Marzocchi and Fox - What's Happening Now?

Jan 14, 2016 at 17:06
by Mike Levy  
Marzocchi is probably very happy that 2015 is behind them. Rumors of their troubles had been whispered for months beforehand, but when the announcement that the legendary Italian suspension company would be closing its doors came in late July, pretty much everyone was shocked. After all, they've been around in one form or another since 1949 and have been involved in everything from Grand Prix motorcycle racing, the Dakar Rally, and even Formula One, all endeavors that sound much more ambitious than suspension for mountain bikes.

The news of the so-called closure raised all sorts of questions, and conflicting reports from different sources didn't exactly help matters. Marzocchi is done, we heard, and the employees have been let go to find new work; production has ceased; warranty claims on older products would be hard to resolve if they could be at all. That was all a bit pessimistic, though, as Tenneco, Marzocchi's parent company, was working to find a buyer for the mountain bike division of Marzocchi. And that's exactly what happened. In October of last year, Fox Racing Shox made the somewhat ambiguous announcement that they had acquired ''certain specified assets of Marzocchi's mountain bike product lines," which sounded a lot like the lifeline that Marzocchi was looking for. Neither Fox or Marzocchi have explained exactly what was acquired, but it's now clear that the Marzocchi brand will continue to exist for the foreseeable future.

Marzocchi's continued survival, in whatever form it might be, and tie-up with FOX, brings up even more questions than the company's would-be demise did. Chiefly, what does this mean for Marzocchi's product range, and how will the relationship with Fox affect both suspension brands?

I chatted with Andrea Pierantoni, Director of Marzocchi Brand Management, about those very topics, and while he was certainly coy with his answers, there are some positive updates to be taken from his replies.
Fox and Marzocchi
Christoph Ritzler, FOX's Managing Director for the European sales, with Andrea Pierantoni, Director of Marzocchi Brand Management.





Interviewed: Marzocchi's Andrea Pierantoni



Mike Levy: Where will Marzocchi be positioned in the marketplace? With Fox as its owner, will Marzocchi's focus be on a certain price point?

Andrea Pierantoni: By acquiring Marzocchi, Fox plans to offer riders a broader range of options while staying ahead of our competition. The product lines are complementary, and both brands will maintain their own images and products.



Levy: The last few years have been very tumultuous for Marzocchi. What steps are being taken to ensure that things go more smoothly this time?

Pierantoni: Fox plans to leverage its marketing, engineering, distribution, and supply chain resources to help rejuvenate and reinvigorate the Marzocchi brand.

bigquotesWe are excited to announce the agreement to acquire certain assets of the Marzocchi mountain bike product lines, which we believe is a significant opportunity for Fox to further expand the penetration of our bike suspension products across more price points. The Marzocchi team has a long history of performance suspension experience, and we believe that this highly complementary transaction will allow for the increased growth of the Marzocchi brand worldwide. We expect this transaction will bring together and strengthen two highly complementary product lines and allow for Fox to leverage its marketing, engineering, distribution, and supply chain resources to drive increased top-line growth and profitability. - Larry L. Enterline, Chief Executive Officer, FOX


Levy: When will we see the new product hit the marketplace? Will 2016 be considered an 'off year' while things are geared back up?

Pierantoni: Actually, production never stopped. We’ll plan to continue producing our model year 2016 product line through model year 2017, with the potential of additional shocks and seat posts [production of the Espresso dropper post has been ''put on hold'' since this interview took place] being added. To support this, we are currently augmenting our aftermarket and OEM sales programs.


Fox and Marzocchi
Fox and Marzocchi



Levy: Will there be any major staffing changes? Were employees that were laid off be re-hired?

Pierantoni: I'm heading up the brand as the Director of Marzocchi Brand Management for FOX. One of my first priorities is to build an organization to support the brand.



Levy: With access to all the facts and figures, what were the biggest factors behind Marzocchi's decline in the marketplace, and how do you intend to address them and take the brand forward?

Pierantoni: Now that Marzocchi is a Fox brand, I am focused on its future. We believe that with the full support of Fox and its resources, we will be able to take the brand forward.



Levy: Will you look to launch a similar range of products under the Marzocchi umbrella as before, with a concise line or focus on key areas of the market where perhaps the Marzocchi brand - for consumers at least - is more synonymous than FOX?

Pierantoni: We plan to keep our current line the same through model year 2017. The Marzocchi product line, to a large degree, complements FOX's product line, allowing for a wider range of product offerings that stack up more effectively against our competitors. In future model years, we plan to continue to offer the features and qualities that riders appreciate from Marzocchi: a plush ride, durable products, and awesome downhill forks.



Levy: Looking ahead, where will we see the Marzocchi brand in five-years time?

Pierantoni: We believe that over time the lines will continue to evolve and coexist more holistically, allowing us to offer more products and enhanced customer service.

Marzocchi 2016
  Images from Marzocchi's 2016 product range.


Levy: Fox already has a strong presence in all forms of mountain bike competition: its research and development resources are vast, and it is successful in every enthusiast-level segment of the market. What can Marzocchi bring to mountain bike riders that Fox cannot?

Pierantoni: The Marzocchi mountain bike product line expands and enhances the Fox portfolio, which opens up new sales opportunities. In addition, we are now working to streamline distribution and service worldwide for both brands by integrating the best service/distributors from each of Fox and Marzocchi as a part of the FOX/Marzocchi distributor and service network.




Levy: Will R&D departments of Fox and Marzocchi be separate? And what about manufacturing?

Pierantoni: Our plan is that Marzocchi R&D will have some of its own dedicated resources and will be able to leverage FOX’s expertise. Manufacturing of Marzocchi products is planned to continue at its current Taiwan location as it has been.



Levy: Where will Marzocchi's headquarters be located?

Pierantoni: Marzocchi is a now a brand of FOX, which is headquartered in Scotts Valley, CA, USA.



Levy: Do you foresee Marzocchi taking advantage of any Fox technology?

Pierantoni: We see opportunities for synergies between Marzocchi and Fox patented technologies.

Marzocchi

Images from Marzocchi's 2016 product range.



Levy: Will the distribution and service networks be shared?

Pierantoni: We are currently working on that, and it is a priority along with getting the organization set up. While details are still being worked out, we plan to keep some of the Marzocchi distributors and also use Fox distributors to support Marzocchi. In areas where Fox was not active, the Marzocchi distributors may support FOX.



Levy: Looking in from the outside, it appears as though one of the big challenges for Marzocchi in recent years was moving away from production by Suntour. Will production continue where it is now, or will it be consolidated with FOX's facilities?

Pierantoni: Yes, our plan is to continue Marzocchi production where it is now.



Levy: In the last few years, Marzocchi lost most, if not all, of its OE clients. Will you be working to re-start this side of the business or will you be focused on aftermarket products?

Pierantoni: The Marzocchi mountain bike product line expands the Fox portfolio, which opens up new sales opportunities. We intend to leverage these opportunities in both the aftermarket and by supplying to OEMs. The mountain bike market is still developing fast, and with riding styles continuing to evolve, customers are demanding new generations of capable products. It’s a great time to be part of that thriving industry and to work to give the riders the ability to take their riding to the next level.



Levy: Marzocchi has been on life support at least three times now, and each recovery has produced a similar product range - a number of mediocre OEM products, punctuated by a few outstanding forks. Where is the heart transplant operation going to come from that will put Marzocchi back in the game instead of limping along for another three years while being fueled by optimistic fans?

Pierantoni: While we plan to continue with our current product lineup through model year 2017, development for new products is also planned, taking advantage of FOX's resources along with getting our distribution and service dialed in worldwide. If you recall, we had the 380 two years ago, last year was the 350, and this year we plan to launch the 320. Additionally, we have developed the Enduro 053 shock. So, you can see that we were ready to satisfy our fans, and we want to keep them and attract new ones!




So what does all that mean?


