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The Italian fork maker |
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Marzocchi suspension forks are a long-standing tradition in freeriding, and a vital part of Shore riding since Bombers were introduced back in the mid-'90s. People are always interested to see what the company is coming out with next, and the annual Sessions product launch event for the upcoming model year is big news.
The event has been held in Whistler in the past, and the destination itself has become almost as much of a draw for some people as the product - so much so that the European press nearly revolted when they heard Marzocchi was planning on holding Sessions on the Continent.
Thankfully, common sense prevailed and Marzocchi kept the Euros happy by shipping them up to the bike park for several days of superlative riding, some serious wining and dining, and new Bomber girls. Wait - wasn't this supposed to be a product launch? Oh, that's right. There were also tech demos and a whole bunch of new forks thrown into the weekend. Somewhere.
Marzocchi has made a concerted effort to stay on top of its game in recent years, and the result is a beefed-up line of forks that fills in gaps, steps it up, and ensures that Bombers will still be a popular fork with riders who are hard on their equipment and have come to expect solid performance from their equipment.
What you'll find here is the complete low-down on Marzocchi's new all mountain, freeride, and downhill forks for 2005. There are a few favourites in the mix, but there's also a lot of new stuff, all of which is scheduled to be available at your favourite LBS in September.
Features for 2005 - new and not-so-new
Marzocchi is always been upgrading its forks, and this year was no different.
Several new innovations showed up on the '05 forks, each of which are designed
to
add to the riding experience.
| Feature | Description |
| ETA | External Travel Adjustment - comes from the ECC concept, locks the rebound and compresses the fork but still provides 30mm of travel; for those times you want to lower the front end and / or minimize travel |
| TST | Terrain Selection Technology - damping adjustment that lets you dial in things like high-speed sensitivity and big-hit capability at the same time, or greater low-speed compression to minimize bob when you're climbing; on-the-fly adjustments are possible |
| TAS | Travel Adjustment System - 20mm of overall travel adjustment that operates separately from the ETA that allows you to fine-tune the ride height or match it to the rear suspension |
| SSV & SSVF |
Speed Sensitive Valving and Speed Sensitive Valve Floating - used to control damping; SSV is either non-adjustable or has an internal rebound adjustment. The SSVF moves inside the fork leg, allowing greater small bump sensitivity, and uses an external rebound knob. Fine tuning can be done on both systems by changing oil viscosity or valve porting. |
| HSCV | High Speed Compression Valve cartridges - regulates oil through shims and a specially designed valve; shims flex based on impact, speed, force, rider weight, and so on to eliminate bottoming. A high-end feature . |
| Cryofit | Stanchions are placed in liquid nitrogen to contract and the crown is heated to expand, and the pieces are pressed together for super-tight fit and stiffness. |
| 20mm axle | Dedicated axle and 20mm drop-outs |
| Mag casing | Magnesium monolite / lower casing with a low-rise arch design for increased stiffness |
The all-mountain series
One of the big new markets Marzocchi wants to tap into is the all-mountain
scene. Sure, it's possible to use a freeride fork for all-mountain riding
but
you may end up with a fork that's overbuilt for your needs.
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All Mountain 1
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 The All Mountain 1 - The cookie dough colour takes some getting used to |
 The Travel Adjustment System (TAS) - 20mm of fine tuning |
All Mountain 2
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All Mountain 3
The SL comes in a silver colour, the 1 in light brown, and the 2 and 3 in black; all four models come with black stanchions. |
 The new All Mountain crown, complete with cut-outs |
Freeride and DJ forks
The fork that made Marzocchi what it is in the freeride world, the
Z1, is back for more in '05 and it's got a few new features to show off. The
most notable are the 20mm drop-out and dedicated through-axle, which
has been an issue for some riders out there.
These forks also boast a forged freeride crown with a cryofit 'M' design and 32mm stanchions. Black legs, legs, crown, and gold ano top knobs make this four-fork line look seriously sweet.
 The Z.1 FR 3 - adding style and performance |
Z.1 FR SL
Z.1 FR 1
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Z.1 FR 2 & 3
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 A close-up of the 20mm drop-out and axle |
Not to be ignored, the dirt jumping crowd gets a beefed-up line of forks for '05.
Dirt Jumper 1
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There's nothing light about these babies, with weights more than 2.5 lbs heavier than the Z.1s, but reinforced steel steerers and 32mm stanchions should hold up to a serious beating at the local jumps or skate park. The DJ 1 and 2 also feature 20mm drop-outs. Colour selections are a darker beige (a different shade of cookie dough?), camo green, and black, from top to bottom in the order. |
Dirt Jumper 2
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Dirt Jumper 3
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| Marzocchi is designing these forks for the slalom and DJ crowd, and for
that reason, included the 100mm travel, 20mm drop-out Shiver single crown
in this category. The fork has 30mm stanchions, comes with stanchion guards and a forged CNC-machined crown, and accepts an 8" rotor.
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Shiver SC
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