Submitted by
Hard Rain
a Cross Country Rider
from Wichita, KS
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2010
Strengths: It provides a great air ride for cross country. Nice easy compression damping adjustments, including lock out, for different terrain. Very reliable---I just set it once and put on a couple thousand miles.
Weaknesses: Zero
Bottom Line:
I got this fork for a steal through my LBS because Manitou had a sweet trade-in deal where I sent in my old fork (worn out at 15,000 miles) and received the new fork for $160. But I also think this fork is worth every penny of Manitou's regular asking price. Buy this fork if you want a great XC air ride, you like quality workmanship, and you care about getting great value for your hard earned dollars.
Similar Products Used: Manitou spring fork that came with my bike
Bike Setup: 2000 GF Hoo Koo E Koo recently rebuilt with Shram X7 drive train, Manitou R7 Super fork, and tubeless wheels (Stans ZTR 355 rims, Shimano SLX hubs, Stan the Crows tires)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
NPL
a Cross Country Rider
from Tarrytown, NY
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2009
Strengths: Plush for an air fork (after the break-in period). Good adjustability. Light weight. Tracks well. Doesn't leak. Well made. You can find it for a song new on ebay.
Weaknesses: None yet as long as Manitou stays in business.
Submitted by
aldous
a Cross Country Rider
from Brooklyn, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2009
Strengths: Light, stiff, good-looking, plush, great seals
Weaknesses: Variable lockout adjustment not so adjustable, slightly longer than normal break-in period.
Bottom Line:
Manitou hit a rough patch a few years ago with some dubious offerings, but I'm happy to say they're back. I loved the Manitou III I had on my old Kona Kula - stiff, low maintenance, bombproof. So I gave the R7 a try because it was one of the lightest forks out there, which matters to me because I love me some climbin'.
First, the fork looks amazing, the paint and overall finish are classy and subdued. But who cares about that (well, yeah, I do, actually...). Setup is easy, esp. with the Manitou shock pump (highly recommended whatever fork you're rocking), and the air spring pressure has held solid as a rock (unlike a lot of other air-sprung units) since the initial charge. Manitou says there's about a 20 hour break-in period, during which the fork feels a bit notchy, and that's about right; after that, though, it's plush as hell, soaking up really big hits with nary a wobble. Travel is super-deep on the 'softest' setting, not the full 100mm but then again what fork actually delivers full travel? Lockout for climbing is easily achieved by flipping a well-designed, easy to find knob on the right stanchion top. A Rock Shox Poplock-style remote lockout would be nice, but whatever. The oil seals have held up really well, even in the wet and grimy Northeast, with no leakage at all.
My only beef is that lockout/stiffness adjustment - the 'max plushness' setting works beautifully, the next stiffer setting indeed stiffens the ride, but between that and the five or so clicks to lockout I can't really tell the difference. This is no big thang, I love the gnarly stuff and can't really imagine fine tuning this fork on the fly anyhow. So no biggie. The R7 isn't quite so responsive on washboard-type bumps, either, but performance there is still serviceable. Overall the rebound is pretty amazing, and the adjustment works as it should. Stiffness is great - the fork is rock solid even on twisty descents, and if you have it set up right for your body weight it doesn't dive too much with heavy front breaking.
Bottom line: a plush, stiff, responsive, super light XC fork. I'm really happy with it.
Hi guys,
where's the difference between those two? damping (snap valve spv vs. absolute damping)? which one performs better? can you tell me the features of both forks (remote l Read More »
Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows the difference between the Manitou R7 Elite Absolute and the Super Absolute. They are comparatively priced and Manitou has no info on the matter Read More »
