Prototype Manitou All-Mountain Fork - First Look

Aug 20, 2013 at 23:33
by Mike Levy  

Diamondback's Eric Porter has played a major role in testing the fork.
A 160mm Travel Contender?

Although the Dorado is, at least in our opinion, one of the best downhill forks available, it has been a long time since Manitou has been a serious player in the mid-travel market. Things have progressed greatly since their Sherman fork was a viable option, with both RockShox (with their Pike) and FOX (with their revised '14 34 and 36 forks) putting forward 140 - 160mm travel forks that offer incredible performance, and it's fair to say that most people weren't sure when they'd see a 160mm travel option from Manitou. As it turns out, they are about to debut a brand new mid-travel fork aimed directly at the aforementioned competition and appearing to sport around 160mm of travel. Will this be the fork that puts Manitou back in the running with the other major manufacturers? That will depend on two factors: reliability and outright performance. While only time can be the judge of the former, we're expecting the latter to be taken care of by technology lifted from the proven Dorado. More specifically, an altered version of its phenomenal twin-tube open bath TPC damper.

Although Manitou weren't willing to discuss the prototype fork, there are plenty of details to take away from the photo shown at right. Firstly, it is a safe bet to assume that there is a variation of their TPC damper hidden within its right leg, with a closer look at the fork's dials backing that up. A single anodized blue dial can be seen at the bottom of the right leg, more than likely controlling low-speed rebound, while multiple dials can be seen atop the crown, which makes sense given the high-speed and TPC compression adjustments found on the Dorado. This also means that it probably incorporates the same hydraulic bottom-out and top-out design as well, negating the need to use a rubber bumper or top-out spring for those duties.
Zooming in on the crown-mounted dials reveals a small tab that would easily allow the rider to reach down and flick it in order to firm up the fork for climbing, but there is also what looks to be a channel machined into the side of the same dial that would serve as home to a cable for optional remote operation. The spring-side dial has that same channel, although we suspect that its purpose could be for a remote travel adjustment system, enabling the rider to lower the fork for technical climbing. The fork would also need to be air sprung in order to compete with the rest of the market weight-wise, with it needing to come in between 4.5 and 5.5lbs to be a player, although Manitou hasn't ever been known for chasing weight class wins.

Externally, the fork makes use of Manitou's long standing reverse arch, which isn't much of a surprise given that it has been a design feature found on all of their right side up forks for many years now, as well as their unique Hex Lock thru-axle system that forgoes a standard round axle for a six-sided unit that they say greatly increases torsional rigidity. It is difficult to tell from the photo whether it is a 15 or 20mm diameter axle, but we would assume that it is 15mm given that all of Manitou's existing QR Hex Lock axles are of that size. What isn't hard to see, though, is that the unnamed fork is has been designed for 26'' wheels, but it wouldn't be out of line to expect Manitou to produce a set of 650B-compatible lowers as well.

Although all of the above is pure speculation at this point, there is no doubt that this fork needs to be a home run in order for Manitou to regain their footing in the high-end market. We'll have more from Eurobike where the fork will see its debut, including all of the official details.

www.manitoumtb.com

Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

156 Comments
  • 63 6
 Watch yourself Pike, cause shit just got real.
  • 42 1
 the engineers at manitou are brilliant. plus i cant imagine this will be as over priced as the pike
  • 8 43
flag Dlongb13 (Aug 21, 2013 at 8:03) (Below Threshold)
 How is the Pike overpriced?
  • 33 1
 How is it not, along with most everything else in the industry these days... not all of us are made of $$$
  • 18 1
 er... the pike is almost a grand is it not? That's a lot of cash for a mid-level single crown fork.

Not that it's a bad fork, but it's poor value to buy new off the shelf if you ask me.
  • 40 16
 If everything is priced within the same margin, then it isn't "over priced". It might be too expensive fr a group of people, but those are two entirely different things. And not everyone that has Pikes are "made of money". Some of us just save every penny so we can get what we want, some of us work extra jobs, some of us work in shops.

Everything on this site lately gets bashed for being to expensive, it is getting pretty annoying. Instead of typing on PinkBike all day go get a second job or a third one, clearly some of you have enough free time.
  • 23 3
 @miff- Pike is not mid level. It is their top tier fork at the moment. Performs better than anything else in that segment on the market.
  • 5 2
 Better than DH damper in Lyrik?
  • 1 1
 @axxe... Depends on what you're using it for, am or dh?
  • 39 2
 @Dlongb Some of us have over a decade of riding under our belt, but now have kids, wife and a mortgage. I can budget $3~4k for a good bike, but the industry is pulling away from that model. There used to be a good line of products available for the shut up and ride crowd with a budget, but it is getting out of control these days.

