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Value Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Langdon
a Cross Country Rider
from Orfordville, WI USADate Reviewed: June 4, 2003
Strengths: Easy to maintain and adjustWeaknesses: There is clearly a defect. Manitou had the same problem with the Mach 5 and there should be a CPSC recall on these. Mine broke on the bottom of the right arch. It may have been cheap but cheap is never a substitute for unsafe. Manitou knows they are unsafe and should do something about it.Bottom Line: The bottom line is that it broke. It shouldn't. It should be recalled or at least everyone should be warned.
Favorite Trail: Outdoor Lab
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: Friend
Similar Products Used: Rock Shock Psylo and Mag 21
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher supercalibre 1991
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Al Osorio
a Cross Country Rider
from Zurich, SwitzerlandDate Reviewed: May 11, 2001
Strengths: Price is right. I broke two RShox Judys in two years and bought this cheapo out of frustration. It is on its third and last season and may bobb like a 10 year old buick, but did a great job along the way. I am 195 pounds.Weaknesses: Like I said. After three years of use a chevy impala feels stiffer. A bit more travel would be nice.Bottom Line: Very unhappy with Rockshox and this manitou is bringing me back for more manitou. (I'll upscale this time and not be so cheap) Universalcycle.com is a great and often has year old or older stuff at BIG discounts.
If you ride a lot and don't mind not having the perfect fork, but good reliablity simple graphics. Then this one to seriously look at even if you are on the higher end of the weight scale.
Favorite Trail: Engadin, Switzerland
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At: unversalcycles.com
Similar Products Used: 97 Judy is junk. Air canisters don't belong in my riding style.
Bike Setup: GT Zaskar / Tioga Fact. XC /SRAM 9.0 brakes / Bontrager rims / XT Shifters and Derail.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
bike thrasher
a Racer
from ConnecticutDate Reviewed: November 2, 2000
Strengths: relatively cheap, I've seen them on Supergo for $70Weaknesses: that's just it, it's weakBottom Line: I actually bought two of these things. I installed Englund Air Cartridges on the first one and it worked great until it cracked at the arch in a downhill race. I thought it was just me, so I bought another pair of the exact same thing. About a year later, I rode off a ledge and they cracked in the exact same place. Now I've got Z-4 Bombers and they flex but they haven't cracked in half yet. If they do, I will say something. I'd still say the Manitous are good shocks though, but they're coming out with new and better stuff now so they only get three flamin chilis
Favorite Trail: Silver Mountain
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At: Wheel Sport
Similar Products Used: Marzocchi Z-4 Bomber, uh, DuoTrack back when I was a shmack
Bike Setup: 97 Trek Y-5
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Fast Eddie
a Cross Country Rider
from Hamilton MaDate Reviewed: September 24, 2000
Strengths: Price,easy-matinance, looksWeaknesses: cheap travel and loose stearingBottom Line: What you pay for is what you get with this fork. It is cheap, but works. The is nothing spectacular. If you do alot of harsh riding I would not recomend it (my brake arch snapped)but for you easygoing weekend warriors its a good bet.
Favorite Trail: The Pipeline
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Purchased At: Supergo
Similar Products Used: Mach 5 + Judys
Bike Setup: Access, w/ESP+LX
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami, FlDate Reviewed: August 9, 2000
Strengths: LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT!!! Weighed in under 3lbs I swear! Easy Maintenance, Good for light riders. Came on my Trek Y5Weaknesses: No Dampening, Seems flexy but i've never riden anything elseBottom Line: Pretty kick a$$ no frills shock. Rather old though, but can probably be found real cheap. This shock cam ewith my bike and i was looking to replace it, but i cleaned it out and it's plush as hell now, and since i weighed it i'm in love with it, UNDER 3LBS!!! WOOHOO. I live in Miami with nothing too extreme around here so I'm good to go.
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Don J
a Downhiller
from les gets; FranceDate Reviewed: August 3, 2000
Strengths: Great Price-Black color-low maint.Weaknesses: only 3" travel ?Bottom Line: Put Spring on right leg & is very plush now..Big caps are Preload adjusters using "c" clip-very reliable-- Maybe a little flex when bombing DH/ Very Good fork..Great $$ too
Favorite Trail: poker
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: Marzocchi Z4-Monster-T
Bike Setup: Hardtail Kona--2.3 tires---
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Don Quioxte
a Weekend Warrior
from MiddletownDate Reviewed: July 21, 2000
Strengths: cheap and and the mechanics are simpleWeaknesses: cheapBottom Line: If you're heavy then don't even consider this fork. I'm 205 and I constantly bottom out, even with Answer's "firm" kit installed. And my lbs said that nobody else makes springs for this for so I'm stuck with Answer's - ahhhh, I'm topped out. Otherwise, it's fairly sturdy, simple to maintain, and would be good for very light folks that don't feel like spending lots of cake. 4 hot turds for value, 3 luke-warm turds for performance and support.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike S
a Weekend Warrior
from Knoxville, TNDate Reviewed: July 10, 2000
Strengths: Good price$ 135 inc. tax. Black/beefy look. low maintananceWeaknesses: no complaintsBottom Line: Screw all the high $$ air/oil leakers. I love low maint. no hassles stuff..It's 100% better than a rigid fork..I replaced one elastomer on each side with springs the same length from an Indy xc..that helps.light too..My steerer was too short,only 70% of my stem is on it..oh well?
