The Mr T was Marzocchi's first full production dual crown fork for a mountain bike. The Mr T was in effect a stop gap model that basically used a Z1 fork with stanchion extensions on the top to create the dual crown look, while the works riders got the hand made Super T.
The Mr T also used a new forging for the lower leg that utilised a 20mm through axle design and an I.S. disc brake mount that were both excepted standards for years. The lower legs were also used in the Z1 Duel model.
The lower crown was the same as a Z2 with the lips machined of and was placed over the stanchion join, with the crown fitted with the join at the top. The upper crown was an all-new CNC design that lived on for years on both the Super T and Jnr T models. The upper extensions had cut marks on the outer stanchion and also the inner rods so that the fork could be trimmed down to suit frames with smaller head tubes.
To service the fork was easy, the upper stanchion piece would just unscrew leaving in effect a Z1, with the only difference being 8mm allen key foot nuts opposed to the 15mm foot nuts of the Z1.
Catalogue spec:
Travel: 105mm + 5mm negative travel design.
Spring Type: Cr-Si coil spring in each leg. 3 different rates available.
Damping: Dual hydraulic Bomber cartridges with adjustable rebound.
Crowns: Forged alloy lower, CNC alloy upper.
Adjustments: 15mm preload, infinite rebound.
Stanchions: 30mm Easton alloy with butter smooth finish. Two piece design.
Steerer tube: Easton alloy.
Sliders: Aluminium gravity die cast. Special drop outs for through axle.
Disc brake mount: New 98 standard mount.
Brake Arch: Alloy, forged, CNC machined with optional cable hanger
The 1995 Marzocchi DH3 was a 3" travel air sprung and oil damped down hill monster in a world full of rubber sprung and rubber damped suspension forks.
In a pre-Z1 world the DH3 was the most aggressive fork Marzocchi produced and was raced around the world by racers such as Rob Warner.
By today's standards, it very heavy and with just 26mm stanchions it is very spindly, but the ride quality is still very good, especially with the coil spring upgrade fitted.
Some DH3's had a compression knock, this was due to the build up of internal pressure when the fork initially moves. The simple solution was to drill a relief hole on the side of the damper rod about 7mm under the head.
DH3 The DH3 fork is designed specifically for downhill biking. The forged, reinforced crown, the forged T6 stanchions and the extremely rigid brake arch, combined with extended travel and controlled damping, absorb every type of shock without undermining stability.
The oversized tubes make the DH3 one of the most rigid forks on the market. As on the other models, the practical 6-position adjuster knob means the MTB can be adapted to any kind of terrain.
The DH3 was developed with disc brakes in mind, and consequently various adaptors are available
MBUK have just published a booklet called the '100 most amazing bits of bike bling ever! The gear that shaped the way we ride.' It's all part of MBUK's 25th anniversary celebrations.
Windwave are fortunate to have supplied a few of these, here is what we have.
Marzocchi 888, distributor since 1995
Club Roost riser bar, first riser bar to the market 1991
Distributor since 2012!
FSA Pig headset, we were FSA's very first distributor, since 1992
The 1997 Z1 changed the way we rode bikes, and for me personally was the most influential piece of bicycle kit I ever bought.
1996 style, proflex and Z1...
Pre-Bomber forks were skinny, in-active or just plain unreliable. Marzocchi's previous model fork was called the DH3, which in function terms was brilliant once you fitted the optional coil spring kit. I remember at the time you used these or Judy DH's, but the Judy's sealed plastic cartridge used to explode as soon as you looked at them so the DH3 got the nod, but with just 3" travel and skinny legs the Z1 was a big step forward.
Z1 vs DH3
The fork was for the model year 1997, so that’s on sale time of September 1996 - to summer 97. Pre-production models featured STEEL stanchions and were very heavy and were given to a select few to race on, including Rob Warner.
Z1 prototype
check out Rob Warner in Kaprun, 1996, Britain's and Marzocchi's first world up win on the Bomber Z1
The production fork featured twin formula standard disc mounts and an optional canti support (pictured). The pre-load adjusters were round and the cartridge tops, plugs and adjusters were quite tall which could sometimes foul the downtube of the frame they were fitted to. For 1998 this model became the Z1 Alloy and featured new low-profile top caps and adjusters for better frame clearance.
2007 Z1 Bomber
Reviews of the time were extremely positive, winning many magazine awards and fans along the way.
What mountain bike test
MBUK award now lives on the wall of the gents...
Z1 poster still on our office wall!
Internal wise the Z1 featured twin adjustable rebound open bath cartridges, twin coil springs with adjustable pre-load. It may sound over built by today's standards but these were built for hard use and built to last with many forks still being used today.
exploded diagram
Here is the full catalogue specification in Marzocchi's own words.
1997 Z1
Moto X cartridge serves as the Bombers hart n’ soul. This ‘open bath’ hydraulic cartridge directly descends from our famed Magnum moto fork. The revolution is the most reliable & sophisticated cartridge ever designed and here’s why;
•Internal oil pressure is eliminated which makes seal failures a thing of the past.
•All alloy CNC cartridge assembly.
•Infinitely adjustable “speed sensitive valving”.
•CNC alloy pre-load adjuster.
•Seal-less ‘no blow’ cartridge design.
•Large oil volume for quality damping performance.
Open Bath Design
•Cartridge sits in a bath of oil keeping it cool & eliminating damping fade.
•Oil keeps the fork feeling buttery smooth & stiction free.
•Oil circulates from the cartridge leg into the leg via a high-pressure valve.
Coil Springs
•15mm pre-load adjustment.
•Non – temperature sensitive.
•Extremely durable long life.
•Superior sensitivity & hyper-speed reactivness.
•Lightweight open wound design.
•3 spring rates available (soft, medium, hard).
•Easily interchangeable.
Specification:
Weight: 3.9lbs
Travel: 100mm/ 4”
Function: coil & hydraulic design. Dampers: dual open bath cartridges control compression & rebound fully adjustable. Springs: coil spring, open wind, 15mm pre-load, 3 available.
