Strengths: Feels smooth, fairly light weight, adjustable, and a good price
Weaknesses: Not durable.
Bottom Line:
I have never had more problems with a fork in such a short time. In the two weeks I've been riding it, the preload adjustment cap got stuck and now the spring binds when about half the travel is used. On the plus side, when the fork worked properly, it felt great. it was adjustable enough to get a good feel and felt good on both small and big hits.
Similar Products Used: Psylo XC, Psylo SL, Fox Vanilla RLC, Judy XC, Judy XL, Marzocchi Dirt Jumper
Bike Setup: '99 Schwinn Homegrown HT set up for freeriding
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Submitted by
davis
a Downhiller
from quispamsis,nb,canada
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2002
Strengths: almost everything
Weaknesses: ummm they bent when that tahoe ran over umm
Bottom Line:
ok this for was raced for 1 year by some k2 rider, i got it for 150 2years ago and 3 weeks later it was run over by my friends dads chevy tahoe (a big mother truck) and bent them. i should prolly have got a new fork but lack of funds made that a no no. but theyr 3 years old and bent and havent broke um yet. this is the best its plush and theres just enough travel. great for jumpin, trials(my friend borowed them and ued them for this last year),freeride or just lite dh
Submitted by
Manny Riposta
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Fe, NM
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2002
Strengths: Stiff, Light (for a DC), MINIMAL bobbing, easy to adjust, won't break, Manatou customer service/web page, great on med and big hits, good on little ones. Excelent damping system (TPC, Microlube ports are a GREAT idea.
Weaknesses: Orange don't match my bike.
Bottom Line:
Can now be had cheap as a used fork. If it survived this long it is probably a good specimin. I like the thing. You will too if you are looking for a good, reliable fork. Awesome value now that the Black is out (which weighs only 1/2 pound less with NO TPC) if you can find one.
Similar Products Used: Judy XL, Zzyzx, Girvin, Bomber, White Bros.
Bike Setup: FSR, 4.5" rear travel.
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Submitted by
Brett
a Downhiller
from Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2001
Strengths: everything. Stiff, strong, plenty of usable travel.
Weaknesses: preload and compression dials are hard to adjust
Bottom Line:
These forks are the best freeride forks i have ever used or tried. They take the big hits as well as the small stuff. I've had no problems with them yet however the dials are just to hard to move. Manitou also shouldn't have put the little rubber bits on the dials cos they just fall off. Other than that these forks are well worth it. Good for Freeriding.
Submitted by
madman styles
a Downhiller
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2001
Strengths: hooollllly crraaaap, i bought this fork for only 125!! (used...) i was spekpitcial (sp?) about if it would really work or not...buto hh boy it worked good, the left side of the fork doesn't work and 6the tpc system is blown but the fork still works fine!!!! i used for a whole season of dh and it survived (extreamly hardcore bumpy dh) it's got some nice travel in it, and it looks like it has 6, so u can brag about it more, very plush, many adjuster nobies (most of mine don't work but oh well)
Weaknesses: kinda bent.....but hey....that only effects steering right?
Bottom Line:
wow, when u ride it you will be like "wow, i don't beleave" it's out lasted the other forks i've gone through...and frames..... and i bought it used from a guy that races dh....so if u got this fork new i would expect it would be soooo unbeleavibly nice...but used is ok too
Similar Products Used: none like this....well maybe my 99 judies were as plush...but i broke those twice
Bike Setup: 2001 fsr frame (broke my '99) mostly 99 parts, ryno lites, blackspire, avids, T H E Here is a link to the pic of my old bike with this fork: http://www.members.home.com/clay.harding/MrClean.gif Here is a linkto a pic of my NEW bike with this fork: http://www.members.home.com/clay.harding/fastersmoother.gif (copy paste the link into you browser to see the pics)
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Submitted by
mark tomlinson
a Weekend Warrior
from Cairns, Qld, Australia
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2001
Strengths: Price, travel, looks, low weight, work well with V-brakes, progressive action (no bottom out)
Weaknesses: Adjustment seems stuffed (maybe my example but the knobs look cheap anyhow) but current setup fine as is. Seem flexy when you try the shop test of grabbing the front wheel btw your knees and twisting the bars (but on a ride they track true)
Bottom Line:
This fork is great. Very light for a dual crown (picked up an Amp at the shop and couldn't tell the difference in weight!). Not intended for DH in my opinion, more a freeride fork, or in my case a way of making a fun DH sled out of a cheap rigid alu bike.
Only had it a month, but compares with Z1 i owned for a year. Z1 slightly more plush, better finish and looks better made (looks fabulous actually, as only the italians know how!), but the X-verts track a lot better.
With the small frame I can hit my knees on the stanchion tops when standing up to peddle, but otherwise I kinda like the way dual crowns have that motorcycle feel.
Will certainly keep them, and transfer to better rig as time and money permit. They seem built to last and the maintenance is simple enough. My last manitous were Manitou three's circa 1995 with 2" of elastomer travel (funny how times change)
Bottom line, probably not up with Psylos but at 1/4 the price I couldn't care less. Highly recommended.
Bike Setup: Cheap Avanti Ventura h/tail in small size. (picture a slalom machine on a budget). Complete with acera components!
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Submitted by
Wack O Mack O
a Downhiller
from Victoria, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2001
Strengths: Light, adjustable. Microlube.
