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Submitted by
rob
a Racer
from worc
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Nice feel!! | | Weaknesses: | Not forhard ridin + need f loads of servicin | | Bottom Line: | Nicefork,not for hard riding + need to be serviced alot!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a
from Townsville, QLD, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Top Brand Cycle Supplies | | Strengths: | Strong, easy adjustments | | Weaknesses: | Very stiff at times, need warming up | | Bottom Line: | I used to have a crap pair of RST's on my bike but then put these on. I think i am still in the wear in process, but them seem to be really stiff. I havent replaced the elastmers *yet* and am considering it. If you know how to make these forks softer, email me your suggestion | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt N.
a Cross Country Rider
from Flemington, NJ
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Tequepis, Santa Barbara or the one through the cowshed at the Dolomiti marathon. | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Price, stiffness. | | Weaknesses: | Reliability (warranty issues), can't use full travel, graphics flake off. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou III, IV, Mach 5 SX, 2000 SXR, and most Rock Shox. | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Supercaliber, SXR with Englund kit, King HS, Syncros stem, Bontrager Ti bar & barends, XTR drivetrain/levers/V-brake, White Industries/Syncros/DT Revolution/Rigida carbide rims, Mythos XC, Salsa Flip-Offs, Race Face cranks, World Class Ti BB, Easton CT2 post, Avocet 02r Kevlar, King cage. | | Bottom Line: | My original sliders got recalled because of risk of dropout breakage. The German mechanics who put it back together forgot a bushing, which led to the enjoyable experience of riding the Dolomiti Marathon with the damping shaft ramming through the bottom of the slider and thrusting 2" beyond the axle every time I hit a bump (perhaps the only time I ever got full travel out of the fork).
I eventually rebuilt the fork, added soft elastomers, used lighter oil for better rebound performance and put the thing on my wife's bike, and she's happy with it even though the yellow and white graphics have almost totally flaked off.
Springs would definitely improve travel, but at 3.2 lbs (alum. shaft), this fork is already heavy enough.
Bottom line: if you get one cheap, and are willing to tinker, it's worth it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Darren
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, Arizona
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | The Mach 5 SX's greatest strength is Manitou's customer service. | | Weaknesses: | The oil cartidge in my Mach 5 SX has broken twice. | | Similar Products Used: | Judy SL, Jett, Manituo Magnum | | Bike Setup: | I put speed springs in my Mach 5 SX. | | Bottom Line: | This fork has served me well for around 4 years and I ride at least 4 times a week. The oil cartridge has been my only trouble. The first time it broke was shortly after I purchased the fork. The second time was just recently.
I liked the Mach 5 SX. It served me well for 4 years.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jean-paul
a Cross-Country Rider
from montreal , quebec
Date Reviewed: December 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Secret singletracks ! | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
cheap !!!!! | | Weaknesses: |
creaking sound , bottom's out , decals are all finished | | Similar Products Used: |
indy c , spyder , judy c, judy t2 , judy xc lt , z4 alloy , | | Bike Setup: |
trek y5 (stxrec , lx , xtr ) and a 1997 trek 7000 zx ( stxrc , lxt) | | Bottom Line: | This fork has lots of problems , but thats normal cause my friend that weighs 160 pds bought it 2nd hand.Its about 2 years old , has been thru downhilling by 2 owners and now my friend is selling it on a trek 7000 zx. I looks like a lemon , but is really good for the price.Work out the bugs ( add speedsprings and fix the crown ) and You get a sweet fork. Who's buying the zx ? I am . | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rodzilla
a Cross-Country Rider
from Fairfield CA.
Date Reviewed: December 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
rockville hills | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Its better than a judy. | | Weaknesses: |
Damper hardly does anything. | | Similar Products Used: |
Rock shock Judy | | Bike Setup: |
Klien Xt-XTR mix.High end wheels Velocirapror tires | | Bottom Line: | Its served me well for about 4 years. The first one got recalled by the factory so i sent it back and it took about 2 weeks to get.(not bad}But when it came back the dammper adjustment hardly works at all. Its old tecnology but you can get them for cheap now. Next im getting a new bommer. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scott
a Cross-Country Rider
from brooklyn, ny
Date Reviewed: October 18, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
whatever i can find | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
light, laterally stiff | | Weaknesses: |
creaky, busted the damper | | Similar Products Used: |
mag 21, judy | | Bottom Line: | blew the damper so the fork is either a stiff pogo stick or it blows through the range on every hit. its torsional rigidity is quite good but the shock performance has always been lousy.
i heard there was a Manitou recall on dampers a while back. has anybody tried to take advantage of that recently?
Bottom Line: it's hard to ride like a wet noodle when your front end is spiking in berm turns. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonie
a Cross-Country Rider
from springfield
Date Reviewed: October 17, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Weaknesses: |
bad product testing | | Bike Setup: |
speed springs | | Bottom Line: | the elasomer stack shot out and hit me and the shop tech in the face twice each. broke the dampening rod clean off, real plush comapred to judys.
good customer service though, enough that i bought an sx-r this year. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross-Country Rider
from Hanmer
Date Reviewed: October 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
ski trials | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
stiff but the rest of the fork is garbage | | Weaknesses: |
damper staft | | Similar Products Used: |
my fathers Z2 work a hell of a lot better | | Bike Setup: |
Marin XT/LX | | Bottom Line: | I was hit in the fave by the adjustting cap, the dampening always leaked, and the damper shaft broke 3 times, but with a spring kit in then they wrok pretty good, but besides that the fork is garbage!! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ont Canada
Date Reviewed: September 17, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
none | | Weaknesses: |
everything | | Similar Products Used: |
97 Judy XC,Manitou 4,Marzocchi XC-51 | | Bike Setup: |
Trek 8500 XTR RaceFace Mavic 517's panaracer tires | | Bottom Line: | This fork is the worst I have ever used I've had it 6 months( bought it from a friend) and I have blown the cartridge 3 times and broke the damper shaft twice. I am now saving for a bomber | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MTB
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ann Arbor, MI
Date Reviewed: July 28, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
none | | Weaknesses: |
manufacturer | | Similar Products Used: |
judy xc, marz z2 | | Bike Setup: |
litespeed, xt | | Bottom Line: | This fork, and the company, provided me with the absolute consumer experience I have ever had. The recall was handled pitifully. The damping is pathetic and breaks down all the time. There is no such thing as Manitou customer service. The fork's internals are crap. The crown cracked after one season. etc.etc. Never, never, never will I ever purchase a single thing from this company. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leon Lo
a Cross-Country Rider
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: June 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
nil | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | Ill tell you bout this fork.....first of all, the damper shaft breaks easily, secondly THE CARTRIDGE BLEW ON MY WHEN IT WAS ONE MONTH OLD, I REBUILT IT 10 TIMES before giving up hope on it a year ago. Same goes for my friends 97
manitou fork but there was a change in 98, Manitou forks built in 98 are real good, no prob, but then 99....IT ALL HAPPENS AGAIN.
