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Manitou Sherman Breakout Plus

MSRP $ 829.95
# of Reviews 19
Average Rating 3.95/5
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Submitted by Zach Suggs a Downhiller from Charlotte, NC
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2007
Duration Product Used:3 months
Strengths:Excellent for large drops. Adjustable. Strong.
Weaknesses:Horrible at soaking up small bumps (before I "Devoled" the SPV platform)
Similar Products Used:66
Bike Setup:'05 Trek Session 77
Bottom Line:I took this fork out to Snowshoe and it was a horrible disappointment. The fork ceased up after doing actual downhill riding. HOWEVER, i took the fork apart, cleaned the seals, replaced the oil, and disabled the SPV platform (you can find out how to do this easily, just search for "SPV Devole") Now it feels great. I reccommend disabling the SPV platform (its reversable btw) to anyone who doesnt like the feel of the sherman as is. With the devolve, it feels like a whole new fork, much more capable of soaking up little bumps as well as large ones.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Jeff Boszak a Downhiller from Surrey, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2007
Favorite Trail:Secret Pleasures
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $1800.00
Purchased At:BSP
Strengths:Handles anything you throw at it and like the adjustments
Light but not risking any strenght
Weaknesses:Leaks abit
and has a sticky feel to it at the start of a ride
Similar Products Used:66, 888, totems, Stance Flows
Bike Setup:2006 Gemini 600 manitou suspention set up (4-way in back, breakout up front)
Bottom Line:Good freeride for and cross over downhill fork
but needs upgrade after year or so
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Tom a Downhiller from Syracuse, NY
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $150.00
Purchased At:ridemonkey (used)
Strengths:Camo lowers look rediculously nice,
spv evolve is good if you get it set up right,
takes biiig hits and lots of abuse without complaining..
Weaknesses:everyone i have ever seen leaks a little oil out on the stantions... should check out how much yer losing on average and add a little every 2 months or so if u dont change it that often...
Similar Products Used:66vf, jr.t, 888, sherman flick, boxxer race team and wc...
Bike Setup:05 IH Yakuza Kumicho, sherman breakout plus,saint cranks, halo combat wheelset...
Bottom Line:This fork is super cheap used and if you have a 1.5 i would reccomend this fork as the travel adjust is very nice while pedalling up (if thats what yer into) and the 7" of travel is awesome for dropping gapping and downhilling...
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by gal tzur a Weekend Warrior from edmonton
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:dd
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $200.00
Purchased At:friend
Strengths:stronge fork i realy liked it
Weaknesses:driping oil all the time
Similar Products Used:brake out plus 04 flick 66 vf 888
Bike Setup:s
Bottom Line:good strong fork that will take any drop and the feeling is almost like the fox 36
u wont feel any big bumps with this fork
and now i just gat another 1 for 150 buck
dont use the 130 cuz its not good for the fork 170 and that it if u change the travel a lot u will brake it realy fast
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by tommy a Downhiller from bronx
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2006
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At:local shop
Strengths:super strong super stiff for a single crown
Weaknesses:a little pricey but kinda worth it
Similar Products Used:66rc and i guess you can say dirt jumper 1 even thought it doesnt have much travel
Bike Setup:ley toy 4 sherman profiles dhr hayes...
Bottom Line:sick sick sick climbs great descends even better
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Taylor M a Downhiller from Steamboat Springs, CO, USf**kingA
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2006
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Ezekiel's wheel
Strengths:This is a really great fork. I must say that I have ridden this fork for one year ALMOST DAILY and never had it serviced and the performance has only gotten better (somewhere it picked up a propedal platform, i dont know either) I can climb and it doesnt move, yet as soon as the trail points downwards, it softens up for everything except the smallest bumps. It is easily preloadable to jump. The hex valve at the top right tube is great for adjusting for different types of riding. The air pressure also has an effect on the ride quality/bottom out resistance. Also, it is a pretty low fork for having 170mm. I hardly ever bottom this fork out, even when dropping 8 feet to concrete.
Weaknesses:The rebound adjuster doesnt change the ride at all. Not all that great for small bumps like it is for anything bigger than 2". It has developed a sticky feel (the propedal thing) when it is moving slowly.
Similar Products Used:Marzocchi 888 (not set up AT ALL)
Sherman stance blunt
Bike Setup:Iron horse 7.3, Sherman breakout plus 1.5, (soon to be) Fox DHX 3.0 (currently a 5th), Maxxis High Roller 2.7/Advantage 2.4, Hayes nine 8in, SRAM 7s, E-13 roller/bashguard
Bottom Line:It is hard to say about the small bumps because i need the oil changed but for everything else, drops, jumps, downhill, climbing, it is a great fork.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Michael Staples a Downhiller from Sonoma
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:Downieville/Northstar
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Purchased At:Pleasant Valley Cyclry
Strengths:A fairly good attempt at creating a beafy single crown fork.
Weaknesses:It's still a single crown fork.
Similar Products Used:Other Manitour stuff
Bike Setup:Gemini 2000, E13 dual chain tensioner, Twist grips, Specialized Flats.
Bottom Line:I had to ring in with another comment since my earlier posting concerning the fact that these forks were frozen. In reading other postings, I ran across others with frozen forks as well. And when my mechanic called Manitou, they knew just was the problem was. This indicates to me that there is a design flaw with these forks that cause them to freeze up. Under these conditions, I would expect Manitou to at least pay for the replacement parts -- but I don't think they will. In any case, I would not suggest that anyone buy a set of these clunks. And for those of you who recommended them -- good luck. Because that's all that's keeping you happy for now. The forks work pretty well... until they don't. And when they don't, they freeze up solid.
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Mike Staples a Downhiller from Sonoma
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:Downieville Downhille
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Strengths:Heafty, long-travel, SPV.
Weaknesses:Single Crown.
Similar Products Used:Other single crown.
Bike Setup:Gemini 2000.
Bottom Line:The forks are currently frozen stiff, waiting for a slot to open up at the local repair shop. Right now, they have about 1/4 inch of travel at best. They are heavy for a single crown settup. They are kind of on the edge -- not enough meat for downhill, but too much for XC. And when frozen, they aren't much good for anything. They will be comming off my Gemini.
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:2