I don't stand alone in being tired of the latest $7-10K trail bike being posted without any posts for the $3-5k DH rig for the weekend warrior. We're sick and tired of being ignored.
  • 13 1
 It's true, focofox, you don't stand alone
  • 22 3
 How are you being ignored? There are let's of mid priced products out there, whether it be frames, components, and completes. As for Pinkbike, they need to get eyes on the site (for ads) with bikes and gear that's available to review. It's a free site to you and me so we loose the right to complain about what they they review.

These are bikes ridden as a 1st world leisure activity that we're fortunate to have the time, money, and resources to participate in. I, for one, try and keep that perspective and I'm getting tired of all the all the people who do nothing but bash products for inane reasons, including price. Cost is what it is. Buy what you can afford and don't bash what you can't. As more people ride, costs will come down due to scales of economy and tech trickle down (today's SLX is WAY better than XTR and XTR from a few years ago). High end gear is asperational from a marketing perspective and is what pushes the tech envelope and gets us the good mid to low cost gear down the road. It's always more expensive, as companies need make up their capital costs for R&D etc.

Finally, one thing to keep in mind is that the cost of raw materials has gone up pretty dramatically the last 3 years, which is impaction cost of goods regardless of sector. Oh, and Asian wages have also gone up as well which is also an impact. What will help is competition, which will get better with the addition of good Manitou offerings (along with Marzo, DVO, XFusion, etc).
  • 5 0
 Yes, better than the lyrik damper. Bladder technology is superior.
  • 3 1
 Bladder is nice, but fade does not seem to be a problem with my RC2DH. I wonder if the adjustment and tuning range are the same on Pike (comparing to DH, of course, not regular Lyrik damper)

If Pike was in 170mm like my Lyrik, I would be tempted to upgrade for the weight alone. Even abandon coil. Coils are cool though.

@focofox37: Shop online, and you can build a mean bike in the $3k to $4k range, even with a full priced frame.
  • 13 1
 @focofox37 Agreed!!! Yeah, pricing is up about 150% in 10 years!! Comparing the Specialized FSR with XTR (rear deraileur) and Fox, 03' Comp $1600 in 2013 $4100 Evo. They do have a Comp that's $3300, but lower tier parts spec. There's been some performance changes in damping and design, which is great, but $2500 more for the same spec bike... Wish I could say I make 150% more, but I don't. About 2 years ago, I couldn't afford to go to my LBS, because parts are too much at the retail level. Seems your dollar barely makes it out the door these days. $1000 for a single crown fork today, got you a nice set of wheels, shifters AND a FOX fork 10 years ago, from a bike shop!! Now I buy online clearance and closeout's.

OH and BUYING what I could afford lead me to a $900 fork (about $550 total). After the crown was replaced 3 times and the manufacturer suggested I get a better fork. I don't jump or ride super hard, that's just what you get with "trickle down" today, imo... And something I've noticed, mtb pricing isn't inline with motorcycles and parts, that segment has gone up about 25%. And they've had just as much innovation, including air forks, new frame, electronics. If it followed mtb, a new showroom stock CRF450 would be $17000 compared to $6800 10 years ago... That's what "WE" are getting at.
  • 4 0
 Bliss brings up a few good points, and I guess I should have been more specific. I look at pinkbike as my source for what is going to be next in mountain biking. I am frustrated with the lack of coverage of baller on a budget items here, and see it as a reflection of an industry going in a direction that I find scary. I have to give credit where it is due. The Domain line, is a nice pricepoint, and anyone old school knows to buy the cheap line and then swap internals yourself to save a fortune. I also have to give it up to Shimano for their SLX and Zee lines. I kinda feel bad for hijacking this thread, as I used to own a Sherman and I loved it. Anyways, less internet drama... more time on the N.S. I'm out
  • 4 0
 Oldschool43: Not at all insulting you but you have to factor inflation and the cost of materials as part of the rise in MTB costs. As much as it may be the center of our world, it is a small blip in the competition for resources, so manufacturers get reamed on deals. Also factor in the relatively low volume runs compared to say mainstream bikes, add in weight, strength, flex and other material and design improvements and we get more expensive bikes and kits. It's not like these guys are running with large margins. In fact, the margins are quite small. Considering all the innovation over the last 10 years, a 2014 comp and 2003 FSR (XTR) are no comparison. The newer bike is orders of magnitude better and safer. I'm not saying I love spending the $$, just that I get why costs are what they are, so it's not frustrating to me. Again. its a 1st world problem to have and I'm fortunate I even get to ride.