It's clear that Pierantoni is being fairly guarded with his words, but there are a few salient points to be taken from his answers regardless. When asked where Fox would position the Marzocchi brand in the marketplace, Pierantoni says that, ''By acquiring Marzocchi, Fox plans to offer riders a broader range of options while staying ahead of our competition,'' which is a pretty solid clue that at least some of Marzocchi's next generation suspension will be priced lower than FOX's entry-level products. After all, Fox already offers some fairly high-end suspension, not to mention the new Live Valve electronic system, and it makes zero sense for them to price Marzocchi's products even higher. So, when Pierantoni says ''broader range of options,'' he is surely talking about less expensive alternatives. This is a very good move, especially if they can bring Marzocchi's quality control up to FOX's own standards.

Fox will also ensure that Marzocchi eventually receives considerably more original equipment spec than what they've had over the last handful of years, something that will grow the brand further by getting more riders on Marzocchi than would have otherwise ever ridden their products.

That growth will likely be backed up by many new hirings, and Fox just posted up a number of job opportunities on their website, some of which look like what would be required to run an entirely new division. The list includes machine operators, aftermarket sales staff, customer service staff, patent managers, and more. Many of these positions are located at FOX's Scotts Valley, CA, headquarters, the same location their cycling division is based out of.
Marzocchi
Production of Marzocchi's Espresso dropper post is currently on hold.

The final thing to keep in mind is that Fox and Marzocchi have always had very different products. Sure, they may be designed for the same application and have the same amount of travel, but they perform very differently. I don't see Fox doing much to change this fact as it makes far more sense business-wise for a single company to offer two different types of products that both compete with their competition. Fox will stay FOX, and Marzocchi will stay Marzocchi.




MENTIONS: @foxracingshox / @MarzocchiMTB



Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

276 Comments
  • 475 9
 That wasn't an interview, that was a press release. Managed to say pretty much nothing of any consequence
  • 53 3
 Probably the wrong place to look for much more than that
  • 346 3
 this is the facebook of the mtb world. I'm just on here while I shit.
  • 61 0
 Dead on right there. He was challenged only once in the "interview" and he answered every question with variations of the exact same clearly pre-written answer.

Toss in the Marz hero images...

Very much a press release. Answered exactly nothing that wasn't already known to anyone with a brain.
  • 39 0
 Gawd, that interview was painful. I could never be a PR guy.
  • 9 0
 "nothing of any consequence" is right. The roundup basically speculated to the same conclusions that we had before.
  • 47 0
 ...and I could never be the interviewer.
I would always be like - "Can you answer the fvcking question or not?"

Guess it is my pet peeve. When asked a question either answer it directly or issue a no comment. It just makes it worse when the answer dances around and over the question, but never actually addresses it.
  • 20 0
 Blah-Blah-Blah
  • 6 1
 You say nothing of any consequence, but one big chunk of info not in the original announcement is that Fox acquired everything to do with mtb suspension - the name, tech and patents. That's important. It's also important to note Marz's line will continue as is and not be some super cheap OEM crap to meet a $1k complete price point.
  • 12 17
flag bikeflog (Jan 19, 2016 at 15:58) (Below Threshold)
 That was hard to read. I'll be voting with my Dollars and NOT buying Marzocchi as I don't have a shred of confidence and my Pikes have been FLAWLESS, It'll be hard to get me off RS in the future.
Shame I fondly remember the original 4" Bombers from back in the day
  • 24 0
 'Opportunities for synergies' Lol
  • 12 8
 Two things are certain about this interview...."Marzocchi product line, to a large degree, complements FOX's product line"
And...
No one buy this interview as legit.
..
....Drops mic and walks.
  • 17 2
 Waste of my time reading the same fcking answer every time lol. What I would really want is a fox fork with the marzocchi color coating
  • 15 3
 Well kinda to be expected when you interview a "Director of Brand Management". Have any of you ever worked in a predominantly tech-focused company? Have the marketing folks ever had the slightest clue about anything that was actually going on? Do your eyes glaze over the moment they start talking because the words don't actually hold any meaning at all?

Yeah, that.
  • 2 1
 yeah pretty much. was hoping to read something more "specific" at least.
  • 7 1
 Those answers where pre-loaded. They could have been compressed into one, but instead Levy just kept getting the rebound
  • 4 2
 THIS IS PB!
  • 5 2
 I know where this dude got his answers from.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=GyV_UG60dD4
  • 10 1
 Where's Paxman when you need him?
  • 6 2
 Man, that guy could get a job working for the Conservative party (in Canada, anyway)
  • 3 2
 Agree, same old PR crap. As for good news, Marzocchi lives on. I'm sure that Fox + Marzocchi = better.
  • 2 1
 I appreciate the "So what does this all mean?" section as I honestly couldn't have figured that out myself. There is still a lot in that bottom section I really can't find in or even derive from the actual interview.
  • 4 1
 Clearly a slow day even for Pb because that interview is absolute trash. A waste of time and space. Pb is better than this - I expect this kind of crap on Bike Rumor.

And of course the Espresso dropper is on hold. Fox clearly has 9point8 in their sights. If the technology proves to be durable, then Fox is going to be on 9point8 like white on rice. They are not going to pay licensing royalties long-term. And the 9point8 boys are already positioning themselves for acquisition by increasing the price of the Fall Line. Bad for consumers; great for profit statements and valuations.
  • 2 2
 Honestly, there's probably not much more he can actually say at this point.. probably still a bunch of stuff up in the air still... But, I don't think we will see dedicated Marzocchi staff. .
  • 2 1
 That would be a kashmir coated stanchion then....?
  • 1 1
 When did these guys get into politics? I will give you a definitive answer by answering your question with......a question.
  • 1 1
 Was hard hitting journalism expected?
  • 2 1
 And product reviews here are more like glorified ads. If you want to read comments, then pinkbike is your medium of choice.
  • 3 1
 I think this marzocchi marketing geek really wanted say,,, all the people who doubted marz's future can go fork themselves and stick a Super Monster T up they ass.
  • 2 1
 @fecalmaster I think you hit that one on the head. LOL!

Interesting factoid... I'm still riding a jr. t on my azonic ds-1. Strait repping 2001 baby!
  • 1 1
 @TheFunkyMonkey I don't think 9point8 has increased their price to increase profit but rather to compensate for a weak Canadian dollar.
  • 1 1
 @goingriding. The dollar value compared is constantly in Flux. Companies do their best to forecast where it's going to be for the next model year so they can get pricing where it needs to go to maintain profit margins.

I'm sure the increase is a combination of things... weak canadian dollar, increases in manufacturing costs, etc. I think you're right... it's probably not to "make a buck" but to maintain the bucks they're already making. Companies have to make money. It's how it is. LOL!
  • 1 1
 This is what they teach at media training. No matter what the interviewer asks you, you'll use two sentences to give it a twist and then tell what you want to tell. In this case it was overly obvious as Mike had more to ask than Pieranthony had to tell so he kept repeating himself. I'm not sure whether it is always like that but it seems that someone who's been in such a position (that is, in front of the media) for a very long time they can't simply answer a question anymore or listen to what you say. I was in a project once and we had this team advisor who's been a mediahead for two decades. It freaked me out at some point so I told him if he really had to ask or tell me something, to do it through the team leader (I was just a simple engineer and mechanic). It was only after a few team members got their mediatraining workshop that I understood what happened to the man. Good I didn't get that training, I would have kicked the instructor!