Submitted by jeff barker a Downhiller from souris canada
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:cebos revenge
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At:a and l cycle
Strengths:dude everything this is a gnarly fork i love everything about it
Weaknesses:could be i little more sensitive
Similar Products Used:stance flow
Bike Setup:session 77
Bottom Line:sick 7 inch single crown fork x up and barspin friendly good manitou fork good for the core freerider i dont care wut ppl say about manitou i have had manitou suspension on all my bikes and i love them
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by eren a Downhiller from washington
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At:some bike shop
Strengths:super plush.
SPV preload adjustment
130-170 adjustable travel
camo lowers
130 is great for dirt jumpin
Weaknesses:mostly found in 1.5 headtube, but my headtube is 1.5 so its all good
Similar Products Used:flick plus, 66, slider plus
Bike Setup:ironhorse 7.3 camo mtx rims, camo breakout plus, e thirteen chain guide, and kenda tires
Bottom Line:this forks is soooooooo sweet buy it now!!!!
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Hott Stuff a Weekend Warrior from Flat, flatter, Flattest
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:jumps down the street
Duration Product Used:3 months
Purchased At:sent in Bcuz my Stance Flow or whatever broke
Strengths:Really diggin this here fork. My IronHorse 7.3 came with the stock fork but it started to lose travel so i complained and i got me a new fork. I like the bottom-out-meter-thingy (top of the right -> stantion tube) at first i was worried that i'd break it but eventually i did it and it r like heaven!!! you can make it softer for downhill and stiffen it up for hucking. the dampening doesnt seem to make a very noticable difference from lock to lock. I keep wondering why this fork isnt a double-crown.
Weaknesses:Oil leaking from bottom of left <- lower by the rebound dampening but i think the oil is just getting old and seals worn out (ive had it for about 4 months and never had them replaced/serviced) performance seems to change from day to day, some days it bottoms out on almost every jump.
Similar Products Used:a big fatty of stance blunt
Bike Setup:stockerific
Bottom Line:I have to be pleased with this fork, i didnt pay a dime for it (except gas to get to the place 2 hours away). Great fork for everyday use, and by everyday i mean riding jumps everyday. I havent had a chance to take it on anything more than a bluff for downhill so i dont know about that. This is a great fork but there is probably something better than it out there for not too much more monay. $0.00=five chilis TRES BEIN!= five chilis
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Matt a Downhiller from VT
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2005
Duration Product Used:3 months
Strengths:I can't believe a 7 inch single crown is this stiff, very adjustable, so plush, handles drops no problem, tracks well, beefy all around fork, other obvious advantages of a single crown.
Weaknesses:ummmm pinch bolts on thru axle strip easliy
Similar Products Used:Marz Super T, Drop Off, Z3, Boxxer World Cup, Manitou Stance Flow
Bike Setup:05 Trek Session 77 - Sherman Breakout, Maxxis Highrollers, Cranks Bros, X-9, Saint.....blah blah...
Bottom Line:Who needs a dual crown when you have a 7 inch fork like this??
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by mr K a Downhiller from london
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2005
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:single crown, plenty of travel, bolt through axle
Weaknesses:can only assume its the travel adjuster!
no preload either?
Similar Products Used:magura ronin, marz bomber,
Bike Setup:orange patriot, 5th element rear, breakout front, pretty off the shelf at moment
Bottom Line:recived the bike on friday, couldnt wait to ride it and spent all day saturday goint through the manuals and checking all the fixings and so on, took the bike to local park, all going well....so i thought.....after riding down a two foot drop, YES TWO FOOT!! it broke!...... i mean not broke as in snapped but locked rigid!!..... i am properly gutted, its a brand new set of forks! rest of the bike is excellent and i am very happy but this is the first set of manitou i have ever owned, one day ( well about 2hrs ) and there broken....this disgusting really!
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by More Uplift a Downhiller from Scotland
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:Drop Zone, Inners
Duration Product Used:3 months
Strengths:Stiff for the weight, travel adjust is nice if you really must pedal up hills. Post brake mount is easy and quick to adjust. Reliability - at this rate of running in the bushing will probably last for ever, but not, I hope, on my bike.
Weaknesses:Out of the box the action was stiff. I weigh 72kgs/11 stone and only got 15mm sag. Manual recommends up to 25 to 40 mm. At first I couldn’t believe that there was no preload adjust on a fork of this price. I expected the action to be stiff at first from other reviews so was prepared for a long run in period. So I backed the red SPV rebound adjuster out and put the minimum 30psi in the SPV air valve, and set the compression damping to minimum to try and get them moving freely from the off. They have now done 9 runs down the Fort William DH track and 3 full uplift days at Innerleithen and the small bump performance is completely crap. By way of comparison my last fork was a 130mm Lefty max and it smoothed out the “Magic Carpet” run at Inners really well, the front end stayed glued down. These Breakouts feel like they are skipping of every pebble, only waking up on drops etc where I get full travel. Total crap.
For what its worth the black paint finish is scratched to bits already.
Similar Products Used:Boxxers, 888s, Lefty Max 130mm (sweet fork just not enough travel)
Bike Setup:2003 Gemini, Diesel UST 2.5 tyres, 170mm travel with Fox Vanilla RC (400lb spring) - so smooth and sweet it just emphasizes how bad the Breakouts are.
Bottom Line:I sent them to TF Tuned Shox to sort them out. If they can't I have wasted £550. Having to spend to sort them "straight out of the box" is not on at this price.
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:2

