Submitted by
Nate
a Cross Country Rider
from bloomsburg, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2004
Strengths: smooth light matches my bike
Weaknesses: bottoms out alot, needs better rebound, first day i had it i almost flipped over the handlebars by the front whell hitting. bought the bike from a 150pound 5'6" man, i weigh 195 at 6'
Bottom Line:
Not a bad product wouldnt buy expecially if u plan on getting some air. thinking of picking up some Black's. great for those riders riding only xc
Similar Products Used: rock shox judy (sucks!) black comp 100/120 (great!)
Bike Setup: specialized rockhopper comp, larson tt tires, chris king headset, axonic shorty, avid bb disc, primo barends intense locking grips primo peddles
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Submitted by
Brad
a Cross Country Rider
from Marshall, MO
Date Reviewed: November 27, 2003
Strengths: SMOOTH TRAVEL, soft and quick response, handled small bumps and big drops equally well, price, adjustable rebound
Weaknesses: durability
Bottom Line:
I loved this fork when it worked. It's the best fork I've seen for its price. It only bottomed out once and I'm 190lbs (I need to ride more). Unbelievablly smooth travel. It let me fly down hills when my friends were slowed up by their shabby rock shox forks. Broke a bushing on it after only a few months. Got it fixed under warranty with no problems. Took a minor spill a couple of months ago and bent the fork. I thought they were supposed to be more durable than that. Gonna try the Bomber now cuz I've heard good things about it. Although I had some issues with this fork I'll buy another Manitou again.
This fork has served me very well during the past year. The superior damping has saved my face from the rocks more than a couple of times. It took a while to figure out the right compression and rebound settings, but when I finally got it down I was very impressed. This is a sophisticated suspension design which I took for granted for months. It can be adjusted to suit any XC riding situation. I recently broke my wrist, but I'm still able to ride to work thanks to the adjustablity of this fork. It sucks up everything and makes for a very smooth ride. I can't say enough about the TPC damping. Coil and Oil is the only way to go. Hopefully I'll be able to get this thing back out on the trails where it belongs very soon. Buy one if you can.
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterloo, IA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2003
Strengths: Ease of tuning Coil sprung with TPC Rebound damping Skareb casting with semi oil bath
Weaknesses: NONE yet. Yes it is very soon in this fork's life, but if it is anything like the SX-R fork I had before, there will be NO weaknesses.
Bottom Line:
Yes the Bontrager has the infamous 1" steer tube by today's standards. I was told by a riding pal that Manitou had a 1" fork available. After many emails and phone conversations, and after a bunch of online selling to get the funds for a new fork, my Six Deluxe/Skareb fork was finally purchased...with the 1" steerer!! I was adamant about fork manufacturers getting away from 1" steerers and was willing to pay extra if necessary to get a 1"-equipped fork, preferrably a Black or Skareb. The rep I spoke with worked with me vehemently to secure a Skareb casting for my Six Deluxe fork. So basically, I have a 1" steer tubed Skareb fork. Very sweet! I don't know the exact differences between the fork's internals, but the semi bath lubrication is definitely better than the Microlube ports. I did have to pay full aftermarket price, but I cannot stress enough what this fork has done for the ride quality of the already awesome Bontrager ride. MANITOU FOREVER!!!
Similar Products Used: Manitou FS Bulge Marzocchi Z-2 of older years Rock Shox Judy XC Manitou SX-R Rock Shox Quadra 10
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz BONTRAGER Race, Paul Motolites w/ Love levers, Mavic/Hugi wheels, Caramba Double Barrels...8 speed only with XT Rapidfire shifter.
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Submitted by
Nathan
a Racer
from Salt Lake, Utah, US
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2003
Strengths: Very light, low price, reboung adjustment, can be switched to 100mm.
Weaknesses: Might be making a nasty rattling sound, boring graphics, sometimes on bigger hits will launch you if you don't have rebound just right.
Bottom Line:
An excellent fork for the price. Has lots of options usually only available to more higher priced forks. Extremely light, it makes a very nice XC fork. I race with it, and I beat guys with SIDs regularly. I seem to be getting a rattling noise out of my frontend, some other guys have complained about this with this fork, but I'm thinking my hub needs to be rebuilt. I would reccomend this fork to anyone on a budget, or looking for a light fork without a 400 dollar pricetag.
