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Is the Works service program from Marzocchi Canada for you? (Plus a |
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Marzocchi forks are virtually synonymous with big bikes, and in particular, North Shore riding. Since the 4" Z1 Bomber fork was introduced back in the mid-'90s, first single-crown and then double-crown Marzocchi forks have been setting the standard for buttery-smooth performance and reliability. There have been a few bumps along the road, but what bike company hasn't had a few challenges to overcome? Marzocchi's done a good job dealing with the issues, as well as listening to both the pros and bros when it comes to improving their product offerings. A great example of that was the introduction of first the Z150 and subsequently the 66 line of long-travel forks.
The forks had more travel than the 5" Z1, with less weight and increased turning radius than the Marzocchi double-crown forks available at the time. With the introduction of the Z150 in 2004 and the 66 in 2005, Marzocchi effectively cornered the market on long-travel SC forks. There were a few other players in the game, but they didn't receive much spec on bikes and virtually everything else was measured against Marzocchi product. The new Totem and Domain forks from RockShox will definitely give Marzocchi a run for its money, but those forks are still in their infancy and they've got a ways to go before matching Marzocchi's long-travel SC market share and mystique.
I've been riding Marzocchi forks on my personal bikes for a while now - a metallic green Z2 Atom Bomb with post-mount calipers was just the first of several Marzocchi forks I've owned. During the past year, I had the good fortune to conduct an interesting experiment with a 2006 model 170mm 66 RC2X fork. I rode the fork as it came from the factory, with my own settings for preload, compression, and rebound, for a few months and then brought the fork to the Marzocchi Canada service centre on Vancouver's North Shore for the custom Works tuning to see the difference between the two. The results were interesting, to say the least.
In the beginning... The first thing I did was fine-tune the fork to my liking. Preload is adjusted by adding air pressure to each leg of the fork, and based on recommendations from Marzocchi, I added six pump strokes of air to each leg. Rebound was set fairly quick, while slow-speed compression was adjusted for the small to mid-sized drops and square-edged hits that are common on the Shore. High-speed compression was set pretty much in the middle of the road, with necessary adjustments depending on the trail and speed I was travelling at. Settings for the Shore were definitely different than they were for the bike park. |
 The 66, all shiny and new before the beat-down began || Photo: Stuart Kernaghan |
Virtually every fork has some break-in period, and Marzocchis are no exception. It took about five or six rides for everything to soften up nicely on the 66. The seals broke in, and travel got increasingly smooth.
What I did notice, though, was that there was a bit of initial stiction. After tweaking the preload a number of times, going both up and down, I ended up dumping all the preload completely to get enough sag. There was also a bit of stiction at the beginning of the stroke, to the point where the fork almost felt locked out if you just pushed down on it lightly. I was never able to figure out what the cause was, but once the fork broke through into its travel (which is where it sits most of the time when you're riding), it was all good. There was no harshness to the fork, it didn't blast through the mid-stroke, and ramped up nicely but not excessively at the end of the stroke.
 The red knob on the bottom of the right leg is the slow-speed compression adjustment. Treat it with care. || Photo: Stuart Kernaghan |
During the first few months of testing, there were no issues with the fork's performance or quality. Unfortunately, the slow-speed adjustment knob, which sits at the bottom of the right leg of the fork, broke off about three rides into the test when my front wheel slipped off a ladder bridge. Based on a number of posts on the nsmb.com bulletin boards and discussions with other people I ride with, this has been a fairly common occurrence. What's the solution? Well, you can either leave it on and hope it doesn't break off or you can remove it. That will leave the adjustment rod for the compression chamber exposed, though. Whichever route you go , I'd suggest finding the happy place for your slow-speed compression as quickly as possible, in the event that you break off the knob. It will just make your life easier in the long run. |
After riding the fork in a variety of different conditions, from faster trails on the Shore where you could open up the bike to slow-speed, technical sections that required finesse and precision, to the Whistler and Silver Star bike parks, I felt comfortable on the 66. I even did a couple of longer XC rides with this set-up when the other bike was in the shop.
I had a pretty good idea of what it was capable of doing and how it would react in different terrains. I knew how it would perform when I hit a drop, when I was going through washboard, railing berms, letting it all go. I felt confident on the fork, and knew that it was up to whatever my 215lb. carcass, plus another 75lbs. of bike and gear, could throw at it. I was able to ride at, or near my limit, without feeling as though the fork was in any way slowing me down. If anything, I was holding the fork back. All in all, I was pretty happy with the fork - save for the stiction issue and the broken rebound knob. I wasn't overwhelmed, but this really was a pretty sweet fork when it came to long-travel single crowns. Very few things are perfect, so expecting that from a fork isn't fair. And according to a certain nsmb tester who is a big Marzocchi fan , the 66 was mint. Sweet. Buttery. Even though it was only a 66 and his particular bent is 888s. |
 The 66 RC2X performed well on stunts, as well as ripping the trails. || Photo: Denny Byrne |
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Returning to the mothership The fact that the Shore and Whistler provide a great research and development facility hasn't been overlooked, either. You couldn't find a better test lab for forks and rear shocks if you tried. Anyone who can make it to the North Van location can drop off their forks for maintenance, pick up parts and accessories, buy Marzocchi softgoods, get warranty service, get tuning or maintenance advice, or get the special Works tuning done on their fork. You can still get service, too, even if you don't live in the Vancouver area. About the only thing you can't do at Marzocchi Canada is buy a fork. |
Marzocchi Canada is managed by James Durand, who came from Norco, where he worked as a product manager. Wrenching duties in the shop are handled by Naz Evangelista, who came from the Cove bike shop, where he spent a lot of time tearing down and building up forks from Marzocchi.
