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I can only echo what Anthony has already said about the year on year innovations and improvements as fork technology evolved.
Over time as you get used to these advances it will of course seem like a backward step when you try out an older design again. This doesn't necessarily mean they are crap.
I also like the apples and pears analogy. I find it's always important to think about context when you're assessing performance in many of these old bikes and parts. It's also important to think about how they were used 'back in the day' compared to what mountain biking has evolved into as well.
Personally, I have found that doing alot of riding on a fully rigid bike has been very good for sharpening up my skills. So when I get on a bike with 80mm Bombers, or a modern with 130mm Fox forks, I'm already looking for the smoother lines I'd be going for on a rigid bike and probably riding them a bit faster too.
Anyway, I'd also put 96/97 Bombers forward as a real benchmark for performance. The coil sprung, open oil bath damping internals on these forks largely remained unchanged for at least the next ten years on several of the forks in the Marzocchi range.
As for re-manufacturing older designs. I can't really see that there would be enough of a market to make it commercially viable to be honest.
There are modern forks which can be lowered if required but admittedly will lack canti mounts.
Old Bombers will last a long time if you look after then though.
Over time as you get used to these advances it will of course seem like a backward step when you try out an older design again. This doesn't necessarily mean they are crap.
I also like the apples and pears analogy. I find it's always important to think about context when you're assessing performance in many of these old bikes and parts. It's also important to think about how they were used 'back in the day' compared to what mountain biking has evolved into as well.
Personally, I have found that doing alot of riding on a fully rigid bike has been very good for sharpening up my skills. So when I get on a bike with 80mm Bombers, or a modern with 130mm Fox forks, I'm already looking for the smoother lines I'd be going for on a rigid bike and probably riding them a bit faster too.
Anyway, I'd also put 96/97 Bombers forward as a real benchmark for performance. The coil sprung, open oil bath damping internals on these forks largely remained unchanged for at least the next ten years on several of the forks in the Marzocchi range.
As for re-manufacturing older designs. I can't really see that there would be enough of a market to make it commercially viable to be honest.
There are modern forks which can be lowered if required but admittedly will lack canti mounts.
Old Bombers will last a long time if you look after then though.
