Submitted by
PJM
a Cross Country Rider
from PC UT Date Reviewed: July 14, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
supergo....
Strengths:
This fork has been the most reliable piece of bike componentry I have ever had the joy to ride on. 4yrs, 10K+ on this air fork, and besides a once-a-yr take apart and clean, it has only had one leaking oil seal replaced a couple of yrs. ago, and that is IT!! It has never leaked a lb of air, the Lockout has always worked, rebound damping has also always been effective, compression damping is internally adjustable, it is super light, relatively stiff (if on an xc bike) and HAS NOT BROKEN...
Weaknesses:
Seals are not Marz. quality, I ran lizard skins on em for the entire time, and it has helped alot I think in keeping this fork working...We don't ride in wet conditions here much so keep that in mind..
Similar Products Used:
lots...all busted...
Bike Setup:
Kona King Kik custom build...
Bottom Line:
I have broken every frame and fork that I have ever owned in the past 15 yrs. Considering this fact, it has suprised me considering it is just over 3 lbs., I am 200lbs+, and it has over 10K on it. The reason is, I believe is for the following reasons..1.) This purchase was a Supergo closeout of Mars air forks destined for Europe. Maybe I just hit on a better batch of forks? Hmmmm... 2.) Lizard Skin protective boots....3.) I don't abuse my stuff...4.) Regularly maintained and cleaned it. And 5.) I don't do the geek freerider jump-off-of- buildings thing...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kyle
a Weekend Warrior
from ohio Date Reviewed: July 29, 2003
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
local bike store
Strengths:
ajustable, soft feel, great for small bumps and obsicals
Weaknesses:
shock tubes not covered, almost to soft
Similar Products Used:
rockl shock indy fork
Bike Setup:
1999 17'jamis frame
Bottom Line:
great for light trail rideing. not good for riding when wet, it gets sticky and I have heard of it locking, but it has never fully locked on me. it is great for ajustability, and it has always worked for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Orlando Rodríguez
a Cross Country Rider
from Bogotá, Colombia Date Reviewed: February 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$169.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
lightweight Tuneability
Weaknesses:
all, well, except its paint
Similar Products Used:
sountour (junk), rock shox duke (now that´s a good fork)
Bottom Line:
This is NOT a good fork at all, it is flexes a lot, when you try to descend stairways all you can think of is when will it finally snap. If you ride in wet/mudy situations the fork just won´t work. However if you will use it very lightly it might, just might, work. Ahh, almost forgot, those decals came out after a couple of rides
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Submitted by
Sam House
a Racer
from Austin, Texas Date Reviewed: January 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Flat Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
Great action, very smooth and adjustable. Very light
Weaknesses:
Very unreliable. you simply can not get in the mud with it or she'll lock up on ya.
Similar Products Used:
Bomber Z3, Rockshox Mag 21
Bike Setup:
2002 Sugar 2
Bottom Line:
Well, I hate to say it but Manitou dropped the ball on this one big time and so did Gary Fisher for putting the thing ont the Sugar. The Sugar rocks, the fork sucks. It locked up on my during the 24-hour race, but luckily we had a mechanic on duty to fix it pronto. DO NOT BUY THIS FORK. i love how plush it is, but after a bit of rain you're screwed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig Jackson
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: July 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Craigieburn
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction Cycles
Strengths:
Light & responsive (initially - see below)
Weaknesses:
Unreliable!!
Bike Setup:
Marin Juniper Trail (forks came with bike)
Bottom Line:
As you can see from other reviews, these forks are not designed for a long life. Mine have been rebuilt twice now after seizing up (1st time 1.5yrs after purchase)and have now locked out a third time. I have been told by the bike shop that the anodizing on the shafts has worn away so the seals can't seal anymore, water gets in and now the forks are useless.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
oli snowball
a Cross Country Rider
from newbury,berks,england Date Reviewed: June 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
THE TRAIL AT QE
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
Light v.adjustable and easy to service, when they work they are excellent!
Weaknesses:
They don't work anymore! flex, they lockout!
Similar Products Used:
I work in a bike shop so i get to try/service a lot of forks
Bike Setup:
Raleigh RSP 150 frame,raceface cranks n BB, mavic, Easton, Time pedals, XT.....etc
Bottom Line:
I was chuffed to see these forks going for such a good price (200 pounds) and so after some some consideration i bought them. What a mistake!! I started racing last year and decided i had to get some light forks, I had never bought/owned manitou forks before and was simply going on what i had heared and their reputation. When they arrived the first thing i noticed was the weight...very good, i was sure i had made the right decision and fitted them the same day. After the the first month of trouble free riding the problems began... I noticed that i was no longer getting full travel from them, so i decided they must need servicing and the bushings cleaning. I was amazed at how easy they were to service and clean up. The problem had gone..at least for a few rides, then disaster struck. They just locked out completely. After another service they were ok again and.....you guessed it, it has been like this for the past 5 months. I have been working in bike shops to 3 years and have never seen anything like it, neither have any of my colleges who have worked with bikes for donkeys years! Well i am going to cut my losses and get some new forks, maybe some marzocchi marathon s.....so will some one hurry up and review some!!
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Submitted by
vincenzo
a Cross Country Rider
from salerno italy(near amalfi coast) Date Reviewed: April 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Weight,look,TPC works fine.
Weaknesses:
Incredibly flexy(terrifying),sticky action(high breakaway treshold),terrible bottom-out if you try to set it plush enough,unsafe feeling(notice the stereer tube press-fit plug they were forced to adopt as a "safety" recall),bothering lubrication routine required(microlube).Costly,also.
Similar Products Used:
MARZOCCHI mxr coil 80-an absolute top performing fork,the bomber series being in my opinion the benchmark of serious mtb forks.
Bike Setup:
FSR XC comp disc 2000,MARZOCCHI mxr coil 80(the MARS was stock),MRP X-link,RITCHEY risers,DEORE octalink cranks,545 pedals,HAYES hydraulics (stock).
