Z1 Bam. Drooooooool! I remember the first time I rode a pair of these. Buttery smooth. Smoother than a cashmere codpiece. A real game changer of a fork. Long travel (For the time), stiff (for the time). And everyone whined about the weight, rather than looking at the brilliance of the bounce.

Zoke history here

Iirc those RAC xc forks were cheaper than some of today’s equivalents?

They were a complete revelation at the time. Performance was a huge step forward over previous forks and the similar vintage RC36 Pro Class – which had been a previous benchmark for me.

Buttery smooth

Go and stand in the naughty corner.

CL, it wasn’t a cliché BITD, so I’m sticking with it! 😉

CL, it wasn’t a cliché BITD, so I’m sticking with it!

Maybe it wasn’t.

However “Back in the day” is a cliché now.

So, back in the naughty corner please 😉

Owned.

They were indeed a game changer. Going from a pair of Judy XC’s with elastomers and exploding plastic cartridges to these were a revelation.

I’ve had a few pairs, one of of which was on the other half’s bike couple of years ago. I’d have kept them if it want for the formula disc mount.

Had a pair of Shivers too. Everyone went on about the flex, but I didn’t think they were that bad. Amazingly plush though if a bit portly.

Here’s mine. 1998 Z2’s. Almost as good as when they left Italy. Haven’t got a suitable bike to put them on at the moment. Maybe I’ll have to keep my eye out for an old Kona or Zaskar frame to put them on.

I also agree with ‘buttery smooth’ cliche or not. 🙂

Also got a pair of these 1994-5 XC’s. Not in the Bomber class, much less travel, but far better than the boingy RS forks of the time. No intention of using them, just keeping them for posterity. Marzocchi really were pioneers of the air forks.

I has BAMs then later I had these:

Really shouldn’t have sold them

tomhoward – Member
Iirc those RAC xc forks were cheaper than some of today’s equivalents?

Its bonkers they seemed like such a great fork at the time, but no one then would justify spending nearly as much as your high end frame on the forks

and now Fox have RRP of 8-900 quid on at least 20 forks in their lineup!

Bomber X-Flys – still going and feel ace on middle_oab’s Trek…

Trek 4300 by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Comrie Croft by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Spent ages saving for some z2’s back in 2001. Went to all terrain bikes and for some stupid reason walked out with a pair of Judy’s. Big mistake, did get some x-flys a few years later.

oh and my first were z3s BAMs I got on my 99 Muni Mula, sold em for 30 quid I think 🙁

I’m a bit of a bomber fan. Still run a single crown shiver, z1 drop off in lime green, z1 wedge, z4 fly light air and a jnr t on various bikes. I like simple, well made things that feel good and keep on working. Don’t care about weight.

Imagine a world where if you had a worn stanchion, or a bent steerer, all you had to do was buy just the bit you needed, loosen a couple of allen bolts and bob’s yer careful cliche dodger.

Imagine then crashing as said part fell out because I forgot to write the bit where you tighten the allen bolts again.

@ matt – is your kids trek a 26″ 13.5? How is he getting on with it, jus bought my boy one. I noticed you turned he stem upside down ala Emily batty, do you recommend it?

The stem is now replaced…! It was like that as it came with risers.
It now has some flat bars and wee stem on it, and better for it.

Trek 4300 by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

He hasnt ridden it much yet – older brother has and it seems OK, but is bigger than the Islabike he has.

They had a really nice action but they were far too flexy and bent to easily.

[/url] Me Aston Dhill by Mike Smith 79, on Flickr[/img]
Great forks at 120mm 🙂
Had a set of 100mm ones that were great till I twisted them

Legend – those forks were ace. I’d love a pair now just because!

My other half’s bike is currently running some lime green Z1’s. Despite their age I can still get most spares for them. I’ve got an early pair of Z3 Lights to go on my old Cannondale (when I eventually get round to rebuilding it). My BFe has sone 04 Z1 Freerides on it and I have a pair of 2003 Z1 Freerides in the garage too. Amazing spares are harder to get for the 2003 forks than the old ones!

