The '04 Minute was awarded Bicycling Magazine's 2004 "Editors' Choice" award for "Best all-purpose suspension fork", and we expect no less from the new '05. It remains the market leaded in the "All-Mountain" category, and for good reason. The Minute One offers 100-130mm of travel via Manitou's Rapid Travel Wind Down system, so you can choose the exact right amount of travel for the terrain.
Submitted by
SMBC 2009
a Weekend Warrior
from D. Briggs Date Reviewed: February 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Alafia Trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Village Bikes
Strengths:
Good travel and GREAT adjustability. Lightweight.
Weaknesses:
Slim stanchions, too soft, Not stable enough, No 20mm thru axle
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shock REBA 80mm
Manitou Axel comp 120mm
Marzocchi EXR 100mm
Bike Setup:
Stock Giant VT-2, Manitou swinger 3-way
Bottom Line:
I recently purchased this fork on a stock 2005 Giant Vt-2, and have had no trouble at all with this fork. Some of you say you get no more than 1ft of air and the Minute breaks, well I've got a different story. I'm not real hefty, but I never liked the softness of this fork, so I decided to push the limits of the terribly low 15-60 psi seals to 75 psi. Since then, I've taken a couple wrecks, and had some moments of 3-4 ft air and landed great. I've also used the rebound and tension adjust and have had excellent results. This is a four year old fork! I recommend this fork to harsh XC riders.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hans
a Weekend Warrior
from Arlington, VA Date Reviewed: July 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Fountainhead
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA.com
Strengths:
PRICE, weight, adjustable travel, air-adjustable pressure, SPV really works ... and did I mention price?
Weaknesses:
No lockout.
Similar Products Used:
I've experienced a couple Marzocchi (Marathon, MX Comp) and Rockshox (Reba) forks.
Bike Setup:
This is one of many (all) upgraded components on GT Avalanche frame.
Bottom Line:
I really like this fork. I know that Manitou has had a bad reputation, but in the past 8 or so months that I've been riding it (including some racing), I haven't had any problems. It holds its pressure fine and I have enjoyed playing around with pressure and rebound settings to establish the feel that I like the best. I sometimes wish it had a lockout feature, but honestly the SPV really does work well. The fork feels basically rigid until a certain threshold is exceeded at which point it engages with the configured (air pressure) damping level. I definitely like this setup and immediately notice how soft (and inefficient) other forks feel when pedaling over flat ground. Of course, when I'm leaning forward on steep hills my shock is compressing, so that's a case where I think I'd appreciate lockout.
The adjustable travel is a neat feature, though 100mm is almost too much travel for my frame geometry, so I very rarely turn it up to 130mm. It is a nice option for very steep descents, though, and I've used it in a few of those scenarios.
The main selling point for me was price (I bought it as an OE part), and at that price I would easily consider buying it again even if I had to have the seals redone in the next year. It was definitely a very affordable way to upgrade the stock pogo-stick fork on my GT -- and honestly I like the feel as much as anything else I've ridden so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a
from new jersey Date Reviewed: June 15, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$250.00
Strengths:
very plush, spv great, when it works it is good for anything, it is super light
Weaknesses:
the rebound sucks and the nob broke off when i was adjusting it, which made the fork have no rebound at all
Bottom Line:
If you don't touch the rebound the fork is great for anything except downhill and extreme freeride, I used it for some drops and it was really good
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thom
a Cross Country Rider
from Kirkland, WA USA Date Reviewed: May 10, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
came with bike- rbikes.com
Strengths:
cheap. Worthy of Walmart not too bad when it works
Weaknesses:
Disposable Warranty is now worthless due to the Hayes buyout. Rebound adjuster never worked Blew all its oil after a couple of rides.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Nixon Elite(garbage also)
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Epiphany
Bottom Line:
Manitou should be selling their products through Walmart. Hayes is definitely NOT buying Manitou for their great engineering department. I am a 195pound cross country rider. This fork should be overkill for me. The fork blew out after only a couple of easy winter rides. The rebound cartridge never worked and the fork did tend to launch me....otherwise it was pretty smooth. Warranty has been a nightmare with several MONTHS of down time. Bobby, their excellent Customer Service person has nothing to work with anymore, as they deplete parts and replacement forks. And the poor guy is going to be laid off soon anyway. (somebody hire that amazing guy!)
