Marzocchi
Encyclopedia
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s. In 2008 the company was acquired by American automotive parts manufacturer Tenneco
Tenneco
Tenneco is a $6.2 billion Fortune 500 company that has been publicly traded on the NYSE since November 5, 1999 under the symbol TEN...
.
Motorcycle suspension
Up until the 1980s, Marzocchi were original equipment manufacturerOriginal Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
s ('OEM') for a number of Italian motorcycle marques including Moto Morini
Moto Morini
Moto Morini is an Italian maker of motorcycles. It was founded by Alfonso Morini in Bologna, in 1937.Earlier, Morini had also manufactured motorcycles together with Mario Mazzetti under the name MM...
and Ducati, their oil shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
s also being OEM for Triumph Motorcycles
Triumph Motorcycles
Triumph Engineering Co Ltd was a British motorcycle manufacturing company, based originally in Coventry and then in Solihull at Meriden. A new company, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd based in Hinckley gained the name rights after the end of the company in the 1980s and is now one of the world's major...
in the latter stages of their production at the Meriden
Meriden, West Midlands
-External links:*****...
plant. Their later 'Strada' model introduced a degree of air suspension to motorcycling and, like the oil shocks, were available as aftermarket fittings for a large number of models. Strada units were OEM for Triumph's T140LE Royal Wedding and T140W TSS models. A big advantage of the Marzocchi shock was its ability to be rebuilt, seal kits and service manuals being readily available. Meriden also experimented with using Marzocchi front forks which were also used on some Italian models. Meriden however closed down before any such forks reaches prodcution models.
Marzocchi shocks, albeit of more modern design, are still OEM for a number of manufacturers.
Bicycle suspension
Until 2007, fork production was based in Italy (apart from the entry level OEM parts, which are produced by the Taiwanese SRSunTour in Taiwan). Since 2008, all forks have been made in Taiwan.Marzocchi sponsors high caliber bike racers and freeriders, among them are Brian Lopes
Brian Lopes
Brian Thomas Lopes is a professional mountain bike racer who specializes in four-cross. Lopes started riding BMX in his childhood and turned professional at seventeen years old....
, Wade Simmons
Wade Simmons
Wade Simmons is a mountain biker from Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada who has won the Red Bull Rampage Utah 2001 and placed second in the same year in the Red Bull Rampage Australia...
, Cedric Gracia
Cedric Gracia
Cédric Gracia is a French mountain biker.Cédric Gracia is a French mountain biker who now lives in Andorra. He started his career as an athlete at 6 years old as a BMX rider and then a freestyle ski pro. Cedric Gracia, years later, became a mountain bike rider...
, Ángel Rodríguez, Jorge Hermosilla, and Adrián Arroyo.