Bottom Line:
I've never felt comfortable with this fork right from the start:the flexing under braking was unbelievable,i really was able to see the wheel axle shifting backward under the bars-maybe this was enhanced by the power of the HAYES,but i'm really asking myself how they believe a fork acting like that to be safe,and disc brake compatible,too.Apart from this,the flexing was also noticeable-even if to a lesser degree-in every situation on the trail,giving the bike a nervous,unsafe and uncomfortable feeling-talking about pure performance ,the small hits sensivity was really poor,showing a high start-up treshold(maybe typical of an air spring,but the FOX on the rear,to say,is an air shock and it's much plusher)and if i tried to run lower pressure to minimaze this,i got a wild bottoming on steep downhills.I realize it is a ligthweight,good looking fork,and the TPC is really effective,but the strenghts of this fork end up here-i simply believe this fork to be unmatched to real mountain biking,but this is of course a personal opinion-maybe x-country addicted in search of a light,stiff damping response fork will love it-but this was the first thing i've changed on the bike,as i use it for trailriding instead of xc racing.Anyway local racers seem to love it,but i don't know if xc racing has so much to do with real mountain biking.I've tested the 2001 version and i have to say they improved a lot:the 2001 is stiffer ,more solid and much smoother but the gap with the bomber is still wide,and let's consider the price,too.
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Submitted by
Mikko
a Cross Country Rider
from Helsinki Finland Date Reviewed: March 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any xc
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Kauppaveljet
Strengths:
Light weight and super adjustable dampening. Right travel length for a Cross Country race bike. Good price for weight and features
Weaknesses:
I have owned a several forks now and this is possibly the most unreliable fork I have ever ridden. I simply couldn't reccomend this to anyone. My fork has spent so much time being serviced it isn't funny anymore and I am looking for a new fork after only 3 months of riding it.When applying the front brake while riding you can see an inch or so movement out of the front axle. Never take this fork out in anything but totally dry weather. After having used my fork only once in some rough wet conditions it has to be sent away for a service and I don't see it for two weeks. It is now down to less than 70mm travel. Bushings blew up after 3 months of riding it! Stay clear of this fork or stick with your rigids. Less trouble. And it is weights much more than claimed 3.0 lbs !
Lefty, Manitou Pro, Old school Judy, Way old school Mag 20
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, with all the good stuff
Bottom Line:
If used for XC racing its good. If used for semi-aggressive trail riding, performance falls short. If you jump or do drop offs you will probably kill it. I weight 168 lbs. and use it just for XC races. I use the X-vert for trail and fun rides. This fork is a nice alternative to the SID. Its easy to tune. Its not very stout but the SID is flexy also.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from Oregon Date Reviewed: January 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Jamis
Strengths:
Light, good-looking without stickers.
Weaknesses:
Leaked air before warranty. LEAVE THE BOOTS ON!
Similar Products Used:
Atom Bomb, Judy XC
Bike Setup:
Trek STP with XTR, Mavic, and Race Face
Bottom Line:
Worked good but got sick of putting air in every other week so i sent it in for warranty before the year was up. It came back with fork boots but there were none originally. I figured I could cut 'em off to save a few grams. Sand got in there and messes with the piston and caused stiction. After I overhauled it and filed the abrasions down it works good again. I still need to put boots back on though. Fuction before weight is an expensive lesson.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric follow up from me
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Ontario Date Reviewed: November 23, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Little river
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
wheel world
Strengths:
they are light and look nice good adjustment
Weaknesses:
they break easy I mean the nob on bottom of the right fork leg broke on mine twice
Similar Products Used:
marzochie z2 x-fly, rst XMO, rock shox sid and judy xc.
Bike Setup:
Brodie alpha with Xt front and rear, and Xt hubs and X517 mavic rims
Bottom Line:
They are a light fork but the nob broke on me twice and manitou fixed it free but the time they took was the problem. It is a good fork for the money and $199.99 is a good price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Hancock
a Cross Country Rider
from Auckland Date Reviewed: September 25, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Nancroix, France
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Price Point USA
Strengths:
Lightweight, easy to tune.
Weaknesses:
flexy, maintenance, servicing in New Zealand
Similar Products Used:
Mainitou x-vert, Judy SL, SID XC
Bike Setup:
Marin Mt Vision Pro
Bottom Line:
As a budget alternative to SID dual airs I think these forks are great. You need to keep an eye on fork oil level and make sure there is a tablespoon of oil in the LH leg (above the air spring) or they will get soft. They are a little flexy but they're for XC use and its a trade-off. I have had excellent service from Answer/Manitou in the US, which makes up for the lack of service in NZ. The rebound adjuster knobs break but should be replaced free of charge.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lightning Crow
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque NewMexico USA Date Reviewed: September 22, 2001
Slight knocking when hitting 1-2" bumps in road or sharp rocks on trails(check below)
Similar Products Used:
Rock,"M"
Bike Setup:
Marin HT,Sun,Xtr,Avid,IRC,RAceface,etc
Bottom Line:
Overall a great shock,I had a knock problem(see above),and was going nuts,breakdown,cleaning,breakdown,cleaning Then I called Manitou,they said that it sounded like the seal might have dried out some,Live in NM.,and to try a small amount of shock oil in the air chamber,IF this didn't work to call them back and they would take care of it, WELL IT WORKED,no more knocking no more pulling my hair out THE FOLKS AT MANITOU are GREAT,when they had the recall,I called them and received the alum.plug within 24 hrs.Bottom line GREAT FORK,GREAT COMPANY that stands behind their product and all us MT.BIKERS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Randy
a Weekend Warrior
from Indiana Date Reviewed: September 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Tsali
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Microlube grease ports, disk brake compatable, smooth action.
Weaknesses:
Factory safety recall, flimsy when using disk brakes.
Similar Products Used:
JUDY SL, XL, C Long Travel.
Bike Setup:
Seven Cycles wXT/XTR/Raceface gruppo.
