Quantcast

I'm a BIG fan of Marzocchi BUT...

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
...they're fvcking up!!!

Their manuals suck. One of the things that I loved about their product was the ability to have clear instructions to completely disassemble and reassemble the forks. How much oil to put in, how to change the seals, bushings and install the fork. Now they have this big thick one-manual-for-all-forks that tells absolutely zip-point-sh!t about the forks.

Their forks are starting to suck.. I just bought a $1300 888R and it won't fit on my large framed M1. The top crown won't reach down the stanchions enough to safely clamp the tubes. They don't have a drop crown available for it yet. Arrrrrgh!!!! And a brand new 04 Marathon SL that won't stay locked out. It slowly creeps back up in it's travel.

:angry:

Rant over,

Mike
 

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
Yes, their manuals do suck, but it does clearly state the max 160mm head stack. Guess you can always fork out $300 and go-ride and get the drop crown. I think Risse is also making them.
 

DßR

They saw my bloomers
Feb 17, 2004
980
0
the DC
actually you'd only need the lower Go-ride crown, so it'd only be $200. Does that soften the blow any? :p It'd help your head angle out while you were at it.

Try calling up their tech. department and asking them to email you the REAL manual - somebody had posted about doing that a couple of months ago, they gave him the "good" one..
 

Dirty

i said change it damn it....Janet...Slut!!
Aug 3, 2003
522
0
only need to fork out $200, just buy the lower crown/steerer and use your existing upper crown. acts like a dropcrown. go-ride says this set up will fit any bike with a headtube ober 5.5"
 

Repack

Turbo Monkey
Nov 29, 2001
1,889
0
Boston Area
Their manuals have gotten so bad that I look elswhere for info. Stuff like oil heights is much easier to find with a google search than by looking in their manuals/on their website.

And an 888 won't fit an M1? Thats just crazy.
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Yeah I'm 10mm over the 160 limit and only need a little less than that to safely clamp the top crown. I don't run 3" tires and may get away with running the lower crown just a little lower but I want it right. I'm now on the waiting list for the next batch of Go-Ride crowns due in a couple of weeks. Just the lowers. Major props to them of seeing this problem and providing a solution to it!!!

AND I'm giving Marzocchi a call.

Mike
 

DßR

They saw my bloomers
Feb 17, 2004
980
0
the DC
Isn't there enough room to just take 5mm off your headtube with a facer? That would be a lot cheaper than a new lower crown. As long as you don't start cutting off welded material, it seems to me that you'd be okay.

I considered doing the same thing with my SGS (STUPID big stack height of ~175mm) but fortunately there's an internal headset option now so I won't have to do it.
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Yeah, but it's my M1. :( It'd be hard for me to cut into the frame. The Go-Ride crown is supposed to fix some steering issues as well.

Y'know if the company name was Warzocchi I wouldn't be having this problem. The lower crown would look like a 'W' instead of an 'M'. :eek:

Mike
 

dante

Unabomber
Feb 13, 2004
8,807
9
looking for classic NE singletrack
had downloaded the tech manuals for my 2001 & 2002 Zokes, then switched jobs and didn't get all the docs off my work computer, so go to the Zoke site to DL them again. Hmmm, they're not there. Give my email to sign up for their "tech" site, hmmm, not there either. Email them. No response. Grrrrrr.

Aw f**k it, how hard can it be to take a fork appart? :D

dante
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,319
7,744
Originally posted by dante
had downloaded the tech manuals for my 2001 & 2002 Zokes, then switched jobs and didn't get all the docs off my work computer, so go to the Zoke site to DL them again. Hmmm, they're not there. Give my email to sign up for their "tech" site, hmmm, not there either. Email them. No response. Grrrrrr.

Aw f**k it, how hard can it be to take a fork appart? :D

dante
if you need the manual for a 2002 z1 fr drop me a line and i'll send the pdf on its merry way
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,658
AK
so you assumed that the fork fit your M1. I assumed that a shiver fit a 1.5" headtubed iron horse. It did, but just barely, and it was a medium frame. Some manufacturers "dont get it" and don't understand that with a dual crown fork, we don't need to increase the headtube size, because we can use spacers, but some still stick to making 8" headtubes, and it totally screws it up when you try to put some DH forks on it. Make sure the fork you want will fit the bike you want, the manual has always had this information it it.
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Originally posted by Jm_
so you assumed that the fork fit your M1.
I did. The Shiver I had on it fit just fine, stock crown and all. True the info was in the manual (which you get in the box after you buy the fork) but there isn't a drop crown available from Marzocchi right now. So you've got this bigass fork that won't fit a 5.5" headtube???!!!!

I realize I am culpable here for not checking first, but Marzocchi isn't the company it once was. I guess being the 'freeride' market leader has made them soft. Maybe if Fox comes out with a DC 20mm axle fork they'll tighten up.

Mike
 

BigMike

BrokenbikeMike
Jul 29, 2003
8,931
0
Montgomery county MD
Originally posted by Dartman
Yeah, but it's my M1. :( It'd be hard for me to cut into the frame. The Go-Ride crown is supposed to fix some steering issues as well.

