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Marzocchi MZ Comp 100mm vs Dirt Jumper III

11K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  londonlad 
#1 ·
What is the Marzocchi MZ Comp 100mm like, and what kind of riding can it handle?
I'm not that heavy (170lb), and looking for a versatile fork for urban, 2-4 ft pavement drops, and the occasional DJ, but I'd like it to be OK for riding XC trails as well. Would the Marzocchi MZ Comp 100mm fit the bill, or do I need to look at other options? It would be great to hear from you if you have used the MZ Comp 100mm, and to hear what you could or could not do with it!
Thanks,
-London Lad
 
#2 ·
londonlad said:
What is the Marzocchi MZ Comp 100mm like, and what kind of riding can it handle?
I'm not that heavy (170lb), and looking for a versatile fork for urban, 2-4 ft pavement drops, and the occasional DJ, but I'd like it to be OK for riding XC trails as well. Would the Marzocchi MZ Comp 100mm fit the bill, or do I need to look at other options? It would be great to hear from you if you have used the MZ Comp 100mm, and to hear what you could or could not do with it!
Thanks,
-London Lad
Bought my other half a Kona Cinder Cone with the MZ Race and it's almost exactly the same.At first i thought it was a little stiff but got used to it quick,it's just not soft enough for me but it wuld do great for what your looking doing with it.Definately not an option for the big stuff but for everyday use it would work well.
 
#4 ·
Dj Iii

Motoxpro said:
DONT get a mz comp over a dj III. They are VERY flimsy and i bent mine the 2nd day i had my bike, i got a DJ III now and its alot more sturdy and you can adjust the air in it.
How much can an MZ Comp handle then - what kind of drops etc would be OK for it, and what would be more than it can handle?
The 1995 Trek Bruiser 2 is listed as having a MZ Comp 130mm fork - is that a different fork then?

As far as the DJ III is concerned, I heard somewhere that dirt jump forks are very heavy. Apparently they are designed more for big drops, and to take up the impact for one quick hit without pogoing back. As a result, they are not at all suitable for any XC riding or going over generally bumpy territory coz the rebound is too slow. Is there truth to that?
 
#5 ·
Well, my MZ bent a little over a really small jump and then I was doing a mid sized dirt jump and it bent where I couldnt really ride it anymore. Id probably say it could handle 4-5 foot drops MAX but thats pushing it. I ride a pretty good amount of xc (riding about 30-40 mins uphill to get to my downhill runs :D ) and to me the DJIIs felt better than the MZs over the bumps (maybe not going up because I dont have alot of air in it). But I had the 100mm MZ Comp not the 130. All in all the DJII has almost the same feeling as the MZ Comp but it is alittle more plush and alot more beefy, the weight doesnt really bother me that much and its not that much worse on xc than the MZ. I would just be worried about getting oa MZ just because they are so flimsy and even if you do xc if there are any jumps on it I would worry thtat it might bend on thoughs lol. If your only doing xc you might try a air fork around the price of the DJII. BTW I can answer any more ?s you have about either.
 
#6 ·
Motoxpro said:
Well, my MZ bent a little over a really small jump and then I was doing a mid sized dirt jump and it bent where I couldnt really ride it anymore. Id probably say it could handle 4-5 foot drops MAX but thats pushing it. I ride a pretty good amount of xc (riding about 30-40 mins uphill to get to my downhill runs :D ) and to me the DJIIs felt better than the MZs over the bumps (maybe not going up because I dont have alot of air in it). But I had the 100mm MZ Comp not the 130. All in all the DJII has almost the same feeling as the MZ Comp but it is alittle more plush and alot more beefy, the weight doesnt really bother me that much and its not that much worse on xc than the MZ. I would just be worried about getting oa MZ just because they are so flimsy and even if you do xc if there are any jumps on it I would worry thtat it might bend on thoughs lol. If your only doing xc you might try a air fork around the price of the DJII. BTW I can answer any more ?s you have about either.
Thanks for the reply. Interestingly the 2005 Trek Bruiser 2 has an MZ Comp 130mm, so it has a little more travel and might perform better than the 100mm forks? (see attached picture of the Bruiser).
Quite a few versatile bikes that are geared towards urban/dirt jumping do come with the MZ Comp 100mm as a stock component (Giant STP1, Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk, Haro Escape 8.1), so I would have thought it could handle some jumps/drops OK. Perhaps it depends also on the rider's weight - I'm 6'2", but only 170lb so that probably might make an MZ Comp ok for me?
 

