[bullcrew]

OK so I bought my fork for the FLY, went and bought the 66 RC3 and just want feedback on it! How stiff does it feel, how responsive is it?
Aside of the oil height thing what are your thoughts on it overall!

 

[Spokompton]

OK so I bought my fork for the FLY, went and bought the 66 RC3 and just want feedback on it! How stiff does it feel, how responsive is it?
Aside of the oil height thing what are your thoughts on it overall!

Mine came with a perfect oil height out of the box.

As far as I can tell, Marzocchi has hit a major home run with this fork.

Here's my take on it:

Stiffness: Ummm... can you say retardedly stiff? I thought the 07 66 was beefcake, but the 08 feels even more solid. It easily feels tighter than my 06 Boxxer in slow rocky terrain. Easily just as stiff as a Totem, yet tighter feeling at the bushings.

Weight: Even though this thing weighs 7.3 pounds, it doesn't feel heavy at all. I attribute this to the stronger coil spring used in the 08 compared to the 07. It wants to pop off the ground easier when pulled up.

Damping: RC3 is amazingly refined and smooth. The rebound appears to be shimmed for both low and high speed control. The rebound knob controls the high speed rebound. The range this rebound covers is amazing too. Not in terms of adjustment, but in terms of how it handles low and high speed frequencies. RC3 holds rebound traction better than any other fork damper I've ever tried.

The compression damping feels similar to the rc2x.

Axle System: Mine holds tight with a TBC revolution HUB. Super easy to use.

Cable Routing: Marzocchi has always failed here IMO. I just went with the old zip on the left arch side.

Overall: The rc3 is SOOOOO many times better than the rc2x for heavy riders. It now comes with a heavier coil spring, which seems to be tuned for 180-200 pound riders. I weigh 200 even and run NO mech preload or added air. Mine has the perfect amount of sag. You can add air or mech preload for heavier riders. The rc2x was always crappy for guys over 180 lbs, IMO. I found it to always be too harsh when adding air pressure (causes extreme preloading) and too soft without it. The bad news is that lighter riders are completely hosed. Marzocchi is smoking crack for deciding not to sell spring kits for it.

I've ridden a lot of high end forks, and the rc3 stands out as being the best FR oriented one. I will just have to see how long the sucker lasts.

 

[bullcrew]

Good to know, Im looking forward to throwing it on the new bike and riding.
BTW: i should be up there for the beacon bomber this year, last year was great.

 

[Kntr]

I had to add oil to both legs and then it was perfect. Mine feels pretty close to an 888.

 

[bullcrew]

I had to add oil to both legs and then it was perfect. Mine feels pretty close to an 888.

Thats good to know, being I have an 888 going on the Jedi and the 66 on the fly. Itll be a small adjustment for settings
BTW the 08 flys are getting a change ie shock mounts and shock size so an avy should fit sa well as its getting a 1.5 ht.

 

[William42]

i like mine alot - doesn't give me a slack enough angle and i'd like a 200mm fork, so i'm bumping up to a 888rc3 or boxxer team (depending on which i have the money for).

I have had some troubles with it though. Careful of the compression knob at the bottom, pops off very easily, found this out after getting a ride up from a random dude, riding down, and finding my compression knob was gone. You can't really set the compression and pull the knob off safely, because if in the event a rock hits your lowers where the knob normally is, you're kinda screwed. I've been running mine for a couple weeks now without it because i haven't had time to call marzo and order one, but i wouldn't suggest it.

As far as the QR goes, i'm not a fan. I have to check it every ride, and usually about half way through a ride to make sure it hasn't been coming lose. If your hub is not manufactured perfectly (you have I9's though, shouldn't be a problem) then you're pretty SOL. Bolt on system was way better. Fox and RS seem to have come up with viable QR systems for 20mm thru axles, but marz needs to work on this one.