James and I chatted about the Works program for a while, to find out whether it's worth it for the 'average' rider, as well as find out about the whole process of getting this special tune-up. Here's what he had to say:
nsmb - Tell me what you did to my 66 fork, and what you can do to any Marzocchi fork.
Marzocchi Canada - There is a standard Works program that includes some special oils and additives, and there is also a lot of custom tuning specific to each rider’s weight and riding style. Naz also has some special little tricks he administers to make a Works fork feel that much better than anything else out there. (If I went into details on this stuff, we’d have to kill you.) We did the complete service and tuning on your fork.
Naz working his black magic on a fork. Wonder if those bottles contain the special additive? || Photo: Cam McRae
nsmb - What are the benefits of getting the fork tuned?
MC - A rider at any level will benefit from better suspension. Regardless of whether a beginner comes in or a veteran pro, the benefits are the same. A custom-tuned fork will handle better, ride better and give the rider further control and higher potential to improve. Is it something everyone should plan on doing, or is it not necessary? I think everyone should do it, but it depends on each rider’s priority list I guess.
If you have no suspension or low-end suspension, maybe you should start by getting a nice Bomber on the bike and then look into the Works program down the road. The Bombers feel like butter out of the box and will definitely get you down the trail in style, but the Works program gives you the same advantages as the sponsored pros.
nsmb - Where do people who can make it to the North Shore come for servicing?
MC - We're located at
1450 Rupert Street in North Vancouver. You can call 604.986.3675 or fax us at 604.986.3672, if you need to.
nsmb - What about people who aren't in the 604 area code? Can they still get the Works tuning?
MC -
Call us at 604.986.3675 and we’ll set you up with an Return Authorization number [RA#].
nsmb - What's the cost for the tuning, and how long does it take?
MC - We charge CDN$130 for the basic tuning (including oil, additive, labour and magic) and parts on top of that. Springs are $70. Ship the fork to us once you have an RA#, and we’ll have it done in a day and shipped back. You don’t even miss a weekend of riding.
Single crown or double crown, it doesn't make a difference. Naz makes it all sublime. || Photo: Cam McRae
nsmb - Finally, any suggestions for dealing with a slow-speed adjuster knob that's broken off?
MC - You have two options. If the knob is broken but there is still some cartridge showing, you can cut a slot in the cartridge piece and try to use a screw driver to adjust the compression. In most cases, though, if a rider slips off a skinny or crashes hard enough to break the knob off the fork it breaks the cartridge clean off and a new cartridge is needed. If you are a rider who is prone to damaging the lower part of your fork, we suggest taking the knob off and keeping it in your gear bag and using it as a tool.
Where did my old fork go?
I picked up the 66 and it didn't look different from the outside, but I noticed something was different as soon as I installed it on my bike. That initial stiction was gone. Absolutely, completely, and totally gone. The fork eased into its travel smoothly, gracefully even.
Hitting familiar trails was like a new experience. The fork didn't feel like it had been abused by a big rider for the last six months. It felt as though it just came out of the box. But it was better than that. All of the good qualities of the 66 were amplified, and some of the others that you might overlook were now apparent. It felt even more plush than the fork that came out of the box.
Not only was the stiction gone, but the stroke seemed to be even smoother. The front bike of the bike literally floated over obstacles, flattening out all but the roughest lines. Steep chutes were a breeze, and I had more control over the bike. I wondered if some of this superlative single-crown experience was in my mind, but when I stopped to think about it, the fork really was smoother, livelier, more responsive, and at the same time more controlled.
As I said above, I was a sceptic before the fork went in. I really didn't think it would be all that different when it came back. But it was. Not only was the ride better, all the adjustments were spot on. Preload, high- and low-speed compression, rebound - they we were all exactly where they should have been to get the most out of the fork. It really did take the 66 from being a good fork to an excellent fork. There's no doubt about that whatsoever. I'm now a firm believer in the Works program, and I suspect you will be as well if you send your fork in for some Marzocchi Canada love.
The Scoop on '07
Sure, you can get the Works tuning on any Marzocchi fork, but wouldn't it be more fun to think about how awesome it would make a brand new 2007 fork? nsmb's fearless leader Cam McRae went to the Marzocchi '07 launch this past summer and looked at the new offerings then, but here's the recap in case you missed it the first time 'round. Start drooling in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...