Bottom Line:
When using disk brakes the torsional flex is a little scary. Best if used with traditional rim brakes. The action of the fork and adjustability is great, but I think the safety recall "quick fix" of forcing a aluminum piece into the steerer tube is unsettling. I don't even want to ride the fork hard anymore. Anyone want to buy it?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Crazy Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Arleta, Ca. USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Red Box to Switzer
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$179.00
Purchased At:
Wheel World
Strengths:
Light weight, disc brake compatible, comfortable ride, cool black color, new red inserts in the steerer tubes
Weaknesses:
no pump for the oil, Adjuster knob on top turns but i don't notice any difference,
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shock C
Bike Setup:
1998 Schwinn Moab 3, Deore XT front/Deore LX rear, Kore Lite Stem, Race Face Air Alloy Riser, Avid 1.0 Brakes, Bontrager Super Stock Wheels and Hubs, Specialized Team Control/Team Master Tires
Bottom Line:
I've haven't been riding this shock long enough to know the good and bad yet but I notice a major improvement over the original Rock Shox C it came with which was basicly crap. I purchased it at Wheel World where I heard they were a great bike shop (someone lied). I asked for the top tube to be cut to the length of my orginal shock and they said no problem so i left it and came back an hour later and they never touched it. They didn't even remember me from an hour ago. I guess purchasing a $179 shock, $100 Hawg Camelback and $30 Crank Brothers Power Pump wasn't enough to keep their attention for more than an hour. If you want to upgrage from a stock shock then get the 2000 Manitou Mars.
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Submitted by
Martin Jensen
a Cross Country Rider
from Denmark Date Reviewed: August 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Rude Skov
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:
Hi, It seams that Manitou has a problem with the MARC CL 00 among other. Go to http://www.answerproducts.com and read the recall safety info. The problems are on these forks ( and some BMX stuff ) 2000 Manitou MARS Suspension Fork, 2000 Manitou MARS C Suspension Fork, 2000 Manitou MARS CL Suspension Fork, 2000 Manitou MARS 1 Suspension Fork 2000 Manitou X-Vert Super Suspension Fork
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Burton
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: July 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Taquesi Inca Trail - Bolivia
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Four Seasons Cylcles NZ
Strengths:
Light weight and super adjustable dampening. Right travel length for a Cross Country race bike. Good price for weight and features
Weaknesses:
Reliability is shocking and super flexy.
Similar Products Used:
Rockshock Judy SL, Rockshock Sid Race, Manitou SX
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Owl Hollow complete XTR except Gripshift 9.0 rear derailleur and shifters. Syncros Ti seatpost. Body geometry saddle.
Bottom Line:
I have owned a several forks now and this is possibly the most unreliable fork I have ever ridden. I simply couldn't reccomend this to anyone. My fork has spent so much time being serviced it isn't funny anymore and I am looking for a new fork after only 10 months of riding it. As Kenny in another review mentioned when applying the front brake while riding you can see an inch or so movement out of the front axle. Never take this fork out in anything but totally dry weather. After having used my fork only once in some rough wet conditions it has to be sent away for a service and I don't see it for two weeks. It is now down to less than 70mm travel. Stay clear of this fork or stick with your rigids. Less trouble.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Allen
a Cross Country Rider
from Conway Date Reviewed: July 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Butterfield - Devil's Den
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$179.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Adjustability weight (lack of) lateral rigitity damping customer service price!!!
Weaknesses:
Poor decal installation I would like to see boots come with this shock, but answer shipped a set free of charge. That is great customer service!! They also sent a new set of decals.
Similar Products Used:
Judy T-2
Bike Setup:
Schwinn Mesa GS, LX, XT
Bottom Line:
This shock works great. Both the compression and rebound damping adjustments make a big difference. Adjusting the air pressure changes this from very soft to very firm. One note: Answer says there was a type-o in the manual. Maximum air pressure for this shock is not 145 psi, but 185psi.
I would recommend this shock to everyone that enjoys cross country riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve M
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: June 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Ho Chi Minh/Memorial Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$179.00
Purchased At:
Universai Cycle
Strengths:
Quality of ride Easily tuned Weight
Weaknesses:
stickers bubbled - (I had to list something...right?)
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX, Rock Shox Judy XC, SID XC
Bike Setup:
Y2K Trek 7000, Pazzaz low 20mm risers, Rock Shox suspension seat post, Forte "Junk Saver" saddle, MARS 1
Bottom Line:
I LOVE this fork! I honestly can't see how anyone could complain. I have had NO PROBLEMS with mine and I ride in ALL conditions. This fork works great for cross country. It's easily tunable and has a fantastic ride over all types of terrain. It's easy to maintain and does not leak air or oil. (My SID leaked BOTH). This fork is very light but sturdy which produces a very responsive steering rate. For ONLY $179.00 it's a STEAL! I'd hightly reccommend this fork to anyone. It's a great upgrade to most anything!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
billy
a Racer
from farmington hills, mi Date Reviewed: June 11, 2001
this fork works when properly maintained, ive had to replace the seals on the lockout once, and i wasnt too happy,..but other than that, its a great light weight xc fork!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
romch
a Weekend Warrior
from albuquerque, nm Date Reviewed: June 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Otero Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$179.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
I can actually feel any adjustments i make as far as tpc dampening and rigidity. It looks great (either blue or yellow)and has performed great in rocky terrain. Also, the fork only weighs 3 lbs!!!
Weaknesses:
The little screw came out of the bottom of the shock arm (the air compartment). It was replacable and may have been my own fault it fell off. I don't think you should have to buy the shock pump, but it won't function well without the right psi.