I hope this helps
By the way...Manitou has the best customer service in the world! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ric
a Cross-Country Rider
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: June 2, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
plush-e-nuff | | Weaknesses: |
blown dampner in first 20 hours. | | Similar Products Used: |
Cannondale headshocks, Judys | | Bike Setup: |
Ran the Manitou on a KillerV900 and CAD2 Cannondales | | Bottom Line: | I am 230 pounds and I have ZERO mercy for any of my components. I blew the dampner in the first 20 hours of extreme riding. I have left the the dampner blown for 2 years now. I installed the spring kit and set the preload for about medium. I really like it! There is no stiction ( hehe constant oil bath ) and it tracks like a bloodhound for an independant slider. I used it for 2 years of 3 and 4 foot drop-offs, 50 mph descents in northern GA and now in Arizona. I'd buy it again! I'm tinking of putting a reducer on my F700 and putting it on that, blown dampner and all! I dont think the dampner should of blown so soon, so it doesnt get all the chiles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve
a Cross-Country Rider
from san diego
Date Reviewed: May 6, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
I'm thinking | | Weaknesses: |
cartidge, manufacturer support, parts availability..... | | Bottom Line: | What a piece of %#@* this fork has been. It's blown the cartridge 4 times. When I ordered a rebuild kit ($30.00!), the damper rod was not the same. After contacting this chicken &%$@ company, I was told to reuse the old damper rod. Hey Manitou! Are you going to refund the price of the rod? I will never buy a product from this company again, nor buy a bike that has the misfortune of being equiped with one of its products. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a Downhiller
from Bournemouth
Date Reviewed: April 30, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Iford BMX Track and St. Catherines Hill | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Exelent fork for DH and Jumping, I've had no problems apart from the bushings wearing. | | Weaknesses: |
Bushings | | Similar Products Used: |
Rock Shox Indy C's | | Bike Setup: |
DMR Trailstar with Bomber Z4's | | Bottom Line: | Nice fork, durable and not pricey. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Obbard
a cross-country rider
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: December 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I rode the 96 Mach 5 SX for over 2 years. Over time, had many (most) of the problems described in the reviews below: the dropout-related recall, the tip snapping off the damping rod, getting hit in the chin with exploding adjuster caps, and multiple blown damping cartridges. The thing I need to mention though, is that my experiences with Answer/Manitou service were consistently excellent- replacement parts were sent to me promptly and without hassle. Example- during the lowers recall for the faulty drop-outs, I called Answer directly, gave them my serial #, and they had a new set of lowers to me in 3 days- and I never even returned the old ones. Bottom line: the fork had many problems, but the company stood behind it. In considering Answer products in the future, I will have complete confidence in the company's commitment to warranty service. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
revo
a cross-country rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: September 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Purchased 96 new. Peformed OK in first year, but once I fitted V Brakes they became a pain, as tyre needs to be deflated when removing front wheel. Stripped twice in first year and shock oil replaced. In the second year, Oil covered elastomers said that the upper damping seal had blown, then finally the damper dropout nut disappears complete with the bottom section of the damper rod, (it snapped off!) rendering the damper ineffective. Bushes have also worn with the British Mud grinding in. Whilst they where working, I found them effective offering good rebound adjustment. Two more irratating things with the design, the brace whist stiff it just a mud collector on the revese side, and the top adjuster knob rotates in the adjuster cap. Next stop a Pace MXCD or EVO Pro. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
coop
a weekend warrior
from chicago
Date Reviewed: August 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the MACH 5 on my Marin Rocky Ridge and I love it! I used to have
a Judy XC and I greatly prefer the rigidity of the Manitou. I have been
rather abusive with the MACH 5 both on trails and in the city (which can
be even worse) and have had no problems. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leaf
a cross-country rider
from San Luis Obispo, Ca
Date Reviewed: June 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I put speed springs in the Mach 5 and blew all the oil within two weeks of purchaseing it. I rode the thing for a while with a foamy oil mixture and found it to be flimsy with a pinner single bolt style crown. This fork is garbage and is priced accordingly. Buy a Bomber, its worth its weight in gold. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Mooney
a cross-country rider
from British Columbia, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my '96 Norco Torrent and these came on it. They are not a bad fork. Sure, they only have 2.5 of travel, but what are you going to do? They have stiffness in spades, and they go where you point them. The external rebound damping adjuster is a good, handy feature also. They are also very easily tuned, serviced and lubed. I ride in wet-dry conditions and the seals are holding up great. Just make sure you keep those shock boots over them. 3 chiles for these babies. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David A. Galdo
a weekend warrior
from D/FW-TX
Date Reviewed: May 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I am not happy with the shocks that I have, 96 SX(rebuilt once) and the white 97 SX. It was about seven or eight months before the cartridge gave out in the first shock and 4 months with the 97 SX. I've been on the latest SX for less than 300 miles and it has blown the oil cartridge already. Bottom line is that the seals are not yet perfected for the abuse of street riding let alone the trails. I can not say that I will buy a shock with air or oil cartridges ever again. The Noleen shock fitted for the rear has been exposed to the same abuse and/or more since I like to lift my front wheel over everyting, yet it has not blown. I will have to consider a Noleen fitted shock before I fall back on Answer. My other complaint is that it tends to flex too much, like a spring board at a local swimming pool. Just in the parking lot when testing the brakes, a friend with a side view noticed that the front wheel took a dip to the rear. I will say that it is one of the plushes shocks out, but for the flex and troubles with seals going out too soon, this only deserves one chili. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Duncan
a cross-country rider
from South Africa
Date Reviewed: April 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
well after 2 days of riding i blew a cartrige and after that they did not stop blowing
i want a new fork, then i sent it back and since then it hasnt blown very good with big hits and yes it has a lot of flex i tried to fix this buy putting new bushings in but that didnt help , wonder if the new SX-R is any better | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CW
a cross-country rider
from Burlington,vt
Date Reviewed: February 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Great once I put in the right weighted speed springs. Then the bastard sucked because of the damn cartridge blowing out 5 times since sept. I fit had a better dampener I'd love it. I haven't ridden the 97's to know if they are any better. Oh and the bushings wear fast (YES I do lube them.) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Nicholson
a downhiller
from Middlesbrough,UK
Date Reviewed: January 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I think that overall, these forks are pretty good. After about 4 months though, I snapped the bottom 20 mm. of the damper rod off by tightening it too hard. Looks like a new cartridge for me. These forks are noway suited for downhill but for dual slalom and jumping around on they are excellent. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ric
a weekend warrior
from Georgia
Date Reviewed: January 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I am a very aggressive 220lb, strong crosscountry/DH sport rider. I have a very STIFF '94 Cannondale KillerV900 with a '96 Mach 5 SX (with a spring kit).