I'm not sure whether Mike was aware that Pieranthony wasn't going to tell much, otherwise I feel it has been a bit rude to let the media come over only to regurgitate the same few statements and not really answer the questions.
  • 2 1
 Yeah, I think it's a fight fire with fire situation. The media pushes for answers you may not be inclined to give. So you are trained in ways to answer questions without really revealing anything. Like a dance no one really enjoys participating in or watching.
  • 3 1
 This is similar to when raceface was supposedly "going under". Lots of speculation and wanted concern. The good news is that strong brands won't die and big thanks to Fox for stepping in on this venture. Loyal marz fans are happy and Fox gets all the props,,,, win win
  • 1 1
 Loyal Marz fans will be happy until they see it won't be the same Marz it was before... All Andrea said is what he can say at this point and time..
  • 1 2
 @typx I'd loved if he'd just said something along the lines of "Sorry this is information we cannot give you at the moment. Thank you for the interest and we'll get back to you". Then if Mike would have kept pushing he would have disappointed by not respecting the answers. Now it was Andrea disappointing by giving a non answer.

@fecalmaster I thought Iron Horse and B1 were pretty serious in mtb racing until business went ugly. Both brands still exist but well, they seem nearly dead compared to what they once were. Maybe they will resurrect like Saracen did but as they're owned by companies who already have higher end bikes in their lineup, I doubt they will.
  • 1 0
 I hear you Iron Horse was great but we're talking suspension and marz is a huge company developing solutions for multitudes of platforms from F1 to moto gp to us in the mtb world. Big brand partnership usually benefits the consumer so expectations are high with this merger.
  • 126 1
 Say leverage one more goddamn time. I dare you.
  • 57 0
 I double dare you, motherfucker!
  • 20 0
 Welcome to sales, and "leveraging relationships."
  • 38 0
 He said synergy even...
  • 31 3
 ''broader range of options,'' means Marzocchi coming to a Wal Mart near you...........
  • 13 0
 Leverage ain't no country I ever heard of.
  • 43 25
 There's a passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you." I been sayin' that [s___] for years. And if you ever heard it, it meant your [a__]. I never really questioned what it meant. I thought it was just a cold-blooded thing to say to a [m____] before you popped a cap in his [a__]. But I saw some [s__] this mornin' made me think twice. Now I'm thinkin': it could mean you're the evil man. And I'm the righteous man. And Mr. .45 here, he's the shepherd protecting my righteous [a__] in the valley of darkness. Or is could by you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. I'd like that. But that [s__] ain't the truth. The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin, Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.
  • 27 0
 everyone downvoting fasian's quote from Pulp Fiction must have no idea about the film or why he posted that in reply to NoDHinKentucky. Or, they're all butt-hurt bible thumpers? lol!

Does. He. Look. Like. A. Bitch??!!
  • 5 0
 Pulp fiction anything is always welcome!
  • 8 0
 I need to write this all down.
Does anyone have a pen? A magic marker?! A f*ckin black felt pen!!!?
  • 6 0
 "Zeds dead baby, Zeds dead."
But Fox and Marzocchi live on!
  • 113 6
 Ya Foxocchi!!
  • 42 1
 I prefer Marzox
  • 164 48
 I prefer Rockshox , Cane Creek, and Ohlins.
  • 66 2
 Marfoxi rings the best..
  • 57 1
 I'd go with Marfoxxi
  • 15 1
 #Marfoxxi...FTW.
  • 23 3
 Rcrdrvr put a hash tag on it, that makes it official. Marfoxxi it is!
  • 11 0
 or fozocchi
  • 17 1
 MarFoxcchi
  • 4 1
 @dh-bomber...Oh damn...this one.
  • 2 1
 haha hell yeah !
  • 16 2
 The less manufactures we have the higher prices will go.
  • 6 10
flag dh-bomber (Jan 19, 2016 at 14:04) (Below Threshold)
 hopefully not , i'm a RockShox guy anyhow
  • 1 1
 Focchi !
  • 4 0
 Foxocchi, the new hit single from Migos.
  • 3 0
 Foxocchiston Face
  • 2 0
 I prefer Marzocchi a la avalanche like mine Smile
  • 8 2
 That's one overcooked Foxuccini
  • 8 30
flag mjohnson801 (Jan 19, 2016 at 14:59) (Below Threshold)
 Rockshox Blows! They cant even be used in the same sentence as Cane Creek, Ohlins, Fox or Marzocchi!!
  • 5 0
 Max. Or Mox.
  • 2 0
 Foxuccino
  • 1 1
 FoxUchino cochino!
  • 1 1
 Reading these comments are great! I think I'm putting my vote for MarFoxcchi @dh-bomber
  • 95 7
 "bring Marzocchi's quality control up to FOX's own standards"

Up? Lol
  • 12 7
 I have a 2015 350ncr and when I first got it at the end of 2014 when it just came out it had scratched stanchions after like 4 rides. It was also very stiff due to too tight of bushings. I rode it till the end of the season and sent it in. Took like 7 months to get me a new csu and lowers. I didn't even get a new fork just replaced lowers and stanchions. Rode it for 3 months after that and worn stanchions again. But this time I don't even have anyone to call for warranty. At this point if it ever gets warrantied I won't give it another chance due to their crap quality control.
  • 25 1
 If it's like the recent Fox stuff it's superb. Fox took a asswhoopin in 12-14 from RockShox and it came out better for all of us.
  • 10 2
 Marzocchi always had the baddest looking shiz IMO. The industry has always been playing catch-up...which they've done pretty well at recently. Excited to see what's in store for the future.
  • 2 1
 Is there even anyone left to contact with warranty and parts issues. Emails are going unanswered and telephone numbers are no longer in use.
  • 12 1
 Fox has always been top quality. Performance is not the same as quality. While the performance of Fox's products may have come under question in recent years, quality has not. They are still among the best in terms of quality and reliability. That said, my 350ncr is fantastic both in performance and quality. I am amazed at how apparent the difference is just holding it up next to my Pike. Granted the 350 is a beefier fork by design, but it definitely has the feel of a higher quality product.
  • 6 2
 Couldn't agree more TheRaven. I currently have a 2016 Lyrik, 2016 36 RC2 Float, and a 2015 350 NCR Ti. Performance of the 350 is heads and shoulders better than the other two. Quality and reliability of the 350 NCR Ti has been flawless over a season of many riding hours. I certainly hope I can buy a replacement 2016 350 NCR Ti.
  • 4 0
 I actually prefer the 350ncr over other forks. In fact I had both the marzocchi and pike at one time and rode both and chose the marzocchi for its performance. I just wish it didnt get scored stanchions twice and left me with garbage with no warranty. Hopefully fox fixes this stuff.
  • 4 0
 Depends on your application. If you ask me, the 350 is not made for the same bike that a Pike is. To me, the Pike is a Fox 34 competitor. The Lyrik is the 36 and 350 competitor. The 350 is significantly stiffer and tougher than the Pike, just like the 36. Thus I run a Pike RCT3 on my trail bike and a 350 on my AM bike.
  • 2 0
 I run it at 140mm just like the pike was. I find the marzocchi blows off square edged hits better.
  • 2 0
 I like marzocchi too and I have a 55CR. It is better than any rockshox fork I've ever had when it works, but the rebound damper has been replaced twice and a check valve popped out of its seat which also required a rebuild. I've never had a Fox fork but I've had a lot of rockshox forks and they pretty much never go wrong. My dj2 never has either for that matter. For the reasons of more consistent performance, ease of maintenance and availability of parts, I will always go for rockshox in the future. Unless DVO release a USD single crown 170 fork anyway.
  • 12 0
 Three times in the past three years, I have been able to drive up to Marzocchi's Long Beach plant, drop off my fork and pick it up the next day, fully rebuilt. For free. Last July, they took in my 2012 55 Microswitch and sold me a 350 for about half retail. They set it up to my specifications, and gave me a t-shirt. Funny, when I had a Fox, I didn't quite get that level of service. Long live Marzocchi!
  • 10 0
 @herzalot I received the same service at the North Vancouver location,can't say enough good things about those guys.Too bad when Fox acquired them they let the staff go.
  • 1 0
 I sent an e-mail to my guys at the Long Beach facility last night and got this horrifying response:
"This email is no longer being monitored. For any Marzocchi related questions please contact RideFox.Com Mountain Bike Division."