Favorite Trail: Tsali
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Similar Products Used: Indy xc--Marzocchi 4"--Monster-T--Kona rigid
Bike Setup: Kona Kaboom SS--this fork
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from westport, VermontDate Reviewed: February 4, 2000
Weaknesses: for 1 it sucks, I mean really sucks I had an old indy s that was better than this fork in quality and in feel. This product is a definate problem, I got the Manitou Pro C on a barracuda, they come standard on a bike like that. Man i have had my share of problems, they are stiff and not smooth acting and they have a problem with wqater and mud, the mud and water some how gets into the shock and messes up the inside. They also make wierd wierd sounds like grinding, havent figured them out to date.Bottom Line: BOTTOM LINE this is a very cheap shock which is poorly designed and Manitou knows it that is why it was discontinued.. I even ended up putting my old dependable Rock Socks indy S back on to the barracuda, which I am also looking to replace, for the frame is not what u would call reactive and makes wierd clicking sounds on the lower bottom triangle.NOW I RIDE SID'S THEY RULE
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy Sarbu
a Downhiller
from Wheaton, ILDate Reviewed: January 9, 2000
Strengths:
Plush at first. Good for
the price. Good for
beginers and those who
don't know what ther
hell they're doing.Weaknesses:
This crappy fork tops
out over every little
bump. Even when you do a
bunny hop. Also the
elastomer cartriges get
stuck in the fork and
you can't get them out.Bottom Line: If your one of the people who baught this fork
because of the good price, I know how you feel.
This fork sucks and I wouldn't recomend it to
anyone.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Spin Cycle
a Racer
from MoscowDate Reviewed: November 17, 1999
Strengths:
Goes up and down when you go over bumps. Dependable.Weaknesses:
Flexey, overdampenend, flexey, gets hard in the cold, flexey, customer support at manitou.Bottom Line: I loved this fork right up until I got rid of it for a SID XC. Then I learned what I was missing. Overall it worked out for me, but I thin that my SID feels a lot better. This is a pretty good budget fork, but dont pay more then 100 dollars for it. 5 stars for reliablility, -1 for manitous crappy support when I blew a dampening cartidge.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Similar Products Used:
'99 SID XC
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000, Full XT, Kore, Icon.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tolli
a Weekend Warrior
from GermanyDate Reviewed: October 14, 1999
Strengths:
price
simplicity
looksWeaknesses:
too much damping
not very responsiveBottom Line: This fork is ok. It isn't a top performer, but for my needs it performs well enough. I bought two Manitou Pro Cs in 1999. I paid 150$ (Spring 99) for the first one, the second one was 50$ cheaper (September 99). The one I bought in spring feels very similar to my 97 Judy DH fork (a little bit overdampened, and it could be more responsive) but the Judy was stiffer. The second one has a bit more stiction and doesn't perform as well as the first one. If you want a budget fork and have the chance to get one of Manitous Pro C (C means cartridge) for 100$ or less: Buy it.3 chilis (or whatever) for the performance, 5 for the price.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Judy DH 97
Manitou 3
RS Judy XL 98
Bike Setup:
RM Blizzard
Mavic221-rims/XT-hubs/Conti DoubleeFighter
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan Bright
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Louis, MODate Reviewed: September 5, 1999
Strengths:
great feel, durableWeaknesses:
its no longer durable, the piece going over the tire(behind the brakes) broke today on a downhill jumpBottom Line: I have riden this shock hard, very hard, taken it on lots of jumps, rocks, downhills and spills. It has stood the test of time till now. If some one knows how easily this is replaced let me know. I would like to keep this shock. I think this shock is great for the money, and even if it did brake today it has given me miles and miles of fun and thrills. I only give it 4 because it broke. RIP.....
Favorite Trail:
Chubb trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Similar Products Used:
rock s(indy, jett, judy)
manitou(spyder)
Bike Setup:
it is on a Trek Y-5
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
A guy
a Weekend Warrior
from ArizonaDate Reviewed: August 26, 1999
Strengths:
Pretty cheap, nice design, good dampening for a light weightWeaknesses:
flexBottom Line: Mine is actually a 98' Pro. This is a pretty good fork if you're a lightweight-medium like me. It has a fairly good amount of travel, but so far, it hasn't bottomed out. It isn't as heavy as I thought it would be too. The only problen, is that when you balance on your front tire, you can feel a little flex. Overall a good value at this price.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
ManitouProLT, IndyS&C, JudyXC
Bike Setup:
Specialized
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
der Herbst AGAIN
a Cross-Country Rider
from Jacksonville/Champaign, ILDate Reviewed: August 10, 1999
Bottom Line: One thing I forgot: it's kind of a pain in the rear that it's got no damping. Also, any adjustments that you need to make involve messing with the internal stuff, which isn't too bad when you're sitting there in your apartment shining up the bike for a race, but if you've got different sections of trail you like to ride at different settings, you're going to be making your fellow riders sit around and wait 5 minutes while you screw with your forks.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
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