As for moto, folks make that comparison on these forums and it's really a very poor comparison. All the big boys in moto (Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawi) are Japanese conglomerates that have HUGE and DEEP pockets, and are heavily subsidized by the Japanese government. They can keep costs down because of their tremendous buying power relative to all the other vehicles or industries they are part of. They also have less competition, so their volumes are higher and, as such, reap the benefits of economies of scale. They also tend to keep their base line models relatively the same for years, with only minor changes annually Take all that away, and off road motos would be more expensive. In fact, look at KTM, they don't have the same advantages and their bikes are more expensive.
  • 11 0
 Can we now get back to commenting on how cool the new Manitou is and how great it is that we have some additional competition for Fox and RS?
  • 3 0
 AMEN BROTHER
  • 1 4
 y'all could stop commenting go out pedal more and get sponsored .. then you wont need to worry about the prices ;D
  • 26 7
 Can't say I was ever partial to Manitou's single-crown products, but DAMN. I really like this.
  • 12 30
flag Fadednegour (Aug 20, 2013 at 23:49) (Below Threshold)
 i have never really liked dorados either, especially the graphics, but these look great and knowing Manitou, will feel great too.
  • 23 14
 Dorado's been one of the nicest forks disegn-wise! Smile
40s, Boxxers and 888 all look spiritless next to a Dorado! Big Grin
  • 10 0
 I never paid manitou a single thought, but one day we installed a tower on a customers bike and I bought one for myself the following week. Plush is an overused term, but dang. Only complaint is the axle has been a bit of a pain, and far from quick/easy to use.
  • 8 5
 whatever floats your boat, i guess each fork will always appeal to someone
  • 2 2
 So true
  • 6 19
flag Quesadilla34 (Aug 21, 2013 at 0:20) (Below Threshold)
 Same, always thought they were somewhat ugly, especialy with the backwards style lowers, but they sure are getting there. And they rrally like to be opposite, updide down forks ( even thoother companies have done so) and the lowers backwards. Haha
  • 7 32
flag Quesadilla34 (Aug 21, 2013 at 0:23) (Below Threshold)
 And @hitarpotar, not to dis on u cuz ur not completely wrong, but the 40's are a fricking amazing looking fork, with stancions bigger than the lowers on most forks, and yet still the ligtest dh fork with 203mm out there, its stuningly.... Well beautiful. And in its own class of performance and tech wise far ahead of the rest.
  • 20 2
 I disagree! Quesadillas are not as good as tacos!
  • 6 1
 dorado is a masterpiece. talking about manitou shocks - try out revox. that's the best shock i tried in my life.
  • 5 4
 The look itself is dull.
  • 39 0
 Can i just say thank you to Manitou for not tagging the word "Enduro" on the end of these forks.
  • 6 0
 @Quesadilla34 - if you talk about the 2014 Fox 40, then yes, it's super light. But every 40 from an earlier year is pretty heavy - check Sicklines.com for photos on the weight! Smile
As for performance - yes, i have ridden a 40 and have liked it a lot (while not a huge fan of Fox Suspension). And no, i do not find it superior to my 2009 Dorado MRD! Wink
  • 3 0
 They look pretty damn slick :0 Love the crown !
  • 6 0
 Since when does graphics make a fork any better? LOL typical .. Buy a product for its performance , and i love my Dorado ! Dont like the looks ? Easy fix , peel the stickers off or have your own made up. Manitou has come a long way and they are VERY VERY quality forks .
  • 4 2
 i had a lot of trouble trying to read and understand what quesadilla was saying due to so many spelling errors
  • 3 0
 Shermans were masterpieces of their era and other than being heavy, are still are quite modern by today's standards. I like the circus on my DJ and tower on my trail 29er. It is awesome to see more companies competing so that perhaps the ludicrous prices will come down.
  • 7 0
 It's a shame Manitou cocked it up in the 2000s and went bust, they were selling us home tunable speed sensitive shimmed dampers a decade ago. Hayes did us all a solid killing off SPV and renaming TPC as ABS+, it's a shame more people don't buy Minutes, they're so much more tunable and better damped than Fox/Rockshox offerings.
  • 1 0
 if im gonna buy a DH fork, its gonna be a dorado. im not sure if its the low unsprung weight or the damper, but heck the dorado is killer! to be fair though, i've tried their R7 XC fork though and it sucks. darn thing flexes like there's no tomorrow.
  • 2 8
flag clarky78 (Aug 21, 2013 at 13:57) (Below Threshold)
 I'm sorry but looks do NOT a good fork make, upside down forks are flexy as fook, period... Wel except for DVO's new offering where they tie them together with a double arch!
  • 3 0
 @ clarky78 did you ride a new dorado? If not stop complaining! It kicks ass hard.
  • 1 6
flag clarky78 (Aug 21, 2013 at 16:41) (Below Threshold)
 I don't need to. Does it use a proprietary axle size? No 20mm.. Then that's all I need to know. An upside down fork is only tied together at the axle, and fitting a hex end is not going to make much difference. They deflect and flex like mad, going from boxxers to shivers back in the day was a nightmare for me because the flex was so noticeable and on several occasions caused crashing. Foes got around this problem somewhat with a proprietary axle size, never rode one, so can't comment on if it made much difference.. DVO have created a system to counter the inherent failings of the upside down fork. I won't argue the TPC system isn't good, haven't rode one for years, but that's simply because I haven't known anyone riding a Manitou for over 10 years! However I will consider the new 160mm fork if it turns out good.
  • 2 0
 Maybe for your weight... Some of us loved the inverted shiver more than we could ever love a child. Wink
  • 3 0
 And what exactly is a proprietary axle size for an USD fork? 30mm? 40mm? Come on - you do realise you sound crazy, don't you? Ans stop putting the Shiver right next to the Dorado - dated technology, dated body. Dorados are light years ahead - if you haven't ridden one, please do and you'll know what i mean! Smile
Till now, DVO's words ahve been only this - words. The fork isn't out yet, so no reviews yet - an't confirm that at the moment.
  • 1 1
 @Hitarpotar That was in reply to @clarky78, sorry. Settle down, party pants... Inverted is the way to go was all I was saying. My next fork will be.
  • 1 0
 Hey mate, my reply is to @clarky78 as well - i thought it's obvious by the things i wrote down. Big Grin
I agree, inverted is the way to go. Smile kinda wonder what would happen if a Dorado receives a CTA unit like the DVO. Smile
  • 12 0
 Cant wait for this fork, my mates and I (about 8 of us) all run Minutes and Nixons and love them a 160 fork is whats been missing and should bring Manitou right back to the future.

