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Marzocchi
for 2008 |
Cortina, Italy was selected for the presentation of Marzocchi’s 2008 line. While the Perla delle Dolomiti is more famous for being the getaway of choice of the rich and famous, with multi-million dollar properties and a slew of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Bentleys, it was with a certain surprise that I realized that a quite Seymourish (i.e. steep and loose) freeride trail had been chosen for all the media types to test their mettle on. From the hotel a short walk brings you to the Freccia del cielo aerial tram, where a fleet of Marzocchi-equipped Santa Cruz, Rocky Mountain, Commençal and the Spanish Mondraker bikes were waiting to be abused. (More on that shortly).
Before we had the chance to play in the woods, the Marzocchi marketing and product guys gave us the lowdown on their products and informed us that, God forgive them, virtually all production had moved to Taiwan (amen). Bryson Martin, president of Marzocchi USA, added that, as a matter of fact, every single high-end fork is produced right now in Taiwan, and that they were supposed to go overseas a long time ago. They refrained because they wanted to retain their Italian origins, but producing in Bologna was no longer economically and logistically feasible. Marzocchi claims the production shift will not affect quality, and possibly will improve it, they added. The design, assembly and testing will still take place in Italy.
The mountains seen from Cortina
The team is still feasible however and almost all the Marzocchi stars were in attendance including – Wade Simmons, Richie Schley, Thomas Vanderham, the Lacondeguy bros, Brian Lopes, Trond Hansen, Niki Gudex, Micayla Gatto and some younger rippers whose names I don’t know. The atmosphere was relaxed and laid back and we were treated as kings. Molte grazie.
A Marzocchi-equipped VPfree - one of Marcello's rides in Cortina.
The truth is that I was a bit sceptical about the location. Cortina was home
of the 1956 Olympic Winter Games and is called “Queen of the Dolomites”
for a reason. The mountains surrounding the city are amazing, with jagged peaks
and verdant valleys. Gorgeous, really. The only problem is that of the multitude
of trails crisscrossing the valley, there aren't many that allow riding.
I had the chance to take the last run of the day with Marco Giambuzzi, CEO of
the Cortina lift company and the man behind the resort’s new interest
in mountain biking. He has been a very vocal supporter of mountain bike-specific
trails and it seems that his efforts are paying off.
Marzocchi's Maxle. The Marzaxle?
After the presentation was over, we headed to the paddock area where a number of rigs, complete with all Marzocchi goodies, had been built and were ready to ride. Bicycles were taken on a first come, first served basis and once they were gone, they were gone. You don’t really think about the passing of time when you are having so much fun so if you missed your turn, you just needed to relax, take a seat and wait.
The 2008 Marzocchi Fourcross fork. 100mm and 1820 grams (4lbs) claimed weight.
55 and Roco 3PL
The 55 is the brand new, smaller sister of the 66. Travel on the ATA model is
adjustable from 125 to 165mm and the fork is very light – a feathery 2106g
or 4.63lbs (claimed weight). Nomad, Slayer or Ransom owners, rejoice! This fork
is meant to bridge the gap between the super performing (but heavier) 66 and
the all-mountain models. Construction is super sturdy with 35mm stanchions and
a totally new (and quite Maxle-ish) 20mm quick release axle. You can choose
five flavours of 55s, with your choice of air or coil spring.
The Marzocchi 55 ATA. Why is it called the 55? Because it has 6" of travel of course
The fork I used was mounted on a Mondraker Foxy, which, as stated in the company’s web site goes under the enduro category. The bike performed well, was very agile and took some abuse with aplomb. But, truth be told, the frame was designed for all-mountain applications rather than for the steep slope I was testing the bike on. The fork was the 55 air version, which I used exactly in the same setting I found it. I like my suspension very plush with a lot of sag and that was the way the fork was set.
Two trails had been prepared specifically for the testers, and you could select between the easy way down and the gnarlier one. I headed for the second. The track was brand new and consisted of a barely visible line dissecting the lush undergrowth with a couple of super steep sections. The terrain was overall pretty rough and the fork managed to keep me on track (literally).
