The Skareb Super for '05 adds a remote lockout feature, so you can climb and sprint bob-free, and then open it up on the downhills. Same hollow crown and 28.6mm stanchions as the rest of the Skareb line, with Semi-Bath lubrication and Evil Genius seals to keep it working smooth. Reverse-Arch casting adds stiffness and keeps the fork tracking straight.
Submitted by
Zack Geyer
a Racer
from Green Bay, WI, US
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2007
Strengths: Nice ride
Weaknesses: Everything, While racing the lockout is too much to think about because you have to reach down, Lockout went bad after a month and a half, and it stopped holding air after 3 months
Bottom Line:
fork is more hassle than what it is worth, i ended up sending it in to the company to get fixed and they just sent me the new R7 which was an awesome ride for about 4 months until the lockout broke (guy i know also had this happen to him).
Similar Products Used: Manitou R7, Rock Shox jett, and Rock Shox SID (best so far)
Bike Setup: Came on my o6 big sur
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Tater
a Cross Country Rider
from CENTRAL, PA
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2007
Strengths: Superior Shock, No problems at all. I'm sure the R7 is exactly the same too. Manitou is the way to go. Just changed the oil in it after 2 years. I don't even think it needed it.
Weaknesses: Remote Lock-out is a piece of Sh*t. Just mount it on your handle bars for eye candy and ignore it. The cable will stretch and then fixing that doesn't look that easy.
Bottom Line:
Buy this if you can still find them or a similar Manitou product and you won't be sorry.
Submitted by
Logan Flores
a Weekend Warrior
from Tacoma washington
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2007
Strengths: This fork is amazing it holds up to anything if used properly iv hit ten foot drops with it. its adjustable its incredible
Weaknesses: change the spring out for more agressive riding like freeriding it always comes with a light get the heavy and your set
Bottom Line:
this fork is amazin gfor anything you want to do from freeriding to cross even road. it holds air okay its very adjustable and it light. BUY THIS FORK!!!!!!!
Weaknesses: Everything. Doesnt hold air after i pump it up, heavy, ugly, Seals blem riding it to work on the paved road only jumping off of curbs for a week. Just a wothless piece of crap like all of Manitous forks and shocks.
Bottom Line:
Maniotu suks there products suck customr service sucks. I would suggest not buying manitou. They are a wast of money I also boght nixon comp and seals blem after riding a week. doing nothing over 4 foot drops. Buy fox or rock shox
Similar Products Used: Sid, older judy, older manitous
Bike Setup: Racer x, xo drivetrain, maxm carbon bars, titus ti stem, king hubs laced to mavic 517 rims.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
sXY
a Cross Country Rider
from Ljubljana, Slovenija EU
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2007
Strengths: Weight, price, lockout worked for me. Small bumb absoprtion is nice, but it fails at biger loads.
Weaknesses: Used to "point n' shoot" type of forks? Well.. if so, this fork will really dissapoint you.
Bottom Line:
This fork really dissapointed me. The small bump absorption is nice (better than headshock fattys), but anything bigger than that is way too much for it. Pumping up the pressure improves big bump absorption, but makes fork way too lazy. There is also even more annoying thing - bending of fork in high speed turns because of low stiffnes of fork (i weigh only 72kg). Bottom line - if you like point and shoot kind of forks and if you ride technical singletracks, then avoid this fork.
Strengths: This thing is really light and smooth. Relatively easy to service at home. It works much better now that I swapped the spring out for one that matches my weight.
Weaknesses: The original L.O. was plastic but Manitou replaced it with something metal. I thought the servicing instructions were rather confusing. I used the instructions from Enduro Seals' website and referenced the Manitou instructions every once in a while and everything worked out fine. After doing it just once I can do it w/o the instructions.
Bottom Line:
Make sure you have the right spring,your fluid levels and air pressure are right on and this thing is gold. It works much better now that I swapped the spring out for one that matches my weight. It came with a spring for like a 190lb person and I'm 150. I had some problems with the lock out at first but Manitous CS has been really super helpful. THE OIL LEVEL MUST BE CORRECT OR IT WON'T LOCK OUT! Also, check the cable tension if you have a remote LO. I used the instructions from Enduro Seals' website and referenced the Manitou instructions every once in a while and everything worked out fine. After doing it just once I can do it w/o the instructions. The instructions really should mention just how important the fluid level is and what problems low level causes, but they don't. Ever since I fixed these small issues the fork has worked flawlessly. I'm really happy with it now.You can get them for a really good price at most places. Manitou's Customer Service is the best. I use this for XC riding and some technical single track and it is great.
Bike Setup: Salvador SRT, Juicy 5's, Nobby Nics and X.9 Gripshifters
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Gary
a Weekend Warrior
from Sheung Shui, Hong Kong
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2006
Strengths: Smooth, lock-out
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Since Manitou dont have anymore SKAREB in 2006 already, so that you can find great value out in the stores who really wanna get rid of these forks. They perform just fine like those at the $400 to $500 range forks. The lock-out works fine and the suspensions never need to tune. Me and my friends like it. Smooth.
Bike Setup: Trek 8900, LX/XT Drivetrain, Mavic X618
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
mike allen
a Cross Country Rider
from san diego
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2006
Strengths: light weight, smooth, lockout
Weaknesses: none yet
Bottom Line:
so far this shock is really smooth and capable,the lockout is great and easy to use, i have compressed it a few times on some sketchy descents, but maybe it's that i am 200 lbs, overall i'm very happy on tight so cal. single track, i may be too heavy for this on loaded downhills or maybe just a dork with my technique, i would reccommend it for most folks, i'll update this review after the spring summer season.