Any haters out there ride a Manitou before you judge there super light, stiff, plush and the ABS damper makes CTD a laughing stock
  • 2 0
 Right, especially Manitou Nixon Super Intrinsic is a super (literally) option! 160 mm of plush, linear travel and weight ~4Ibs. Thanks to that I could make a playful, lightweight (28Ibs) all mountain singlespeed on a steel frame.
  • 2 0
 Hmmm, i just got a TPC+ version, 160mm travel. but hadn't got the chance to test-ride it yet as i'm waiting on the wheels for the build. Smile
  • 1 0
 Manitou literally invented the long travel single crown about 10 years ago, they were offering 7" single crowns when nobody else thought going over 5 was plausible, great to see an innovative company making a comeback!
  • 2 0
 I believe at one point i saw they had an 8 inch too
  • 1 0
 Yep, I remember single crown 8 inch travel Travis (Intrinsic) in 2007. Marzocchi had "only" 190 mm 66VF2 (OEM) in 2006.
Anyway, it was MADNESS! Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Here is a photo of this gadget: ep1.pinkbike.org/p3pb1517659/p3pb1517659.jpg
Stout trunk, huge fork, heavy(-duty) frame, slack head-angle, roast squirrels... Yeah!
  • 9 0
 For those who are skeptical about Manitou's reliability... I can only compare to forks I have owned but after switching to a Dorado this year I could not be happier.
Owned a Fox 40 for 2.5 years (to be fair it was an '09) and it was a complete nightmare with blown bladders every 10 or so days, blown seals every 2-3 weeks, and a ton of bushing slop. Felt like I spent more time fixing it than riding. I hear the newer ones are better but I'm skeptical.
Switched to a 888 Evo last year which was better on maintenance but still had to service it more often than I was led to believe, bushings not as tight as I expected, divey even with a firmer spring than I should be on for my weight, and would occasionally spike on high speed hits.

Have not owned a Boxxer but rode a WC for a full day on my bike. Felt pretty nice, can't comment on reliability.

This Dorado is unreal. Top to bottom Garbo to valley laps 2-3 days a week with absolutely no issues. Always felt like past forks could not match the capabilities of the rear of my V10c but now with the Dorado I'm actually considering custom tuning my RC4 to better match the front- it performs THAT well. I have had more days on it so far without service/issues than any other fork I've owned, and the performance is superior.
  • 1 0
 I have an 09 Boxxer WC. Its reliable, but I have to top off the oil in the damper every weekend. Its leaking into the leg, but not out of the fork. That being said, I guess its not that reliable huh? lol.
  • 6 0
 Minute was the best fork I ever had. I was in tears, well almost, when I was selling it.

