Retro Forks.....ZZYZX, Hanebrink, Stratos

[_charlie_]

Does anyone remember the really chunky and super rare DH triple clamp forks of the late nineties. Whatever happened to ZZyZX forks? Were they any good?

I started downhill racing in the UK in about 1998 and remember seeing my first taste of downhill bikes at Nantmawr quarry. I remember all these massive triple clamp forks with hardly any travel by modern standards.

Does anyone have any of these?

 

[13]

I bought a set of stratos mx6 forks in 99 gold with black staunctions, awesome forks which ran rings around boxxers super plush and really well made. I've had a few pairs of zzyzx. Zzyzx got a bad wrap but I love em. If you look after them and service them often they are a good fork, one of the most basic and easy to work on forks.
I have a set of 98 zzyzx on my 98 mountain cycle shockwave that I'm in the process of rebuilding. Amazingly I was able to buy a long travel with 20mm thru axle upgrade kit from atc racing recently so it's quite easy to still get spares 15 years down the track!
Hanebrink are the same design as the zzyzx but inverted and were crazy expensive ($2500usd when boxxers were $1200usd)
By today's standards all These forks are really bad but I love em and for a retro dh build the DIY easy rebuilds and availibility of spares make them a good retro fork.
The hardest part is finding a set in good nic

 

[Kevhl]

I used to have to service my zzyzx after every ride almost regardless of the weather... They looked so ott which was really cool though!

 

[dan28]

I have some hanebrink lt9s with a boxcart fitted they are light but there flexy
I ve had stratos s8 but the seals were gone on they leaked oil
mr dirts are good but they weren't long enough
I ve got some super monsters on my karpiel too

 

[zetecmk2]

i had cannondale headshock triple clamps, had a hayes disc in the r/h leg, i had a spare set too, loved 'em.....then they were stolen!!!

 

[Kevhl]

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1388451/

Set on there with the rest of a bike for £100!

 

[TAOS_LTS]

Have not seen those in forever...but now I remember seeing them on race days

 

[Darion]

Re: zzzyzx

I found a set of these forks @ a pawnshop in Portland or in 2004,Christ couldn't believe how B A D A *** THEY LOOKED .HAD TO HAVE EM.$200 was what they had them for & I paid it considering they were like $1,799.00. new.they are the best front suspension forks I've ever owned.& I would love a chance to get another set of them.so hit me up if know where to get some.