The fork came with my new bike. The shop says its a warranty problem between myself and Manitou. The replacement Nixon Elite fork Manitou sent me was a lemon too and died after a couple of rides.
Needless to say I am looking at another brand and not happy about my one fork for the price of two I am going to be paying for.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jason
a Cross Country Rider
from boston, ma Date Reviewed: March 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
nashbar
Strengths:
out of the box the fork was pretty good, it felt pretty good on the trail and seemed pretty smooth and not too heavy.
Weaknesses:
After 2 months of riding a plastic internal part that attaches to the rebound knob broke and i have been waiting for going on 3 months for a replacement part from manitou. I throught i was getting my bike back today, but i just found out they sent the aluminum rebound knob instead of the cheapo plastic internal part that broke. Manitou has really dropped the ball and this will be the last manitou product i ever buy.
Similar Products Used:
Lefty, manitou magnum r, fox vanilla
Bike Setup:
trek y-11 single speed, manintou minute fork, fox rear shox.
Bottom Line:
cheap to buy and cheaply made, would be decent if it had less plastic parts and better customer service.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from SLC, UT, USA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Slickrock, Wasatch Crest
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Dont remember
Strengths:
adjustable travel, air adjust, air release system (i'll explain below)
Weaknesses:
rebound knob may just pop off on ya...i'm a mechanic and have seen this is usually the first repair on many bikes with this fork. (or maybe its just the stupid customers who dont know when to stop turning the knob cuz its never happened to me.)
Similar Products Used:
manitou axel...blew it out on the first ride
Bike Setup:
jamis dragon frame, minute 1, only 9 speeds total, x9shifter and rear derailleur, WTB dual duty wheels
Bottom Line:
I switched to this fork because i blew out my Axel on the first ride. I went off a 2 foot ledge and blew out the seals. I did the same ledge with this minute, and also blew it out, but this time no replacement was needed. I found that this fork has kind of an emergency air release system. If you compress the air too much, it will release it all and let the coil and elastimers take the brunt of the drop. You can later use a shock pump to reset the air, and everything is hunky-dorry. I dont think this is good for the fork in the long run, but i havent seen any side effects from this process. I did slickrock and may have bottomed the fork out a few times because of too little air in the spv chamber, but i still havent noticed any side effects from it thanks to the coil and elastimers.
From a rider and mechanic standpoint, i recommend this fork because its easy to work with (the fork is easier to fix than dealing with Answer), durable, adjustable, and dang good lookin. if you get this fork, i commend you. Cheers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne Date Reviewed: October 30, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
SPV = no pedal bob, adjustable travel, pretty light for 5" coil fork, looks cool with integrated graphics
Weaknesses:
Limited rebound adjustability
Similar Products Used:
Talas 130, Float 130, recon
Bike Setup:
Yeti 575, full X0/XTR, FSA wheels, thomson, hope brakes
Bottom Line:
My Minute 1 has performed nicely for over 6 months now and has not needed any maintenance. It's fairly stiff, and is well suited to todays "all mountain" genre. Definately not a free-ride fork, but can handle the occasional jump and drop.
The SPV took a while to get used to, the minute never feels nice and plush like the Fox or Rockshox I have tried in the past (and it's not supposed to), and the advantage is that you never have to fiddle with dials to stop it bobbing ie lockout. The SPV is really effective and eliminates just aobut all pedal bob on the flat or when climbing. So, just set your SPV pressure and go. Simple and effective and quite adjustable. The rebound adjustment is a bit disappointing, it doesn't quite rebound quick enough for my liking, but is fine for 70% of the riding I do anyway.
If you're fussy about how everything looks, well, the minutes are good looking forks in my opinion. Integrated graphics are a nice touch (if you got that option) and the thick matte black paint job is the most durable I have ever come across, unlike fox forks which chip so easily.
I'm about to sell mine to my mate for his Kona Dawg, and I'm trying the new 07 Revelation air uturn. I've heard good things about it. Was going to go back to Fox, but they are expensive and it seems everyone else has finally caught up with adjustability features, but Fox still takes the cake for lightweight long travel trail forks.