Submitted by hardcoe newbie a from stockbridge
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:woolsey or the tower
Duration Product Used:3 months
Purchased At:arcadian shop
Strengths:so plush it absorbs everything!
Weaknesses:i dont know how to make it stiffer for hucking
Similar Products Used:none only other fork was a p.o.s RST
Bike Setup:stock 2005 medium cannondale gemini 900
Bottom Line:this fork would be perfect if i knew how to make it stiffer for drops, other than that it is perfect for plain fast single track.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Tdah a Downhiller from Lj, Slovenia
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:It eats everything in front.
Weaknesses:Nop.
Similar Products Used:Lots of it
Bike Setup:Stock Gemini 900 '05
Bottom Line:Riding harder every day, hehe
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Kristian Hendricksson a Weekend Warrior from Vaasa, Finland
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:Where ever
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $700.00
Purchased At:Wasa Bikeservice
Strengths:Smooth, stiff, looks.. Everything!
Weaknesses:Nohing yet.
Similar Products Used:Z1 FR1, Junior T, Z150, Sherman flick, Firefly, breakout.
Bike Setup:Best parts you can find, e.g. this fork :)
Bottom Line:Best fork I've ever had! Lots of smooth travel, but still light and stiff.


Some people seem to have problems with manitou forks leaking. I have had 3 manitou sherman-line forks before this and I have had no problems with that.


So, why should anyone buy the marzocchi 66 when you get the same stiffness, same amont of travel at allmost 1kg less weight.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Brett Nichols a Weekend Warrior from Bellingham, WA USA
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:Galbraith
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $1900.00
Purchased At:North Shore
Strengths:Incredibly sweet plus travel so far with this fork. Whole bike is on sale and we bought it for my wife. We were afraid the small Cannondale Gemini 900 would be too tall for her at 5'2" but so far it's been a huge improvement.
Weaknesses:I suppose only that 7 inches of travel reduces the standover height for a short person, but after owning this bike for a month my wife has decided that standover height is overrated.
Similar Products Used:Marz MX Comp w/eta.
Bike Setup:Stock Gemini 900
Bottom Line:Holy crap. 7-inch single crown. Fork takes your riding to the next level and then the one after that. 5 flamers for value, but only because the fork came on the Gemini 2004 that was on blowout sale in November and my wife needed a bike anyway. Not sure I'd pay $849 or whatever for the fork alone. Better to buy a slightly used z150 or Breakout for a third as much.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by mark a from canada
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2004
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:the fork feels great, the new spv evolve is nice. very adjustable
Weaknesses:leaks oil like like my 03 sherman brekout.
Similar Products Used:03 sherman breakout
Bike Setup:cannondale chase frame, breakout plus, hope mono m4's, chris king hubs, husselfelts...blah blah
Bottom Line:this fork drives me crazy
my last sherman leaked from the rebound dampening adjuster, and so does this one. i am having a ton of trouble with these forks, i am very dissapointed with they way these are built. they feel amazing, but they leak. i have had several problems with lowers and warranty issues. o can't say i am satisfied. these were bunk rightout of the box, and my other sherman was bunk before it was installed in the rocky mountain factory. the people at manitou are great, but the product leave something to be desired. QUALITY that is.
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:2






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