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66RC on VPFree (pics)

Bulldog

Bulldog

Turbo Monkey
Sep 11, 2001
1,009
0
Wisconsin
Damn. Just when I think I know what I want I see a pic or a spec and I'm not so sure anymore.

That VP-Free looks sooo slack, even considering the 24" rear wheel (that is a 24" right?). Yet that Kona with the 150mm 66 looks great. I'm looking to match 6" travel and slack out my RFX without going overboard. Compared to my Z.1, I don't know if the extra 20mm in height of a Z.150 will make a difference, but I'm guessing a full 2.0" of 66 will make the bike rather one-dimensional, and possibly downright crappy.

So supposedly the "wrong" a-c measurements (595mm/575mm) got the tech drawings yanked from threads months ago. Now supposedly the forks only got 5mm shorter. BUT NOW check this:
150mm 66: http://www.bti-usa.com/item.asp?item=MZ9518&searchtype=&itemsearch=&filter=
170mm 66: http://www.bti-usa.com/item.asp?item=MZ9516&searchtype=&itemsearch=&filter=
So now do we have a second coming of inaccuracies going on? The 575mm/555mm numbers would have made a lot more people happy, including me. I guess since an actual production fork has been measured to 590mm that's where we are, though I'd like to see a couple more for confirmation.

Lastly, wouldn't anyone feel the difference between 6.6" front travel and 8.5-9" rear travel? Mismatched travel bikes just feel unbalanced to me. Anyone else?
 
T0mo

T0mo

Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
434
0
nedtown, colorado
Bulldog said:
That VP-Free looks sooo slack, even considering the 24" rear wheel (that is a 24" right?).
Click to expand...
nope, thats a mavic, and they don't make a 24" (at least thats what I've been hearing for years now).
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,425
7,808
Bulldog said:
Lastly, wouldn't anyone feel the difference between 6.6" front travel and 8.5-9" rear travel? Mismatched travel bikes just feel unbalanced to me. Anyone else?
Click to expand...
eh, i've been running a 6.88" (175mm, '01 monster t) fork with a 9" frame this season and it hasn't felt odd. in fact i quite like it. :D
 
Trigger

Trigger

Chimp
Jul 15, 2004
99
0
Oslo - Norway
zane said:
How would forks get stiffer when one crown goes away and the bottom crown stays the same size? I could understand the lateral flex being less if they're compared to an upside-down fork (eg: shiver), but how do they compare to a higher end DC with a brake arch with similar travel and weight (super T? boxxer?).

BTW- I measured the head angle on that VPFree to be about 60 degrees (ruler and protracter on the monitor), I'd be interested to get a real measurement on it. Does it feel as slack as it looks?
Click to expand...
probably it wouldn't. That's why they DON'T use the same crown on the 66. This is also where all the extra length comes in. The upper crown on the 66 is massive. Also, the "steering tube" (correct word?) is massive....check out the bottom...can't squize a finger up there...

The only thing I can say is "try it"....really.

Regarding angle...I almost regret posting the picture you're talking about. First of all, the bike is in an horizontal angle - where there front wheel is closer to the camera than the rear. That also gives the 24" look. It also leans back on the bikes in the rear.

I would guess the angle to be somewhere around 65degrees, and no - it doesn't feel slack. I used to have a 888R on that bike earlier, which is 1cm longer (axel to crown).
 
cali4niabiker

cali4niabiker

Monkey
Jun 29, 2004
296
0
ATLANTA, GA
zane said:
I've never seen one of these forks in person, so I have a couple issues in my mind:

Are the reports of no flex really true, or just people trying to defend their new favorite fork? I have a couple friends with 8" 888's, and they say that they feel more flex than any other fork of simlar travel and quality (7" and 8" DC forks). How would forks get stiffer when one crown goes away and the bottom crown stays the same size? I could understand the lateral flex being less if they're compared to an upside-down fork (eg: shiver), but how do they compare to a higher end DC with a brake arch with similar travel and weight (super T? boxxer?).

BTW- I measured the head angle on that VPFree to be about 60 degrees (ruler and protracter on the monitor), I'd be interested to get a real measurement on it. Does it feel as slack as it looks?
Click to expand...

As for the 888, it is MUCH stiffer than the Shiver DC. Yeah, there is a little side-to-side flex, but it isn't that bad in direct comparision to the DC's... I actually took a bike out today that had an 888 for a test spin and it felt considerably stiffer than my Shiver.... uh. Houston, we gotta a problem... :think: I would now want an 888.... :mumble: :D

These new 66's look pretty cool, but I would like to wait and see how they pan out as far as durability and stiffness in comparision to other forks (i.e., 888, Boxxer, the new Fox, etc).
 