This looks like a worthy replacement:

1. 35mm stanchions
2. Bulges like RS forks have
3. 20mm axle
4. Best damper ever

It is one of those "Silence thyself and accept my monies" moments
  • 1 0
 where in this article does it say it has 35mm stanchions? i also dont see any of the 'bulges' in the lower like RS does.. they also did not comment on if it was a 15 or 20mm axle (although they think its 15mm)..
  • 5 0
 I have run many Manitou forks and shocks, and have loved the performance. They had reliability issues in the mid 2000s, and it nearly did them in. I got some great deals on Travis, Nicon, Minute, and R7 forks. I even got some Stance's for $50.00, brand new. The reliability problems weren't design problems, and were the result of poor quality control. The instant seal blowing that was reported: too much grease on the seals when assembling. It looked like a blown seal, but they would dry out in a couple of days. The stances losing the air pressure: replace the air spring o-ring from the hardware store for $0.19. Problem fixed. Travis with no damping: change the oil to a quality suspension oil and feel the TPC benefit.

Don't get me wrong, none of these problems should have been delivered to customers, but the forks themselves were really good, once set up correctly. The Nixon and Dorado were the best forks I owned.
  • 4 0
 Manitou, I love how they are completely user serviceable. Nice to pull apart and if some component breaks you can always shove a new one in there yourself. However I do hope the damper cartridge is a bit beefier where it meets the slider (they always seem to break at the taper). I actually miss having a set to work on.

More oil = better performance. I don't like the trend of the last few years to make the damping oil the size of a brake reservoir. Risse Champs took 400ml in each leg! Mmm buttery...
  • 8 1
 Manitou and Magura are easiest to service AND with good customer service AND perform well. Why people buy Fox I have no idea.
  • 1 0
 Adjustability? Good deals? Brand name with a cool logo? Same reason ppl always buy brand x over brand y when they cant afford z.
  • 2 1
 @axxe people buy fox because of the name and since it's retarded expensive they think it's the best.
I have a little over a year on my 130mm minute and I love it, i've taken hard hits and jumps, never bottoms out, plush, no leaks, no creaks, nothing. solid fork, im excited for this since i'm looking at a 6" bike here soon
  • 2 1
 @R916-WRONG. youre just another fox hater.. i find the best deals on fox forks, so thats what i buy.. the aftermaket support is also phenom when it comes time to 'service' i will be upgrading to push or avy stuff.. lets also not forget that fox has great online help with their guides.. not to say there isnt anyone else out there doing it, but i havent seen anything like it from any other sus company.

hate on fox all you want, fine with me, more deals for me =)
  • 1 0
 I dont 'hate' fox, nor did I say that one bit ritard.
Fox is overpriced though, no matter how you look at it, well 90% of mtb shit is.
I know quite a few riders who switched to RS after their Fox forks went down, they kept the Fox shock(rear) though, those seem to be more durable then their forks/seals/dampers (even though I read on mtbr about fox shocks taking dumps more then I hear about RS/Xfusion/Mani shocks)

I want a Fox fork, but I don't want to spend a shit ton on a fork when you can find one that does the same thing and possibly better for half the price. Have the money but don't want to waste it when it could be used better building my bike and building my car. Smile
  • 1 1
 "people buy fox because of the name and since it's retarded expensive they think it's the best."

this is what i hear all day everyday from fox haters.. and thats what you were doing. hating on fox, maybe not very much, but you still is. and as already stated.. if you know what youre doing and head your head out of your a$$, you can usually find a deal on a fox fork for 40-50% MSRP. if thats too expensive for you, go buy some RSTs or suntours or some ish like that.

'gotta pay to play'
  • 1 0
 Lol. Yeah good for you , you can get the fork for what thy should cost. And I can currently buy any Fox fork if I wanted, that doesn't mean I will. I'm completely happy with my fork and when and if it goes down I'll look at my options. This new manitou will certainly be one of them. Get your head out of your ass thinking your fox fork is the greatest thing . every major company (except suntour) offers a great fork whether it costs $350 or $1200.
You sound like a typical "my bike costs more" douche.
  • 1 0
 I run whatever comes OEM on my bike of desire. Unfortunately this year that means I have to put up with Fox front and rear. I say "put up with" not because I am worried about their performance, but because I need new oil/fluid every four to eight weeks.