Overall, a good fork and excellent value. So 5 chillies for value because I picked up a bargin and it's done everything and handled everything I've thrown at it, and 3 for performance because of the ordinary rebound adjustment. They're selling cheap all over the internet so if you're after a 130mm trail fork, snap one up you wont regret it. They're just great value!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bret Hazelwood
a Racer
from Hampstead, NH, USA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
plush ride
Weaknesses:
I have yet to notice any great advantage to the spv. It has managed to throw me for a ride of its own at random times. Three times now and once during a race its managed to not provide any damping causing it to launch me off large obstacles while turning... at high speeds that means goodbye trail and hello trees!
Similar Products Used:
judy's stock and rebuilt with racing air cartridges, multiple fox (varied experiences), carbon fiber lefty! several manitous
I made the mistake of putting this shock on my racing hardtail (yes I realize I'm trying to hold onto archaic technology!) and the geometry was COMPLETELY thrown off by this fork even dropped to 100mm. I dont know if part of it is the fact that I run a smaller frame on this bike but I would highly recommend trying this fork out on a smaller rear triangle bike before purchasing! The major setback from this is the lack of ability to carve... I've found myself making muuuch larger turns despite my best efforts in tight sections which has resulted in some interesting outcomes. weight was also a big issue, my judies were shaved to just under 3lbs and this fork is just over 4lbs (a very noticeable difference after a couple miles!) The fork has an impressively plush ride but doesnt provide any phenomenal advantages with the spv valving during climbs, but this isn't a drawback. If you're looking for a plush ride but don't plan on competing this may be the fork for you, otherwise... well, I'm shopping for another solution! I'll be switching this fork over to my full-suspension to make room for a lighter fork again so I'll post if the outcome is different on a larger frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Olivier Battaglione
a
from Rancho Cucamonga, CA Date Reviewed: August 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
Wheelworld
Strengths:
Product is really plysh and handled realyy well. Didn't drop to flat but hit a few set of doubles and it felt great.
Weaknesses:
First one I ordered came broken out of the box. The travel adjustment only worked when there was no air in the fork. If I did add any air then it essentially became a 130mm fork. The place I bought it out swapped it out and gave me a new one which works fine.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Talas
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler
Bottom Line:
I paid $199 for this fork and it turned out to be a good fork. I took it up to Mammoth and hit many of the trails and it worked out great. I wouldn't attempt to go downhilling with it or do any 6 ft drops but if you are into flowing single track and want a fork that has adjustable travel to get you up and then down this might be it. You must take into consideration I paid $199. If this cost me $300+ I would not give it the same. Review. The SPV is hard to set up. When I let air out of the fork oil sprayed out everywhere. All I can say is that it was worth what I payed for it an it is a great fork for the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tucky
a Weekend Warrior
from Hermosillo,Son. México Date Reviewed: July 24, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Over Ebay
Strengths:
Light,Price, Good Looking ;)
Weaknesses:
none so far, although I haven't been able to set the SPV, but I guess is my lack of knowledge
although I liked more the Fox demo'ed, the price difference make me go with Manitou, $700 for a fork was a little high for my budget at the time, this one feels plush, and I haven't have any problems so far. infinte travel is great although I'm usually at 100mm. I lik the big climbs cause they mean big downhills, woohoo. not so agressive on the downhill but I like a little fast, I usually catch some air on my way down, is a little ramp it gives 3-4 foot high depending on how confidence I'm felling and the fork takes it nicely.and I'm 198 Lbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Urdaddy
a Weekend Warrior
from Salinas, Ca, usa Date Reviewed: July 23, 2006
Favorite Trail:
#12412146273248
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
Greenfish
Strengths:
Post mounts, travel adjust, looks. and those r not good enough reasons to give this company your money
Weaknesses:
Too many to list here. But I want nothing to do with a company that does buisiness this way. Manitou needs to be upfront about theyre warranty scam before you buy.
Similar Products Used:
SX le Sx R Jett
Bike Setup:
hardtail
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is because of this fork I am now out of shape. After the first month I had to return it for warranty work cuz it was leaking really bad. That was a hassle because the local shop wants nothing to do with Manitou. Manitou dictates that you first send it to a shop, you can't send it to them directly. I wished they would advertise there little warranty scam like they do theyre crap forks. I suspect that they do this because they will have the shop do the repair work at your exspense and save themselves some money.
I recently went up to Nor-Cal for the 4th weekend. when I got there my fork felt like it was locked out. I went to let out all of the SPV presssure and fork oil spewed out like a geyser. Of course I traveled 6 hrs just to sit around and not ride I love dong that :/, THANK YOU MANITOU.