Similar Products Used:
Rock shock indy (white) Came stock with the bike
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Hoo koo e koo (99) xtr, lx components, Chris King Headset, Velociraptor tires, profile riser bar.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that for the price paid, the fork performs well. A huge upgrade from my previous fork and has taken in some harsh rides (otero Canyon and Elena Gallegos for you NM'ers) I highly reccomend this fork to anybody looking for an upgrade. Very light weight!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Gilroy, CA Date Reviewed: May 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Demonstration Forest
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Cupertino Bikes
Strengths:
Light weight, smooth, somewhat stiff for a light guy of 150 lb, good looks
Weaknesses:
Stickers badly put on, could be stiffer, leaking seals, leaking oil from compression knob
Similar Products Used:
Girvin Elite, Manitou 4, Judy Sid
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR '00 Pro, Race Face cranks, mountain springs x-linkage
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up review. Fork works as intended and light enough to race on. However, the reliability is what others have complained about. Both fork seals have developed leaks needing more grease to be pumped in from the Micro Ports. Top cap for compression is leaking a bit of oil possibly from the TSP dampener. I'll have to bring it in for service and judging from the previous reviews, I'm out of my bike for awhile while it is being serviced. I don't like any down time and therefore have decided to get a new fork, a Marzocchi Z2 Atom Race. It's 3/4 of a pound heavier, but more reliable and stiffer. I'll sacrafice weight for reliability anytime. It would appear that the Marzocchi has a excellant track record on reliability. That is not to say the Mars is a bad fork, it's an excellent fork for racing and XC use, but I want a fork that doesn't leak and break down. Judging from the past reviews, the Mars tend to leak and down time is substantial. Once the seals are replaced and my leak fixed, I will sell the fork. When it worked, it was an excellent fork, but it does not seem to be a fork to go the distance with all it's leaking seals.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daryl
a Racer
from Webster, Texas Date Reviewed: May 25, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Good rebuilding service
Weaknesses:
Although a good rebuilding service, very slow.
Similar Products Used:
Nollen Mega-Air
Bike Setup:
DEAN Colonel Ti hardtail, Full XTR, Avid Ti Brakes, Thomson Stem, Easton carbon bar, Titec carbon post, Avid cables, Crossmax (non-tubeless), Time carbon pedals
Bottom Line:
I used to be apprehensive of this fork. After the recent rebuild my fork received, I have changed my mind. Manitou replaced everything on my fork (steerer, internals, anti-bob) except for the lowers. I must admit that I am truly impressed with the rebuilt version of my fork. The anti-bob now works like it should and it is such a smooth ride. A little of this great rebuild could be from the hand-worked process instead of machine built. I definitly recommend this fork to anyone and especially now that the price has been lowered (supergo.com,jensonusa.com). I also defer my previous beliefs about the Noleen I rode (2 reviews down). I now find this Mars 1 fork to be super smooth and able to repeat the racing process over and over again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anton Michaelow
a Racer
from Bet-shemesh, Israel Date Reviewed: April 7, 2001
Favorite Trail:
no-one knows the trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
specialized
Strengths:
The cool color VERY SMOOTH
Weaknesses:
IT's pretty heavy for the regular racer so I demand this great MARS to be lighter so it will suit more to my friky races.
IF YOU ARE A 100% TRAIL LOVER AND YOU DO COUPLE OF RACES IN A YEAR I WOULD SAY "GO FOR IT". IT HAS A LONG REBOUND(ITS NOT FOR DOWNHILL DON'T BE MISTAKEN BY MY WORDS)IT'S VERY SMOOTH AND YOU CAN HAVE FUN WITH IT ALMOST EVERY-WHERE BUT IF YOU A RACER I WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE BUYING TH MARS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daryl Roberts
a Racer
from Webster, Texas USA Date Reviewed: April 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Anything Technical
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Air Fork, Lockout, Semi-Lightweight
Weaknesses:
Needs lots of rebuilding, No Fork Boots, Warranty Service From Manitou, Broken Lockout (now)
Similar Products Used:
Noleen Maga-Air
Bike Setup:
Full XTR 8-speed, Time Pedals, Hutchinson Tires, Mavic Crossmax (non-tubless), DEAN Jester frame
Bottom Line:
Kenny must have had some serious weight on his bike while riding. (3 reviews below) My fork has never or will never flex like that. It is possible that his did not have the red steerer tube insert that was part of a recall Manitou had to all the Mars Fork. My fork is different then the one pictured. It is actually the Mars 1 w/anti-bob lockout. I enjoyed the fork until it just quit on me. I had to send it back to Manitou and it is taking forever to get it back. I race on it (when I have it) all the time. It led me to borrow a Noleen Mega-Air which turned out to suprise me. I do think that Manitou makes a good fork but I would wait until they bring out the Black (Manitous new fork coming out this summer). It has a reversed brake-arch and 30mm stanchions. That leads to ultra-stiffness. I only recommend this fork if you never do any bad-weather riding (i.e. No 24-hour races in the mud) or have a problem with sending a product in for service because it will be a while before you see it again. I bought this fork in July and the price has already dropped to $179.00 at some places. I will probably stick to riding the Noleen. I'll have to test out the suppossed to be fixed fork when it returns.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn Austin
a Weekend Warrior
from Waltham, MA Date Reviewed: March 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Vietnam
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
This is a response to "Kenny's" review two reviews down
Bottom Line:
Kenny, you might want to check your headset. If your review is honest and your fork really moves backwards two inches when you apply the brakes then you either have a loose headset, or you weight about a ton. I don't think there's any fork on the market that can flex that far without failing (i.e. bending permanently or breaking in half).
You really should stay away from making the assumption that women ride inferior bikes with weak parts. There are plenty of women out there who ride just as well as men. That's the kind of comment that keeps you from having a girlfriend.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luis Costa
a Cross Country Rider
from Portugal Date Reviewed: March 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
who care's
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
PernaLonga
Strengths:
well it's pretty, works good (so far), price, very easy upkeep, ligth weigth
Weaknesses:
Didn't come with pump.
Similar Products Used:
judy XC, obsys55
Bike Setup:
sunn unique, just the way i like..
Bottom Line:
sorry but i will write in portuguese !!! a meu ver a susp. funciona e mais funciona bem se estiver bem afinada quase nao bombeia nas subidas e amortece bastante bem nas descidas!! estou bastante satisfeito e acho ke é uma excelente compra. relaçao preço qualidade tá excelente! apesar de tudo sao só 1300 gr o o que sao $320 por uma susp que pesa 1300gr?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kenny
a Weekend Warrior
from boynton bch,fla Date Reviewed: March 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
now deceased K-mart course
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
wheel world
Strengths:
looks nice
Weaknesses:
FFFFLLLLEEEEXXXXYYYY
Similar Products Used:
Rock shox.....
