Does anyone have a Marzocchi 55?

[kbteachme]

Does anyone have the new Marzocchi 55?
I'm thinking about buying one with all the great reviews. Can you put a RC2 cart in one? I hear that the 55R is the one to get and you can just flip the internal spring/spacer for 160mm of travel. Has anyone done this conversion and replaced it with a new RC2 cart?

[kbteachme]

http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/marzocchi-2008-forks/

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=364922

http://www.azfreeride.com/?q=node/259

http://www.pookgai.com/mountain_biki...press-release/

[jeffj]

You can always call the guys at Marz and ask them if a cartridge swap is possible and feasible. They seem to be open to amswering questions like that.

That said, I think I'd give that new Micro-TST a thorough trial period before I swapped it out. It looks promising to me compared to the original TST.

[kbteachme]

Recently, someone posted the following on MTBR:

140 mm 55R can be converted to160mm (pull spring in left leg, flip spacers from bottom of small spring to top of big spring done) Notice: oem 55r is 160 look at the 08 narcos and commencials.

The AM blows through the travel... put in enough air to keep from bottoming out the fork and you ride at the top of the travel and can't reach the bottom :-(

The 55 TST is very smooth always... high speed or low speed... big hits and small hits.... Also it is very easy to setup. I am running @ 25% sag which only requires 7PSI in the TST cartridge. (210 lb rider) I might bottom out the fork one time in every two rides. How smooth is very smooth, well it's not a smooth as my rear shock (Fox RC coil). I have not ridden any fork that can compare to the buttery smooth ride provided by the fox coil shock. I did ride a circle or two on a friends Fox 36 van and a Fox 40... I was not impressed at all seeing they have nearly 2 times the money in there forks that I paid for the 55.

For the money I just can't find a better deal than the 55... ($425 to my door for a brand new 55 TST2) and the $330 for the 55R advertised on MTBR deal page a while back. if the RC2 cartridge will work in the 55 the parts are going to be like $175. Let's see... 330 + 175 = $ 505 for a new 55 RC2.

[jeffj]

For the money, that sounds like a decent way to go and it looks like you've found some very good prices.

Just curious if you've priced the 55 ETA or 55 ATA?

[strobelite]

Ive got an old high school bud at marzocchi, actually the lead tech, and instead of letting me buy a 55, he got me out a lot cheaper with an older z1 lite with the works package- i don't know about you, but Ill listen to the lead tech over buying into all the new product hype. Plus, it is the first year of a brand new platform.... ask someone who's had one for a year. Just my opinion though, take it or leave it.

[kbteachme]

Originally Posted by jeffj

For the money, that sounds like a decent way to go and it looks like you've found some very good prices.

Just curious if you've priced the 55 ETA or 55 ATA?

Universalcycles.com has the 55 ETA for $636 and the ATA for $794 using the 15% online coupon.

If you can upgrade the 55R with the RC2 cart, it maybe the way to go.

P.S. If I can still find a good condition Z1 Lite, I would consider it. Does your buddy at Marzocchi have anymore?

[92se-r]

Does your buddy still have any older Z1 lites?

[rjcornelia]

let me know how this works out if you do the conversion. i currently ride an 07 AM1 with TST2. i find myself not using the TST2 adjustment much, if not at all. i've done hours of fire road climbs without adjusting ETA or TST2, so i feel i can live w/o these features in exchange for a fork with beefier stanchions and all around more bomb-proof per say. i don't have much experience with AM/FR/DH forks but i do know i'm not getting that "plush" feeling from my current fork setup when descending. i wish i could just go out and drop $1k+ on a fork but it's not feasible for me at the moment, but selling my 1-month old AM1 and going macguyver style on a 55R sounds intriguing, especially if RC2/3 cartridges fit.

[tkblazer]

gabe on here blew up his damping cartridge on his 55r on the second ride at fully loop... when he called marz to see if they had another cartridge they said that they don't even have any repair parts for it yet.... i'd wait before buying a new fork

[Rob]

Just buy my '07 Fox Float 36 RC2 325.00 bucks!

[kbteachme]

I would consider your Float 36 RC2, but the steer tube on it is only 7.2"

[kbteachme]

For 15% off orders over $300 at universalcycles.com, use coupon code vip15

P.S. The 55s have free UPS ground shipping, no sales tax + 15% off until the end of January.