Mountain Biking - Marzocchi MZ Comp worth re-building?

100mm travel, '04, used one season.
I don't have a problem with it being a short travel fork, I'm very lightweight and mostly XC.
I was thinking to get a rebuild kit -(may not need it yet).
What does that entail and how much?
Would the money be better spent towards a new fork as it is kinda entry level?

Or just ride the fork as is and save a few dollars 'till I need to replace it -then get something more advanced.

I don't know much about suspension.....'cept remote lockout would be wicked! :D
Just noticed that today as a new 'invention'. :rolleyes:
Good idea.
Does it work well?

Unless the fork leaks or has excessive play between the uppers and lowers, it does not need a rebuild kit. A disassembly and cleaning along with an oil change should make it work like new.

My friend got a LBS to clean the whole thing out and replace the oil on his mz comp. It worked for about a week before going back to crap. I would go for a re-build.

My friend got a LBS to clean the whole thing out and replace the oil on his mz comp. It worked for about a week before going back to crap. I would go for a re-build.

I live close to NShore, have a really good mech.
No proplem with him inspecting or building. -Is a re-build kit a DYI?
I'd like to DIY, my hobby.

And my question really is I guess...is the fork competent?
A rebuild is by usage ....how often is that usually on a constant hard run fork?

How much are the kits for MZ?
Guess I could go do my own research more... :rolleyes:
Sometimes personal\riders info really cuts the net time.

Thanks.

100mm travel, '04, used one season.
I don't have a problem with it being a short travel fork, I'm very lightweight and mostly XC.
I was thinking to get a rebuild kit -(may not need it yet).
What does that entail and how much?
Would the money be better spent towards a new fork as it is kinda entry level?

Or just ride the fork as is and save a few dollars 'till I need to replace it -then get something more advanced.

I don't know much about suspension.....'cept remote lockout would be wicked! :D
Just noticed that today as a new 'invention'. :rolleyes:
Good idea.
Does it work well?


An Mz Comp is a pretty low level Marzocchi. Do an oil change. Ride it. Not worth spending a ton on it. Save it for a nicer fork in the long run. If you want something in that travel range, and like the idea of remote lock out, one of the Rock Shox Reba forks is worth looking at.

An Mz Comp is a pretty low level Marzocchi. Do an oil change. Ride it. Not worth spending a ton on it. Save it for a nicer fork in the long run.

I'm kinda thinking that too.
Oil, ride it light and replace.

Unless the fork leaks or has excessive play between the uppers and lowers, it does not need a rebuild kit. A disassembly and cleaning along with an oil change should make it work like new.
http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/images/smilie/werd.gif

yeah jeff, usually, but not always, you wouldn't really do a rebuild unless it is leaking oil. rarely have i ever changed bushings because i thought there was too much play. they make them so slick these days its not really a problem. usually if i did change them it was because i already had the fork apart for other work and figured if its been 2 seasons or so...why not? they're not usually any more than dust/oil seals. i don't think it necessary that you start looking for o-rings and stuff to replace internally. just do an oil change and clean and lightly grease the seals like others are mentioning.

what is DYI or DIY?http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/images/smilie/dunno.gif

a fork rebuild doesn't quite have to be based on usage as long as it is well maintained. like oil changes. i have never replaced an oil seal just because they were old. this is more or less the type of thing where you don't mess with it if its not broken. to be quite honest i don't really recall visibly seeing wear on bushings either.

maybe its just because i am light and don't put too much wear on my stuff

as i recall, the mz contains nothing more than springs, and elastometers, no oil.

DIY?
Do it yourself.

Hellz yeah they are, well at least for me. I ride trials and i've been riding my MZs for 4 years now. But i guess ur a XC weenie. JK

as i recall, the mz contains nothing more than springs, and elastometers, no oil.

A search turned up:
- Open Bath SSV Valving.
- 1-side Air & 1-side Coil Spring.

Does open bath SSV valving mean oil?

as i recall, the mz contains nothing more than springs, and elastometers, no oil.



The MX Comp is:
- ssv damping system -What's this? different than open bath SSV valving?
- external air preload without adapter
- internal rebound adjuster
- coil springs both legs
- mg marathon monolite one piece arch & sliders
- 30mm alloy stanchions
- steel steer tube.

The MX Comp is:
- ssv damping system -What's this? different than open bath SSV valving?
- external air preload without adapter
- internal rebound adjuster
- coil springs both legs
- mg marathon monolite one piece arch & sliders
- 30mm alloy stanchions
- steel steer tube.


if it's ssv, it *should* be an oil fork.

this going on your Ritchey? how tall is it compared to your rigid fork? how much of a geometry change will it give you; i'd be cautious jacking the front end of that bike up too much.

if it's ssv, it *should* be an oil fork.

this going on your Ritchey? how tall is it compared to your rigid fork? how much of a geometry change will it give you; i'd be cautious jacking the front end of that bike up too much.

No, it's coming with a new\used frame I'm buying.

The MX Comp is:
- ssv damping system -What's this? different than open bath SSV valving?
- external air preload without adapter
- internal rebound adjuster
- coil springs both legs
- mg marathon monolite one piece arch & sliders
- 30mm alloy stanchions
- steel steer tube.
SSV is "Speed-Sensitive Valving" which should mean there's a little more oil circuitry going on than a basic fork. As far as I know, all Marz. forks are open-bath (as opposed to cartidge damping, etc.) - - though Maelstrom knows more about Marzocchis than I do. Internal adjusters are a pain, but at least adjustable.

as i recall, the mz contains nothing more than springs, and elastometers, no oil.
Exactly, all it has in it is some Grease. No oil.


The MX Comp is:
- ssv damping system -What's this? different than open bath SSV valving?
- external air preload without adapter
- internal rebound adjuster
- coil springs both legs
- mg marathon monolite one piece arch & sliders
- 30mm alloy stanchions
- steel steer tube.
That's a totally different fork. The Mz-comp and Mx-comp are 2 completely different forks.

The MZ-comp DOES NOT have any "real" Damping system. It's an elastomer fork. It's basically just a coil, with a short rod at the bottom that is the travel.

Oh, and by the way, the Mz-comp is NOT worth rebuilding. Just take it apart yourself(it's VERY easy to do) and clean it out, and put new grease in it.

Exactly, all it has in it is some Grease. No oil.


That's a totally different fork. The Mz-comp and Mx-comp are 2 completely different forks.

The MZ-comp DOES NOT have any "real" Damping system. It's an elastomer fork. It's basically just a coil, with a short rod at the bottom that is the travel.

Oh, and by the way, the Mz-comp is NOT worth rebuilding. Just take it apart yourself(it's VERY easy to do) and clean it out, and put new grease in it.

You are so right, I mis-informed myself.
Damn, it's the MZ that's included, hopefully I can unload it for 50$ (pity the foo!)
Might be o.k on a commuter?, I do ride mtb's on the road.

Oh well....so this thing's gonna suck.
Good thing where I live there are used suspension forks everywhere.
I'll be bugging you guys again when I go a fork-swapping.
Thanks for your learned opinions.

If you were asking about an MX Comp, it is worth rebuilding in my opinion, but the MZ-Comp is definitely a use it till it breaks kind of fork.