Bike Setup:
"Truth" with the goodies
Bottom Line:
I cannot even belive I went by the reviews here and bought this fork.I thought that the guys submitting reviews here were "REAL" Mountain Bikers...a "REAL"Mountain Biker would NEVER trust this fork anywhere off road.Talk about FLEXY,I am usually not very picky if things work,but when I touch the front brakes I can watch the front axle move back a good inch or two and feel the bike get all short and weird feelin', its crazy!!!!! You can stand over the bike and lock the front brake, rock it back and forth, and just laugh at how much the arch moves!UNBELIVABLE, I Guess thats why they are only 179 bucks,you get what you pay for. Save your money for somethin' else....... Its just not a "MOUNTAIN BIKE" fork,its somethin' your gilfriend should have on her cruiser sorry,the Mars just aint right.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilmington, DE Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$190.00
Strengths:
It Works Stiff Light Cheap Tunable Easy Upkeep
Weaknesses:
Stickers Suck Didn't come with pump. Didn't come with grease gun.
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC
Bike Setup:
Just the way I like it.
Bottom Line:
For the price this thing rocks!!! What more could you ask from a fork for less than $200. I'm a big kid and compared to the Judy it is noticably stiffer, eats bumps better, is way easier to keep lubed, and most surprising was the damping adjustors actualy doing something. With the Judy I just thought I wasn't sensitive enough to feel the difference in tuning. My only complaints are that the stickers suck, and I had to spend an extra $30 for a shock pump and grease gun. Maybe I'm crazy but I thought that since the pump is needed for tuning, and the gun is needed for lubing as the fork guide recomends, that they'ld be included. It's still cheap at $220 though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark skelton
a Cross Country Rider
from ojai,ca ,ventura Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
sespe
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
pretty blue color
Weaknesses:
the product
Similar Products Used:
rock shocks fsx
Bike Setup:
xtr hubs, cranks, front derailer, 9.0 shifters, chris king headset
Bottom Line:
The first ride I went on, the shock blew out. Got that fixed, worked great til I went riding in the rain. The first downhill my shock locked out and stopped working completely. Got that fixed, two rides, it blew up again. Maybe it's just that this fork is a lemon, but I don't want to take another chance. So I plan to get another brand soon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ted Kistler
a Weekend Warrior
from Houtzdale, PA usa Date Reviewed: March 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Black Bear
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Light, strong (so far), stayed completely clean inside after some severe winter stream crossings, and smooth
Weaknesses:
The rebound adjustment broke off sometime during first three rides (I don't know when)
Similar Products Used:
My first 80mm fork...all others were 63-70mm
Bike Setup:
large-frame Specialized Ground Control with flat bars and not much original equipment
Bottom Line:
I got the cobalt blue MARS with MRD lockout from Supergo with the one-piece casting and red insert in the steerer.
The MARS is great for anyone who owns a bicycle which they ride in the woods.
I've read the other reviews and aside from breaking off the rebound knob at the bottom of the leg, I have had none of the reported problems, but all of the benefits that other owners mentioned. I'm a 200+ lb. rider (depending on the day) and it inspires confidence. I ordered the firm elastomer from Manitou and installed it easily. I break something on nearly every ride, but the MARS feels strong.
The fork is on my race rig and it feels plush, but not too soft. The lockout works VERY well, once you make its control part of your riding style (turn it off at the top of the climb). The lockout can make you faster.
The MARS eats up logs, rocks, roots and crashed riders with grace.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt jensen
a Cross Country Rider
from marquette, michigan Date Reviewed: February 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
many unnamed greats
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Lakeshore Bike Shop
Strengths:
super light and dialable
Weaknesses:
stiction,inner tube seperating from outer legs (scary)
Similar Products Used:
SID XC
Bike Setup:
00 Specialized M2 Stump, with all the goodies.
Bottom Line:
for the first month or so of use it was great, I really like the Microlube port (very handy). but later it began to creak, the inner tubes were seperating from the outer legs. And I have a small oil leak out of the preload adjuster knob. there is alot of braking and irregular flexing. I don't recommend that anyone weighing over 160lbs. or that rides any moderately rough terrain buy this fork. For a 102lb. XC racer maybe, but not your average singletrack rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve M
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston TX Date Reviewed: February 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Ho Chi Minh?Memorial Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycle
Strengths:
Limitless Adjustability - air and mcu Very Light Weight - only 3.0 pounds Very Light and Responsive Steering Strength
Weaknesses:
No Boots Sticker was bubbled a bit because the rubber band that holds the manual was wrapped tightly around the left leg
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX, Rock Shox Judy XC, Rock Shox SID XC, Noleen Mega Air
Bike Setup:
Y2K TREK 7000, Pazazz 26mm low riser, Rock Shox Suspension Seat Post, Forte Clasic (junk saver) Saddle
Bottom Line:
This review is for the Manitou MARS 1 with ONE PIECE contrtustion. Mine is blue and yellow.
I've only had this fork for a month but so far it's the BEST fork I've owned! It's light, strong, and very tunable. It is the best of both worlds because it is BOTH air and mcu. Nothing and I mean nothing can touch this fork in terms of adjustment. It's easy to dial in the dampening and rebound. This fork is also very plush, more so than any other air fork I've tried. So far, no leaking at all - (my SID leaked both air and oil from day one). I was a bit skeptical at first going from a plush Manitou SX coil spring fork, but the MARS 1 is just as smooth and weighs a half pound less! This translates to very quisk and responsive steering. It's smooth enough for cross country and can easily be dialed in rigid enough to race. I highly RECCOMMEND this fork - It is an absolute STEAL at ONLY $199 at Universal Cycles! GET ONE NOW - it will be the BEST purchase you've ever made!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric R
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: December 1, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Devals
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
Wheel World
Strengths:
It is good in a ripple or a big bump. Looks grate and is light weight and easy to adjust either the rebound or the compression.