In a nut shell...leave this fork alone!! 10 hours of saddle time resulted in a blown oil dampner and plenty of stiction. Now with about 200 hours on this fork (can' afford another one yet) this fork still has no small bump asorbtion and the preload is all the way soft...even for my wt. however, the fork only bottoms out on the nastiest of landings so I'm not too worried. Nice to see others with dampiner problems...im wtitting to Manitou. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris G.
a weekend warrior
from S.F.
Date Reviewed: December 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Have put in about 300 miles on this fork and it's travel is now smoother and closer to the 2 3/4 it's supposed to have. No stiction as of yet and I have put it through lots of off road rides . I'm quite happy with this fork and have no motivation to change to another. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevan Yalowitz
a
from Issaquah, WA
Date Reviewed: December 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have some 97 speed springs with little use that will fit the following forks:Manitou:
3
4
Mach 5 SX
EFC 2.5,
Mach 5 Comp/MagnumRock Shox:
Quadra 5
Quadra 10
Quadra 21The retail is $55 to $65 but you pick the price you want them for.
These will improve your fork ALOT!E-mail me at wbqf@juno.com ASAP with your price!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bill k.
a cross-country rider
from Irvine, CA
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I built an AlpineStar FS w/ Manitou 5sx. Immediately replace the elastomers with Speed Springs (tried both the blue & red tensions). Not a bad shock, but the funky adjuster caps blew out twice, launching the springs at my chest. Fortunately for myself and Answer, I was'nt injured. Turns out Answer's vendor has a QC problem. Other than that the shock handled well, but did'nt absorb the bumpsl in a moderate downhill run. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
brian
a cross-country rider
from indiana
Date Reviewed: November 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
i bought a '97 SX(white w/out ti springs) and have been riding and racing it for the past year w/out complaint. it tracks well which I really appreciate
has decent plushness and at the time was one of the lightest forks available.
BUT. . . I have since ridden the infamous Marzocchi M1 and I can't get that
fork out of my mind. It's velvety plush ease of travel and rebound characteristics have made a deep impression on me. this is how I thot my
first suspension fork would perform but didn't. Regardless, the Manitou is very nice but I'm going to full suspension and am wondering if anyone has suggestion
on upgrades for the SX(ideally if it would perform similar to a Zoke M2)?
Would really appreciate it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Jamison
a racer
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: October 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I broke my second one. This time it ripped out of the crown to the side in a whoop-de-doo. Everything else was fine, including a fully inflated tire. I had to have surgery because of this and Answer sent me an Xvert for my troubles for half of materials cost (VERY cheap). I did not want to stay with the Answer fork but the deal was too good to pass up! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chuck Woo
a weekend warrior
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: September 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Okay, here's a review for the '97 FS (the white one). I just got it a month or so ago and have ridden it off-road three times. One of these rides was Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa, CA, which is pretty rocky going up or down. The fork it replaced was a '94 or '95 (I can't remember which) Manitou Magnum. The Magnum was okay; it was a huge improvement over rigid (it was my first suspension fork) and soaked up bumps okay. The FS is a HUGER improvement. Now that it's broken in, the damping adjustment works like a charm and makes the fork act more predictably than the snappy Magnum. The extra travel makes the bumpy descents I've been doing a bit more comfortable, but the main thing I've noticed is that my confidence is improved by this fork, so I go over bumps and turns *faster*. This, I think, is the most significant thing any fork can give you, and the FS delivers in spades. (It's also stiffer, burlier, and better looking than the Magnum, in case any of that matters ;) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shawn
a cross-country rider
from Milwaukee, Wi
Date Reviewed: September 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I sold my RST mozo and bought the 97 SX. Best move I ever made. It's plush yet predictable. Adjustment is a snap. Answer has definately got their act together. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a
from VT
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
In a few weeks I blew the oil cartridge, that was a week late, some other three dollar part was three weeks late. Need I say more? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Theodor
a weekend warrior
from Stockholm,Sweden
Date Reviewed: August 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my fork about one year ago,put in some WhiteBros springs,5wt finish line shock oil and the fork works great. I blew the cartridge twice,changed the seals and the problem was fixed.
Great fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a weekend warrior
from Massachusetts
Date Reviewed: July 31, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have pounded this fork for about a year now and with the upgrade to speed springs instead of only elastomers the performance has gone considerably up!! I do have a complaint about the 96 fork boots, I went on an extremely muddy ride (this was before i got the speedsprings) and the fork seemed to be filled with a thick wet sponge meaning the fork moved a half inch instead of 2 and a hlf inches. I saw when i got home from the ride that the fork boots werent holding right on the seals so they could easily let water and mud in. I bought a pair of 97 fork boots and my problem was solved!! Also i have great things to say about there service. I was cleaning my fork and noticed that when i took the lower leg assembly off the left side, where the cartridge adjuster is, the thread on where the legs attach to the internals was stripped and hanging loose. I took the bike to the shop where i got it and they said it would be totally under waranty. they sent the fork back to answer and a week later they got the fork back with a completely new oil cartridge and all inside hard ware. I was very pleased at there no worries quick service and no questions asked. I would buy this fork all over again. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh
a weekend warrior
from Coquitlam
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This ISN'T a review for the Mach 5 SX, it IS however a review for the
Manitou Pro C (the C is for Cartridge) The price on these babies is 479 (CDN)Man they kick some serious ass! Wicked adjustment, shiny oil damping , and just overall coolnes make these the BEST! plus they are the stiffest fork I've ever ridden.If ya got the bucks, get them! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Leonard
a cross-country rider
from Monument, CO
Date Reviewed: July 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just replaced the elastomers in my 1996 Mach 5 SX fork with the Answer Racing Springs kit ... the improvement is FANTASTIC! You still use part of one elastomer, so you can still control the stiffnes by using different eleastomers (They give you 2 blues and 2 reds with the springs), and the preload and damping functions still work. However, the fork works better than I ever imagined it could. You can actually ride over washboard without getting pounded, and small boulders that would have normally stopped me in my tracks I could ride right over. Best $45 I ever spent on my bike. Colorado Cyclist has 'em | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pinchflat
a racer
from san francisco,ca
Date Reviewed: July 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
For '97 FS model. I've had it four months. Damper has leaked twice. Now there is play in the right leg and the wheel rubs the left brake pad when pedaling out of the sadle. Called Answer and they said to take it my dealer. Dealer said they don't know how to work on them but will call Answer. I'm waiting. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MADLEX
a cross-country rider
from Oahu, HI
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This is more a review of Answer's Service, than the fork (but to be fair I have yet to find anything at all bad about the fork - once I put in the Speed Springs). My 96 SX just puked all over itself (cartridge had a bad day) and Manitou is sending one out to replace it. No questions asked. Now THAT'S service! Did I mention that I don't have anything at all bad to say about this fork? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a weekend warrior
from Charlottesville, VA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Got a 96 SX on closeout with the spring kit to replace the rigid fork on my Rockhopper - since this is my first suspension fork, I can't really compare it to anything else - In any event, it has made a HUGE improvement - I can go faster and the bike feels much more in control (plus my arms take much less of a beating). Answer also has exceptional customer support - the dropouts were misaligned on the outer legs, and they sent me a replacement outer leg assembly UPS red! (they also gave me a set of 97 fork boots for free!) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom Swan
a cross-country rider
from Ambler, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Excellent fork, but I've broken two brake bridges without a single other componenet failure on the bike in 7 months. Have never tweaked front wheel using light weight single wall rim...Is there a weight capacity??? I'm about 195 and ride mostly rocks and roots....Any Suggestions???? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason Buckingham
a weekend warrior
from CA.