So I sent my Marzocchi e-mail chain to Fox customer service, just to see how or if they will respond. Place your bets.
  • 1 0
 Good to know. I'm trying to track down some parts for my suspension which used to be a phone call away.
  • 1 0
 I would like to know if fox mojo in the uk and other similar companys around the world will be offering servicing, tuning and spares for marzocchi suspension
  • 4 0
 Well, I got a personal response, so that's a good sign. They fired all of the Long Beach Marzocchi employees. I liked those guys.

Quote:
"Fox does plan to take over the support of Marzocchi products, it will most likely commence in about 6 weeks. We are in the process of organizing inventory and getting the tools and training that will be needed to be successful.

We did not hire any of the Long Beach Technicians, but feel very confident that we will be able to exceed everyone’s expectations, once we open the doors."
  • 48 0
 This interview might as well have been straight from a politician given how vague and useless all of those responses were.
  • 15 0
 There was quite literally no substance whatsoever to any of the given answers... Sad, isn't it?
  • 6 0
 I wonder why he would even waste both of their time consenting to do an interview if he knew he wasn't going to answer any questions.
  • 5 4
 I have no clue what he said with nearly every answer - "Che Cazzo" is what comes to my mind. For instance did he mean that Mike Levy stopped the production of the dropper by interviewing him? I don't care how those forks do, that's a one damn big "bordello" right there...
  • 37 0
 So basically he didn't answer a goddamn question. Mike, I hope you did this interview through email, because that was a wasted trip if not!
  • 8 0
 well if mike was in Italy he surely had awesome coffee and food....not a total waste of time i guess Wink
  • 38 3
 Every response was what that asshat learned in business 101 and ultimately didn't say a damn thing:

-create synergies
-leverage this, leverage that
-utilize distribution channels
-Holisitic approach
  • 17 1
 He was indeed very good in answering questions without giving an answer. Better off saying "I'm not allowed to tell you yet" than to say that same nothing-saying riddle 5 times.

But who cares, stoked to see marzocchi is back!!
  • 8 0
 "I'm only here so I don't get fined"
  • 3 0
 Here's what he should have said: We're going to be the Porsche Cayman of the mtb suspension world. We'll be purposely hamstrung so our big brother isn't embarassed by our value.
  • 1 0
 That isn't business 101; it is marketing consultant 101.
  • 5 1
 Have to remember, FOX is a public company. They will not be willing to discuss strategy or anything that might effect future earnings or potential investment write-offs.
  • 23 1
 Marzzochi/Fox make a new rendition of the 66; with a 20 mil thru axel and all is forgiven.
How bout marz makes solid free ride forks and fox can continue to dazzle us with marketing jargon.
  • 4 1
 I'm not allowed to prop you more than once! Going through the comments, I have read many great ideas, let us hope that Marzocchi keep makin' toys for the big boys and FOX continues making their cutesy techy boost propaganda at space ex prices. Smile
  • 19 2
 as a marzocchi user for about four years ive always been surprised that the forks in australia are not regarded higher. They are the best forks Ive ever run and most people in australia that i talk to either dont know anything or still have opinions based on 2009 product.

When they actually ride/ feel/ weigh my forks they are always impressed.

So theres obviously an image issue.

I dont mind Rockshox or Fox and the bikes Ive got that have those forks on them are fine. Marzocchi is the only one that actually impresses me though.

What I read is that some of the key marzocchi forks will continue, it sure as hell better include the 380! And the 350 actually.

Im pleased theyre still around too, the more competition the better
  • 20 1
 Mate, amongst the oldschoolers, Marzocchi have no peer. Back in the day, there was no competition, the classic orange Z1 Bomber, with it's open bath technology borrowed from motorcross, was the absolute shiznit, nothing else came close. Everyone else has since borrowed from Marzocchi's rule book. Even today, 20 years later, no other forks can take a beating or have the long term reliability of Marzocchi. That kids these days all aspire to ride Fox, has more to do with marketing and availability than reliability or performance, imo.

So far as this mergers concerned, I'm not sure if I want to laugh or cry. Marzocchi have always been very low maintenance, while Fox have always been relatively high maintenance. Fox seals are notoriously shit, while Marzocchi seals last basically for the life of the fork, ie. 5+ years. Fox forks require constant, on-going attention, tuning, and maintenance, spare parts being another source of revenue for Fox. Bombers have always been a set and forget item, drain the oil every season and they're good to go. I'm hoping and praying that Marzocchi get to keep that honest reliability, or Fox step up to the Big M's bar.
  • 3 2
 I've found both Fox and Marzocchi to be "set and forget". I used to be a Marzocchi nut, and when things started going to crap, I switched to Fox because I finally had the money and wanted to continue to be able to depend on my suspension. Countless forks later I have not been disappointed. In my extensive experience, Fox has been the most reliable by far.

That said, I purchased my first Marzocchi fork in like 8 years last year. A new 350ncr, and it's been fantastic.
  • 7 0
 I'm still running 2005 888's on the downhill bike, tried to replace them last year with a boxxer, that experiment last two months and I stuck the 888's back on. The boxxer wasn't as supple, or stiff and even after getting a shop tune done still refused to play as nice... I'm now on going to swap out the fox 36's I have on my trail bike for a set of Marz once the new ones arrive on shore..
  • 12 1
 "In my extensive experience, Fox has been the most reliable by far."

So, not a lot of experience then.

Fox seals are sh!t. In general, Fox products require continuous, ongoing servicing, with regular strip downs and rebuilds. If you don't believe me, read the manual. Marzocchi forks do not require anything like the same level of maintenance, not even close. They never have, and hopefully never will. Marzocchi had a bad patch in 08/09 when they got bought out by Tenneco, and production moved from Italy to Taiwan. Prior to that, their was no competition between Fox and Marzocchi for performance, servicing, or reliability, the Big M remained supreme. Since then, they're back to being awesome for reliablity and performance. Don't know about the latest Fox products for reliability, but they were never very good.

Having owned an RLC 130, brown (05?) 36 Talas, DHX 5.0, and RP23 from Fox, and Z1 BAM's, '01 Monster T's, '08 55 ETA's, '11 Roco TST-R Air & '11 66 RC3 Evo Ti's from Marzocchi, I personally would buy a Marzocchi over a Fox. In fact, I wouldn't touch Fox, I think they're sh!t, don't believe the hype.
  • 2 1
 every single fox fork I have had has had some kind of issue at some point. Right now Ive got a pair of 32 floats on my xc bike, stanchions are worn and a seal is stuffed. I always follow service schedule requirements (which was all the damn time) and it has frustrated the hell out of me. My last set of 36s didnt have anything catastrophic wrong with them, but they felt rubbish. Replaced them with pikes in 2011 and the pikes were way better.


Id classify Fox as the least reliable of them all in my experience - havent tried any 2014+ models though which Ive heard are better.

Never had a single issue with a marzocchi but i never ran them in 08/09 - only 2011 and since

Rockshox has been mostly very reliable, but a couple of forks were lemons, just never worked well and always leaked no matter me or the service agents did.

Im slowly converting any bike I can over to marz. Just bought a bargain pair of 55s to put on my freeride/ enduro bike which will take me to 3 bikes with marz forks. Woot!
  • 1 0
 My 29 hard tail and dually trail bike run 2015 fix shocks and their both average, even after my much media hyped about 36's were custom tuned they still felt nothing special.. So I to will be replacing with Marz as budget allows, maybe a set of X-Fusion revels if I can test a pair.. But fox for me personally don't live up to the hype by a country mile..
  • 1 3
 @m0ngy Only 16 years so yeah not that much. I'm sure you've had more experience with your 5 forks and 3 shocks. Wow that's quite a catalog.