Weaknesses: magnesium lowers crack, dampening rods weak, bushings wear easily. Warranty takes forever. Dampening adjustability knob on right lower always falls off- 25$ for a new one.
Bottom Line:
I had this fork on a 1998 Rocky Mountain DH Race. This fork was nothing but problems. The brake arch cracked, the dampening rod went, the bushings got sloppy ultra fast and when you tried to call warranty all they gave you was grief. Never again will I buy a Manitou fork. What a piece of junk!! Go Marzocchi or just don't go!
Similar Products Used: Marzocchi Jr. T, 01 Super T pro
Bike Setup: 01 Norco Shore, Marz super T pro, Race face BB and Cranks, sram 9.0 shifter and deraileur
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Submitted by
Kurt Jensen
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle, WA.
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2001
Strengths: Good value for the $$$. Reliable. Not all that heavy.
Weaknesses: Its a little short on travel for freeriding, but back in '99 115mm was about average.
Bottom Line:
It's adjustable, it's got good feel on both small and big bumps. It's been reliable. It was a huge improvement over my single crown RS Judy as far as stiffness, without paying too much of a weight penalty. If the newer dual crown Xvert that replaces this one is anything like it, then its a good investment.
Similar Products Used: This is my first and only dual crown. I doubt I can ever go back to single crown now.
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Heckler
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Submitted by
Willis
a Downhiller
from Grand Junction, CO
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2000
Strengths: Worked for a month....ummm mines black.... thats it
Weaknesses: i have had nothing but trouble from this thing. 7 blown cartidges under normal riding conditions and excellent maintenance. broke the stack on 2 different occations (got speed springs and havent had issues with them) and i can flex this fork a lot for a dual crown fork
Bottom Line:
ok, maybe its just mine but it has only provided one month of good service then it fell apart. 7 cartidges, 2 stacks, and now i have bent it enough to ruin the midstroke of the travel.... i may have gotten the rotten egg of the bunch but i have been very unsatisfied with this fork and asnwer manitou for that matter, they have provided unsatisfactory waarenty service every time something has gone wrong. other peoples sound like they work great but my white brothers and my marzocchi have provided performance on a whole other level of qaulity than the manitou (my busted WB, from a bad crash, worked better than the proper working manitou).
Similar Products Used: other manitous, huffy forks they are all the same to me
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Submitted by
Morgan Torkelson
a Cross Country Rider
from Eau Claire, WI, U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2000
Strengths: Very long, effortless travel. However responsive and control - oriented towards the top. Good preload pressure ramp towards the bottom. (I weigh 210 lbs. and have yet to feel it bottom out under normal riding.) Dual crowns offer razor sharp steering on technical descents.
Weaknesses: Heavier than a single crown, duh. But it still feels relatively light considering how rigid it is.
Bottom Line:
Beautiful fork; super stiff, well engineered preload compression, adjusts from pogo stick springiness to molasses - like dadmping, long travel. NO significant weaknesses. at all. NONE! NOTE: the headtube on my ricochet is longer than on other bikes and poses a problem in that the crowns are fastened precariously on the edges of the clamping areas of the two stanchions. Possible strength concern?
Weaknesses: no quite enought travel, not the most sensitive fork around
Bottom Line:
I have no real complain, except the adjusters are plastic and not too strong, the travel isnt too sensitive so they arent great on a downhill, but they are a good jumping fork and the steering is good and resonsive, the fact that they are stiff is good for running discs, so they dont flex when you brake. Im looking to buy some boxxers, as more travel is needed.
Similar Products Used: Last years X-Verts Marzocchi's (Ug)
Bike Setup: Specialized FSR
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Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA, US
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2000
Strengths: um..4.5" of travel in a strong as hell fork!!!
Weaknesses: I guess you could say the weight, but who cares?!?!?! Recently mine has started leak some oil, but it's a year old and a few cheap seals can fix that real easily.
Bottom Line:
This fork is the best I have ever ridden. Very plush over washboard-like terrain but very great for drop-offs.
Riding down stairs as fast as I can feels like I am just floating over them even though front wheel is being thrown around like crazy. Then launching off of another 8 foot set of stairs is made even more fun by this fork's ability to handle the punishing flat concrete landing. I love this thing!!!
For the ~$250 price that was offered by supergo, you just can't beat this thing.
Favorite Trail: Slickrock - Or anyting with lots of stairs to jump
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Similar Products Used: Marzochi Bomber, Judy 100
Bike Setup: GT XCR-3000 LX/XT upgrades
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Submitted by
a Weekend Warrior
from OZ
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2000
Strengths: EVERYTHING, INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE, QUALITY, VALUE, AND ANSWER CUSTOMER SERVICE
Weaknesses: WEIGHT? BUT I GUESS THAT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE IF YOUR BUYING A FORK LIKE THIS
Bottom Line:
I REPLACED MY JUDY DH WITH THIS FORK AFTER RIDING IT ON A FRIENDS BIKE. INCREDIBALLY STIFF, SMOOTH, AND PLUSH. SOAKS UP EVERYTHING WITH NO COMPLAINTS. PLUS TO TOP IT OFF, ANSWERS CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST IN THE BIZ. I HAD TO WARRANTY MY ORIGINAL EFC AND THEY DID IT NO QUESTIONS ASKED, HAD MY NEW FORK IN 2 WEEKS. PLUS, WHEN I INSTALLED THE X-VERT, I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REP WAS EXTREMALLY HELPFUL AND POLITE. 10 STARS IF I COULD.