And that's just great... [insert sarcasm emoticon here]
  • 1 0
 adding oil to my Boxxer WC and my Float 32 RLC has become regular ride prep for me these days, so I feel ya on that one.
  • 4 0
 I just sold my Manitou Tower Pro 29 as it wasn't getting used, but it was a great fork. Worked as well if not better than my Fox 32, but cost half as much and needs less service. If this can do the same, it'll be a hit.
  • 6 4
 just a thought but if i was a company looking to put myself back on the scene i would most certainly change the external look of my product! this just looks like any other pair of manitou forks which does not make me wonder what they will be like to ride! but then they always have been a bit like the marmite of the mountain bike world people either really love em or really hate em!!!!!
  • 4 2
 And what look would they be changed to according to you? The look of every other brand out there, with the arch at front?
Pretty nice strategy, remind me never to invest in any future businesses you start! Big Grin
  • 1 0
 The arch looks different and the stants are fatter. What more do you want?
  • 2 0
 Key word, "prototype", that shit doesn't matter at the moment. for now its all about hashing out trail performance. Once thats sorted, which id say it pretty much is, they will start putting graphics on it.
  • 1 0
 if it out performs or is on par with rockshox or fox for less money, then i wouldn't even careless for looks. besides, last time i checked, every fork manufacturer still uses round steerer tubes and stanchions and lowers (with the exception of rock shox where they have a bulge somewhere, whatever that gimicky thing is).
  • 2 0
 bushing bulge
  • 2 6
flag markbe (Aug 21, 2013 at 16:22) (Below Threshold)
 listen to you bunch of muther f**king bitches! did i say they were shit??? no! did i say dont buy them??? no! is the fact that i personally dont trust manitou gunna make one bit of difference to anybody on here??? NO! so quit your whining the fact is i had some years ago turned out they were the most unreliable pieces of crap i have ever owned so i find that when they are bringing out "new" forks but they still look very like the shit i spent my hard earned cash on i find it a little difficult to swallow. have any one of you ridden these? i very much doubt it but you still wanna come on here going on at people for over something that may well feel like complete and utter bollox and you will probably will never own yourselves!
  • 2 0
 So you don't care how it looks. You want it to be better. Well we'll learn more about that from the reviews, won't we? You complained about the looks, dude. No reason to get all uppity.
  • 2 0
 Jesus, @markbe, you sound like if you have bad expirience with a whell, you will whine the f*ck out about your next wheel because it's still circle!!! Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin
Manitou has always been at the back of people's minds exactly because too many people whine about their previous products, before they were bought by Hayes. Razz
  • 2 0
 Very nice! Seems similar (visually) to my Manitou Nixon 160mm single crown fork with 20mm Hex thru-axle, air sprung, and TPC+ dampener. It's been solid for 4 years now. I even rode it at the Whistler Park last month and it did very well with no issues Big Grin Hope this new version is even better. However, I won't be parting from my Nixon anytime soon Big Grin
  • 3 1
 Manitou has always offered sophisticated damping on sub-par chassis. Hopefully the chassis will hold up to its competitors.

I just bought a Marz 55 CR to run at 150mm. Seems like everyone has forgotten that Marz makes a great competitor in this area for a great price. It was less than $600 compared to $1k for a pike or34. It is a bit heavier than those forks, but it has a solid chassis and great damping.
  • 1 0
 Finally!!!!! Something about the 55CR!!! Sweet mother of god I want one!! I've wanted one since the start of this year but it's been impossible to find any reviews of it.

Few cheeky questions if I may Smile What did you have before the 55CR? How does it hold up in terms of stiffness?