I get odd creaking noises in the crowns every once in awhile, but don't really worry about them and they go away. So far hasn't been a problem, i'll update if they suddenly crack and i get destroyed mid ride! Its pretty rare that they do, its usually under hard front braking on flat asphalt that I notice them, once the fork gets moving it kinda goes away.

As far as paint, stickers, and stantion toughness, its pretty weak. Paint/stickers scratch and get marred if you accidently look at them, god forbid riding or shuttling. Stantions ano is pretty easily messed up, (like easier relative to other forks), but most people are careful of that and if they're not then they deserve their scratches. (i've got a couple tiny nicks from what should be insignificant rocks).

This is a pretty heavy fork. You can feel it, and anybody who tells you otherwise has their head up their....yeah. that, or they've been riding a 20 lb super monster from 2001.

I weigh 170 with gear and the spring is a bit too stiff - i have to compensate by running very little compression to get good movement through the travel, which causes it to dive a bit (i can still run enough compression its not terrible), so i donno what the hell marz was thinking by cutting out everybody less then 180 lbs but whatever, thats life i guess.

Independent adjustment knobs ala the rc2x would be nice - despite the adjustments they make not being totally independent. Just makes for finer tuning of the fork, and its a bummer they integrated everything.

Thats all the negatives that I can think of - that said, if i was looking to run a single crown, this is what I would get. Definitely the smoothest fork i've ever run, very stiff (except when the F***ing QR comes loose), and transitions between compression and rebound perfectly. ramps up really well, tracks perfectly, and never ever bucks me no matter how i hit or land. Does everything a fork should, with a few kinks. but its first gen and what can you expect

 

[bullcrew]

Good to know and yeah I see some of what you are saying. Its going to be on a back up bike for me so Im not as critical as I am on the race bike.
Good to hear its stable and plush, thats the assumed reason I bought it.

 

[sethimus]

has anybody checked if the 08 spring is the same size as the 07 spring?

 

[Spokompton]

has anybody checked if the 08 spring is the same size as the 07 spring?

I thought the 07 had two springs? :huh:

08 has one...

 

[jonKranked]

Dear Travis,

Stop buying so much bike sh*t and not sharing with yours truly.

jon kranked.

 

[bullcrew]

Dear Travis,

Stop buying so much bike sh*t and not sharing with yours truly.

jon kranked.

LMAO!
Ill let you ride either beast when built! Hows that, I'll supply the bikes on a ride and you just show up!

 

[bullcrew]

Dear Travis,

Stop buying so much bike sh*t and not sharing with yours truly.

jon kranked.

LMAO!
Ill let you ride either beast when built! Hows that, I'll supply the bikes on a ride and you just show up!

You racing this next one, norba and src so 2 races (DH) 1 weekend.
Im in for Friday, then off to WEBB for the rest of Friday, race Saturday then off to the Intense trail, race Sunday and just hang!

 

[William42]

dibs on leftovers

 

[sethimus]

I thought the 07 had two springs? :huh:

08 has one...

so? maybe i want to change one of the 07 springs with a 08 spring cause the 07 ones are too soft for me? i only need to know if the size is still the same...

 

[bullcrew]

Yeah 08 has 1 and oil in both with air assist in the other. As far as length they are probably the same as far as OD they are prob. a little bigger and possibly stiffer to overcome trhe single spring.
Sorry I have no idea just assumtions.

Final answer: Maybe

 

[sriracha]

as far as the stiffer spring goes, i have an 08 888rc3...sure, it doesn't sag as much as my older 888. the 08 rides higher in the travel. i dunno, i kinda like it. it's pretty nice on steep stuff and hard breaking...the 08 doesn't dive as much. but i'm getting plenty of travel out of the fork and even bottomed it out a few times. i weigh in at 175lbs (damn, i gained weight when i broke my knee). i definately prefer this stiffer spring to my much softer, older 888 spring.

i mos def notice the stiffer chassis of this fork...again, it's nice.