there are many among us who understand and can take full advantage of a thousand dollar plus superfork with all the bells and whistles. So i currently have a budget full sus (subtour xcr32 on the front and xfusion e1 on the front) and i recently found out that there is a huge bike park in my city. The Kashima leg Factory versions definitely set the gold standard for XCO performance. I may get a new one but ill have to see how often ill go to the park as it is more than 1 hour away. Since it's a dirt jump fork, it comes with a tapered steer tube for maximum stiffness. Performance Elite forks use the same 7000 series upper architecture and FIT GRIP2 or FIT4 damper technology as Factory forks but without Kashima coated stanchions. Bath The large volume EVOL negative air spring makes for a smooth start to the stroke though, and progression is easily adjusted with swappable spacers. The one-size-fits-all lowers take a 27.5 x 2.8-inch or 29 x 2.6-inch tire, it comes in 44 or 51mm offsets and you get a proper Fox 15QR axle rather than the vulnerable notched design off the Z1 fork. Bike Magazine has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. However, Fox says that the construction of the Rail damper is actually pretty similar in construction to the Grip damper. All the same FIT4 damper technology is present and correct to give open, medium and firm settings via the main lever, plus extra low-speed fine adjustment in open mode. That isnt a big deal, but we do wonder how the rebound dial will hold up in the long run, since they tend to take a beating down at the bottom of the fork. Best Bike Trails | The Super Deluxe would trade blows with and generally outperform a Marzocchi Bomber CR, but $400 is a lot to spend for a climb switch. Part of the price reduction can be spotted in the adjusters, which are all made from plastic rather than the alloy dials youll find on a Fox fork. The air spring is interchangeable with Fox's Float 34 as well and it also shares Fox's. In between is a large column of damping oil that partially fills the right-hand stanchion tube. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Sort by Clear all. Meaning that it is the thicker wall stanchions. Since then hes written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. Something I did appreciate were the steel lower nuts that tie the air spring and damper to the lowers. Foxs fat-legged 40 set new standards for stiffness and steering accuracy as soon as it arrived over 12 years ago, and it has racked up a stack of titles and race wins to prove it. 32 forks are the lightest XC and gravel forks, 34 are lightweight trail forks, 36 is the trail/enduro fork, 38 is the stoutest enduro fork, and 40 is the triple crown DH fork. It has a wide range . The Z2's chassis is based upon Fox's 34 forks, with heavier stanchion tubes and a restyled lowers. I'd actually rather have a Bomber Z2 than a more expensive Fox 34 due to its stiffer construction and the knock-on effect this lack of flex has on the fork's predictability and consistency. Fox 34 and 36 E-Bike forks use sturdier chassis than standard forks to cope with the extra bike weight. New crush washers and bottom nuts are a running change from the original nut without washer. They reset the benchmark again with the hard-hitting, hench-legged 36 and then went on to reset stiffness standards in DH racing with the 40. In his review, Mick offered up this concise but accurate evaluation; the Bomber is a great fork, hands down. It also probably helped that the Z1 looked absolutely grouse with those dashing red lowers. The Enemy: How Mountain Biking Changed from Sinister to Salvation COMBA Leaves IMBA, Legacy Trail Grants Awarded Across US, a 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. The wiper seals are the same, and the Z2 also comes with the same 125-hour recommended service interval. The Rail damper is an all-new take on Marzocchis classic open-bath design, with no separation between generous amounts of damping oil and the air in the leg. Inspect the entire exterior of your fork. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Unfortunately from first impressions, those recommended pressures are about 15 per cent lower than wed suggest. Value is also boosted by the long service intervals and while weve only had a few months on our sample, Rhythms have always been very reliable. Here are our top picks for every mountain bike discipline The latest FIT GRIP2 damper with Variable Valve Control gives a more open and fluid ride to improve the grip and comfort of this previously masochistically hardcore fork choice. Having been bought out by Fox Racing Shox in 2015, a revitalised Marzocchi engaged in a successful re-entry back into the mountain bike world last year with the re-release of the iconic Bomber Z1. The left fork leg houses a standard Fox Float air spring, while the Rail damper in the right leg features a sweep-type, detent-less (non-indexed) low-speed compression lever up top and 