They were nigh on impossible to buy for ages so there haven't really been any user reviews to decide on either so if you do answer, I'd be REALLY greatful!
  • 1 0
 I broke a Manitou X-Vert R back in '99 and wrote the company off for over a decade while riding Marzocchi products (which were bulletproof)...that is until 2 years ago when I got a deal on a Dorado Pro that I couldn't pass up. After the past 2 season on that fork my opinions aren't what they used to be and I would actually consider another Manitou product as long as it has a damper similar to that found in my Dorado. If this thing feels anything like the Dorado, more people get over their hate for Manitou, and is at a competitive weight it could be a real contender.
  • 1 0
 I love Manitou, their forks are super strong and reliable, last for years and the reverse arch is a work of art compared to the rest. I hope it comes 34mm santioned, tapered, 15mm and 200mm axle and internal adjustable 140-150mm travel.
  • 4 0
 I've been waiting soooo long for these!!!!!!!! And most mantou forks are 650b compatible so I asume these are as well
  • 1 0
 lol. from what i understand, a lot of forks are 650B "compatible".. the only reason why i put that in quotes is cause, technically, it is.. but the offset is wrong and such.
  • 7 1
 20mm axle PLEASE!!!!!
  • 2 1
 oh they will be in a 20mm, i know that for a fact
  • 3 0
 I hope so. It's time to stop the stupid 15mm axle invasion. 20mm for all!
  • 3 0
 they currently do majority of their forks in 9,15 and 20. and yes i agree!
  • 1 0
 Looking good! Manitou has always had top notch forks and shocks. The SPV valve damper they had in 2004 to 2006 is what put them out in my opinion. There were too many bad issues with it feeling sluggish in both the forks and shocks. However their shim stacked TPC and rear shocks are up to par with any other company! I have been wanting to see them produce another long travel fork for years now! I want to see an easy to use air fork that has good damping! Looks good! RideOn!
  • 2 0
 This is incorrect: "we would assume that it is 15mm given that all of Manitou's existing Hex Lock axles are of that size"
The circus has Hex Lock 20mm...
  • 6 0
 It's not QR, though. Edited words to make it more clear, good point.
  • 8 0
 Fair enough! I hope that given Manitou's step-up with the Circus and Dorado these follow the same trend
  • 1 0
 i bought the 2012 trek ticket hardtail that came with some manitou forks and they are definately great. not a similar fork but just from these i like the company! been riding em hard for a while now
  • 1 1
 I know they are only prototypes but they look uninteresting and not very stylish...they may work very well....I just wish designer's would try and blow are minds from time to time instead of cloning every one else's stuff or basing there products on old concepts.
  • 2 0
 From my experience with manitous, the feel of their damping is like none other, so smooth and controlled, as supple as Ma and more stable than foxes
  • 2 0
 I like my Travis, but I think she would like to retire already. I hope my next fork will be something similar from Manitou.
  • 3 1
 Travis is a dude, mate! Big Grin
Refer ot it as "he"!
  • 3 1
 20mm, 1 1/8 steerer! Please. Then most of us wont need new wheels/hubs or frames. lol. 160mm travel hardtail sounds sexy.
  • 1 0
 id put down money that this configuration wont happen if this really is a 160mm fork. seems like new 160mm forks are all getting 15mm
  • 1 0
 Likely correct you are. Oh well, here is to holding out that we may get a 20mm! I for one, dont own a single 15mm hub. Only 9mm QR (lol) and 20. Maybe I need to fill that gap haha.
  • 3 0
 If Manitou is smart, they will fill this void. BOS uses a 20mm on all three Deville models (140, 160, 170) with straight or tapered steerer. But BOS is 'spensive.
  • 1 0
 but they're French, so it makes sense.
  • 2 0
 After riding a Dorado this season, I can attest that Manitou is on top of their game !0
  • 2 0
 if this is using the same systems as the dorado, I'm interested.... I've heard nothing but good things about the dorado
  • 1 0
 Agreed!
  • 1 0
 also, pretty much all manitou has to do is make sure that the crown steerer doesn't develop creaking, and they're up on fox right there.... i'd do pretty much anything at this point to ride a fork that doesn't sound like it's going to sheer in half when I'm riding....
  • 5 2
 Throw some gold stanchions on there and call it a day.
  • 4 1
 It seems like gold stanchions are the ugliest things on most bikes. They are rarely matched to any kind of color scheme and are just some random color compared to everything else. Note that the seal and proper servicing of a fork are way more important than coatings that are mostly a marketing gimmick.
  • 3 0
 Well, not necessarily. That "gold" color is usually a hard anodizing. Hard anodizing is a layer of aluminum oxide electrically adhered to the stanchion in a bath of the solution. Why is it important? Hard anodizing is "harder" than the surface of most steels (save for hardened high carbon steels, super alloys and maybe a stainless grade or too, like 17-4)

Imagine chucking the bike down some rocky junk, without that coating? Ruin some stanchions in a hurry. With that coating? They survive and you can sell them on PB with the tag "scratch free stanchions" Most steel stanchions are chrome plated for the same reason. Wear and scratch resistance. They dont do it just for pretties. The coating is there to keep you, the end user, enjoying their product longer.
  • 1 0
 Of course unscratchable stanchions are good. But that goodness is greatly over estimated compared to everything else. Because of marketing and how obvious the color is, people tend to fixate on the coating well beyond its true significance.

For example, I've never tried spring bearings in a fork but would love check out the feel. Yet that is an invisible feature to the customer. Or seal design, that has as much if not more to do with stiction and stanchion wear but is a non-obvious feature that is harder to get across in marketing. Or how about the reverse arch? That preserves stanchions by decreasing mud buildup on the seals. etc...