Date Reviewed: April 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, let's see. I've had my SX for about a month and I thought that they were the greatest thing to hit the planet. Stiff enough to be very accurate yetable to suck up a wide range of crud. The only complaint that I have is that I have already blown them up. Manufacturer's defect. These are the late model '96. I thought that they were supposed to have the problems fixed. Hoping I have no more problems they work great on a stiffer Alluminum frame. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Graves
a
from Seattle, WA, USofA.
Date Reviewed: April 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I tried the Judy SL and Bomber Z2 suspension forks before picking the '97 SX for my new 853 steel hardtail. The only real contest was between the Z2 and SX - the Judy felt mushy and had no adjustability. I decided the Z2 was too plush with the stock springs even though I'm no clydesdale (160lbs). The weight difference was a secondary consideration but sealed the issue.
I am dead chuffed with my first suspension fork - As a confirmed retro-grouch I was concerned it would soak up a lot of energy. However, my climbing style has adapted and is now much smoother.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Pollachek
a cross-country rider
from NJ
Date Reviewed: April 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I go all over the place. Off-road on mountains to just road biking for many miles. I've never had a problem. They have helped me considerably and suck up much more than the Quadra 5's or 21's I also have experience on. You can't even feel the bumps on a lot of hill's and I'm about 175 lbs. I can bike to football practice about 10 miles away and not have to worry about eating the bumps myself. In all this is a great peice of equipment and a great buy if you do serious biking. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gonzo
a weekend warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This are the coolest forks on the current market as they have never given me an iota of a problem as they have been subjected to a veritable plethora of radical and gNarLY terrain!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam a Cross Country Racer Sport
a racer
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: March 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
They need to update the Manitou category at MTBReview. This is a review
for the Manitou FS fork. This is the Downhill version of the white SX
fork. I use mine on an aluminum hardtail for CC racing. 32mmBulge legs on
a Stronger 4bolt crown and 76mm travel instead
of 70mm. This is a really plush fork with easily adjustable rebound
and compression dampening that you can really tell makes a difference.
Mine has an aluminum steerer tube and the fork is fairly lightweight.
The fork is easily taken apart for service. This fork replaced a Halson
Inversion and I can't tell a difference in steering precision. The
fork is really stiff. Must be the bulge legs. With a price
around $400 I have to give it 5Stars. I'm really impressed with this
fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hue
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver,BC
Date Reviewed: March 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had the mach 5's for just over two months and I regret to say that they just
aren't working for me. To be fair, it's still quite cold and I weigh only 140 lbs.
I run two 2 answer springs sandwiching a blue elastomer and it doesn't feel very
responsive at all. They're broken in and I've greased the stanchions w/ judy butter
as well as put finish line oil in the cartridge but that only slightly improved
the performance. Gonna try bomber z2's next. Heavier but they work. Otherwise,
the mach 5's just didn't work well enough to justify the added weight of a suspension
fork over a rigid fork. I have good feelings about the bomber's though and am
really itchin' to get 'em. I'll keep you posted.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron V.
a cross-country rider
from chicago, il usa
Date Reviewed: February 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great fork. I have the '96 version on my GT Avalanche and I can't complain.
Once I got rid of the stock elastomers and put some Speed Springs in it was
awesome. This fork can take big hits without bottoming out and at the same
time it can handle the little ones with no problem. For those who say that
the preload knobs pop out and can injure somebody are on crack. Try screwing
them in all the way so it won't pop out. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bouke M.
a weekend warrior
from the Netherlands
Date Reviewed: February 22, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
SUPERB FORK!!!!. I love the stiffness and damping is perfect for me (90 kg)
To stiff for you lightweights out there? ==> upgrade with springs!
Looks great on my GT, and was offered cheap. MANITOU RULES
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Jamison (bikeboy)
a racer
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: February 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Mach 5 SX continued...After repeated rebuilds of the damping unit, I had Answer send out a complete
fork leg that they built up. It blew in a few days. I've had nothing but trouble with this fork and wish I hadn't swapped the Rock Shox!On a positive note though, the customer service reps have been helpfull and
quick to send me parts... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
P.T. Reynolds
a weekend warrior
from Japan
Date Reviewed: February 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I ride bikes for fitness and freedom. Sometimes my destination is unknown. Bumps that have nearly broken my arms and tossed me over the bars headfirst on my road bike aren't even noticed when riding my Trek 8500 with these forks, but they handle like stiff road forks in tight, fast cornering with proper preload. '96 model is (was) coolest, badest looking fork on the market. '97's look like designed for a Barbi Doll set, but probably work better with the upgrades. I think a lot of people are getting hung-up on plushness. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ElNor
a cross-country rider
from Austin, TX USA
Date Reviewed: February 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I ride a Supergo Access that I purchased three years with an AMP F3 front fork. I was pretty new to mountain biking at the time, so I thought the AMP set up was great. Well after three years of pounding, I blew out the linkage in my AMP fork. After long deliberation, I purchased a 1996 Manitou Mach 5 SX. Oh my goodness, what a difference! All aspects of my riding have improved since purchasing the Mach 5: Climbing, Descending, tight single track, fire roads, everything. I purchased it with the spring upgrade kit. I haven't ridden it without the spring kit so I don't know how it handles without the kit (it has one 6 spring and one small elastomer in each fork leg). If you are considering a new front suspension fork, you can't go wrong with the Mach 5 SX (if you can still get them). It was a great purchasing decision. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Geller
a racer
from Topsfield MA
Date Reviewed: January 2, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, all of the bad news you may have herd about this shock, is not true. The good things I liked about it is that once you get the elastomers broken in the shock is a wonder. The only thing y;ou have to worry about is blowing the cartrige. I have had my shocs for about 6 months now, and I have blown them 3 times. The company has a good policy for this problem because they send you a cartrige system rebuild kit, free of charge, and it takes about 1 and a half weeks to get to you. The only other problem I have had is that there seems to be an annoying creeking sound, like the thing will break. The things you should check for are: loose screws on the bottom of the casting, or on the brace, where the stantion legs go in to the brace. Other tan that nothing else is wrong. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DOC
a cross-country rider
from KNOXVILLE,TN.