Y'know if the company name was Warzocchi I wouldn't be having this problem. The lower crown would look like a 'W' instead of an 'M'. :eek:

Mike
Just turn the crown upside down, then it will look like a "W" :D
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,658
AK
Originally posted by zedro
i'm upset too, they should have at least 5 crown sizes to conform to everyones willy-nilly specifications...

PS, i really hate bands that 'sell-out' as well....
Or if the damn manufacturers didn't have 5 different headtube sizes...it hasn't "clicked" in the maunfacturers heads that we are using DC forks on our DH bikes. If every single DH fork came with small, medium, large, and X-tra large crowns, it would all work fine...but since they dont, there isn't a big reason to go with 5 different headtube sizes...
 

Rik

Turbo Monkey
Nov 6, 2001
1,085
1
Sydney, Australia
Originally posted by Jm_
Or if the damn manufacturers didn't have 5 different headtube sizes...it hasn't "clicked" in the maunfacturers heads that we are using DC forks on our DH bikes. If every single DH fork came with small, medium, large, and X-tra large crowns, it would all work fine...but since they dont, there isn't a big reason to go with 5 different headtube sizes...
I'm pretty sure I'm having de-ja-vu and this topic's been mentioned many times before. But it makes sense every time. WHY ON EARTH does a DH bikes handlebars need to sit higher just because the top tube is longer? Fair enough, on an XC bike where you get a longer toptube AND top tube between sizes, and they're designed for in the seat pedalling, but on a DH bike, it's just adding production costs (I assume it would to make different size headtubes), and making all sorts of hassles for the end user. dumb, dumb, dumb...
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,100
1,150
NC
Originally posted by Dartman
I realize I am culpable here for not checking first
I actually can't believe Echo hasn't jumped in with a comment about how all of this would have been avoided when buying from a knowledgable LBS...

:D
 

ragin-sagin

Monkey
Oct 2, 2003
390
0
NZ
Originally posted by Dartman
I don't run 3" tires and may get away with running the lower crown just a little lower but I want it right.

Mike
Don't even try it...your lowers will hit on the crown under full compression....they slide ALL the way up to that crown line.
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,646
1,217
Nilbog
I used to be a die hard marzocchi fan but now i cant see myself riding anything but manitou and fox forx, they are just plain better than what marzocchi is offering now. :confused:
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Apparently a lurker (Hi Clint ;) ) here reported this post to my lbs. The quy who I bought it from called me immediately and apologized for not checking that I had a tall headtube and even offered to take the fork back. I said it's all cool and I'll still get the new lower crown. But hey, now that's service!!

Mike
 

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
Yeah, I emailed marzocchi and they sent me a pdf of the tech manual. Took a couple of days.

Also, Loco Gringo just calls them up, and gets oil heights.

I have the 2003 Marathon SL if anyone needs it.
 

denjen

Certified Lift Whore
Sep 16, 2001
1,691
36
Richmond VA
Mike
Tell you what I could be talked into trading my new boxxer for the 888 since you are having a hard time. I am always here to help you out:D
Dennis
 
Sep 10, 2001
834
1
A drop crown to fit the longer headtubes is on the way... They are being machined right now.

As for the manuals, blame the people who sue us because they "followed the instructions in the manual...."

Brian
 

zedro

Turbo Monkey
Sep 14, 2001
4,144
1
at the end of the longest line
Originally posted by Brian Peterson
As for the manuals, blame the people who sue us because they "followed the instructions in the manual...."

Brian
thats what i thought...especially since the older manuals were removed along with all the extensive on-site info. Although i think theres more harm being done than good....
 
Sep 10, 2001
834
1
It may upset some people, but we have to cover our asses..... Welocme to life in the US.... You don't have to take responsibility for anything....

Brian
 

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
Originally posted by Brian Peterson
A drop crown to fit the longer headtubes is on the way... They are being machined right now.

As for the manuals, blame the people who sue us because they "followed the instructions in the manual...."

Brian
So they don't exhist then:(
 

dhtahoe

I LOVE NORBA!!!!
Feb 4, 2002
1,363
0
Flying Low Living Fast
Originally posted by Brian Peterson
It may upset some people, but we have to cover our asses..... Welocme to life in the US.... You don't have to take responsibility for anything....

Brian
Well said Brian... funny but at SOC some little 7 year old kid told my lady that he would sue her if she fell on him on the air trampoline that was set up in the marketplace. They teach them young in cali.
 
Sep 10, 2001
834
1
Brian... Call and ask... It's quicker than posting a question on the internet...

Mike.... Yup, they learn way young here in California...

Brian
 

zedro

Turbo Monkey
Sep 14, 2001
4,144
1
at the end of the longest line
Originally posted by dhtahoe
Well said Brian... funny but at SOC some little 7 year old kid told my lady that he would sue her if she fell on him on the air trampoline that was set up in the marketplace. They teach them young in cali.
reason #7461 why i'm afraid of the US....