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#7 ·
Well, Im pretty sure the 130mm would help more but im only 120 lbs and 5'5". What size jumps and drops are you going to be doing? I know the Big Hit Comp comes with a DJ II and thats higher (or i geuss medium). I mean dont get me wrong your not gunna get on the bike go off a curb and bend it in hafl but if your doing some bigger stuff (5' jumps 5-6' drops) then I might be alittle concerned. But its a pretty good fork that can handle a little bit of stuff but I would think that it would be better to get a better fork now and then you wont have to worry about it breaking or bending once you start doing bigger stuff. The DJII is about twice as thick as the MZ Comp and the crowns are way bigger, I bent but head tube so I couldnt turn. But if weight is a HUGE issue to you and your not gunna be going for big stuff(or medium for that matter lol) then go with the MZ.
 
#8 ·
MZ vs DJ? No comparison...

The MZ fork is a real low end fork. Its OEM only for a good reason as it has no internal damping system at all. All thats inside a MZ is a pair of springs and nothing else, basically a pogo stick made for a bicycle. The DJ on the other hand has an SSV oil based damper that controls the rebound speed and actually makes this fork work decently well. All the reviews that say that its only good for one big hit are comparing it to forks with higher end HSCV cartridges which cost twice as much.
The DJ forks are very heavy because they are overbuilt to withstand constant jumps. If you are more trail oriented you should take a look at the the Z1 Drop Off. The Drop Off has the external parts of the trail/freeride z1 family with the same damping system as the DJ forks and should be in the same price range as the DJ.
 
#9 ·
MZ forks for varied riding style

Thanks for the replies so far! I'm not going to be doing constant jumps or downhill, but like to do the occasional trails and trials type riding as well - so I really think the Marazocchi Dirt Jump series will be too heavy for my needs. But just as much as I like trails and trials, I also like doing some urban, 4ft drops onto pavement, the occasional jumps, and that kind of thing! That's why I was questioning whether the MZ Comp would be up to that. Maybe I need to go for a more FR type fork like the Z1 series or Drop Off? - are they significantly more expensive. On the other hand, for an adult, I'm fairly light (170lb), so maybe I can get away with the MZ Comp 100mm or 130mm for the varied kind of riding I plan to do? The 2005 Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk (see picture) seems to be designed for the varied kind of riding I enjoy, but it comes with a stock MZ Comp 100mm.
 

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#10 ·
Well, Are you saying that your going to be getting a new bike? becuase if it comes stock with a MZ then just ride it till it bends :). I think you can find a Drop Off II for around 250 now so that would be an options also and that has 130mm and can definitly handle the drops.
 
#11 ·
The cheapest ive seen the DJIIs at is 233 at downtube and the cheapest ive seen the Drop off 2s at is 249. Here are the specs for both:

Dirt Jumper 3:

Damping system Dual SSV
Adjustability PL
External preload with air
Spring type Coil spring
Travel 110 mm (adjustable to 130mm and 150mm -Contact a Marzocchi authorized service center)
Steer tube Reinforced Steel
Drop-out type Standard
Weight 6.88 lbs

Drop Off II:

Damping system Open Bath SSV damping
Adjustability PL/R
External air preload
Spring type Dual coil
Travel 130 mm
Steer tube Alloy FR
Drop-out type Standard
Weight i think 5.6


So for 10$ more you get better dampening rebound control and a pound lighter
 
#12 ·
londonlad said:
Thanks for the replies so far! I'm not going to be doing constant jumps or downhill, but like to do the occasional trails and trials type riding as well - so I really think the Marazocchi Dirt Jump series will be too heavy for my needs. But just as much as I like trails and trials, I also like doing some urban, 4ft drops onto pavement, the occasional jumps, and that kind of thing! That's why I was questioning whether the MZ Comp would be up to that. Maybe I need to go for a more FR type fork like the Z1 series or Drop Off? - are they significantly more expensive. On the other hand, for an adult, I'm fairly light (170lb), so maybe I can get away with the MZ Comp 100mm or 130mm for the varied kind of riding I plan to do? The 2005 Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk (see picture) seems to be designed for the varied kind of riding I enjoy, but it comes with a stock MZ Comp 100mm.
I ride a Kona Stuff with Drop Offs and i fid them more than good enough for what u want, go with them!!
 