I get back home a week later and call Manitou and they had the oddassity to tell me that my fork spewing oil was NORMAL!!!!!!! They said all I had to was fill it up with fork fluid again. I laughed! They then tried to tell me how to do it myself. I ended up having to fork out more money from my pocket to find a shop that would actually work on a Manitou. Mind you I allready had them warrnaty this same fork once. I got that problem fixed and now I have a strange knocking feeling comming from the fork, so bad that Im afraid to ride it. I expect Manitou to give me the run around again.
Because of tis crap fork I hardley ride any more. I rode this scary fork a week ago and only lasted for an hour on the trail because Im so out of shape from not being able to ride because of this crap fork from this crap company. If I had a fork that works I would have been in good enough shape to race at the Cougar Mountain Classic. All in all what I have dumped into this fork allready I could have bought a fork that works from a company that doesnt have a warranty scam.
This prodeuct does not deserve one Flammin Chili, It deserves a used-old-ladys-walker-raiting. NOBODY should buy this product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa Date Reviewed: July 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
none that last
Weaknesses:
SPV (Stupid Puny Valve). lack of tunability
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Sid, Marzoch Z1, Fox 36
Bottom Line:
Stay far, far away from this horrible fork. If you live in Canada, stay far away from OGC, the service centre. I have sent it back to them 3 times to get serviced and they cannot get it right. Within 2 months of getting the fork, it stopped working properly. It started clunking and became completely unpredictable as to whether the rebound was going to be fast (none) or slow (very). Off to the service centre. It came back, with the rebound very slow even with the minimum air presure in the SPV cartridge, and no way to make it faster. Back it went. It worked for 2 weeks and then the same old thing. Back to OGC again. The old slow rebound problem, and the left hand bottom nut came off, spewing oil all over the disk brake.
One more in a long list of piece-of-crap expensive mountain bike parts that don't work as advertised. Gotta love the RSD model (Research-market], Sell, Design)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Garth
a Weekend Warrior
from Carlsbad, CA, United States Date Reviewed: July 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Flightline
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint.com
Strengths:
lightweight, tons of easy adjustments, Less bob than most(Makes for easy climbs), SPV works awesome, great price. Just landed mid-section on a 15 concrete stair(about 12 steps down and over two mid landings) and it saved my life. Didn't bottom out, and tracked straight. Doesn't dive like a trophy-truck at the baja 1000(unlike most other forks in its price range).
Weaknesses:
? It feels like it is too light to be strong but I disproved that. I just wish the stanchions and crown was a little bigger. Wouldn't take too big a drop on it(5'+ to flat).
Awesome for the money. I wouldn't spend more unless it was a triple crown, or you take huge hits. Great all around fork. Climbs well, light weight, and strong enough for most riders. Buy an 888RC if you want something better. I'm 6' 180 pounds.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Saint Louis, MO, USA Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
manitou gave it to me as a replacement for the 120mm axel that broke
Strengths:
adjustability, lightweight, strong, bottom out adjustment is very nice, spv valve works well and doesn't leak, very good damping, very smooth over any type of terrain, has stood up to my abuse so far, good value as it can be found for a little over $200
I haven't ridden any higher end forks so i can't really compare to them but it is the best i have ridden. i use it for trail riding as well as jumping and small dropoffs and it has stood up well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RAJ KHEMRAJ
a Weekend Warrior
from SPRINGFIELD, MO Date Reviewed: May 4, 2006
Favorite Trail:
SAC
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
greenfish
Strengths:
Can take decent hits Minimal bob
Weaknesses:
SPV valve is not clear cut with the setup no preload adjustment
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi MX Comp
Bike Setup:
03 Blur
Bottom Line:
Great shock. Not top of the line but the extra travel makes a difference and I dont notice much bob.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from C.P., OR Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Smooth compression and rebound. No annoying spring noise.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Super Splice
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Jekyll, Avid Juicy 5
Bottom Line:
Excellent fork, I got it as a replacement for a broken Super Splice from Manitou. Can not imagine riding without it. As long as you don't want to do any huge drops, this is a fantastic fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
single pivot guy
a Weekend Warrior
from norcal Date Reviewed: March 14, 2006
Favorite Trail:
santa teresa and SDF
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
performancebikes
Strengths:
spv, price, plush, burly but lightweight.