Date Reviewed: December 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I HAVE BEEN RIDING A MACH 5 SINCE JULY. NO PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THE CREAKING NOISE ON SHARP HITS. AFTER READING SEVERAL FIXES AT THIS SITE, I CALLED ANSWER AND WAS GIVEN FAST AND ACCURATE ADVISE. THEY CLAIM THAT THE STANCHIONS WERE NOTSANDBLASTED AS IN PAST MODELS AND THE ANODIZED SURFACES MOVED SLIGHTLY PRODUCING NOISE. ANSWER ADVISED LIGHTLY SANDING MATING SURFACES, CLEANING, GREASING, AND REASSEMBLE TO SPEC.. THIS HAS CORRECTED MY ONLY COMPLAINT. I'M 6'2 AND 205. THE FORK IS RIGID AND RESPONDS TO LARGE HITS WITHOUT BOTTOMING, YET IS SUPPLE OVER ROOTS AND ROCKS. A LIGHTER RIDER WILL LIKELY NEED SOFTER ELASTOMERS. GREAT FORK ONCE THE NAGGING NOISE WAS ELIMINATED. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
T. Hong
a cross-country rider
from Pittsburgh, PA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Just bought the new 97 SX. All the improvements are there! Thicker drop-outs.
Excellent sensitivity. An all around great fork.Just one thing needs to be commented on... Be sure to get the thicker brake post
spacer kit. It is needed to keep brakes from making contact with the arch. It
should come standard with this fork. Are you listening Answer?!Great fork otherwise!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roni Flores
a weekend warrior
from Malabon,Metro Manila
Date Reviewed: December 2, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have A Mach 5 on my bike and I like it very much because it is good to
absorb the shok & many more | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Not Givin It
a cross-country rider
from Nota chance
Date Reviewed: November 28, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Typical Story. A guy's old bike wears out. Buys new bike. Has Rock Shox XC removed(it leaks ya know) for the second Manitou Mach 5 SX in the shop. Good so far, but listen. The adjuster knob and spring stack promptly ejects faster than a bullet from a gun at my chest. Real good. Gets nasty creak. Hears about recall and told by shop the fork's fine. Loses fork day before race, its somewhere in Californi they says.
It flexs like Arnold. I lean the bike as I ride in a straight line, the brake pad rubs against the rim. I don;t even have the pad anywhere near the rim.Good fork **** stars with replacement coil springs
Bad testing, bad notification, bad service, bad everything else. No stars. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Obbard
a cross-country rider
from Salt Lake City, UT
Date Reviewed: November 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Very pleased- extremely precise handling in technical conditions. I waited till 10/96 to deal with the recall (had mine since 1/96). Called Answer directly, they had me new castings within 2 days. I've had none of the problems- exploding adjuster knobs, cracked braces- descibed by other reviewers, and only good experiences with Answer. Prior to replacing the castings I had just under 2K miles on the fork, 90% singletrack or slickrock. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don Seib
a racer
from Melrose, MA
Date Reviewed: November 26, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
After one season of riding I have broken the brace, cartdrige and had to deal with the re-call. I won't buy Manitou again. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin S.
a
from weekend warrior
Date Reviewed: November 19, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Like a lot of folks, I bought one of the close-out, post-recall versions, with the factory MCU-spring-MCU setup. I've been pounding on it a few weeks and so far, so good. No squeaks, no problems. It replaces an aged Quadra 5, and of course compared to that it's a miracle of engineering. The only downside is that it raised the front end about 1/2 inch, which I can feel but quickly got used to.Out of the box, the factory setup was too firm. I was only getting 1.5 of travel and felt that it could be doing more to smooth out the nasties. So I stumbled across a Soft Steel Spring Kit from Answer, part# 85-3641. It replaces the original stack with a much longer spring and 2/5 of a bumper. It absolutely transformed the fork- the rate and action is both better suited to my weight and the fork's damping. With the original stack, there was either too much compression or not enough rebound, but this kit lets me go to 4-5 clicks of damping while maintaining a smooth ride that doesn't pack up too much on fast washboard.The acid test was this stair step rise that I used to clean maybe half the time.
Now I just ride right up it. The undamped Quadra would throw the bump back up at me, slowing the bike and stopping me cold. On rocky sections, the bike used to shake violently and slow down, now it just cruises over the stuff without losing speed.In other respects, I never knew my bike could handle this well. It's a lot more precise and feels much more solid than it did with the Quadra, and with the change to a threadless headset and ti stem, it lost about 1/2 pound of weight in a place I can really feel. For anyone with an older or un-damped fork looking to upgrade without spending a fortune, get one of these while they're still around. Don't worry about the recall thing, it's been fixed. Manitou really got slammed for that, yet people still buy Rock Shox without even thinking about it. Guess who's had more recalls overall, and whose '97 forks are cracking? Yup, those guys. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Notis
a cross-country rider
from Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Date Reviewed: November 8, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had it all summer -- knew about the recall so the dealer set me up with a non-recalled fork at the start. I've had no problems and think it's a good fork. The biggest thing that I notice is that it's very stiff! The streering control is great.
I put a sring in it so I get better travel. So far so good.
This is my second Manitou. I had their first one (1.5 inches of travel.) But the only other thing around at the time was the original RocksocK and everyone I knew who had one of those leaked oil all day. So contray to all the bad press I like mine!
The new ones for '97 look great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Drew Sivgals
a cross-country rider
from San Luis Obispo Ca USA
Date Reviewed: November 7, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Excellent fork but the 4 week recall was an absolute nightmare! They essentially lost my buy of any Answer products in the future. I haven't had any problems with my forks since the recall, but I'm crossing my fingers every time I ride. My friend has the Manitou mach 5 XC and they began creaking after the first ride. Judy's in the future most likely. Four stars, would be five but that recall was ridiculous. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gilles Blackburn
a cross-country rider
from Chicoutimi,Quebec,Canada
Date Reviewed: November 1, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Besides the waiting (recalled for 4 weeks), I have had good time with this fork. I have some complaints about the damping adjuster knob not holding in place, the paint starting to peel off at the dropout and the rubber boots not holding very well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Wnuk
a cross-country rider
from Lynnwood, Wa.