All work well, no worn stanchions and are so easy to service.

Oh I had those z1 duals in gold on my spooky metal head, loved those biking days! Sold to fund a half season snowboarding in 2001, ah well.

My old Explosif with Z2 Lights and color matched stem (which I still have in the garage):

I was on a Nirvana ride and came off on some singletrack when my flexy Indy XCs failed to get me out of a dip on a corner. I walked back to the shop with various bruises and scars and ordered the Z2s. When they came in they had dropped in price by £100, so I spent that on the Roox stem.

I’m ashamed to admit that I have never even ridden a bike with Z1s let alone owned any. Over the years I have had my fair share of Marzocchi forks, Z3, Z5, AM3, 66RC and 66VF2 but sadly no Z1s.

Judys were an enormous pile of pooh. The Marz MXC airs that replaced them were ace – fit and forget.

Bombers still going strong on the Muni Mula (seat wasn’t tightened up as it was about to be swapped – I wouldn’t actually ride it like that)

i always wanted a pair of those….coulnt afford them so for my first ever pair of suspension forks i had to settle for some rst mozo pros….then i ended up with a dodgy pair of rock shox which i upgraded to some judy 100s….my first pair of bombers were a pair of z1 wedges…absolutely loved them!! easy to service and rode brilliantly…i regret selling them now….i’m now on my sixth pair of bombers and will be upgrading this weekend to another pair of bombers!! 😆

theres a few pairs for sale on you know where…

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marzocchi-Bomber-Z1-Bam-Retro-Suspension-Forks-With-Fsa-Orbit-HeadSet-Jump-Bike-/261215309205?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3cd1a54d95

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marzocchi-bomber-Z1-CR-A-cult-retro-BAM-arched-classic-/281106729372?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item417344499c

MX comps? The ulimate fit ’em and forget ’em bike part. Which I thought always sat somewhat bizarrely with the ‘Made in Italy’ stickers down the side of them. I think mine outlasted about 4-5 frames without touching them, and they never, ever lost air pressure

I had some Z1 Alloys, OEM slight downgrade from Bombers. Imported from Supergo in California in ’98.

They replaced my RS Indy Cs, what a difference!

Loaded Voodoo by ir_bandito, on Flickr

Do they count as true bombers if they don’t have that great big silver arch/brace ??

i agree Binners…my Z1 Wedges went through 4 frames….they were i think a 2002 model and i sold them here on STW about 15 months ago…they still worked perfectly…i wish i’d kept them now…

This ->

I’m a bit of a bomber fan. Still run a single crown shiver, z1 drop off in lime green, z1 wedge, z4 fly light air and a jnr t on various bikes. I like simple, well made things that feel good and keep on working. Don’t care about weight.

And in the grand scheme of things the weight difference is minimal.

I have just put my 04 Z1 FR SLs (admittedly not the simplest of forks) back on my hardtail as I prefer them over my ’08 (I think) Pikes and ’12 Rev RLT. Just as shame they have QR lower.

The Pikes are stiffer full stop.
The Revs are torsionally stiffer but flexier fore and aft.

However I much prefer the damping in Z1s!
Also you don’t have to be constantly checking the air pressure, servicing them every 10 mins…etc.

Being a poor student at the time, I could only afford the Z3s, but even they were sooo much better than any fork I’d used before. Everyone forgot about the weight once they’d ridden them. And they seemed to be indestructible, even on zero servicing!

Where did the bomber name come from? always wondered that.

Had some Z1 wedges, having come from some RST 75mm elastomer jobs. Night and Day.

Just sold some shiver SCs, flexy yes, but not so as it was a problem out on the trail.

Still got some much ridden 1st edition Z1s in the cupboard, they may be pressed into service again at some point.

Just sold some shiver SCs, flexy yes, but not so as it was a problem out on the trail.

weren’t they the epitome of car park test ride bobbins? Flexy as a wet noodle unladen due to bugger all bushing overlap but OK when actually riding the things?
Never ridden a pair but seem to recall a few people saying that ^

I’ve got bomber forks on my GT Aggressor