Similar Products Used: rockshock judy xc on older moab
Bike Setup: schwinn moab aluminum hardtail, xtr rear der., lx front, lx crankset, avid rim brakes, mavic wheelset, xt shifters, wtb headset, 3/4 of bike is new inc. frame
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Weekend Warrior
from Sasebo, Japan
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2006
Strengths: Love the remote lockout. It's pretty light too but my 30+ XC bike cancels this out. The reverse arch is pretty sexy for those who care about cosmetics.
Weaknesses: Needs pressurized before every ride or every day in order to keep it stiff. I use the bike to comute so this can get anoying.
Bottom Line:
So long as I keep it pressurized It's an amazing performer. It does however need to be charged quite a bit; I do it every morning as I use my XC bike to commute. On rougher terain it holds up well, rebounds very quickly doesn't bob up and down.
I wiegh 185 lbs and like to keep it at the full 300 psi. My Manitou shock pump works very well too and charging it with air is pretty easy.
A great fork and for half off MSRP it was a great buy. I just bought an '01 Schwinn Homegrown and plan on adding this fork to it.
Similar Products Used: Rock Shox Judy, Marzoochi MZ II
Bike Setup: '06 Kona Caldera
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Murrocket
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2006
Strengths: Light Weight, Plush Ride, Lock Out.
Weaknesses: None Yet
Bottom Line:
This Fork is smooth and if used properly it will do the job better than most. Mine is 100mm. It's light weight so it's probably not that great for huge drops and heavy riders, but for my weight (165 lbs.) it's perfect. I LOVE the Lockout which has worked perfectly for a year now. Mine is the standard lockout, on top of the stanction, rather than the handlebar mounted one, which might be why I have NOT experienced any problems with it. I'd recommend this fork to anyone who wants a smoth-riding, light weight, cross country fork.
This is just a follow up to my review from below. Manitou replaced the lock-out with a new one, which has been completely redesigned. Although it appears to be a better design (and all metal too!) I'm afraid that in the case of bad crash, it would break pretty easily. Only time will tell.
Overall though, I'm very happy Manitou replaced this without much hassle at all. Kudos to service there.
Strengths: Light weight, plush, stiffer than some other forks I've raced on (Rock Shox SID)
Weaknesses: Not nearly as nice of a ride as a Fox. Remote lockup, as most reviewers have now said, is a piece of cr$p.
Bottom Line:
Overall the fork is pretty good. Good finish, metal parts (knobs and such) and light weight. That being said, I should never have raced a Fox last year, because nothing seems to compare (granted nothing compares to the price of a Fox either). Also, as more and more reviews can attest, the lock out really does suck. Nice idea, but flimsy and cheap. Oh, and my fork is now permanently locked out as well, but the Manitou customer service has so far made up for it and a new one is in the works.
If I had nothing to compare this fork to it'd probably get higher marks.
Strengths: Superlight, blocking system works perfectly, looks good... pretty much everything´s fine
Weaknesses: Doesn´t handle very rough stuff very well in my opinion
Bottom Line:
The fork is just perfect if you are not very heavy (say over 85 kg) and don´t ride in very rough places but it feels kinda weak for me and that´s why I´m going to switch to sth more heavy duty. It´s fine overall: it´s remarkably stiff for the weight it has, the ride is nice, damping is great... it just doesn´t give me the confidence I used to have with the rock shox duke I had in my old bike when going down in bad places.
Submitted by
Sean Kerrane
a Cross Country Rider
from Newark, DE
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2005
Strengths: Light
Weaknesses: Remote lockout function is a total piece of sh*t. I ordered one of these forks from Jenson and it wouldn't lock out. They sent FedEX to pick it up and sent me out a new one. The next one came, seemed to work, installed it on the bike I've been building up for months and just when I'm about to go on my first ride, I put it in lock out mode and it won't UNlock this time. I like the feel of Manitou forks and their light weight but their remote lockout system absolutely sucks. It's the cheapest thing I've ever used in all my years of mountain biking.
Bottom Line:
Don't get this fork with the remote lockout. You'll be sorry.
Submitted by
B
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, CA
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2005
Strengths: Weight (or lack thereof) Plushness Manitou support
Weaknesses: Remote lockout - terrible, terrible, terrible. The clamp was too small to put it where I wanted on my bars, the actual switch was very flaky, and the piston inside the fork kept getting stuck on permanent lockout. (Luckily, Manitou warrantied this, and the top mounted lockout is much better.)
Bottom Line:
This is a great fork for the money. Unbelievably light. Very plush, . Yet, due the progress nature of the air shock, I have not bottomed out yet (running 160 psi!).
Unfortunately, the remote lockout should never have been made. I hear Manitou redesigned it for 2006. Luckily, there are some online sites selling OEM versions with the top mounted lockout. If you do get the remote lockout, Manitou's customer service was great with helping me diagnose the problem and sending me a replacement.
Hi All,
I have a 05 Azure Expert with this fork, I need help with setting up the SPV valve on it, what should I be looking for it to do.
Thanks Chuck Read More »
My 04' Skareb Super has been leaking around the top of the compression damping assembly. To be more specific, it seems to be leaking around the small shaft that the compression adj Read More »
So because of events explained in this thread, my bike is now forkless. I've been graciously offered a good deal on a Skareb Super (not sure of the year, working on finding that o Read More »
I know there was a thread about getting downloadable manuals for suspension forks, but when I go to the only one I know of, the page does not fully load so I get nowhere. Any other Read More »
Just picked up a 2006 GF Big Sur with this fork and about 220 miles. The fork is spongy to say the least. I am 6-foot 210lb. I don't have a good pump handy and my pressure gauge m Read More »