Keep on hatin.
  • 3 0
 @russthedog thanks for showing how to properly state your opinion (i.e. not being a fanboy). I have had a very different experience however. I have never followed Fox's overkill service requirements and NEVER had a significant issue with the countless Fox forks i've owned and serviced. I certainly acknowledge that many have however.

I have had some issues with Marzocchi however I have remained a big fan of their products because it seems that no matter the issue, I can fix it myself in minutes. That is something that no other fork i've encountered can boast. I just put a 350ncr on my AM bike last season and it's been fantastic so far. I'm confident that I can expect the same user-friendliness that used to keep me a dedicated Marzocchi fan.

Rockshox has been, in my experience, the worst. That's not to say they are terrible, especially the newer stuff, but in my younger years (the era of the Judy, Psylo, Duke...etc) when I didn't have the money for Fox or Marzocchi, I was stuck with RS and always fixing something. Once I could afford Marz and Fox, I stopped using RS products completely. Fast forward to today, I have now owned four modern RS forks (2012 and newer) and EVERY ONE has had a significant issue. My 2014 Pike has already been back for warranty work once. So I won't say they are THE WORST, but I have not had the same quality of experience with RS that I have had with Marz and Fox.
  • 20 0
 That Marzocchi 350 RC3 Evo V2 AER just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
  • 9 2
 Yes I think they are the first ones to beat CCDBAirCS...
  • 22 0
 "What suspension you running front and rear?"
"On my XL SC 5010 V2? Oh, I got that new 'zocchi 350 RC3 Evo V2 AER up front and their 053 S3C2R R2D2 edition out back!"
  • 5 0
 Just make sure you put it on a Specialized Stumpjumper Carbon Expert Evo 29 Troy Lee Edition.
  • 17 3
 They only need to do 2 things.

1) brand new z1 ie take the 350, tweak the shit of out of it and cap the travel at 150 and keep the price below the pike/yari if it has the classic marzo feel with some climbing ability its be a winner. 350 should not be a £600+ for when the likes of a mattoc can be picked up for £350.

2) bring back the 66, 35/38mm single crown long travel (160-180) with air and coil options again below the price of a 36 or lyrik. it needs to be what the original 66 was ie a beast

Bomb proof, long service intervals, easy to service when required, an acceptable price and not too far off the mark when it comes to weight and they'll sell like hot cakes.

Sadly this is everything fox is not, id love to see marzo make a come back but i think we'll see history repeat unless they really move back to the drawing board and remember why people bought marzo in the first place. i.e forks that can take serious abuse and not bat an eyelid
  • 2 0
 Sounds like a great plan. I hope I see something similar, but I keep having it in my mind how FOX will simply "try" for a year or two and on that notion just let Marzocchi fall to the ground and never lend a hand.
P.S. I ain't ever sellin' my 05 66RC! Never!
  • 2 0
 @jaydmf you need to be more specific otherwise they'll just release a 15mm axle 650b only version of what you just described
  • 3 0
 This. They bought the company for its IP portfolio. A couple more years and they will dump it like a used condom.
  • 9 0
 "Bomb proof, long service intervals, easy to service when required, an acceptable price and not too far off the mark when it comes to weight and they'll sell like hot cakes... Sadly this is everything fox is not... "

Ain't that the truth! Absolutely spot on comment my brother, glad I'm not the only one concerned about where the Big M's headed. Marzocchi have always been the quiet achiever, with great performance, awesome reliability and longevity, at a reasonable price. Fox are all about marketing, the big sell, pushing the latest whiz bang tech to rich kids who must have the latest sh!t. There's no reason why Fox can't make their products equally robust, but forks which self implode require a steady stream if spare parts, and regular replacement. Fox aren't stupid, just greedy corporate types.

Listen up Fox; I don't wanna have to service my forks every couple of months! I don't wanna have to change my seals every season! I don't wanna have to constantly f%&k around with the settings of my suspension to get it feeling good!

I've owned an RLC 130, brown (05?) 36 Talas, DHX 5.0, and RP23, and they were all extremely high maintenance. They need constant attention and tuning to perform at the level expected. I remember buying the RLC's, taking them home they were laying in the floor pan of my Kingswood, and leaked oil all over the floor, like ALL the oil. Great seals, WTF?

Unreservedly LOVED my original Z1 BAM's back in the day, loved my '01 Monster T's, loved my '08 55 ETA's (did required replacement internals in order to get full travel), still loving my '11 Roco TST-R Air & '11 66 RC3 Evo Ti's! I'm happy to add a little weight if it means greater reliability. Change the oil every season or two, depending on usage, and you're ready to rock. Spend your first couple of rides dialling them while they break in, and you're set for life.
  • 14 2
 Good news Smile for anybody with a marz fork at least. Nice to see that Fox is helping Marzocchi instead of taking them over and destroying them, as that is often what happens with buy-outs.
  • 23 0
 Lets just wait and see what happens.. I like Marzocchi products, but i am not convinced that Fox has any long term plans to keep them alive.
  • 4 1
 I say it's going to be a parasitic relationship at best..............just not sure who comes out ahead
  • 6 0
 Fox purchased "....certain assets of the Marzocchi mountain bike product lines..." Wiith that they believe: ".... is a significant opportunity for Fox to further expand the penetration of our bike suspension products across more price points..."

They will take what ever high-end patents they can for the Fox name. And probably as @rivercitycycles speculates, coming to a Wal Mart near you....for the actual Marzocchi name
  • 1 0
 Yep. I absolutely see Fox stripping the patents and the machinery, and demoting the Marz brand to the low end offerings. If they bother to spend $$ on keeping the brand alive at all.
  • 9 0
 This whole interview sounds a lot like the sorts of answers I get from my HR department at work. Lot of words, yet zero substance. I understand it's all a suit and tie business acquisition, but give a mountain biker some dirt!
  • 8 0
 My gut feeling about this acquisition from the beginning is it is more about fox creating a lower end suspension line (aka marzocchi) in order to not to hurt the fox line value and prices and probably for some patents also. I highly doubt their will be some major high end joint Fox/Marz product. Don't expect a shiver any time soon.
  • 6 1
 Lower than a 34 CTD? Boy, that would be hard to beat!
  • 2 0
 I think this is the general idea. Fox has had terrible results trying to create "entry-level" product. So it makes sense to just ditch all that and position the Fox name to be the best in the game, and have Marzocchi cover the rest. That doesn't mean that Marzocchi has to only get the cheapest stuff. They can position Marzocchi to compete with Rockshox, Manitou, SR, and X-Fusion while Fox competes with DVO and Ohlins.

Seems to me that this would be the most likely scenario given what we (don't) know.
  • 3 3
 I reckon you're right, sadly... Fox largely contributed to the demise of the far superior Marzocchi product. They pushed them out with blanket marketing, and bastardry, like introducing the 15mm axle for no reason other than to shut Marzocchi out. Clever business strategy, crush the competition (even though they have a superior product), then buy them out while they're on their knees, fleece them of all their best tech, and restart them as a competitor, but not on a level playing field.
  • 4 0
 Problem being even if they do turn them into a lower price brand they'll most likely still work better than a high end fox product
  • 1 4
 My experience with Fox stuff has been perfect. I used to be a Marzocchi nut, but when the brand started to go down the tubes I switched to using Fox products and had an equally great experience. Fox has been top quality from my experience, so it's a perfect marriage as far as i'm concerned.
  • 3 2
 "They can position Marzocchi to compete with Rockshox, Manitou, SR, and X-Fusion while Fox competes with DVO and Ohlins."

I can see where this is headed, and I don't like it. Traditionally, Marzocchi have always been the superior product, not Fox. That's just a fact mate, you can believe all the marketing you like. Also, I don't think Fox products are up to competing with like of the CCDB, DVO, or Ohlins, they currently don't have what it takes. These super premium products perform in a way Fox could only dream of, at a price point where rugged reliability is expected. Historically, and currently, these aren't attributes commonly associated with Fox products, they're just not, say what ya like.
  • 2 0
 I knew the Fox haters would be out in force here...

