 2750g 380 on paper to most muppets will seem inferior to the ~2710g Float 40 and ~2640g Boxxer air. It's a bit bolder still when you consider Marzocchi's inferior WC presence (and the already inferior marketability that comes with that), so my hat is off to them.

Currently, no one else makes a top-end coil-sprung DH fork (or enduro fork for that matter), and I believe the only reason is because air is what sells. The coil charger Boxxer (a great option) is probably the closest thing (aside from Marzocchi) but ever since the air/WC came out they ditched the Ti spring option and it's kinda played second fiddle.

Either way I think it's nice to have the option, and keep that option in a top-end chassis like Marzocchi have done.

 

[iRider]

Doesn't BOS still offer the Idylle in coil?

What about Ti fork springs? Do they become shorter over time of usage? Any experience with that? Some steel coils do.

 

[Udi]

The Idylle coil is a lower end fork now and has been for a few years, so does not get the high-end damper (I might be wrong, not super up to date with their lineup). They felt quite good in my experience, but had a very poorly engineered spring system, you can read about it below:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/threads/bos-idylle-any-real-world-reviews.224251/page-3#post-3735387
http://www.ridemonkey.com/threads/bos-idylle-rare-setup-tips.256229/page-3#post-3983484

I have not seen anything this bad in any other fork so it's probably just something to do with being French.

Ti fork springs don't get shorter in my experience (at least not to any degree I've noticed), but they do have a habit of breaking eventually, I haven't actually broken one myself personally but I have seen plenty broken (Marzocchi, Fox, RS). It's worth noting that Fox did update their Titanium springs in late 2012 / early 2013 (slightly narrower, more winds, marginal ~5-10g weight increase), and I am yet to see one of these updated springs broken. I think with proper engineering they should hold up fine.

 

[tacubaya]

Currently, no one else makes a top-end coil-sprung DH fork

X-Fusion RV1

 

[Udi]

X-Fusion RV1

I meant no one else good*

 

[iRider]

They felt quite good in my experience, but had a very poorly engineered spring system, you can read about it below:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/threads/bos-idylle-any-real-world-reviews.224251/page-3#post-3735387
http://www.ridemonkey.com/threads/bos-idylle-rare-setup-tips.256229/page-3#post-3983484

Unfortunately I know from first hand experience.

Ti fork springs don't get shorter in my experience (at least not to any degree I've noticed), but they do have a habit of breaking eventually, I haven't actually broken one myself personally but I have seen plenty broken (Marzocchi, Fox, RS). It's worth noting that Fox did update their Titanium springs in late 2012 / early 2013 (slightly narrower, more winds, marginal ~5-10g weight increase), and I am yet to see one of these updated springs broken. I think with proper engineering they should hold up fine.

Thanks. I have seen ti springs for Boxxers becoming 5-10 mm shorter within a year of riding *back in the day* in some friends forks. But good to know that they have this sorted somehow.

 

[IH8Rice]

Although being Marzocchi, there will be no information on how to service anything, the footnuts will rotate perpetually when you try to undo them, and both the user manual and service manual will just be one page of warnings repeated in 30 different languages to form a booklet.

quoted for truth.

glad to see they are still offering high end coil forks. while i loved my 55 Micro Ti nothing can really compare to Marz's ultra suppleness of their coils.

 

[gemini2k]

Don't worry though, they'll only spec the fork with springs adequate for someone 140 pounds and put an "air assist" in to guarantee that the fork feels like mush for the rest of us! And when you ask why they don't just make proper spring rates for the wide variety of rider weights they'll tell you "next year".

 

[IH8Rice]

they finally started putting in heavier weight springs in their forks...this year

 

[jackalope]

Meh, I'd skip the new Marz and use the following strategy:

Get Rux
Remove air spring from left stauntion
Put boxxer spring in left stauntion
Remove RC2 damper cart from right stauntion
Put Charger cart in right stauntion
Sell fork to DaPeach
Profit