[Closed] New fork, Mattoc Pro or 350 NCR?

I've got a 350ncr on my spectral, got it about 4 months ago and very impressed. Feels similar to my 55s and loads better than the fox's I had before

Have you had a chance to compare them to anything else? I have lyriks at the moment which have been really good although they could do with a bit more sensitivity at times.

I've had fox 36 floats, 32 talas, Zocchi 55s rs revs to compare them to and I'm pleased - don't regret buying them. They are almost as good as the 55s which are awesome

Sometime feel like they could do with some more small bump sensitivity but they feel awesome otherwise.

this is very good to hear. I've seen quite a few good reviews of the Mattocs but reviews for the 350 NCR seem scarce. The few owners comments have been extremely positive but all to often they don't say what they have had before. I'm just hoping someone has ridden both and chips in!

Hardly any reviews of the 350ncr's out there.

Love my 350ncr forks. Almost as good as my old vengeance, although not a lot in it. Have them a lower service the other day and was a little surprised how gunky the old oil looked.

Better still have you tried Bos' offering yet, just wow!

Are Bos at least twice as good then? Cause they cost twice as much

Both the 350s and the Mattocs are available for some good prices right now. Bos is too expensive and that's before you factor in the questionable back up. I don't want Pikes, there seem to be far too many blown dampers and I get the I get the idea that when you cut through all the magazine hype you are left with a good solid fork rather than a game changer. 36s are also very expensive and they will lower my axle to crown which I don't want to do. If I was happy to spend double what the 350 or Mattocs cost the It would be some Xfusion Metrics all the way, sounds like they destroy everything else if you are willing to take the small weight penalty. Problem being the Metrics are pretty rare and as such there aren't any bargains to be had.

dunno, I got a new set of old 140s or £310. and I would still say most definitely, night and day.

I was looking at a set of 2nd hand Mattoc Pros as a contender and would have so closely bitten the bullet had I had funds at the time.

I don't think the Devilles are night and day from the Mattoc. A bit more fine tuning and a touch stiffer but heavier and the without the hydraulic bottom out control which is brilliant. Mattoics are brilliant (I'm only selling mine due to going 29")

I've not tried the Marzocchis though

Have you tried Devilles or just going biased as you own Mattocs though?

Those Suntour Aurons are getting good reviews.
http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/bike/forks/AURON-RC2-15QLC2Ti-27-4840.html
This months MBR has a look at them. £320 apparently. Not sure they're out yet.

Have you tried Devilles or just going biased as you own Mattocs though?

I owned a set of Devilles and loved them. Would be a bit weird to make the comparison otherwise. Just saying that unless you find a storming deal, it's a lot more money for not a lot of performance.

Have you ridden Mattocs or are you just biased?

Haven't ridden Mattocs but I have 350CRs and prefer them to Pikes. The NCR should be better

I haven't tried Mattocs but like the manitou dampening from yesteryear but then I did state that I was skint at time of the 2nd hand set of mattoc pros.

If you buy Manitou Mattoc Pro 650b fork what needs changing to run it with 26" wheels and what are the geometry issues when running on the front of a Cannondale Prophet?

How much does the 'offset' mentioned in this post mean? Is that the same as trail and is it a big deal to run a small wheel in the 650b offset version? (scratches head)

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/manitou-mattoc-pro-650b-and-26

Nothing needs changing to go from 650b to 26". The offset is slightly higher 44mm vs 41mm and the 650b has a spacer in the lower leg to stop the crown hitting the tyre at full compression so travel for travel a 650b fork will have a 10mm higher a2c unless you remove the lower keg spacer, which would then add 10mm of travel to the fork.

Offset is the measurment which effects the trail [url= http://www.pinkbike.com/news/To-the-Point-Wheel-Diameter-VS-Fork-Offset.html ]Pinkbike Article[/url]

Hopefully that makes sense.

Is this only true for the Mattoc then or could you always run a 650b fork with 26" wheels?

Well the bike one of these forks is going on is a 26" covert. Mattocs come in 26 but the 350s don't. Other than axle to crown being a bit higher I can't see why it would make any difference? 3mm offset difference surely isn't noticeable by any normal person? I'm assuming it would be like running a 170mm fork.

You can run 26" wheels in any 650b fork and i's not really an issue, but being able to go the other way is rarer. In the Mattoc you just add the lower leg spacer to adjust a 26" for 650b. What it does mean is loads of tyre clearance for 26" wheels..

I rode both round the field for a couple of laps after I'd serviced them on my 26" bike and I couldn't tell the difference even though I was actively looking, but it's hardly gnar riding.