@m0ngy while I respect your opinion on Fox products, it is simply your opinion an not "just a fact mate". My EXPERIENCE has nothing to do with marketing. It has to do with 16 years of building and riding countless bikes using every manner of suspension out there. Fox has a long proven reputation that goes back almost certainly much further than your experience (which sounds from your comments like roughly 5 years). Remember the newer suspension brands like Cane Creek, Bos, Ohlins, DVO, etc are here BECAUSE of companies like Fox and Marzocchi (hell Marz is DIRECTLY responsible for the creation of DVO) so there is NO question Fox has what it takes to compete with any of them. You forget, like many, that quality is just as important as performance when it comes to suspension. Fox has been building quality components for decades, while DVO and Ohlins are just getting started in MTB suspension and Cane Creek leaves alot to be desired in the quality department (and i'm the proud owner of a CCDB air).

Opinions are opinions, but trying to say that Fox cannot compete with the best is just plan incorrect. They can and will.
  • 1 0
 @TheRaven you're forgetting BOS. Those french guys know what they're doing. The Capra comp cf suspension setup is marvelous. IDK if they are reliable like the old marzocchi's though, time will tell.
  • 3 0
 @theraven... And what causes fox hate? Generally it's people using their product a d either noticing it's poor performing or breaks often. Marzocchi, in terms of performance and reliability, has always been far better from my experience, and apparently many other people. I think with Fox the problem is most of the mtb'ers out there are fairly inexperienced riders and consider weight to the the most important factor when considering a bike or a bike part. Fox forks are generally much lighter due to cartridges and low oil volumes. Because of this, and probably other design factors, they don't perform as well as a marz, but bike companies can spec their bikes w fox as OEM and keep that ever important bike weight low.
  • 1 0
 @ericwahl83 - Actually what causes "Fox hate" is fanboyism. It's the same for any brand. You can choose another brand without "hating" Fox. That's experience. The reality is that Fox, Marzocchi, and Rockshox all have more than two decades of products for proof that they make good stuff. All three make a good product. As for who makes "the best", it's all subjective from there. I've had the best experience with Fox, and really good experience with Marzocchi. I have not had good experience with Rockshox. But, I still use their stuff, and I don't show up in Rockshox comment sections yelling "RS BLOWS FOX RULEZ!!!@!!@!!!1?!!one".

That, quite simply, is my point. Many people have had problems with Fox products, many more have not. Same with all three brands.
  • 1 0
 @theraven. I agree brand loyalty plays a part but I also think a lot of people that have tried both good fox products and good marz products prefer the marz for performance and reliability reasons, overall. But yeah it's just like a Dodge owner hating a Ford and never having owned one. I will say it seems my reasoning and other people's on here is performance based.
  • 9 1
 "Fox will stay FOX, and Marzocchi will stay Marzocchi. "
YES PLEASE !
And I personally prefer MARZOCCHI.
  • 16 5
 This pleases us.
  • 5 0
 anyone else about done with Pinkbike..aka "lets make all manufactures happy" No real news or insight to MTB world. Its all look here's a new tire size and everyone is comparable and can float on imaginary clouds...as long as clouds are going downhill. Up hill has some issues but pedals pretty well, but comes alive on the descent. SNORE. Oh or, look at this pretty now about above average rider hucking something big on a 650 trail bike with some ok music that everyone doesn't gripe over, be it "rap/metal/techno/who the F cares". And RockShox is better than Fox, but my 2001 Marzocchi has never had problems whining B.S. Seriously...MTB folks, sorry but that kind of rant had to be said. Just hush and ride whatever you like or want and just remember, your bikes now cost more than a DIRTBIKE! Your welcome.
  • 2 0
 Well Pinkbike is a company out to make money. So you can't expect much in terms of honestly bad reviews. I've found that you can read between the lines though and get the truth. It's in there, but they can't come out and say "this bike sucks"...that burns bridges and leads things like future riders saying "remember Pinkbike? That was such a nice site.". Besides, even a forum where the absolute brutal truth can be spoken is no better. These online communities exhibit the mob mentality perfectly. Clever marketing can do amazing things, and you can see it here even. Criticizing anything SRAM/Rockshox is a no-no, the CCDB is regarded as the second coming, and Specialized/Trek/Giant are DA DEVIL!!! You'll see this kind of thing on any online forum dedicated to a sport or hobby, it's just human nature.

That's why there are so many sayings about what you read on the internet.
  • 10 1
 Bring the super monster and shiver back!
  • 6 1
 I personally prefer Marz's DBC damping system to the FIT. The 350 and 380 are great, and the 320 delivers a very competitive weight for an XC racer. They really stepped up their game, but it came too late. I hope they don't get relegated to "entry-level", because their high-end fork performance is better than Fox's.
  • 7 2
 You know what they say about trusting a Fox??!
Give them a year and a half and they'll fold Marz, taking all their customers, beautiful Italian technology, and calendar girls.
  • 8 0
 That was politician level question dodging.
  • 4 0
 That wasn't an interview, that was a press release. Managed to say pretty much nothing of any consequence. I know some guy in Marzocchi Italy and they are totally fired (it seems from this article that only this commercial guy passed on Fox)..... so it means that Fox will do anything....no cooperation...
  • 9 4
 Whats marzo have that fox doesn't? Humm let me see, plushness, sensibility, simplicity... What else, style, detail attention...

Long live marzo
  • 3 0
 " What's marzo have that fox doesn't?"

A decent amount of fork oil.
  • 1 1
 "A decent amount of fork oil."

Which you can tell is true, while it's gushing out of your blown out shock! Wink
  • 1 0
 I hope people don't write of Marzocchi because of the corporate dealings of the company. They have for decades been the plushest, most reliable high-end product I've gone to time and again. I hope the Dirty M rises from the ashes to take it's place back in our sport.
  • 4 0
 I know how marz can make a killing... make a fatbike fork that clears 5" tires.

It can be expensive and perform well, or perform as well as a bluto but be cheaper. Hell, make both.
  • 5 0
 Love Marzocchi so much. Even if they disappear someday I'll still have the memories, and some bad azz forks that will never die.
  • 2 0
 agree with u man
  • 4 0
 Opportunities for SYNERGIES??? Pure corporate jargon. I hate that meaningless word. On another note, I hope that Marz is able to keep going with their recent positive turnaround. Super happy with my 350.
  • 8 1
 But what about the Marzocchi Gurls?
  • 3 0
 this kind of campaign would get any american marketing manager in serious problems.
its save to say bomber-girls are a thing of the past.