17 clicks of rebound adjustment on the bottom of the leg. At the 34 level, the z2 is supposed to be a bit stiffer. Everything you need to know about the current range of Fox and Marzocchi suspension forks. Yes, yes it is. Marzocchi Z2 vs Rockshox Revelation RC. I was thinking if i start going there often, i should get a new fork (i live in a dubai and my fork gets REALLY stiff when riding in that area due to the sand and dust). There's a new sheriff in Affordable Suspension Town. Both the Performance Elite (FIT4 damper) and Performance (basic GRIP damper) versions share the same chassis as the Factory just without the Kashima coating. Update: Here is the link for the full service procedure. Rides: Pace RC295, Cotic FlareMax, Specialized Chisel, Vielo V+1 gravel bike, Nicolai FS Enduro, Landescape custom gravel tandem. Or just leave it alone. That price puts it a fair whack cheaper than a Fox 34 Performance Elite Series fork ($1,189), and it also undercuts the RockShox Revelation RC ($999). Instead of metal, all the knobs and caps are made of a pretty soft plastic. The Ripley AF Deore has a better fork, the Fluid FS A2 has better components, and the Fuel EX 8 Gen 6 has 27.5 / 29 aluminum wheels and more travel. But Im skipping all that this time. If you know any really good full sus under like 1.6k please let me know cause you seem to know alot abt bikes. Time to find out! The only thing I couldnt do straight out of the box was use my 180mm brake rotor, so I added a 20mm post adapter since the Z2 mounts are designed for 160mm rotors. One year on, and weve seen the new generation Z1 fork make its way onto a load of bikes out on the trails. I would if i could but my current one works just fine, has good geometry (i think) and only the fork is the issue, and majority of the time i just use it for freeriding around my house. There have been many, many friends and other mountain bikers who have asked about the fork out on rides out of curiosity, and many who laughed it off as a re-branded Fox 36. FIT4 forks are also cheaper than GRIP2 forks. Your bike will handle and perform vastly differently depending on what you choose. The design for the Z1 as a whole though, was not completely original. Z2s are basically rebranded fox 34s if u strip a set of z2s you will have all the fox internals, I've a set myself of bombers and they even have a fox34 thru axle, Z2 all day every day if the budget is $500. BOMBER Z2. 100 Rail Sweep Adj 15qrx100 44mm $518.95 New Marzocchi 91201060 Suspension Fork $507.90 New Marzocchi Seal Kit - Rail Damper Z2 34 $19.74 New Marzocchi Bomber Z1 Coil Service Kit Plunger Shaft and Topcap 27.5 180mm Max $122.90 New At the 34 level, the z2 is supposed to be a bit stiffer. Thats about 100g more than Foxs Performance Series 34, and about 70g more than the Revelation. Fox 34 Float NA2 Air Shaft Assembly - 2022+. Fox has resurrected the brand with that same ethos. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Legendary Italian fork brand Marzocchi was brought back to life by Fox last year with the 36- and 40-derived Z1 and 58 forks. I tend to provide lengthy background stories on products or blabber on about design philosophy or industry trends. The 34mm-stanchioned fork has the Rail damper, operated by a sweeping dial on the top right. Every 125hours or Yearly. Now THIS is a fork that makes sense. Thank you for signing up. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. There's a lot to talk about. The Z2 also gets one-piece magnesium lowers, but theyre treated to their own unique M-arch design. Ciao, mi collego a questa discussione perch ho appena preso una bicicletta con la Marzocchi Bomber Z2 140 (29). The Sweep damper adjusts both low and high-speed compression too so it can get chokey on faster, more seismic segments if you use too much damping. Fox 34 Float NA2 Air Shaft Assembly. Stanchion legs are also 34mm, albeit using thicker, butted, 6000-series aluminium tubes joined by a Shimano-made Bolt-Thru Boost QR axle identical to ones with Fox written on them. The Grip damper surprised me with its wide-range of damping andsupport. Aiming to simplify the internals while also making maintenance easier, the RAIL damper completely separates the compression and rebound piston assemblies. It seems fitting that Fox chooses to list price but not weight for the Bombers, and weight but not price on for the Fox Factory forks. >>> Best mountain bike suspension forks 2019. This comes at a slight weight penalty however. From what I can tell, the Bomber Z1 is just a rebranded Fox 36 Rhythm with a slightly reshaped arch. A simple sweep adjuster can lock out for the climbs, open up for the descents and easily adjust to every type of terrain in between. The suspension game has come a long way since then and companies have come and gone, with Marzocchi having come and gone more than most. The most recent comeback fork from Marzocchi is a properly affordable fit and forget performer in true Bomber style. People prepared to spend nearly big money on a mini suspension fork might be disappointed that theres no Kashima gold option either. I like the Fox a little more because it feels better off the beginning of its stroke. A fresh set of lowers using an M shaped brace completes an impressively stiff and tough fork structure. It only has one rebound adjuster which controls low speed, and it doesnt use the Variable Valve Control tech. For reference, claimed weight for a Fox 34 Factory (29er, 130 millimeters) is 1,790 grams. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Real Bike Weights from PB Editors, Shimano Consolidates Entry- to Mid-Level Groupsets With New CUES Drivetrains, Porsche Takes Complete Ownership of Greyp, First Look: Reeb's New Steel Enduro Racer is Partly 3D-Printed, GT Becomes a "Stand-alone Business" as it Returns to Southern California, [Updated] Revenue Round Up: Shimano Breaks Sales Records & More from Q4 Reports, www.pinkbike.com/news/marzocchis-z2-bomber-returns.html. The Revelation, however, beats the Rhythm, with equal suppleness everywhere else and a lower asking price (if you can manage to find one on the interweb). Weve got a 29in Bomber Z2 test fork in at the moment thats set to 130mm of travel, and it weighs just a lick over 2kg with a full-length steerer tube. Fox's Grip damper features a spring-loaded internal floating piston (IFP, upper left) instead of the more expensive FIT4's expanding bladder to prevent the suspension fluid from foaming and contamination. The topic 'Marzocchi Z2 vs Rockshox 35 Gold' is closed to new replies. Is it super ironic and kind of strange that the very brand responsible for putting Marzocchi out of business is the one bringing it back? Trail riders rejoice your low maintenance, high durability solution is here, and its worthy of the name Bomber. The Z2 nearly matches the performance of forks that cost hundreds more by getting rid of aesthetic frills and making the fork simpler. Cheaper, tighter seals mean its not as sensitive off the top as Fox step-siblings either. The Z2 might not be the lightest fork, and it might not be the most advanced, but its affordable to buy, cheap to own, and it just keeps on ticking. By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to consume alcohol. The Z1 was also accompanied by a dual-crown downhill fork called the Bomber 58, which was then later joined by an entry-level coil shock called the Bomber CR. Heavier yes. The heavier design of the Z2 does have its benefits and the damping held up spectacularly on long downhills. It shares its predecessors 36mm stanchions and features a GRIP damper. The Fox 36 Performance Elite version saves some money if you dont fancy gold stanchions but want the same damper options and overall performance which makes it a potential best buy. A superb value-for-money proposition if you set it up correctly. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. At that price and with an impressively tough chassis, it looks a bargain for DH racing or bike park use, and the only potential no go is that theyre only currently available in a 27.5-inch wheel format. Its actually quite neat, and a welcome improvement to the cheaper axle used on the Z1 fork. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. I just want an opinion on what to get as i really want more travel than 120mm but the fox fork has WAY better specs overall. You can still fine-adjust low-speed compression in open mode too if you want more support. Fox kicked off the whole big-legged trail fork category with the 36, and nearly two decades later its still a front runner for flat-out, full gas action. The EVOL air spring is backed up with an additional chassis air bleed to cope with the longest descents and altitude changes. The Bomber DJ is the 100mm cousin of the Bomber Z1. Two years ago, Marzocchi set me up with a new Bomber Z1 to check out, the re-emerging brands renaissance fork after Fox gave the angry M a shot of adrenaline to wake it up. 27/12/22. As a 27.5 fork, its available in 100, 120, 140, and 150mm in a 44mm offset only. BA1 1UA. Service intervals are also extended considerably as the damping oil acts as a seal lubricant, too. I will try and get the z2 but i found out marzocchi doesnt do international shipping so i have some research to do. Given the very linear feel we took off the top cap expecting to find no volume spacers but it actually comes with two pre-fitted (plus two in the box). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. The Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fits squarely in the trail bike category, whereas the Z1 takes on enduro and freeriders alike. For the money this fork is hard to beat. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Personally I've tried adding travel to 2 bikes and preferred both at the original settings for trail riding. Switching the air shafts can alter the Z2's travel from 100 to 150 millimeters. 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