Weaknesses:
RTWD overturned. but not a problem anymore coz it's always @ 130mm all the time.
I love this fork. SPV works as advertised. No need for lockouts. Love it on technical trails. No bobs while climbing. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix Date Reviewed: March 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:
100
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Beyondbikes
Strengths:
SPV
Weaknesses:
Rebound adjustment broke off at knob
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Duke, Rockshox Psylo, Manitou Black
Bike Setup:
Shimano, Titec, Easton, Raceface, Maxxis
Bottom Line:
SPV works like a charm, plenty of travel, SPV volume all the way out makes it usefully progressive. On the negative side, chatters like a squirrel as it tops out in rock gardens, RTWD pretty much useless, rebound knob broke off first time I touched it (I only touched it!) I think this will be my last Manitou product, unfortunately, just not up to standards. Go for a Fox or Rockshox product, you'll be happier.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
james
a Weekend Warrior
from sydney, nsw, australia Date Reviewed: January 12, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Plush feel, just like a fork should feel, RTWD is great when in for longer climbs, The decals/stickers are wicked!
Weaknesses:
rebound adjust is a joke, this is my 1st suspesion fork with dampening, i can feel the difference with dampening but the adjustment knob is not made for fine tuning. Some brake dive at first but sorted out with more spv pressure.
Bike Setup:
Jamis dakar XLT 1.0 stock
Bottom Line:
This a great fork, i love the plushness and feel. This fork has saved me from going head over turkey a number of times already. I haven't experienced any mechanical faults like other reviewers. For an allround fork, this does the job, i find these pretty good for drops as the minutes take the sudden bashes well. Like i said before, the rebound adjustment is ridiculous with no clicks and a small amount of turn to tune the rebound. Don't get me wrong the dampening is great but i find it hard to fine tune.RTWD is great, you can actually tell how much travel you have and adjust it for long climbs. I run 70psi in the spv to control brake dive, i have the travel sit at 120mm and adjust it accordingly whenever i need to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from NJ Date Reviewed: December 17, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Very smooth and plush, adjustability, coil, SPV easy to set up to plush or cc. Nice finish with etched label
Weaknesses:
non so far
Similar Products Used:
Talas RLC, Z1 FR, Marz S120, Vanilla
Bike Setup:
Turner Burner, Truvativ, Pushed Fox AVA, King hubs, Thomson, Monkey lite, Avid discs, Fire XCs, 8 Speed Shimano, LX and XT
Bottom Line:
I've had no problems at all with this fork. Its so much better albeit a bit heavier than my Talas RLC that I'm buying another for my 5 Spot. I love the adjustability for my Burner, set at 4" for most and 5" for the downhills. Made my riding much smoother and controlled. This is a disc model, so they're both available and shouldn't be considered a weakness. Got a leftover new 2005 at a superb price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
The Bronze
a
from Texas Date Reviewed: December 15, 2005
Post mount brakes only, spv valve needs annual maintenance, not a set and forget fork, rebound assembly broke, grease seal on spring side non existant = coagulated semi bath.
Similar Products Used:
Zoke Mx Comp air and coil, Zoke z2 race hscv.
Bike Setup:
Turner
Bottom Line:
1 year of use and I can honestly say I would buy another one. Probably not for $300 but lucky for you they are on sale everywhere. This fork is not for everyone, but if you are the type who is not afraid to take apart a fork and tinker a little its a perfect match. The SPV valve assembly will probably freeze on you but its such an easy fix. After one year of use the spv teflon seal had worn just enough to make removal and installation of the piston much easier than when new. Take it apart and dab a bit of grease in the assembly and its like a new fork. Easily done in the garage with normal tools. Note, dont play around with the spv pressure too much, it probably leads to valve failure. Mine stuck after going from 80psi to 40 and back again over a couple of days. If anyone has fab'd a fix for the grease seal on the spring side let me know. I'm tired of changing the chunky semi bath. I would also recommend changing the spv fluid to a 7 or 10 weight as it seems to slow down the rebound and make the compression feel smoother for heavier riders like me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Manitou Minute 1
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, VIC, Australia Date Reviewed: November 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
any
Strengths:
2004 model, awesome suspension, looks
Weaknesses:
2004 model, Slight oil leak, innner fork legs are skinny than others, could be a bit beefer like the Rockshox Reba. Otherwise, its an awesome Fork
Submitted by
nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: October 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
looks neat, lots of adjustability, lightweight, SPV
Weaknesses:
not very stiff, SPV is hard to set up, lots of pedal bob, post mount, drops are thick, travel adj. broke within 3 hrs. riding, manitou took along time to repair it
Cool looking, lots of adj, but breaks easy, SPV doesn't work, lots of problems.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bill
a Cross Country Rider
from goffstown,nh,usa Date Reviewed: September 29, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$539.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa
Strengths:
improved accuracy over prior fork
Weaknesses:
reliability
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SXR, Mach 5
Bike Setup:
Mostly stock 2002 Blur, the one major upgrade was this fork...OOOPS
Bottom Line:
I ride most suspension components as they come.