don't believe me? ask the guys at 661...
totalwomenscycling.com/news/news-661s-knee-pad-gate-63448/#QSGJJBWsS4AQMTT0.97
  • 5 0
 great and now please make some firm coils for Marzocchi 55 RC3 EVO V2 Titanium Forks
  • 2 0
 This. I own 44 RC3 Ti and it rocks!
  • 1 0
 I've never come more than an inch from bottoming mine out and that's with little air or preload and at 200lbs. I think yours may need to be serviced.
  • 1 0
 @Rubberelli I own also Mz 66 and needed to buy the firmest coil possible for my 70kg. These forks are meant to be air preloaded but it kills small bumbs sensitivity. With firm coil and no air I like the fork better as it doesn't dive under braking so much.
  • 1 0
 My 66's had quite a bit of dive as well (mainly solved with heavier weight oil), but my 55's were good out of the box, but you do need new oil pretty damn early in its life for some reason.
  • 1 0
 @Rubberelli Maybe heavier oil is the key. I haven't tried it as I have thought it would be overdamped. Goog to know it works for you. Btw, my 66 works fine 2 yrs without oil change, you can't say it about new Pike Smile
  • 1 0
 I took a blue Fox 36 spring and cut the spring down by 1 coil. I used a blow torch to heat the last coil and close the end. Used a belt sanded to get the cut end perpendicular to the coil. I've run it in my 350 NCR Ti for a year and it's been awesome. Used a spring rate calculator before doing this and determined the spring rate would match what I wanted. I'm 185 lbs before any riding gear. I too don't like using any air preload and this setup resulted in the best single fork I've ever ridden.
  • 1 0
 Interesting... My '11 66 RC3 Evo Ti's were (and still are) absolutely perfect straight out of the box, no air required for preload at all. I weigh about 100kg, with gear.
  • 3 1
 really hope fox doesn't kill marzo's top end gear because it'd be going toe to toe with their factory forks and sticks marzo with low end and lower mid range gear, but i'm all for seeing more as OE, but it's going to get a little crowded as suntour and RS both have decentish lower end gear, and it'd be a pain if it pushes the price of fox gear up though.
  • 6 0
 Didn't marzocchis best guys leave and form Dvo.
  • 3 0
 Fox here in Brazil have a p**p image.... No spare parts, no nothing... Marz all the time for me.... Hope they don't put fox tech on Marz products.... For me Maz dampers are de deal.... Marz fan here ????????
  • 4 0
 Dear Fox, just make a new 66 with a 20mm front axle. Use old Marz seals please. Everyone will buy it. And we will forgive you for this crap interview.
  • 7 3
 This interview was pointless, and didn't really answer any of the questions that I would have (as a consumer) or those others may have (as an employee).
  • 4 1
 Marz stuff is the best. I always end up swapping the fox and RS out with it on my bikes, then I sell the fox/RS forks used for more than I paid for the new Marz. It's like consumer magic.
  • 5 0
 So he is saying nothing will change but everything is new and will be much better? damn he should go into politics...
  • 2 0
 politicians answers all thru.

I have two experiences with marzocchi product. First was the 2007 AM2 SL 120-160mm fork that came on my 07 norco six. It was OK but orifice damped so spiked like crazy on high speed descents, a long way from the shim damped lovely plush forks Marzocchi was known for. Of course when it had issues, there was no parts and everyone was incredibly unhelpful even though it was pretty clear Marzocchi USA was basically custom fitting RC2 units into the AM chassis, the AU distributor didn't want a bar of it and basically told me i should buy a new fork. That really put me off. It was only just over 3 years since i'd purchased it and already no parts? Either they'd used them all up getting warranty jobs out the door, or they just mismanaged their spares inventory and then with the switch to non-italian production didn't bother tooling up for creating some spares inventory. Or a bit of both.

However my 07 66 RC2X was the bomb. Heavy but bulletproof, plush and one of the best damped forks i've ridden on to this day.

Now run rockshox and x-fusion as the service information is easy to find, parts are easy and it's not marzocchi or fox ( I dont like fox after running CTD O/C stuff which just really didn't cut it for me...)
  • 2 0
 Hi! How are you?
The Marzocchi mountain bike product line expands the Fox portfolio, which opens up new sales opportunities.
OK... How is Marzo?
The Marzocchi mountain bike product line expands the Fox portfolio, which opens up new sales opportunities
  • 7 2
 I cant wait to get my hands on an Espresso Post. They're soooo sexy.
  • 3 0
 Did you miss the part about the espresso dropper being put on hold as of the writing.of this article? Don't hold your breath!
  • 3 1
 +1. From marzocchi it must be reliable. Hoping for a 27.2mm size to fit my frame Smile
  • 1 0
 article says that's on hold, sorry
  • 1 0
 Afaik on hold means they are still planning to release it, they just have other priorities first.
  • 3 0
 What I've been told is that even fox r&d guys run reverbs as they don't rate there own post, so the new espresso post could be rehashed and rebranded as fox.
  • 1 0
 Fox is already going to release a new dropper that has infinite adjust instead of the 3 position that the DOSS has. Fox released some pics in October.
  • 1 0
 I was really hoping to snag this post also, but now that production on it has been halted, i'm going another direction. Who knows how long it will be before we can buy one.
  • 2 1
 Please make a foxocchi super fork...

You can call it the super foxocchi monster 36cr float rct ctd fit. or maybe just the cr36 lol

It can feature the adjustability, quality and smoothness of a fox with the timeless reliability, bombproofness and price of a marzocchi.

Oh and can it have a 20mm axle and purple kashpresso stanchions? lol
  • 5 0
 give me obscenely heavy open bath forks or give me death
  • 3 1
 "This is a very good move, especially if they can bring Marzocchi's quality control up to FOX's own standards."


Anyone else laugh when they read this? Fox isn't known for there great quality control.
  • 2 1
 Read the full article! Look at the questions - pinkbike only perspective (sponsored by fox).

Fox did not buy whole Marzocchi. Not even investing into the whole line MTB products line up. Marzocchi did not loose its OEM market - it was Fox (they tried to push Marzocchi out and at that point paid big time, as they could not provide reliable product in comparison to Marzocchi, not to mention the price of the bike builds). That is why they went to purchase some Marzocchi.

Manufacturing of frames went to push fox as more "premium brand" (as they get more money by selling it - that has completely failed - due to fox products failing at premium price and people selling off new forks at bargain prices as they wanted to do nothing with fox).

So what does this all mean to you as a rider? - You will see less competitive market and higher prices, its a fact.
Just look forward to BOS, X-Fusion - these brads stamped fox into the ground with better product and price.

I respect Marzocchi and not fox as fox does not stand behind their product. ( I only had fox components fail to the point of complete factory rebuild ( an nope no warranty from fox - pay pay pay) - although they were serviced properly by pro shop and not abused.

Who do you believe as it is all made in Taiwan in similar or same factories. Pay for hype or solid low maintenance performance - IS UP TO YOU!

Fox is more like SR Suntour products that captioned the market high volume but not high quality. Although SR Suntour is making great progress in comparison to fox. In future I can see fox selling off their MTB market to SR Suntour. I can bet $500 on it, as it will happen in next 10 years.
  • 1 0
 Sorry forgot to mention good brands like Cane Creek and Rockshox as a great alternative to fox as well.
  • 1 0
 I think the plan will be quite simple. Position Fox as the Premium brand. Showcasing new technology and cutting edge engineering. Medium to High price point Position Marzocchi as the Mainstream brand. Benefits from trickle down technology proven by Fox, but with reduced features at a Low to Medium price point. Whole market place covered. Works for VAG with Audi and VW.
  • 1 0
 Ugh idk if im going to use fox anymore. I have a fox talas 160 mm, and the bottom of it where it holds the wheel in place broke off!!!!! its unrepairable and they wont warranty it either. I honestly did not even remember crashing and that happening. I think it just broke off on a rock which should Not happen.
  • 7 2
 Was there a single ounce of substance in any of those "answers"?
  • 1 0
 The "questions" that made the "answers"...
  • 4 0
 You lost me at " [production of the Espresso dropper post has been ''put on hold'' since this interview took place] "
  • 3 2
 he just had to keep asking... Yea, thank you very much Mike for one less dropper option on the market...
  • 1 0
 Marz better have a few patents worth annexing into Fox, otherwise this seems like Fox loosing the script even harder.
Fox was awesome, then I had 2 problem child forks, so when I went over to a complete new bike (Bronson w/ a Pike) -- and now having done nothing other than ride it for a year, seems like RockShox is like a Honda Civic attached to my headset, it just works!