Weaknesses:
none yet and probably none ever
Similar Products Used:
RST-XMO, Rock Shox sid, Manitou SXR
Bike Setup:
Brodie Alpha with XT Front and rear derailer and XT Hubs with mavic X517 rims.
Bottom Line:
This is the best Fork that I have ever gotten or used that is why I have it. It is also machined very well. The price is the best only $199.99 U.S. and you cant beat that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonathan
a Weekend Warrior
from St Helens, England Date Reviewed: November 18, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Leisure lakes, Preston
Strengths:
Light weight, price, stiffness
Weaknesses:
None yet.
Similar Products Used:
Marrzochi, manitou Mach 5, RS Judy SLs 1998
Bike Setup:
Steel hardtail, lx/xt mix
Bottom Line:
Ok, only used for a short length of time, but heres what I think so far. Tracks well, but running at Angryasian pressures its too stiff. Needs to run at about 120psi to get its best. Not as smooth as Judy SLs (yet), but air spring give more adjustability. manitou after sales- I e-mailed them concerning boots, and wrinkled stickers. Dave from Answer is putting them in the post for me. Not bad considering I live in England. These forks seem OK at the moment. I'm not going to give them loads of flamers until I've got some more riding in on them, and they have loosened up a bit, but I'll give them a good go first.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Pasadena CA Date Reviewed: November 8, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
light weight, fairly rigid, very plush - excellent small bump and big bimp response.
Weaknesses:
may have some quality control problems - First shock I purchased did not work, right out of the box.
Similar Products Used:
SID sl, Manitou SXR
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz SL, the works
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the 2001 Mars Elite. This fork is excellent - however, my initial purchase did not work out of the box, the store gave me another one before I left the store.
I have been riding a SID SL and purchased this fork for another bike, but once I tried it I really like how it responded and decided to keep it on my Santa Cruz. Mars is usings combo coil spring to react to the small bumps and then an air chamber for the big hits - these work in tandem and there is no stiction at all! I am really impresed with how responsive this fork is, particularly compared to the SID (which is not a bad fork at all - just not as plush or rigid). For the price, this has a great wieght to performance ratio.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Oz Date Reviewed: October 29, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Brisbane Ranges and mandurang
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Everything that the Manitou Mars (not mars 1) is not!!
Weaknesses:
Too early to tell, but it is promising
Bike Setup:
specialized fsr xc comp 00. Tyres / seat / pedals changed apart from this - out of the box.
Bottom Line:
I am not really responding to the 2000 Manitou Mars, I have already done this elsewhere on this site. I am really responding to the 2001 Mars Super which by the gracious generosity of David from Manitou (Australia), Peter from Manitou (US)and Paul from Wiily's Wheel's (Melbourne, Oz) enabled me to have the original Mars fork replaced. The New Manitou Mars Super is Superb (Read: Superb with a Capital 'S') it has radically transformed the Specialized FSR into a much more stable and predictable platform, the No Bob Lock out is a beaut! Once again many thanks guys!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron R.
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore, MD Date Reviewed: October 21, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Light, good for racing, doesn't bob much on climbs
Weaknesses:
just isn't what i'm looking for. i want something a lot more plush. it's just really a race fork. i had a z4 before this. i'm going back to marzocchi.
Similar Products Used:
'00 marzocchi z4 flylight
Bike Setup:
trek 6000 upgraded don't feel like writing
Bottom Line:
It's a good fork i just get beat up too much. i want something with an oil bath like the marzocchi. for it's purpose though it works very well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marc Tremain
a Cross Country Rider
from Newton, NJ, USA Date Reviewed: October 18, 2000
Favorite Trail:
allamuchy
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
looks, anti bob, light weight
Weaknesses:
bad seals, wacko anti bob, smudged and bubbled stickers, crappy manual, no boots, nearly impossible to instal fenders on
Similar Products Used:
Sid XC, bombers, many other manitous
Bike Setup:
Dean Sputnik Thermoplastic hardtail, Mars-1, Raceface/XTR/XT, KORE platform pedals, SDG, thomson, ETC
Bottom Line:
this fork is ok, it is great for racing, because it is pretty rigid, but i have not experienced any plushness in this fork at all. The anti bob only comes in handy if your on the road or on a very smooth climb (which hardly happens in XC) but other wise you will climb faster with the suspension on because it will actualy absorb bumps rather than just bouncing your wheel off of them. But what really got me aggrivated, was that yesterday, i was riding in light rain on a muddy trail, and it was like someone switched on my anti bob or something because my fork became totally rigid. I checked the lever and as i thought, the anti bob was off. It was like my fork had just frozen up....so i left in my garage over nite, and now it is still locked up!! ive had enough of manitous shinnanigins. this fork seems as though it was poorly made. at least mine does. i suggest buy marzochi, cux sid sucks, maybe the 2001 mars' will be better hoprefully. if they were high quality, they would be your best moneys worth
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremont ,CA Date Reviewed: October 16, 2000
Santa Cruz superlight , King hubs and headset , Next cranks , 517 rims and XTR drivetrain .
Bottom Line:
I got this fork to use while my Superfly gets overhauled and have been impressed with the action so far . The lockout is great for climbing out of the saddle and the boots keep the grime out . It is a little flexy at full speed , not as bad as a Sid but not as good as a Zoke. The Colbalt blue that Supergo has looks killer and the price is right . This would be a perfect fork for a hartail and a good fork for cross country dual suspenders.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Cornell
a Racer
from Corunna, MI, USA Date Reviewed: October 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Holdridge
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$239.00
Strengths:
Takes the big hit, very stiff.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
'97 Rock Shox SID
Bike Setup:
'97 Schwinn Factory Homegrown, full XTR
Bottom Line:
This is an update to my previous review. I've now used the Mars (Black without the anti-bob) in 4 Expert-class XC races, all more than 2 hours in duration. I've also ridden it off-road a dozen or so times, so it's had plenty of use.
This fork is holding up fine (I weigh 155) and has required zero maintenance.
