Review: BikeRadar - Marzocchi Bomber Z1

BikeRadar has reviewed the Marzocchi Z1 Bomber. Here is what they had to say:

The recently updated Marzocchi Bomber Z1 swaps the lauded GRIP damper for the updated RAIL 2.0. The chassis has also been tweaked with new bypass channels on the lower legs, which are designed to better lubricate the bushings.

A stop-anywhere lever-style adjuster enables you to tweak the low-speed compression damping on the fly. There’s a rebound dial, too.

The included settings guide on the lowers helps you set the pressure in the Fox EVOL air spring and gives a starting point for the rebound damping.

We ended up ditching both volume spacers to access the full travel and maximise comfort and, while the first 10 clicks of rebound damping (out of 22) felt okay, we settled on running the adjuster fully open to get the Z1 to return fast enough.

The Bomber was the most burly-feeling fork of the group Luke tested, despite having the same 36mm-diameter stanchions as the AION36X. With its broad stance, solid chassis and supple-yet-supportive nature, it’s ideal for hard chargers. Smash it head-on into jagged rocks and it’s impressive how composed it feels.

While the RockShox Psylo edges ahead of it in terms of price and offers a more forgiving ride in choppy terrain, the Z1 betters it when it comes to support and control.