First, the 66 forks...
The 66 SL 1 ATA - light and white || Photo: © Marzocchi
In 2006, there were four 66 model forks: the Light, the RC2X (which I was on), the SL, and the VF2. The SL was 150mm to 170mm travel, while the others were all 170mm (but could be adjusted down to 150). They all had 35mm stanchions, a 1 1/8" alloy steerer, and a 20mm dedicated axle. The biggest difference between the models was the damping systems, which you can read about for yourself.
This year, there are three aftermarket 66s to choose from: the RC2 ETA, the RC2X, and the SL 1 ATA. (There are seven OEM forks that will be spec'd on full bikes, but we won't get into those here.) The three forks all have 6" post mounts, 35mm stanchions, and the RC2 damping system. Max travel is 180mm, but they can be adjusted down to 160mm. The ETA model has 180mm of travel, and allows 30mm of fork travel when the ETA is activated. The RC2X is back for another year, but it gets an additional 10mm of travel from last year. The biggest change to the line comes in the SL 1 ATA fork, which allows riders to adjust travel from 180mm down to 140mm when climbing. Claimed weight for this fork is 5.8lbs.
Marzocchi is easing its way into the OnePointFive category, only offering the 66 with the oversized steerer tube to OEM customers for the time being.
Although there have been changes to the QR20 axle system, you won't find them on either the 66 or 888 fork models; those forks continue to use a dedicated two-bolt thru-axle. The new QR20 quick release axle will be making an appearance on the All Mountain forks - the All Mountain 1 and SL; AM forks used a standard quick release last year.
The new 888 World Cup, with Ti springs and nickel-coated stanchions || Photo: © Marzocchi
In 2006, there were two 888 models: the RC2X and the VF2. Well, there are three aftermarket 888s to choose from this year: the RC2X VA, the RC2X World Cup, and the SL ATA. Common features include 200mm of travel, the 20mm thru axle, a 6" post mount disc, and 35mm stanchions. Not surprisingly, there are a number of differences between the models.
The RC2X uses coil springs and the RC2X damping system with VA adjustability, which allows riders to adjust spring preload and air volume using the knobs on the top of each fork leg. The World Cup uses both the RC2X and VA systems, but adds titanium springs and nickel-coated alloy stanchions to the mix. The SL ATA is a little different, primarily because it's designed to directly challenge the current lightweight champ, RockShox BoXXer. Weight is a claimed 6.5 lbs., but you don't lose much other than the weight - you still get travel that adjusts from 170mm to 200mm , RC2 damping, ATA travel adjustability, and an air spring.
If you're looking for a triple crown from Marzocchi but your pockets aren't deep enough for a 888, check out the Super T RCV. You get rebound and compression valving, 185mm travel, RCV adjustability, a coil spring, and 32mm stanchions. Sadly, there's no Junior T in '07. Guess you'll just have to deal with it.
A Cadre of Rear Shocks
One other thing worth talking about before signing off is the Roco rear shock. This year, there are three aftermarket versions to choose from: the R Air, which is aimed more at the all mountain and XC sets; the RC World Cup, which is a full-on freeride or DH shock; and the TST R, which covers all the bases from AM to light freeride to big-hit riding.
The R Air has rebound, a nickel coated body, a linear air spring, and fixed negative air. The World Cup features HSCV damping, rebound, preload, and an optional Ti spring. Both the shaft and body are alloy. The TST has, as the initialism might suggest, Terrain Selection Technology, rebound, preload, and the optional Ti spring.
The TST R rear shock, which offers lots of adjustability for riders || Photo: © Marzocchi
The Wrap-up
So there you have it. I beat on a 66 for a long and hard season, sent the fork back to Marzocchi Canada for tuning, and found that it was noticeably better after getting some love. Regardless of whether you're a Marzocchi fan or not, you have to give James and Naz - as well as Marzocchi's capo di tutti capi Bryson Martin - a lot of credit. They are really damn serious about giving you the best performing fork out there. Not many fork manufacturers are offering everyday riders the option of pro-level tuning, and that deserves major props.
I've ridden a lot of forks over the years, and I have yet to find any single improvement or tuning that has made as much of a difference as the Works tuning did to that 66. What I got back from the factory is so much better than what went in.
Is it worth the cash? If you're serious about your riding, if you've dropped a bunch of cake on a fork or bike, or if you want to take fork performance to the next level, then yes, it is. And if you've got a Marzocchi fork that isn't perfect, then absolutely. You'll be amazed at the difference, without a doubt. Just don't mess with the fork once you get it back or you may bugger up the settings that give you the ultra-buttery goodness that comes from a Works tuning.
nsmb's Cam McRae enjoys sampling the '07 Marzocchi line in Lago di Garda, Italy || Photo: Pete Roggeman