What I like most about the Mars is it's ability to take the big hit while not being overly bouncy on the small stuff. It tracks straight and true, and my confidence has really gone up since switching from a worn-out SID.
Whether you are a serious racer or an XC enthusiast, the Mars is worth checking out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zeus
a Weekend Warrior
from Berrien Springs, MI Date Reviewed: October 9, 2000
Favorite Trail:
The Rubicon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Low weight, stiff, adjustability, plush for my weight, yellow color grew on me
Weaknesses:
reputation for Mars line forks, only came in yellow when I got it
Similar Products Used:
RockShox SidXC, Manitou SL Carbon
Bike Setup:
Access Ti, King/517s, Bontrager ST2s, stem, bar, ends and post, XT brakes and drivetrain/SRAM Attacks, Time ATACs, Flite saddle
Bottom Line:
I've had none of the problems listed below with my mid-year Mars 1 model. It holds air fairly well, and is plush for my 155lbs. The adjustability is sweet and totally tuneable to what ever conditions you meet, on the fly. The only time I've had it bottom out is when the air pressure gets low (I didn't have a shock pump yet)or from really high drops (not my usual riding genre, though).
Right now, this same fork WITH a lockout is available for under $300 for a y2k model. They are definitely worth that, and more in my opinion, for a hardcore x-country rider and perhaps an occaional race. Racing/training might consider the Mars C or CL, or more appropriately, a SID.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: September 24, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Pretty Graphics. Trading on past history / reputation. Weight.
Weaknesses:
Where do I start? Design? Quality Control? Product Research and Development? Manufacturing tolerances? Materials Technology? Mechanical Engineering?
Similar Products Used:
Head Shock, Rockshox
Bike Setup:
2000 FSR XC COMP. Pedal Change Tyre change
Bottom Line:
I weigh 100kgs. It would appear wear rate of components would suit a rider of 30kgs! Bushings, oil leaks, elastomer woes, fork flex et al..... Perhaps this fork was / is a major boob up! Well you know once bitten........!
1 flaming hot temper for the pretty rubber fork boots!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David McMahon
a Cross Country Rider
from Charleston, West Virginia Date Reviewed: September 23, 2000
Favorite Trail:
North Fork Mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Uphill and level.
Weaknesses:
THIS FORK IS DANGEROUS FOR CLYDESDALES!!!
Similar Products Used:
Marzzochi XC
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR
Bottom Line:
I weigh 210 lbs. I put in the max air pressure described in the materials, and turned the compression damping all the way up. First steep rocky downhill, the fork compressed -- and stayed compressed! I endo'd, cracked my helmet and spent the evening in the ER getting my neck x-rayed.
THE PRINTED MATERIALS ARE WRONG ABOUT THE MAX AIR PRESSURE. They say max air pressure is 140. I called the help desk twice and once was told it should say 170 and once 180. Still had troubles. Then was told that bike is set up for 150 to 170 lb rider and a heavier rider needs diferent elastomer. THE MATERIALS NOT WARN HEAVIER RIDERS THAT THEY NEED A STIFFER ELASTOMER! Even with the medium elastomer the compression does not rebound well on downhill bumps. The help line was unable to tell me the rider weight requring the next elastomer.
Also had a bad bushing and had to be sent back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don Pagano
a Racer
from Carlisle, PA Date Reviewed: September 22, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Stubby's
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Tracks well, very adjustable, quality ride/travel, lock-out feature, weight, price
Weaknesses:
Didn't come with fork boots
Similar Products Used:
Lotsa Marzocchis, Manitou Sx and SX Ti, numerous Rock Shox to include 99 and 2000 Sids
Bike Setup:
Custom Sniper 853 HT, XTR, Race Face, USE post, etc.
Bottom Line:
I bought mine from Supergo -- gloss black Mars 1 with the lockout (anti-bob). This is a great suspension fork - the best I've owned to date. I have raced and generally hammered this fork for over 2 months and have no complaints. I've read the horror stories regarding Manitou's customer service on this site, but my experience has been nothing but excellent (for this fork and previously owned Manitous). Don't get me wrong, I've never been a devout Manitou fan, though I thought the 98 sx and sx Ti that I owned were decent performers. I e-mailed Answer-Manitou regarding lack of fork boots, wrinkled decals, and manual issues, and in less than a week I recieved free fork boots, decals, and service/tuning manual (not the limited manual that comes with the fork)-- the manual can also be downloaded from their web site. Having ridden and raced Zokes for the past couple of years I can make these comparisons: the Mars 1 is lighter, plush - not as plush as my Z2 or Atom bomb, but better overall performance for trail riding and racing. Ridgidity is as good or better than any of the 3 Zokes I've owned, lots of adjustment with air pressure, compression and rebound damping, and elastomers. I've raced this fork on some extremely demanding terrain and proclaim it the best I've ever used. Not as comfortable as a coil sprung Marzocchi, but man this thing just works. It just seems to disappear under you. I can go faster and with more confidence and control through the ugliest stuff, and that is the nicest thing I can say about any MTB product. Steering precision is very good - at least on par with my Marzocchis, and the lockout function allows me to run the fork soft without fear of excessive dive/bobbing on climbs or sprints. I cannot detect the transition from elastomer to air as the magazines have stated, though the terrain I ride may be rougher than that experience in S. Cal. Excellent product. Smoother than the Superfly it replaced, much better tracking/lateral ridgidity than the RS Sids I've ridden. Setup for a particular course is a snap, and maintainance is fairly easy, and air leakage is minimal. Well done Manitou.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Rose
a Cross Country Rider
from Rhode Island Date Reviewed: September 21, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Big River
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Plush ride, stiff forks
Weaknesses:
stickers peeling off, no fork boots
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Indy
Bike Setup:
Trek 7000, Avid AR50's, Thudbuster seatpost, Easton CT2 handlebar, full XT drivetrain, MARS-1 (the black one from Supergo)
Bottom Line:
Love the way this forks rides. I feel as if I can hit anything, giving me much more confidence to fall into the dropoffs. Answer customer service needs help! 2 questions - why no fork boots? and where is the service manual? Think they could me some stickers that stay in place. I haven't used the "Anti-Bob" feature...don't know if I would have time to switch the lever. Overall - great fork, minus one star for the stickers, manual, and lack of online customer service. Write more after riding for a while
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BOB V.
a Racer
from PALMDALE Date Reviewed: September 15, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
HOUSE OF BICYCLES
Strengths:
WORKS GREAT OVER ANY TERRAIN!!!