I ran my 350 with 26 wheels instead of a 170. Travel change on the 350 is easy.

Slight thread hijack but I've just bought the NCR 350 Ti coil forks. The manual is pretty hopeless and in the box came some plastic bits that look like spacers - 1x10mm and 1x20mm. Anyone know if these are used to reduce travel?

The forks are supplied as 160mm and I'll probably be fine with that but it could be useful if they can be reduced.

Post a pic and I'll let you know if they are the same as mine

However I didn't think you could change the travel on the coil version

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I didn't think the coil forks were travel adjustable either. Maybe this is a 'token' a la Pikes? The manual offers nothing on the subject.

I used those to change the travel on my air 350s

Might be worth dropping the distributor a line and ask

Cheers - I may drop Windwave a line.

Johnny, I'm running 350s on my 26" Covert. They feel perfect geometry wise!

Those spacers are what I used in my AER spring maybe they use the same spacers not sure how that would work though?

Another suggestion if you don't mind the weight and want the ultimate performance is this.

http://www.merlincycles.com/marzocchi-350-r-275-fork-2015-74050.html

+

http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Marz/Marzocchi%20350.htm

I don't really want anything too heavy so probably going yo rule the Avalanche cart' out although withe the 350rs that cheap it's intriguing.

Chrishc777, that is extremely interesting! What did you have before and how did they compare? Do you have the NCR?

are there any issues with fitting a mudguard on the Mattoc?

also PSA: Merlin cycles seem to have slashed the price on Marzocchis; the rebound only 350 is less than £179!

Maybe this is a 'token' a la Pikes? The manual offers nothing on the subject.

I had the same fitting shipped with my 55CRs. I sawed 10mm out of the larger plug (the only plug supplied with the fork) to reduce the travel down to a useable 160mm.

are there any issues with fitting a mudguard on the Mattoc?

If you're thinking of the bendy plastic type, then Mucky Nutz d a reverse arch guard which probably works best. I just cut some new mounting holes in mine and taped up the old ones since I didn't have time to order a new one and it worked perfectly.

Maybe this is a 'token' a la Pikes? The manual offers nothing on the subject.

Air volume adjustment is done by adding oil in the air spring via he schrader valve, so those would more likely be travel spacers

Johnny, I have the 350CR, which has the same damping system as the NCR just slightly less refined(at least that's what a Zocchi rep on mtbr reckons).

I had 2011 RC2 FiT 36s before the 350s, not the latest model I know but still the top end fork, which was kept well looked after and serviced.
The Zocchis feel just as stiff as the bolt up 20mm 36 chassis, despit weighing half a lb less, and performance is not night and day but definetly alot better. You could argue the 2016 36 will be a better fork, but I seriously doubt it will be 4 times as good as the price suggests, and the NCR should perform better still than my CRs

I have tried 2 different bikes with Pikes and been underwhelmed (as I was by 650b). Definetly a good fork but I preferred my Zocchis.

Yesterday I was at FOD and performed a horrific nose dive of the first big drop on GBU. The 350s quite possibly saved me there as I managed to ride it out. Since having the Marzocchis I also suffer less arm pump.

Geo wise the 350 is the 650b fork with the least offset so the most similar to 26" and the a to c is 15mm higher than a 26" fork, slackens the head angle by around a degree and raises the bb maybe by 6 or 7mm which on a full suss is pretty relative to sag etc. And anyway I've always found the Covert BB a bit low and pedal strike prone.

Hope this helps, I would definetly reccomend them, plus they look ace!

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Hamisthecat

Looks like the older coil Marzocchi of the 2010 ish era definitely used spacers for travel change but don't know about the current generation that use an air pre-load.

^^ Agreed - It's a new fork just bought from Merlin. I'll find out from Windwave. Probably won't need to change the travel anyway but would be nice to have that option.

I'd love the 350NCR's. The 350R's that I currently have are soo stiff.

They look awesome on the covert there. I totally agree that a slight increase in BB height would be desirable as well as a slightly slacker head angle. Great choice on the double barrel on the back, I have one as well and it's a beast. As soon as they are back in stock I will be placing an order for some NCRs. Cheers!

Cheers, the custom Slik decals on the forks help with that!

I love the DB, slight weight penalty but more than makes up for it in boulder swallowing ability, plus the climb switch gives amazing traction pretty much anywhere.

The only piece of advice with 350s is as soon as you get them, take them apart, add oil to lowers and grease to seals as there are lots of reports of dry forks, mine had about 2ml in one leg and nothing in the other, should be 15ml in each. Then turn them upside down and leave them overnight. Also while they're aprt you can put an o ring on the stanchions as there is no sag indicator for some reason!