Strengths: Conservative paint job (black with silver decals ... NICE). Stiff and virtually no front-to-back play when braking. No side-to-side play either. Drop outs are built burly-style.
Weaknesses: I'm a bike messenger and I like to ride my forks soft and this particular fork is has a harsh ride. It doesn't soften the bumps or dips. It feels like it was designed to take bigger drops than most pot-holes I run over. Dampening adjustment is coarse (a little twist will make the difference between a hard and soft ride). The right side knob can be mistaken for an adjustment know (one day i loosened it and oil started dripping out). Rubber bottom is not adequate enough to keep water out on those rainy days.
Bottom Line:
Great handling when sprinting or on stop and go situations. Non-decript and virtually theft-resistant (no appealing colors to attract some garbage wrapped in human flesh)
Bike Setup: Steel frame hardtail frame. LX components. Fenders .. gotta have fenders just in case I run over squirrel guts.
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Submitted by
Bob Brashears
a Weekend Warrior
from Kansas City, MO., USA
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002
Strengths: Price, It actually rebounds and reacts to terrain...I think that this is what a suspension fork is supposed to feel like.
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
I shopped long and hard for an upgrade for the stock Jett fork on my M-80. I wanted to keep the Price under $200. At 3.3 lbs and 119.00 beans...this fork is all that. Now I can't tell you all of the facts about rebound dampening, or if the fork is "Flexy"...whatever the heck that means???!!??? All I know is that it rides great, absorbs the bumbs, looks great on the bike, and was very affordable. Urbans assault, or trail riding, this is a very forgiving, and comfortable fork to ride.
Bike Setup: 2000 Raleigh M-80..Six Deluxe Fork, Deore shifters and front derailleur, LX F/R brakes and levers, LX hubs strung on Sun Rhyno Lites, KORE Lite stem and Seatpost, Bontrager gel ergo MTB Saddle, Race Face Prodigy Forged Crankset, XT chain and bottom bracket, LX rear derailleur and cassette, IRC Mythos XC tires...sweet!
Strengths: Low, low price Pretty light Good rebound/compression damping adjustment Perfect spring rate
Weaknesses: Stiffness Don't like the short boots V brake posts strip when removed
Bottom Line:
Been riding a 2000 SX-R with Anti-Bob lockout for three seasons. Excellent cross country fork. Very disappointed when the steerer was too short for my new hardtail frame. Phoned the boys at Manitou and confirmed that the lockout mechanism in the SX-R will fit in the 2002 Six Deluxe (the Deluxe is essentially a re-badged 2001 SX-R). Pretty much all the internals are compatible between these forks.
The Deluxe works great - in the space of an hour, had the rebound and compression damping dialed in. The Manitou SX series is noticeably lighter than my Z3 Marzocchi, and less than half the price. I wouldn't by a Manitou for big hit riding, but for fast XC blasts, they're great.
One disappointment - the lowers on the Six Deluxe are smaller in diameter than my '00 SX-R. About 1 mm smaller - not huge, but enough to notice a bit more flex during really hard stops with disc brakes. I guess they had to save money somewhere to sell these things for $120.
Was going to give this fork a four, but I'll rate it five to make up for the ridiculous rating the guy below gave it. There is no way this fork deserves a rating of one.
Similar Products Used: Manitou SX, SX-R, Marzo Z3, Z4, RS SID XC
Bike Setup: Hardtail w/USE XCR shockpost
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Submitted by
Mike Ahearn
a Cross Country Rider
from Danbury, CT
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2002
Strengths: Relatively light, other than that I knew it was cr@p shortly after I began riding my bike.
Weaknesses: Fork arms became loose after about 3 weeks of riding, they make a rattling noise and don't offer very much confidence in the front end of my bike, has to be sent back to company which is probably the greatest weakness of all.
Bottom Line:
I kinda just got into the whole mountain bike scene and was very suprised to see so much technology put to good use in the construction of the awesome bikes being manufactured today. But I read reviews everyday about how forks break and it makes one wonder why a company can't produce a quality WORKING fork at a respectable price. I know Marzo makes good stuff, or so I have heard, but most of that is relatively expensive and Rock Shox makes some good products but they too have their problems (ie customer response and service). I love my bike and I love riding as much as possible, but I don't love companies that make crappy products. More companies need to realize that a riding customer is a happy customer. I will never buy a Manitou again.