Fox - make some bolt-in ears so we can have Boost/non-Boost or whatever hub size we like on 1 fork, you need to do something Rockshox isn't because they seem to have you beat most other catagories, so break out a new useful feature.
  • 3 0
 Wait, so does this mean the Marzocchi mountain bike product line will expand the Fox portfolio, which will open up new sales opportunities?
  • 3 0
 Naaah, I am pretty sure it will diversify their portfolio while promoting synergy through 2017.
  • 1 0
 About to start building a new bike for the summer and was 100% on getting a 350 after being on a 55rc3 for years. Now Naz, Alex and Maz not being in north Van anymore im not even sure where to buy them from anymore, and if I do how long until in house servicing and warranty will be available...By the looks of this comment section they will be busy once someone start answering marzocchi emails
  • 1 0
 I'm happy to see that Marzocchi will be still producing their awesome products, and the better is at lower prices than Fox. Actually if they extend their product line with both 3 wheels standards for the 350 and if they hire some skilled/famous pilot I predict them a sensational come back
  • 3 1
 I can't wait to get my new Foxocchi Bomber 888 40 Float FIT Factory with Espresso Kashima coating! It is going to look sweet on my DH bike.
  • 1 0
 This is going to be really interesting. I've been buying Marzocchi products for years and lately their quality and customer service has been lacking. Hopefully this changes everything!
  • 2 0
 When marzocchi refunds me for my 2008 55ata I'll possibly start buying their products again. Now I'm waiting on my refund from fox. It's all SRAM until I get my money.
  • 1 0
 The marketing posters are like reading an eBay ad for Chinese parts throw together by Siri while she was leveraging a bottle of bourbon and fishing for a one-night with Google Translate.
  • 1 0
 so,we can deduce that all is dandy, i can happily buy a marzocchi and fox wont fvck with its internals? best buy some seals then,thank heavens for that

love marzocchi, love fox

forkin' wonderful
  • 1 0
 after my third rock shox revelation fork with creaking noises in a row, I want a marzocchi for my 29er. I also have a marzocchi bomber mx pro ETA , 100mm from '07 bombproof!.
  • 6 2
 Bring the -99 Monster T back. Pretty please, with sugar on top!!
  • 2 1
 The Infamous Super Monster. 300mm travel, that only Bender could fully use.
  • 5 0
 Hey I can fully use it! 200mm for jumping stairs and the remaining 100mm to compensate for other short comings.
  • 2 0
 I want two! I have an old SC bullit that could certainly use one.
  • 2 0
 Can you still get parts?
I've tried calling and emailing......all is quiet
Do dealers out there still have added to marzocchi service department?
  • 5 1
 They should do something neat...like a 160+ dropper.
  • 3 1
 I don't know who is who, but one "guy" looks like Napoleon Dynamite's grandmother BEFORE she bruised her coccyx at the dunes.
  • 1 0
 I hope this acquisition will give birth to the same Bomber performance and reliability from the old Marzocchis at a much much lighter weight for their suspension products ( where Fox can come in ).
  • 3 0
 So Fox now owns Marz & Easton / Raceface...hmmm
  • 3 0
 All companies that were doing well, took a financial dive, bottomed out and were purchased by fox to some how gain traction and rebound. Interesting.
  • 3 1
 Raceface came back and was at the top of the game before fox bought them.
  • 2 1
 Smoke more trees.
  • 5 1
 Long Live Marzocchi
  • 3 1
 It's like the VW car group. Cover the whole range of the market. Good news.
  • 2 0
 Two of my favorite bike suspension companies, they will take over the world!!!
  • 2 0
 I'll just let the late great Bill Hicks take it from here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMN8REGJXaA
  • 3 0
 I want my open bath Fox 66 with espresso coating!
  • 2 0
 Sounds like a fuckin' politician. Smile and give a completely off topic answer to a simple question.
  • 2 0
 Awesome interview...it is quite clear Marzocchi will continue their product line through 2017. Phew! Good job!
  • 1 0
 I have heard the new 2016 fox forks are great. If this is true, in my biased opinion the only reason for this will be of the synergy after they bought marzocchi
  • 3 0
 Badass! I hope it stays this way for a good long while!
  • 5 3
 You had excellent questions to form a great interview, nice job it was very informative.
  • 1 0
 I already see, Fox 36 Don Marzocchi Carlione edition. With Cappucino coating and Mamma Mia How Plush (MMHP) dampfers on sale ... Wink
  • 1 0
 Excellent questions Mike Levy. Sometimes you wonder if managers ever even consider asking similar questions or they just keep their head in the sand.
  • 3 0
 Please keep the MarzHoochie Poster Girls!
  • 2 0
 Two positions for engineers in Asheville? What?

Guys...you spelled it wrong too....it's NOT Ashville.
  • 2 0
 I always liked Marzocchi, and their service was very good when my fork broke, they replaced the parts completely free.
  • 1 0
 "Fox already offers some fairly high end suspension and it makes zero sense to price Marzocchi's products even higher"

Seems to work pretty well for VW and Audi.
  • 3 0
 moxi
  • 3 0
 That hurt my brain
  • 1 0
 This is a great deal for both sides. Rock Shox will finally have some competition.
  • 1 0
 generalizations and business speak aside, there actually is a lot being said here that none of us knew before…..
  • 3 0
 R.I.P. Marzocchi...
  • 1 0
 This comes across to me as "what are you doing about x" "mind your own damn business fox fox fox fox"
  • 1 0
 I wish Marzocchi the best of luck in the future, although after reading this i still have no idea what that is.
  • 1 0
 Ha! the guy on the left trying to be all "down with the kids" with his flannel shirt.
  • 1 0
 Awesome, can I please buy a Marzocchi 053 S3C2R 7.5x2 rear shock now please!?!?!
  • 1 0
 Remember that inverted fork fox was developing? Well bring it on full swing and give DVO chills with a new SHIVER!
  • 3 1
 As long as they keep those sexy red stanchions, I'll be happy.
  • 1 0
 Looking forward to the HBO Silicon Valley spinoff show about the Fox and Marzocchi business synergies!
  • 1 0
 Nothing that was said in that "interview" gives me confidence to go out and buy a Marzocchi product today.
  • 1 0
 "The Marzocchi mountain bike product line expands the Fox portfolio
I'm not gonna be able to get this out of my head
  • 3 2
 "...pretty much everyone was shocked." Wink
  • 2 1
 Soooo Marzocchi is going to become the suntour competitor...?
  • 1 0
 Well ok then that clears everything up :/
  • 1 0
 fox will use marzocchi to make budgetsuspension as well as high end stuff
  • 1 0
 Sorry but this interview is absolutely useless : /
  • 1 1
 so in fact there s still Marzocci pruducts produced and on the market?? why is everybody like 'oh noooooo" then .....
  • 1 0
 Thank you Fox for letting the Marzocchi name live on tup
  • 1 0
 please no Propedal in Marz products!
  • 1 0
 well said goodjonny.."open bath or death".
  • 1 1
 So I learned nothing from this "interview"
  • 1 1
 Jerbs! Look at them fOx jerks!!!
  • 1 1
 And where is espresso coating on 350s?
  • 1 2
 Well, I was really hoping to hear some news on service in Canada...
  • 1 0
 Suspensionworx in North Van. Right around the corner from the old Marzocchi HQ.
  • 2 3
 "A Robot Says What?"
"What"
  • 1 2
 I want a "Monster Fox", a Monster T light enough to float on water.
  • 2 3
 Who will service my 2010 Marzocchi 66RC3?
  • 2 0
 Google "Marzocchi Mark",http://www.mtbforksbymark.com he services Marz stuff..super knowledgeable, thorough, and carries all kinds of stuff to buy.
I had him rebuild and prep a fork before a big trip last year and he made it better than new as well clued me in to some random info about it, and recently I bought a '15 350NCR at a bargain price from him(lightly used) but knowing it was fully looked over and up to snuff.
Nope, I'm not affiliated with this guy but the fact that he has spent time on the phone with me about the forks and he spends time to discuss repairs, etc., plus does great work...I put out the word of passionate people, plus I dig Marz products!
  • 2 0
 Risse Racing in Redmond Oregon. Google, and give them a ring! Super nice dudes!
  • 1 0
 Oarsome. Thanks!
  • 2 4
 What does the fox say?
  • 4 1
 no... no... I though we got over that years ago
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