This isn't a lighter replica of the bigger sister, but the 55 proved to be a very competent descender. I could not find any hint of flex; the fork gracefully absorbed all big bumps and somehow helped me to get to the bottom safely. With a 2200g weight and an overall super sturdy construction, I think this fork will prove a serious contender within the rapidly growing category of light freeride forks (if you are thinking 36 and Lyrik, yes, that's the target).
The Roco 3P (three position lock up)
The bike had the Roco3PL rear shock on the back. This sits at the top of the food chain (weight-wise), meaning it was designed to be light with good performance. As stated by head of marketing Francesco Marzari, the shock is not meant to be installed on ultra elite bikes - it's no race shock - rather is more at ease on all-mountain frames due to its robust construction and high volume air cylinder.
On the Mondraker, I did not notice anything bad about the rear shock, which normally translates as the product doing its job properly. The bike was well balanced, even though I would have liked a little more compression damping on the fork. The shock was plush and handled the rooty environment quite nicely. I never felt the shock was given too much stress even though, at the end of the day, it would probably feel more at home on twisty and bumpy singletrack rather than on the freeride trail I had been bombing down the whole afternoon.
The Marzocchi 55 ATA in White.
66 and Roco air TST R
Just like the last year, the all-mighty 180mm 66 is being served in air and
coil versions. I managed to get a Santa Cruz VP-free, which was gracefully
handed to me by another journo who was having a lot of fun on it but passed
it to me when he saw the look in my eyes. The frame was built up with the
fork’s coil version and a rear air shock. I checked the settings and
found them super plush. The first ride proved to be a little disconcerting.
While the front end swallowed everything in its path, the rear seemed to skid
around, making the run down a little more complicated than expected.
As soon as I got back to the bottom, I put some more air in the shock and things got way better. The fork is quite amazing. It will take the most brutal punishment and ask for more. Really. No matter how bad my line was (normally, pretty bad) I managed to stay safe and alive. It was pretty clear that this had nothing to with my own riding skills, but rather with a highly effective fork. You guessed it, I liked the fork a lot.
The massive 38mm stanchions and the possibility to fine tune high and low compression damping and rebound made the fork buttery smooth. It never bottomed out and impressed yours truly for its ability to keep the line no matter how horrendous the terrain (and how bad the rider). I spent quite a lot of time aboard this sled and rode many different trails. From steep and rooty to steep and rocky to just plain steep. There were also some nice relaxing singletracks we were not, I presume, supposed to ride. I followed some locals and they headed in that direction so it wasn't my fault, ok?
The Marzocchi 66 ATA in white. Why is it called the 66 you ask? Because it has 7" (180mm) of travel of course.
And the 888 World Cup. You are going to ask about the name aren't you? It's called the 888 because it has 8" of travel.
The underside of the 888 ATA.
The rest
Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to test the new 888. I was especially
keen to try to the air version, whose weight the Marzocchi guys boast is the
lowest on the market. I know the past version had been favourably received
because of its coil-like feeling, and I have no reason to think that the 2008
version is any different. It was next to impossible (make it totally impossible)
to get hold of one. As I said once they were gone, they were gone. The survival
of the fastest, I suppose.
Miscellaneous stuff
All of the journalists received got a pair of spanking new Marzocchi flat
pedals shoes. I have been using 5.10 footwear for a while and the Marzocchis
share the same ultra grippy Stealth sole with a more skate look. They fit
me just perfectly and I am sure my buddies will be dying to get a pair. They
look pretty cool and will have you stuck literally to the pedals. Love them.
It's important to note with fork weights that different manufacturers use different standards. Some pull the axle out and cut the steerer - while others leave the fork uncircumcised and leave the axle where it should be.
Some technology definitions from Marzocchi. Click the image for a larger, more readable size.
Overall despite the cloudy, it’s-about-to-rain weather, I had a lot of fun. I didn't have the chance to take the more XC-oriented stuff on some long rides and just devoted my time there to the more gravity-oriented offerings. Marzocchi lived up to its reputation and made my day a brighter one (even though I went over the bars twice). Grazie Marzocchi!
For more on Marzocchi
products for bikes and moto click here.
Marcello Libralato
So did Marzocchi kick it out of the stadium? Better than last year?
Can they compete with Fox, Rock Shox and Manitou? Advance
your theory here.