Bulldog

Bulldog

Turbo Monkey
Sep 11, 2001
1,009
0
Wisconsin
Bulldog said:
So supposedly the "wrong" a-c measurements (595mm/575mm) got the tech drawings yanked from threads months ago. Now supposedly the forks only got 5mm shorter. BUT NOW check this:
150mm 66: http://www.bti-usa.com/item.asp?item=MZ9518&searchtype=&itemsearch=&filter=
170mm 66: http://www.bti-usa.com/item.asp?item=MZ9516&searchtype=&itemsearch=&filter=
So now do we have a second coming of inaccuracies going on? The 575mm/555mm numbers would have made a lot more people happy, including me. I guess since an actual production fork has been measured to 590mm that's where we are, though I'd like to see a couple more for confirmation.
Click to expand...
Well, Marz '05 info is now online. And curiously the a-c numbers are back to where they were originally, wayyyy back in April when they got yanked for being inaccurate. :confused:

http://marzocchi.com/template/detailSPAForks.asp?IDFolder=113&LN=UK&OEM=&mCO=ucmPhhfuuj`2/Joufsp2!BTD-!ucmPhhfuuj/Joufsp5!BTD&mCW=BOE!ucmPhhfuuj/Cju2!>!2&mCJ=!JOOFS!KPJO!ucmPhhfuuj!BT!ucmBooj!!PO!ucmPhhfuuj/Joufsp2!>!ucmBooj/JEPhhfuup!MFGU!KPJO!ucmPhhfuuj!BT!ucmTfsjf!!PO!ucmPhhfuuj/Joufsp4!>!ucmTfsjf/JEPhhfuup!!JOOFS!KPJO!ucmPhhfuuj!ucmPhhfuuj`2!PO!ucmPhhfuuj/Joufsp2!>!ucmPhhfuuj`2/JEPhhfuup!&IDOggetto=8455

575mm/595mm. Guess it depends on what numbers were given to who and when, but I've got an order in the system at Marzocchi but won't call with my card until I know for sure which ones are right. Patience young Jedi, right? :mumble:

Also, the weight (6.1#) is indeed without steerer tube. Wonder how much that super-beef steel sucka weighs? (I kinda don't want to know lol)
 
Trigger

Trigger

Chimp
Jul 15, 2004
99
0
Oslo - Norway
Espen said:
The porky steel steerer weights 565g!!!!! Thats more than one pound, 3 oz. The weight is pretty damn close the the 888.

E
Click to expand...
As I wrote in our norwegian forum (kinda new here, so havn't gotten in the habbit of posting here yet) - we checked the weight after cutting the tube. But since that weight was made for far heavier stuff (and not exactly a sales/post weight) I brought the entire bike with me to where I checked the weight with the 888R.

The vpfree was 18,6kg with the 888R, and is now 17,8kg. That's the numbers.

Other parts changed in the meantime:

- Some spokes
- Break pads
- Break fluid

The 888R had 210ml of 7.5v oil in each leg, which is the recommended amount.
I havn't checked the 66RC's oil yet, as it feels good.
 
Sverre

Sverre

Monkey
Aug 26, 2004
400
0
Norwaii
Sweet bike Trygve, (aka Trigger).
Looks good with the 66 fork on. Singlecrowns rule!!

I'm going to check out my friends ASX with 66 later today. I'll be back to tell what I think of it later on.

Cheers

S
 
Sverre

Sverre

Monkey
Aug 26, 2004
400
0
Norwaii
After some testriding on the Marzo 66RC (7"), I must say I'm quite impessed of the forks performance.
I tested the fork on an 04 Yeti ASX. I Thought the fork would be too mutch for the ASX, but it realy wasn't. Sure it made the headangle on it pretty slack, but it rode quite well anyhow. The bike's set up with powerfull Mag Gustav M's, and even under hard braking there was very little flex. Some minimal back and forth flex could be noticed, but nothing mutch. Sideways flex was minimal.
The fork feelt pretty light on the bike, and I might start to belive that it may be a sub 6,5lbs fork afterall..? :rolleyes: (I Know it got the reinfoced steel headtube, but does anybody know if this fork got aluminium stanctions??)
The dampingfeeling and the adjustments was the best I've ever tested on a SC fork. Superplush, felt very much like the 888, but I thought the 66 ramped up a bit more at the end. (No air added to the air assist). I must ride it some more to be sure.. (More riding tomorrow hopefully :D )
My conclution is, that I'm getting one for my next build, that's for sure!

Cheers

S
 
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