My expectations from this shock were 3 years without any failures.... not quite Manitou
First failure was the compression damping ( shock completely froze up), this was in the first 3 months of service so I did not get my hands on the thing to fix it.
Now the shock is 2yrs 9months from purchase and the rebound damping is shot. I'm going to call Manitou tomorrow to get an estimate but I think the parts alone are more $$$ then I want to sink into this product.
BYE BYE Manitou
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
unga bunga
a Cross Country Rider
from dublin, ireland Date Reviewed: September 12, 2005
Favorite Trail:
3 rock
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
sids bikes NYC
Strengths:
light,looks nice
Weaknesses:
very soft spring, weak, cross-country fork. not for all-trail all-mountain riding. this is an XC fork for spandex wearing fairies.
Similar Products Used:
marz' shocks.
Bike Setup:
05 stumpjumper 120 pro
Bottom Line:
this is definitely an XC only fork, NOT an all mountain fork.
i weigh 80kg and the fork is way too soft for me. it ships with a medium strength coil which is way too soft, bottoms out constantly, dives excessively.
lots of nose-diving on steeper stuff, which means trying to sit on the back wheel constantly to prevent going over the top.
while it states 130mm travel, you will get max 80mm on the trail, even with SPV set at max pressure. look at the sag on the fork while riding.
Remember the only adjustments on this fork are: spv pressure & volume adjuster for the initial platform (at max to counter sag and softness) rebound (set mine at max to counter diving) travel (no real difference except to adjust bike geometry when climbing fireroads)
On the minute 1, you cant adjust the strength/pressure of the shock to suit terrain/style, like with air shocks. So if you ride any way agressively you will need a harder coil kit.
Manitou labelling this as a do-it-all fork is dangerous. It is suited to cross country riding on level, dusty trails with occassional medium rough terrain, the odd obsticle.
If you are into agressive xc and are looking at small jumps, terrain steep enough to put you behind the sadde for a while, stay away from this fork.
If you ride carefully with no jumps, and enjoy climbing and decsending medium terrain with no real threats to your health get this fork.
Its incredibly soft and smooth on the easy stuff. You dont even notice its there. Defintley plusher than fox talas 130.
If you are into dayglo spandex, oakleys, and generally being a fairy on a bike, it will do the job.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
the Cowboy
a Racer
from Cowboy's Fuzzy Duds Date Reviewed: August 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Bullards Bar
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
factory direct
Strengths:
It is very tunable and stiff. I am a bit heavier but with the adjustable SPV (thingy) I was able to set it and forget it. It is very percise in steering and the adjustable travel is "Kra'z N'sane.
Weaknesses:
The QR drop outs are kinda thick. I am using an old Dura Ace Silver skewer to hold my fromt wheel on. The Mavic skewer has to be takin completely appart to get the wheel on.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou 2, 4, EFC, X-Vert, ect. ect
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Distance w/Romic in the rear (5 inch) I have the fork set at 120mm travel. Trading steering persision for the full 130mm of travel.
Bottom Line:
Holy smokes!! WHat a killer fork!! Make sure to read the manual. It is very important that you make the proper SPV adjustment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Chandler,az,usa Date Reviewed: June 23, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$349.00
Purchased At:
Super Blow
Strengths:
Travel adjustment very handy if you ride varried trails. My favorite ride is up the road on South mountain, and then bombing down National to Mormon. Set the fork to about 100mm and the climbing is fine, set it to 130mm and bombs away. I set the SPV to a minimal value 50'ish pounds, and have never noticed a problem.
Weaknesses:
None really.
Similar Products Used:
Sherman flick.
Bike Setup:
Switchblade setup for trail riding.