#13 ·
Motoxpro said:
Dirt Jumper 3:

Damping system Dual SSV
Adjustability PL
External preload with air
Spring type Coil spring
Travel 110 mm (adjustable to 130mm and 150mm -Contact a Marzocchi authorized service center)
Steer tube Reinforced Steel
Drop-out type Standard
Weight 6.88 lbs

Drop Off II:

Damping system Open Bath SSV damping
Adjustability PL/R
External air preload
Spring type Dual coil
Travel 130 mm
Steer tube Alloy FR
Drop-out type Standard
Weight i think 5.6
Thanks for that info. How much would an MZ Comp 100mm weigh in comparison?

And yes, I'm planning on buying a bike that comes with a stock MZ Comp 100mm. I'm just trying to figure out whether that fork can handle the kind of riding I plan to do (I'm 170lb, plan to do some urban/DJ drops of 4-5 ft, plus trials and trails).
 
#14 ·
londonlad said:
Thanks for that info. How much would an MZ Comp 100mm weigh in comparison?

And yes, I'm planning on buying a bike that comes with a stock MZ Comp 100mm. I'm just trying to figure out whether that fork can handle the kind of riding I plan to do (I'm 170lb, plan to do some urban/DJ drops of 4-5 ft, plus trials and trails).
According to marzocchi.com, the OEM MZ Comp 100mm fork for 2005 weighs 2250 g. Dunno what that is in pounds.
 
#16 ·
Domdil said:
thats 5 Lbs.
yuck.
By "yuck", do you mean 5 lbs is heavy for a (cheap, low end) fork that will handle 5ft drops to flat concrete?

Londonlad, I know you're trying to pick the most versatile bike spec within your budget, but you've heard the saying in the bike world:
"Cheap, light, good - pick any two"

You'll have to decide where to compromise, do you buy a bike with a Dropoff or DJ3fork, which will handle the urban abuse, adds a bit more to the price and 1 or 2 pounds to the bike (actually not a huge deal as long as you're not XC racing), or a cheaper, lighter fork like the MZ Comp that has no damping (ride one on a trail and see what they're like), and will probably not stand up to 5' urban drops? The Dropoff sounds like a nice combo of strong chassis and SSV damping that would work ok on the trail. The DJ is set up a bit firmer (SSV also), but the air preload does allow some tuning between trail and urban.

Like folks here have said, if you get the MZ Comp, and really abuse it, expect to likely break/bend it, and you'll end up upgrading it anyway.
 
#17 ·
fsrxc said:
By "yuck", do you mean 5 lbs is heavy for a (cheap, low end) fork that will handle 5ft drops to flat concrete?

Londonlad, I know you're trying to pick the most versatile bike spec within your budget, but you've heard the saying in the bike world:
"Cheap, light, good - pick any two"

You'll have to decide where to compromise, do you buy a bike with a Dropoff or DJ3fork, which will handle the urban abuse, adds a bit more to the price and 1 or 2 pounds to the bike (actually not a huge deal as long as you're not XC racing), or a cheaper, lighter fork like the MZ Comp that has no damping (ride one on a trail and see what they're like), and will probably not stand up to 5' urban drops? The Dropoff sounds like a nice combo of strong chassis and SSV damping that would work ok on the trail. The DJ is set up a bit firmer (SSV also), but the air preload does allow some tuning between trail and urban.

Like folks here have said, if you get the MZ Comp, and really abuse it, expect to likely break/bend it, and you'll end up upgrading it anyway.
Actually I've not heard that saying "Cheap, light, good - pick any two" before - very helpful and true! I guess my question is whether a fork can be light and good at the same time - I was under the impression that if a fork is going to handle big hits and drops of 6 feet, it needs to be heavy, or is that not the case? Or does it just mean it is awfully expensive?
 