Favorite Trail: Tanglewood 4-H Camp Beacon Falls Trail, Lincolnville, ME
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At: Ski Market
Similar Products Used: Duke C, Duck SL
Bike Setup: Haro Escape 8.2
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Submitted by
Phil
a Cross Country Rider
from Loveland, CO
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2002
Strengths: Good fork for the price
Weaknesses: Bushings were loose
Bottom Line:
This fork came with my bike and the bushings were lose from the begining. Even thouught the bushings were loose it felt pretty good. and there being replaced for free so it's not that big of a deal. So far I haven't done any drops over 2 or 3 feet an it has handled them well. I would recomend this fork because it's only 110 bucks at Supergo which makes it an excelent deal for a low budget mountain biker like me. Four chilis overall for the loose bushings.
Submitted by
Chris Cylinder
a Cross Country Rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2002
Strengths: I love loose forks like this only because it has 100mm travel. Wouldn't like it with only 80mm (like the Magnums). Came with my bike and im very happy with it. I ride very rough tarrain and do jumps as big as 5-footers. this fork absorbes everything well.
Weaknesses: Some may not like how loose it is, but I do so it is not personally a weakness for me. The weight is decent.
Bottom Line:
I love this fork for reasons i already mentioned (loose, long travel, etc). You should get this fork for rough riding and up to 5-foot jumps.
Similar Products Used: Tested Manitou Magnum on friend's bike. Not enough travel on those for how loose it is.
Bike Setup: Haro Escape 8.2 (Red/Black 19.5”): Manitou SIX Comp (100mm); Avid disc brakes (f&r); Shimano LX rear derailleur; Shimano Alivio shifters and front derailleur (8-speed); ProMax brake levers; TruVativ 5D Cranks; SRAM 5.0 cassette (8-speed 11-32T); Shimano IG51 Chain (8-speed); Alex DM18 Doublewall rims (32H); Intense 2.25" CC tires; Haro disc hubs, handlebar, stem, and seatpost; WTB Inner Peace ST headset and Speed V Comp saddle.
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Submitted by
Lance
a Weekend Warrior
from Southern California
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2002
Strengths: PRICE!!! good looks (mine didn't come with the full dust boots), plush enouf, more ajustments than my friends $300 bombers
Weaknesses: although I bet the stock springs work for most people but they are too soft for me at 190 pounds
Bottom Line:
I realy like this fork and am very happy with its preformance. I got a good deal on super go and it's still on sale for $120. It is soft for me at 190 pounds and easily bottoms on 1-2 foot drops, I just need to order stiffer springs. Oh and by the waw all of the pictures I saw of this fork had the full dust boots like in the pic above but mine came with the little dust seals that expose the stanchons. I would highly recomend this fork to a beginer or any one on a buget.
Similar Products Used: judy tt(sh!t), marzocchi z1 wedge 130mm
Bike Setup: 02 specialized hotrock, six delux, LX RearDerailer, shimano sl shifters, deore disks hubs w/ryno lites
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Submitted by
david hutch
a Cross Country Rider
from new zealand
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2002
Strengths: plush, light weight fork
Weaknesses: dont think it is 80mm
Bottom Line:
the best fork i have ever owned. better than i acpected. i was going to change it off straight away but after taking it for a ride down the local ike track i realised it was definetly worth holding onto. this fork is for anyone who rides a bike as long as ur not going to be doing 40 foot drops or 24 hour endurence races ( i think u get wat i mean)
Bike Setup: mongoose hardluck, lx, decore, hayes discs, kore cokpit
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Submitted by
Logger
a Cross Country Rider
from Sherman Oaks
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2002
Strengths: Great liteweight fork. Well balanced streer and directional element. TPC works well. Absorbs trail imperfections well. Looks good.
Weaknesses: Travel is not @80mm which is stated by description. Stock spring is rather weak, if over 150 lbs order extra firm spring at same time. Extra 20-25 bucks.
Bottom Line:
This is a great fork for the average rider dont buy into the salesman idealism that you need a 500 dollar fork, keep in mind forks always go on sale, dont pay full price. This fork is available for 120.00. If you would like a bit more aggressive fork, look @ 2001 Manitou X-pert Air (199.00) or X-pert @ 149.00 online. You could easily make this a better fork by adding a firm spring. Save your cash for more important components like brakes!