Bottom Line:
Great trail riding fork. For heavier stuff I'd get the Nixon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
C
a Weekend Warrior
from Midway City Ca Date Reviewed: May 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Downeyville DH/Porc rim
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$455.00
Purchased At:
Beyond bikes
Strengths:
Fairly light at 4lb 2 oz for a 130mm coil fork lineir progression throught travel adjustment good balance between plush and efficiency great anti8 dive effect from SPV
Weaknesses:
Original SPV was very sticky, RTWD too slow
Similar Products Used:
Psylo sl,Z1 fr,Manitou black, Manitou Flick
Bike Setup:
30 lb 5 spot with great sturdy parts,
Bottom Line:
It's hard to get more than 95% of the travel without drops but the new SPV evolve matches any fork I've owned for plush and has a great advantage on steep decents due to the anti dive effect that SPV gives you. If you buy a first year Minute contact Manitou for the evolve damper.
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Submitted by
kAZ
a Cross Country Rider
from Mesa, AZ Date Reviewed: April 19, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$515.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Bottom Line:
I put a 2005 Minute 1 on my 03 Stumpy FSR after 2 yrs using the Axel Super (100mm) that came on the bike. I wanted a TALAS, but I wasn’t interested in going to disk brakes so the Minute 1 cropped up as the next logical choice.
My biggest apprehension about the Minute was that I didn’t feel like I wanted the SPV. I mostly ride rocky AZ trails, and I mainly wanted to upgrade and maintain a plush ride. Ultimately I hoped that running the SPV at minimal pressure would work for me.
Getting on the trails, the ride seemed pretty harsh. The manual recommended 20 hours of break-in and some of the reviews noted that the harshness subsided after break-in, so I gave it a go. I originally had about 40 psi in the SPV chamber and I didn’t like the harshness of the ride. After the first ride I set it as close to 30 as I could. That was better, but I still thought the ride was a bit harsh.
After about 20 hours of the rockiest trails and lines I could find I wanted to try a softer ride, so I took it in to get the booster spring twisted out.
The Manitou literature wasn’t quite perfectly helpful, but a call to them at least let me know that they ship the fork with a medium spring, which, according to the guy I spoke with is blue, and that twisting the booster spring out of the medium spring would give the “soft” spring. The info regarding suggested rider weights was a little scrambled, so I was a little apprehensive about this. I weigh 155-160 and I ride with a pretty heavy pack.
The shop informed me that the stock spring was green, but it did in fact have the booster.
After getting the booster spring out and now running with 30 psi (maybe a little under) I am really happy with this fork. The control is far superior to the Axel. It sits a little taller anyway but I’ve found that I like the travel set at about 103 for normal riding, so the steering is a little less twitchy. And with the RTWD I dial it out to around 115 for steep gnarly stuff, which makes some things that were pretty sketchy for me previously almost too easy now. I’ve tried letting it out to 130 and every length between, but I didn’t like the extra slackness in the steering with it out that far.
What is surprising me the most is that I’ve really gotten to like the SPV. I’ve tried and tried to feel if the fork is resisting tiny rocks and such, but I can’t tell. Basically it feels plush. But the way the fork responds to out of saddle hammering is uncanny. It makes me want to shift up and stand to climb because it’s so fun. Somehow the fork soaks up everything and yet resists compressing due to pedaling.
The only time I feel like the SPV is caught off guard is occasionally when doing small flat drop-offs with my weight well back; say about like rolling off a curb. But this is pretty rare. The other negative I’ve experienced is the “klunk” sound of the spring hitting the stanchion wall when it takes a side load. I’d prefer that that not occur. But those two issues are very minor. Overall I’m very pleased with my Minute 1.
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Submitted by
socal rider
a Cross Country Rider
from socal Date Reviewed: March 28, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
for a 4 lb fork, manages to combine decent stiffness and a coil--not air--spring. reliable seals. SPV evolve is highly tunable
Weaknesses:
travel adjust marking dial gets twisted around---i.e. i no longer know what travel setting it's on. Not a big deal tho, since I can estimate it from backing off from full travel.
Similar Products Used:
fox talas, marzocchi x fly, marathon SL, z1 and z2 bombers, older rockshox, white bros.
Bike Setup:
26 lb four-bar XC, xtr chris king carbon fiber blah blah.