#18 · (Edited)
londonlad said:
Actually I've not heard that saying "Cheap, light, good - pick any two" before - very helpful and true! I guess my question is whether a fork can be light and good at the same time - I was under the impression that if a fork is going to handle big hits and drops of 6 feet, it needs to be heavy, or is that not the case? Or does it just mean it is awfully expensive?
Depending on the industry, it sometimes is "cheap, fast, good", or whatever variation that fits, but it gets the idea across, that especially when low cost is a factor, you have to decide where to compromise (or "you get what you pay for").

Some forks that are designed as "freeride" forks, to handle some drops and general abuse - Sherman Firefly, Z1SL (some others coming out for '05) - aren't heavy (for a strong fork), maybe between 4-5lbs (compared to DJs/Z150s etc which might be over 6lbs). They all have *very* good damping too, handling trail rides with no problem (keeping in mind head angles with a 5" fork). They are lighter because of Ti or air springs, aluminum steerers etc which aren't on cheaper FR forks. These forks are selling (if you look for deals) in the $300-$400 range for '03 and '04 models. That's actually not very expensive for what you get, but you probably won't see these forks OEM on a $1000 bike.

The Z1 Dropoff, like someone mentioned, uses the Z1 chassis, with SSV damping, so would be a decent compromise of reasonable trail performance and good strength, in the lower budget range (probably similar weight to the standard Z1 FR).
 
#19 ·
londonlad said:
Actually I've not heard that saying "Cheap, light, good - pick any two" before - very helpful and true! I guess my question is whether a fork can be light and good at the same time - I was under the impression that if a fork is going to handle big hits and drops of 6 feet, it needs to be heavy, or is that not the case? Or does it just mean it is awfully expensive?
Obviously any fork that going to handle abuse is not going to be super light as in under 4 lbs race ready but if you spend more money then things will get better and lighter. Extreme examples would be a lefty max or the maverick dual crown both are very light weight and still durable forks meant for pretty extreme riding. On the other hand any of these forks will cost more then you are willing to spend on the whole bike and more then most of us are willing to spend on a fork alone.
Back to reality, out of the forks you are considering, a fork with a real damping system (ie SSV at least) will be so much better then the MZ that a pound difference is not worth thinking about. You must accept that in your price range any bike you get is not gonna be super light weight no matter what fork you choose. For most of us who are not racers when it comes to weight vs performance in most cases performance wins. With a better performing fork you will have more fun on the trail and thats what counts in the end of the day. Thats also why more and more people are riding trail bikes with 4/5/6 inches of travel and not the super light xc racer bikes of a few years ago.
 
#20 ·
Psylo XC fork

Thanks for all the replies. The bike I ended up getting at the Toronto Fall Bike Show is a custom DaBomb Molotov, and came with a RockShox Psylo XC U-Turn fork adjustable from 80-125mm for different conditions. I don't know how it would compare with a MZ Comp 100mm, but it seems a little better. Being able to adjust between 3 and 5 inches of travel is especially handy.

The other components were also pretty decent: eyeletted Rhyno Lite rims, Kenda Kinetic tires, 6" mechanical disc brakes, Deore drivetrain, FSA AlphaDrive crank with Blackspire RingGod bashguard, VP-550 Alloy BMX style platform pedals, SDG Freestyle seat, FSA "The Pig" Headset, Pazzaz handlebars, OURY Mountain Bike Grips, plus a lovely lightning paint job! The picture below is unfortunately somewhat dull because of the dark weather, and doesn't do the bike justice.

It's a Dual Slalom style bike, 16" frame, 33lb total weight, and seems perfect for light free riding, urban, dirt jumping, and street riding - exactly the versatility I was after. And the short wheel-base and small frame is great for some trials type moves, popping up the front wheel, moving the bike around in the air, and doing other tricks.

I know that the Psylo have received mixed reviews, but mostly this seems to be if people don't have them set right. It seems that if most people altered the spring to suit their weight, they would already get improved performance. I find my spring rather plush, but that's because the stock spring is rated for 140-160lb riders, and I'm 170lb, so I'm sure with a stiffer spring I'd get better results.

Any idea how the Psylo fork compares to the MZ Comp 100m from Marzocchi?
 

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