Date Reviewed: October 30, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I ride alot every day, the urban thrasher type. SuperGo mail order had a killer deal, and I couln't refuse. I Wanted one BAD! So I bought one. It rules hardcore! I've ridden every commonly avalible fork of 96, including the mitghty judy SL, and this one is tops. Why? It's way stiffer, the rebound dampener is easer to use and more effective; mine has the alloy stearer tube and has got to be as light as that judy SL; and most of all, mine has the two inch coil upgrade in with the MCU's. SMOOOOTH! Just do yourself a favor and grease up the bushings as soon as you install the fork. Just say no to stiction! And best of all, their way tricker looking then anything else. Gloss black. I don't really believe any of the 97' could be mutch better, even the new one peice judys. Revolt against the establishmant, do something diffrent to better your ride! Don't fall prey to Rock Shox and their marketing assault, Ride the best! Ride a MANITOU! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy
a cross-country rider
from Beloit Wi
Date Reviewed: October 29, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
after reading all the bad stuff about a fork that I spent alot of loot for . It makes me wonder if something like this is going to happen to me. But what seams to be out of the or-
danary is that my fork is working great, in fact I love it .it's all the good things manitou says it is and more. I've ben riding the hell out of mine on some of the roughest terrain
over the last four months and mine hasnt skiped a beat. plus Im a 195 pounds, even with this weight the fork takes some of the biggest hits without bottoming out or blowing
an oil cartridge . All I hope is that I havent spoke too soon!!!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a racer
from Arcata, CA
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have enjoyed my fork. It absorbs large hits very well, and has saved my butt
a handful of times.
The recall was definitely a bummer, but Answer just sent me a new pair of
replacement legs.
If you consider the magnitude of the recall, they handled it very well.
I did rebuild another Mach 5 because the damping was not working; after a total
rebuild - no difference!! Regarding the creaking, it is an metal oxide build-up
between the stanchion tubes and crown. Take the legs out of the crown and clean
the surfaces of the interfacing surfaces very well! I used carb-cleaner. Since then
no creaking! Answer did say it may take up to 3 such cleanings to eliminate the
creak. The coil spring upgrade kit improves the thru-stroke feel of the fork, and
soaks up all hits that much more - plusher!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kenny
a cross-country rider
from Winchester,MA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Manitou Mach 5 Sx are awsome for the price. I got the fork for
its anti-flex legs. They work awsome but I can't get it really soft like
the Girvin Vector2. Nothing has gone wrong with my fork. I think it's
comperable to the Judy SL. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a cross-country rider
from Vacouver CANADA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Over all the fork is the BEST, that is when its working. It picks up small bumps
and large hits with ease, But I just blew my damper out and very disappointed
since looking at all the other reviews clearly clearly shows that this fork
has some major buggs to be workedout.I did have it recalled and was happy for a
while until it started to creak and the damper blew. I guess you gotta give Answer
some credit for a great working fork though...
Now if they just worked out the bugs it would be great! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sunny
a cross-country rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 15, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
At this point, after going through 25 or so reviews on this fork, you are
probably quite tired and ready to skip the rest so, I'll make this short.
Pros: Light (3.15lbs actual weight, with 1.125x6.5 aluminum steerer)
Reasonable price relative to Judy SL($150us to replace steerer/stanchions!)
Damper is rebuildable and parts prices are good.
Cons: Dust wiper doesn't seal fork very well, even with the boots attached
Stanchions creak in the crown but, can be fixed by deburring the crown
and adding a film of loctite to the assembly.
I spoke to someone at Answer Products and was told that there is a new dust wiper
design ('96 1/2) but it is NOT compatible with older Mach5's. Anyone know any
thing about this, or is he just snowing me? They will lose marks for this. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil Kogan
a cross-country rider
from E. Douglas, MA
Date Reviewed: June 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
MACH V sx Ceaking (THE FIX)
I recently put together a Balance XR750 (Tange Prestige Cromoly).
I purchased a MachV sx for it, and discovered the creaking noises immediately.
After making sure the handlebar was not loose I checked the binder bolts on the
legs. This did not make any difference. Here is what I did to finally fix it.
1 Remove the threaded platic skewer stack from each leg.
2 Remove the fork binder bolts and remove the fork legs as a unit,
and set them aside.
3 Look at the milled slot in the fork crown. This is what pinches
together to hold the legs in the fork.
NOTICE THAT THE EDGE OF THIS SLOT IS SHARP. It seems that when these
slots are milled they are not deburred, and this allows the leg to rock
and make that creaking sound.
4 Use a hobby or jewelers file and take the edge off the slot where it
would just touch the fork legs.
5 THIS WILL ALLOW THE LEG TO BE HELD BY THE FULL AREA OF THE CROWN.
6 Before installing the legs I coated them, as well as the crown with
a light coat of litium grease. I also recoated the pinch bolt with
a drop of Loctite 242 on the end of the thread and put a tiny drop
of grease up by the head.
7 Make sure you put the legs all the way into the crown. Also make sure
you have them facing forward. Notice that there is a little lip, so
that you can not put them too far in.
8 Finally torque the pinch bolt to between 110 to 130 inch pounds.
Be careful to not tighten too much. This torque would be the same as
twenty pounds of effort at the end of your 6 inch allen wrench.
9 Replace the skewers. Be carefull to tread them all the way in
but do not over tighten or cross thread them.
I also replaced one of the stock bumpers in each leg with two of the blue
bumbers from my Manitou Three. This has softened the ride over roots and small
rocks. I did have to crank in a lot of preload to hold up my 193.5 lbs.
Hope this helps!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Hauswirth
a cross-country rider
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I had ridden my new SXs for less than a week before finding out through the web (note: not the dealer that sold me the fork) the darn things had been recalled. Much to my delight, Manitou quickly replaced the errant parts and I was soon on my way to miles and miles of plush, trouble-free riding.
In comparison to my previous Future shock, the SX smokes it in any category you wish to discuss. They rock. I'm no snooty hard-core racer, but I do ride fairly often (and race occasionally) and have yet to experience any creaking, moaning, or stacks poking me in the eye (rider error?). For the price, they can't be beaten. Who needs Judy? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jimmy Pfaffenberger
a weekend warrior
from Marietta, GA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Manitou is the stiffest Suspension fork I have ever riden; it goes where you
point it. I really loved the fork until the recall, Answer as had my fork for two
months, and keeps promising a new delivery time every week. The fork is great the
service sucks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Mental
a racer
from Northboro, MA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
These forks work great (most of the time)! I have had a couple problems with
them, though.
First, they had to be sent back to CA for slider replacement due to the
dropout recall.
Second, I had a problem with the left inner leg sliding out of the crown!!!
I had an horrible metal-metal sound as I landed from downhill jumps. I went
home, pulled out the elastomer stacks, then pushed the forks up and down.
As I pulled down, the left inner leg pulled out of the crown. The pinch bolt
was still there, and relatively tight. I guess it may have not been torqued
properly at the factory and eventually worked loose. They were creaking for
a few rides before this happened, so that may have been a warning. CHECK THOSE
PINCH BOLTS!