Bottom Line:
last 3 fork purchases have been marzocchi, with mixed results. various internal seal issues w/ the air marzocchi, and the torsional tracking was not great. like many riders i was prejudiced against manitou, but I got a bike 2 years ago w/ a Sherman fork that has been flawless and still works like new despite many miles.
so when it was time to upgrade my XC bike, I was about to buy a fox talas (i.e. follow conventional wisdom) but I thought Hmmm, the air Fox has springs to give it a more linear (coil-like) feel, but in the process it ends up weighing 4 lbs. meanwhile I can get a Minute 1 that weighs the same but is a coil fork...and the SPV Evolve is highly tunable and really does work as advertised---reasonably smooth on small ripple bumps, and damps aggressively on big sharp hits. also I like the ease of maintenance w/ the manitou--you can dissassemble everything easily if needed.
I run 60 psi in the SPV chamber, sometimes a little less.
i don't think this fork is torsionally as stiff as the FOx, but it's close, and is stiffer than some other all mountain forks.
I've had zero issues w/ the fork; more than 6 mos. of use so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kaiser
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange County, CA Date Reviewed: March 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
San Juan
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$460.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Co.
Strengths:
Easy wind down. Plenty of travel. Easy adjustments
Weaknesses:
Can a coil have infinite wind down? It would be cool to have. No problems so far....
I have had zero problems with this fork. I tend to lean towards coil forks and manitou nailed it with this one. Great wind down feature comes in handy on the long climbs. Really plush on the downs with no bobbing climbing due to the SPV. Sorry to hear about the other guys having trouble with Manitou. Between my Swinger 4-way and the MInute 1 I'm sold on them......
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
El Pollo
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: January 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
SPV, worked well.
Weaknesses:
Locked out on me the first week of use. This fork is crap.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shock, Marzocchi
Bike Setup:
Weyless XP, as shipped.
Bottom Line:
I never had a Manitou fork that lasted long, I am 0 for 2 with them. They are junk. I would not buy this product or recommend it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, WA Date Reviewed: December 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Ape Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Nice looking Adjustability Weight around 4 lbs for 5" fork Easy tuning Easy to service
Weaknesses:
Quality assurance issues in some forks Post mount for disc brakes Leaked a little oil.
Similar Products Used:
Many different forks
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 Spot
Bottom Line:
I'm pleasently surprised by the performance of the fork. I have always thought Manitou forks were crap; however, this fork really works well. You can adjust it to feel much like a non SPV fork or pump up the air volume and make it almost bob free. I have mine set up with 50 lbs of SPV and heavy springs.
I would give thumbs up, but I still wonder how long this fork will hold up. I got it cheap on Ebay. Nice.
Give it a shot. I got mine on Ebay cheap. Glad I tried it. Worth the dough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Diggler
a Cross Country Rider
from WS, North Carolina Date Reviewed: November 16, 2004
Had a problem with leaking oil-tightened bolt=problem solved
Similar Products Used:
rock shox judy, manitou six, manitou black
Bottom Line:
For the money, this is the most versatile fork on the market-other than the fox talus. I'm not sure about this whole SPV evolve thing being more "small bump" capable than the old SPV system because this is my first spv fork. All i know is that this fork can be a plush, or as stiff as you want it (as well as anything in between). The SPV really does work though! I've recently gotten into aggressive XC with some bigger jumps (up to 4 feet) and this fork can handle those well. If you want a fork that is light enough for XC but strong enough for some decent jumps-then this is it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Corey
a Weekend Warrior
from Eagle Mountain, UT. USA Date Reviewed: October 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim- Moab, UT.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
(factory deal)
Strengths:
Light weight, strong, very little bobbing while ridding, great bump absorption, easily adjustable.
Weaknesses:
Only a coil, No air spring adjust.
Similar Products Used:
Rock shocks-judy, specialized future shock-old school.
Bike Setup:
2005 Specialized Stumpy FSR PRO 120 (Stock-so far)
Bottom Line:
I love this fork so far. I have only had my bike for about three blistful weeks. I am a weekend warrior that loves to ride downhill, uphill, xc, and any other singletrack that gets me out of the house. This shock has suited me just fine thus far. If you are palnning on taking 10 foot drops, this shock isn't the one for you, but for the money, this fork won't disappoint.
Bottom line-The fork still needs to break in, but it's sweet now and gets even sweeter with each ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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