But yeah, the color of the stanchions is quite obvious to anyone at first glance.
  • 2 0
 As far as I am aware, that is the only color HARD anodizing can be. I know regular anodizing can be a billion and 3 different colors, but hard is only available in that color. I will have to do some reading before I continue spouting that off as a fact, so dont get too angry just yet at me if I am wrong.
  • 1 0
 As a rider who beats my 'gold colored stanchions' to damn near death and back but has yet to replace a fork because of punctured walls. It's not just a color and for the protection it's given me, I would have paid a lot more for those golden tubes of awesome. It also helps with seal life longevity and its easy marketability doesn't hurt. So please tell us again why exactly you're bashing on the Kashima?
  • 2 0
 I dont think its just Kashima he is talking about. Forks have been hard anodized long before Kashi. But I dont know what kind coating Kashi is. A hybrid hard anodize for sure, but with what elements? I have no idea.
  • 1 1
 Kashima is actually a clear coating from what I understand. They anodize the stanchions gold to make it look cool, but they were not the first ones to do so. Rock Shox had a SID with gold stanchions back in the late 90s/early 2000s.
  • 1 0
 @dfiler
performance of fork stanchion coating>color of stanchion coating..
  • 1 0
 I like the goldish color of the coating. Looks good on my silver and black bikes. Green one? I dunno. Not so much I guess, but its got a DMR trailblade anyway, so who cares? lol
  • 2 0
 That being said, all black forks are sweet too.
  • 1 0
 if youre refering to DVO when you say 'green one', theyre making an all black version
  • 1 0
 I am referring to the color of my Jamis Kromo frame...
  • 1 0
 Ballsy product category to compete in right now, certainly curious, but I'm pretty set on a pike for next season unless this thing can beat the price by quite a bit.
  • 2 0
 it's beginning and end stroke rebound, not high and low speed; that makes no sense, yet nobody seems to get it right.
  • 3 1
 Really nice foks but why do manito always have reversed forks ?
  • 14 0
 The theory is, because of the offset at the dropouts, the forks legs are farther back where the wheel is lower. This allows the use of an arch that is shorter, which makes it stiffer and lighter.
  • 7 1
 as fork dropouts are offset forwards, you can make a lower and 'shorter' arch if you position it behind the sliders as the tyre sits lower at that point - this means you can achieve a lighter and stiffer arch...
  • 2 0
 Haha, twin answers. Let me add that DT Swiss uses the same design.
  • 6 1
 lol damn....beat me to it..... but i was also going to add that every company needs and angle/gimmick to get extra sales from. whilst i'm sure the theory works, it probably just nominal gains, that don't make it worth while for other companies to do.... apart from magura who have to go one better and cover both sides of the fork lol. on a parting note....manitou were the worst forks i ever owned. reverse arch collects mud when you don't ride in california, spring rates were awful and i broke 3 Blacks and 2 Shermans in 12months.....'Blacks' were all internals that popped out of fork due to shit plastic components and the Shermans cracked across the lower legs. hope they have got their act together now
  • 5 0
 Yeah, not sure how much of a difference the rear facing arch makes. I'm running a 145mm Manitou Nixon with 32mm stanchions on my trail bike. It's really stiff, but I think the solid crown and 20mm hex lock axle have more to do with it. The air spring piston shaft seal blew 2 months after I bought the thing. I rebuilt it with all new o-rings. Manitou provided 3 complete sets, free of charge. I've been beating the hell out of this fork for 5 years now on everything from bike paths to bike parks with only oil changes to the lowers.
  • 1 0
 thats pretty good for most forks never mind a manitou. think the nixons came the year after the shermans, so maybe they learned a few things. keep riding!
  • 2 0
 ha sorry we must have both posted at the same time
  • 3 0
 Reverse arch also blocks mud from getting flung up and caking around the stanchion seal. This makes seals and oil last longer before needing servicing. It is surprising that this is commented on or marketed in some way. It really does prevent clumps of mud from immediately forming on the fork seal.
  • 2 0
 @ctd07 Haha, yeah. You probably missed it, but our comments were posted withing the same minute.

@dfiler You know, I had never considered that. One thing I am ashamed to admit is that in five years of use, I have only changed the oil in the lowers and air cartridge 3 times. The bushings and stanchions still slide with no play or noticeable wear. The air spring has been trouble free.
  • 1 0
 Same idea with Magura twin arch, but they have added a front arch as well.
  • 2 0
 I like trains
  • 1 0
 new fork looks great and will be great for my new bike hope it feels as good as the dorados
  • 1 0
 OMG!!! :O
Hehehe, seems like i laready have the option which to change my new Nixon 160 TPC+ with in the future! Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Maybe the red/silver knobs on the spring side are the valve cover, and a bottom-out tuning feature?
  • 1 0
 I rode Mach, Spyder, Black, Minute, Nixon and I expecdet something sc for En/fr
  • 1 0
 I like the sticker-less aesthetics. Wonder if it would look better with black stanchions.
  • 1 0
 Dont put silver stanchions on it.
  • 1 0
 True silver coating is industrial (generally) chrome or nickel. If it's well done it's very scratch and wear resistatn and because of that I don't care about the color issue.
  • 2 2
 wtf, all of u only talk about fox and rockshock. X fusion Slant kicks pike ass.
  • 1 0
 would be cool to get 1 and one eighth steerer
  • 2 1
 Yes! HURRY UP ALREADY! Get me off this POS...I mean CTD. Cant wait!
  • 1 0
 ill take it off your hands for you =)
  • 1 1
 Yea Manitou, funaly kick some ass..
  • 1 0
 Just take my money.
  • 1 1
 Ur forks backwards
  • 1 1
 I am super excited
  • 1 3
 well since SPV is aproved... i rest my case over manitou... it sucks and thats it
  • 3 6
 Manitou is still a thing?
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.035559
Mobile Version of Website