Mountain Biking - Entry Level Fork? Marz / Manitou / Rock Shox?

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bewshy
12-12-03, 01:28 PM
What fork would you recommend for a 200-205 lbs entry level rider not doing anything crazy.

Rock Shox Pilot XC
Manitou Axel Elite
Marzocchi MZ-Comp




thanks

bentrim
12-12-03, 01:44 PM
What fork would you recommend for a 200-205 lbs entry level rider not doing anything crazy.

Rock Shox Pilot XC
Manitou Axel Elite
Marzocchi MZ-Comp




thanks

Marz owns the entry to mid level category as far as I'm concerned.

Manitou, and Rock Shox have popular forks on their higher end lines but their budget forks stink...plagued with too many reliability problems even if you don't ride hard.

I'm planning on getting a Marz MX Comp, or an EXR eventually to replace my Manitou Super Axel on my XC bike. Either of those would be a good place to start IMO.
KrisA
12-12-03, 02:14 PM
MZ Comp is an elastomer fork I think. I'd save the extra $ and get an EXR Pro Air or Coil.

If you meant MX comp, they are great, buy it!

bewshy
12-12-03, 02:30 PM
MZ Comp is an elastomer fork I think. I'd save the extra $ and get an EXR Pro Air or Coil.

If you meant MX comp, they are great, buy it!

I contacted the bike manuf. and they told me the Marz is a Coil / MCU fork. Is that the same as an elastomer.


I get the impression from almost everyone that Marz makes better entry-level forks.


Thanks again for any help.
tFUnK
12-12-03, 07:39 PM
i think mcu = elastomer
a2psyklnut
12-12-03, 07:55 PM
mcu= micro celluloid urethane (I think) c might be cellulouse.

Or something like that, but yeah, it means elastomer.

Regardless, I'd get the Marz. MX over the RS Pilot or the Manitou Axel.

What's your budget?

There are some great closeout deals right now on mid-level forks from all three companies.

RS Duke, Manitou Black, and Marzocchi Z-3 or DJIII's.

L8R
Evo
12-13-03, 08:00 AM
I'd reccomend the Marz. MX comp as well, I got a deal on an 03 model. See If you can stretch your budget to an MX, EXR coil or air. Air is lighter, and better in IMO, not sure if others would agree with me? I find the air forks are more tuneable as well.

The oil damped MX and EXR forks would also be a big improvment over the coil-MCU type forks.
I hope others would agree with me but for an entry level fork the Marzocchi give the best performance, and are very reliable.
nabwong
12-15-03, 07:53 PM
If you could find a pair of 2001 judy and upgrade that with Englund Air, that would be sweet. It'll weigh less than 3lbs and won't blow a hole in your pocket like the SIDs do.
tFUnK
12-16-03, 01:39 AM
or just get used forks. look on mtbr.com classifieds, ebay, etc...