All in all, a great fork when it's working. Not much fun when it has problems. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Emil Barth
a cross-country rider
from New Jersey
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have previously rode with no suspension for two years and have just
purchased a 5SX for my new bicycle. This fork is the best I have ridden/
tested of those on friends bikes. I notice no flex or steering problems,
most likely due to the huge arch. The travel is very nice and handles all
types of bumps. I tried Judy and this fork is much nicer, weightwise
and aesthetically. I did purchase the fork after recall and have full
confidence in the continuance of its excellent performance, bumpwise and
in reguard to steering and braking.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a cross-country rider
from Colorado Springs
Date Reviewed: June 14, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had most of the problems as well ... my spindle blew out and hit me
in the chest, my fork started creaking, and it was also one of the recall units.
My bike shop replaced the spindles with one that had fuller threads on the caps,
and they replaced the entire fork as well from their stock of newer models.
I fixed the creaking by pulling the forks out of the brace and cleaning
them where the brace clamps on.
It performs pretty well, but now I am scared that it might bust when I'm riding.
I put in softer elastomers and like it better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Brownfield
a cross-country rider
from San Francisco Ca
Date Reviewed: June 12, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought one of these as soon as I could. First time out, a nice night
ride on sweet singletrack, I'm cruising along happy as hell cuz finally
I got a rigid suspension fork under me and BAM I get hit in the neck
and on the next switchback the fork is a lot softer...sound familiar?
Seems like a lot of us got this. Once got new cap for leg no problems
until I heard about the recall just before the Lemurian; couldn't stop
the Lemurian for a mere recall of course so finally sent it in early
May and it just came back! Having some other stuff put on so no new
experience with what they sent back. Never did any change to stack,
just messed with the damping and preload settings a bit and feel this
is a great fork especially for the bucks and where I ride (not cold here
much in SF but hear the elastomers dont do so well where it is). Very
rigid, much more so than the original Trek Black Diamond (Showa) that
came with my bike a few years ago. Just hope the Manitou, after two
annyoing problems not in my mind well handled by Manitou, now will do
well for as long as that Showa served (2.5 years with one rebuild, not
too adjustable now admittedly but its in a box...). Ride on! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bud Merritt
a cross-country rider
from Georgia
Date Reviewed: June 7, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
A friend of mine were riding this weekend when I heard a sharp cry of
distress from him. Turns out that the shock blew out of the top of the
left fork leg resulting in the threaded cap, spindle, elastomers, etc. hitting
him with great force in the chest. This could have easily blinded him. He
maintains equipment well and doesn't abuse parts. I am seriously thinking
about changing the mach 5 XC that I just had installed on my wife's bike.
These things are dangerous!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel
a cross-country rider
from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: June 5, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Whoa! With this fork fork I could fly downhills. I love the rebound,real easy
trailside adjustment compared to my friend's Judy SL. But just after three
weeks of riding I crash, the fork brace broke. I sent it back to the shop
and he said it was on recall damn, I wanted to kill the shopowner because he
told me that it was o.k after I told him the serial number of the shock. I
felt cheated and I'm never going to the shop again but I will go there to
get back my shock. The Mach 5SX deserve five star because it clearly is a
great shock.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nelson
a cross-country ride
from Potomac, Maryland
Date Reviewed: May 28, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought these as upgrade for the Manitou Comp fork on my 95 Mongoose IBOC Comp SX. The fork is a very big improvement over what I had before. It soaks up big bumps with ease while suppleness over the small stuff. One of the biggest pluses over cheaper forks is that these are highly adjustible. Both preload and rebound damping are easily adjusted by hand knobs. The fork is very stiff laterally, which gives the rider very good steering control, thanks to the arch which completely wraps around the outer legs. The downside is that the arch is rather thick and do not allow most brakes to open all the way for easy front wheel removal. I opted for the alloy steerer, which is quite a bit lighter than the standard cromo. The $25 extra charge for the alloy steerer is worth it. One thing to note is that the alloy steerer has thicker tube walls, hence a smaller inside diameter. You might have problems fitting your current aheadset cap into them. But many companies make caps that fit alloy steerers. D
O NOT
attempt to modify the steerer. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan K.
a racer
from Truckee, CA
Date Reviewed: May 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
bought fork in september 95 and took it to mammoth. blew the oil cartridge out in the first 2 hours.
sent fork back and they lost it for 3 weeks! Got fork back and it worked perfectly until this March when I blew
the oil out again. I only weigh 155 and the fork was set up perfectly. Sent fork back again and they lost it for 2 weeks.
Came back with new fork boots (longer) and new 97 prototype mcu's and heavier oil. The fork is more resistant to bottoming
and is slightly more progressive at the same time. The recall thing was okay cuz I got it fixed at the Sea Otter Classic along with the yellow
preload knobs. The fork, performance-wise is better than my xc or sl. It's stiffer and just plain better. But the reliability thing is unlike manitou.
I actually gave up a sponsorship from AMP to ride the thing. Maybe I should've stuck with the BLT fork.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Pippel
a cross-country rider
from Mesa, AZ
Date Reviewed: May 16, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my Mach 5 SX since October of 1995 and have had some problems with it.
The first fork I purchased developed a crack in the back of the brake arch
where it bonded to the fork leg. Answer replaced the fork with a new one. The
replacement fork developed creaking and snapping noises on relatively minor hits
after 4 weeks of use, and one of the end caps started to strip. Answer sent me
replacement end caps but the creaking persisted. Answer told my LBS that greasing
the threads on the crown bolts before torqueing would solve the problem. It did
not and the fork creaks to this day. To top it all off, the replacement fork was
affected by the recall and had to have the outer legs replaced - yet another
visit to the LBS and time off of the bike. To summarize, I like the performance
of the fork (particularly the lateral stiffness) but am very unhappy with the
quality of construction. When I pay almost four hundred dollars for a suspension
fork I, at the very least, don't expect it to sound like it's breaking every time
it takes a hit - taking hits is what I *bought* it for. I am currently working
with my LBS to get a refund on this fork and purchase a set of JUDYs. Bummer.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Liberino
a weekend warrior
from San Marcos, CA
Date Reviewed: May 15, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I previously owned a Manitou 3 front shock. I also was not convinced that damping
would make a difference since I'm only a 150 Lb. rider. I noticed an immediate
difference in the following ways: Stiffness - You'll definitely feel less lateral
movement of the fork. Damping - I'm convinced now! I have so much more control of
the front end of the bike I can't believe it. It definitely doesn't rebound as
fast. I did have to go to the blue (softer) microcellular elastomers. The ones
that come with the fork beat the hell out of my shoulders. The blue ones are
perfect for me!
Except for the recent RECALL on the forks, which I've already had fixed, I highly
recommend these forks. They are worth the money and I think Answer has done it
again!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Going nowhere fast
a cross-country rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: May 12, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I am reluctant to disclose my identity for fear of reprisal from Manitou if this review should become known to them. About the fork, I am at pains to say anything positive except Black is a nice color! Three weeks after receiving the fork, the oil dampening assembly failed. Manitou assured me it was easy to rebuild and sent me the parts. After some frustration,I enlisted the aid of a motorcycle mechanic to get the job done. I was reminded of the old math proof conundrum that skipped many important intervening steps with the rationale that they were intuitively obvious--to an expert with experience perhaps, but not a rank amatuer with no experience. That said, I got the fork rebuilt and was alerted to the recall way riding in Moab. A guy from Australia who happened to riding nears popped up and asked if I new my fork hab been recalled? Hell of a recall notification system, send one guy from Australia around the U.S. to alert unsuspecting souls. I replaced the recalled sliders with a new set. O
n the inagural ride, the oil dampening unit failed completely along with the other non-dampening stanchion--the end cap on the stanchion tube blew out. Upon finally getting through to Manitou, I was told by a whiney tech-rep that we all had to make sacrifices, he himself had not had the opportunity to ride due to the recall. I was at a loss as to what this had to do with anything! I have yet to receive my repaired fork, and admit to being anxious about the quality of the rebuild given that one of the tech-reps informed me he had no prior bike mechanic experience! Am I less than impressed with Manitou? You bet!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
A.D. Mullins
a downhiller
from Provo Ut. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: May 4, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my Mach 5 for three months now and have nothing but good to say so far. They corner like rigid forks, and soak up the big hits as well as the washboard stuff. I have reced them three times downhill style, one race in paticular that beat the #*%@& out of them, and they have held up in true manitou fashion. ( The answer rep. told me that my forks were new enough, that they were not part of the recall). Maybe the bugs have been worked out.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cory
a cross-country rider
from Marietta, GA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have only ridden this fork a handful of times, but it works really well. That is as long
as it is not in the shop or at Answer. I had the shop for a day before it went back for the
recall. Three weeks later, I got it back and the dampening unit was shot. The fork wouldn't
rebound at all. Answer wanted me to send my fork back, but I was able to get them to just send me
the new leg assembly. So after all of this I was able to get out a ride. The fork is sweet. Handles the
small stuff and the big hits excellently. Much better than the Judy XC which is one my other bike.
If it wasn't for all of the hassles with the recall, I would give this fork a 5 star review. But I
like to ride my bikes instead of fixind them. If you are looking for a great fork, this is it. Hopefully
you will get a better one than I did. 5 stars for the fork (once working), -2 stars for the hassle(recall and
messed up dampening unit).
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Svehla
a weekend warrior
from Baltimore, MD
Date Reviewed: May 1, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Mach 5 SX to put on my Mongoose IBOC Pro(My Gary Fisher Paragon that was equipped with a Mach 5 Pro was in the shop with that damn recall!). It was awesome. Great shock absorbsion, terrific dampening, very stiff. But notice that I said was awesome. Last night, I went to adjust the dampening and voila...the nut that holds the leg with the dampening adjustment on fell off in my hand. It had snapped! I wonder how long I had been riding with only one nut holding the whole shock together. The shock is now at my LBS, waiting for a reply from Answer about warranty work. I'm trying to talk my LBS into letting me exchange the shock for a Judy XC. I can only pray...It was only 3 weeks old!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andre Markarian
a cross-country rider
from Alpharetta Georgia
Date Reviewed: April 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
i think it's a great overall front suspension
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Moresi
a cross-country rider
from Santa Rosa, CA
Date Reviewed: April 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
In Santa Rosa we had an incident similar to Jerm's,(MY friend's M5's preload knobs popped out...)
except the top cap hit the guy in the eye and it detached his retina!!!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerm
a cross-country rider
from singapore
Date Reviewed: April 14, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
MY friend's M5's preload knobs popped out of the left leg and ricocheted into his chin and injured him subsequently. He could've easily been blinded!!!!!! The whole elastomer stack also flew out together with the knob so now the fork's spoilt. Basically, all Manitous have been pretty useless from the start.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Torsten Seeliger
a cross-country rider
from Nuernberg.de
Date Reviewed: April 14, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I was at Lago di Garda (Italy) for biking with two friends.
When I drove the sentiero 601 downhill, the fork broke and I smashed
into the ground.
Both dropouts were broken.
When I came home, I looked for some information about this damn fork
on these pages.
I found reports about the recall from manitou - too late.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don Seib
a Norba racer
from Boston Ma
Date Reviewed: April 9, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I really like the shock, but haven't had to good of luck with the
company or the recall. I put my shock on two weeks ago and found
out is was recalled the next day. I sent it back, got the new one
and it looked like a third grader has pulled it apart and glued it
back together. On top of that, I sent them a V brake version and got a
non V-brake version back. They say they will make good but it will
take a month to get me the right one. On the good side I am riding
the one they sent and it is rock solid so far (no creaking, I hoping
this doesn't change). The rebound and damping are very similar (almost
exactly) like the Judy SL. The steering is where this shock shines.
It goes were you point it, almost with rigid fork accuracy. I break
almost everything I use so I'll keep you posted.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Jamison (Bikeboy)
a Norba racer
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: April 3, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I really liked the performance of the fork but after 2 weeks, it started creaking.
After 3 weeks, the fork brace BROKE IN HALF and put me down at 25mph! When I called
Answer, they said Oh yeah we've had problems with the castings, we're recalling them!
When I checked with the local shops, they had not heard of any recall. I had a
New Generation fork shipped out 3 weeks ago and it is now creaking again!
Helllloooooooo Mr. Rock Shox!!!
I should never have swapped out the Judy XC! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Francis
a Norba racer
from Campbell, CA
Date Reviewed: February 29, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Manitou Mach 5 SX is the new king of the front suspension arena. The Judy SL is probably it's equal but at $200 more... helloooo! My shock with 1 1/4 by 140mm steer tube weighed in at 3.4 lbs. More than I expected so I put the alloy steer tube and the weight dropped to 3.1 lbs.
The shock is smoooooth. I replaced 2 of the stock medium bumpers with soft ones for my 140 lb. Weight. With that tune up, ripple bumps seem to disappear. It's performance blew away my Mag 21 with long travel kit.
One bug is that the rubber boots don't stay on too well. This is probably due to the big brace. Also the brace gets in the way of the long V-Brake pads. In other words, you have to deflate your tire every time you take the front wheel out... bummer.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin Connoy
a Norba racer
from Lenox, MA
Date Reviewed: February 29, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Nice fork, but..... it's on recall from Answer! I have a fork
from the second production batch which I received early Oct. 95.
It started creaking after 3 hours use. Call your local bike shop
for more info, not Answer, they're too busy.
| | Overall Rating: |
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