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
ROCK SHOCK SID
Bike Setup:
INTENSE TRACER
Bottom Line:
MAnitou forks rule. This is the greatest fork ever made! the air system is easy to use. I have had no leaking at all. It's buttery smooth travel makes me confident to takel any xc terrain. Any one wanting the ultimate xc weapon should own one
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Henry
a Cross Country Rider
from Eugene, Or Date Reviewed: September 15, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Bike Setup:
I have a 2000 Specialized FSR comp with the Mars stock.
Bottom Line:
Problems, problems, problems!! Major disappointment here. All the mountain bike magazines gave this shock a good review however I would have to disagree. To start, they got about 55mm of travel instead of the claimed 80mm. The rebound was full of stiction no matter how well lubed they were (messing with the rebound adjuster had no effect since it was a problem with the bushings binding up or something similar). After about a month of riding, the crown started cracking and there wasn't uniform compression of the legs causing my rim to rub the brakes when I would turn (it wasn't the rim). Sent the forks back to Manitou and they are still in the process of fixing them after 2 months. They are susposed to be fixed by replacing the original lower leg assembly with a Mars 1 leg assembly that is one piece, not bonded like the original, so we shall see if this fixes the problem. At this point, I would not recommend them to anyone and would probably get Sid's instead.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Cornell
a Racer
from Corunna, MI USA Date Reviewed: September 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Holdridge
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$239.00
Strengths:
Light, easy to tune, takes the big hit
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
'97 Rock Shock SID
Bike Setup:
'97 Schwinn Factory Homegrown, full XTR
Bottom Line:
I race in the expert 35-44 class, which is a tough class because everyone is so experienced.
My SID was nice when it was new, but for the last year it really needed a rebuild. I saw the Mars I on sale and decided it was the fork for me. At 3 lbs it is nearly as light as the SID. The adjustment knobs cleared my downtube fine.
My first ride on the new fork was on a trail I'm familiar with. The fork felt plush, yet turned the bike exactly where I pointed it. I raced yesterday on a rocky, rough trail for more than 1.5 hours and found the fork to feel better with each successive lap. I could bang it against the tree crossings and it just soaked it up. The little bumps were still noticable, but as a racer, you don't want a fork that's so plush that it bobs all over the place.
I recommend this fork for serious, hard-core riders who don't want to spend big bux.
BTW, I didn't spring for the anti-bob gizmo. With my luck I'd forget I'd locked out the fork and end up smashing into a root really hard and then break the fork or my neck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver Date Reviewed: August 24, 2000
Favorite Trail:
porcupine rim - moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$379.00
Purchased At:
wheat ridge cyclery, CO
Strengths:
plush, stiff, lockoutable, large caliber separation(width)
Weaknesses:
the height of lockout knob is such that I cannot spin my bars all the way around, I think I am going to file it down
Similar Products Used:
rockshox with factory guts and with eglund air carts
Bike Setup:
santa cruz sl, race lite wheels, xtr drive train, sram controls, avid mag brakes
Bottom Line:
I actually have the MARS 1 (but there was no place to review that shock)
I had to buy this fork in kind of a tight situation as I had the biggest race of my summer in 5 days and my rockshox judy sl with the eglund carts blew up. I had spent a mint on my bike 3 years ago and put another small mint into it this year as I tend to destroy everything within a few years, so I was leary about shelling out the $600+ that it takes to get leading edge fork technology these days. Anyway, I settled on this price point which I could easily digest and was pleseantly surprised on my first ride. They were stiff and were in another league of plushness then what I had been riding (never been on anything but rockshox). Well the big test was the race, it was a hundred miler up in Vail. Not that a hundred miles would not have been a test anyway, it was a mud fest for the first couple of hours which was a good test for the wipers(there are no stanction boots on this fork).
This is a great all around fork casual rider to XC weekend warrior racer.
All in all I am very pleased with the performance I got for my money and will be looking at Answer again in a few years when I destroy this one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Weekend Warrior
from Daly City, CA Date Reviewed: July 29, 2000
Favorite Trail:
any singletrack
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Weight, good looks, 3 inches of true travel, has caused me no problems to speak of regardless of the previous entries
Weaknesses:
lack of forkboots, poor manuel
Similar Products Used:
2000 Sid XC (sucks the big one) flexy and the seals were starting to go only after 5 days of riding
Bike Setup:
Specialize FXR
Bottom Line:
I have no complaints to speak of about reliability as the previous entries. However, I must say is everybody speaking about the same fork? There are THREE versions of this model and I'm not talking about the Carbon forks. Two versions previous to the Mars 1 have had their problems with seal leakage causing air leakage and oil leaks. Since then, those problems have been taken care of. I must have one of the latest versions. Now there is also an orange Carbon version out and another that Supergo purchased with a lock out. The newest version is Blue in color with the one piece magnesium brace. There are also yellow versions with the red insert that are the latest upgraded Mars 1.
Overall, I love this fork. I wished it had forkboots but I installed Lizard Skins to solve that problem. No air or oil leakage of any kind. Get a good quality pump for the Air chamber. The good ones won't allow air to leak out even after unsrewing them from the fork. The air you do hear coming out is from the pump itself and not the air in the fork. I've raced this fork once and it never gave me problems. I ride my bike mainly on weekends. Weekdays are for training rides on my roadbike.
So don't worry about the recently released Mars 1 (blue). You won't regret the purchase.
Five pits for the Mars 1
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Diki Fenn.
a Racer
from haydenville,MA Date Reviewed: July 28, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Quite stiff Anti-bob duro bility
Weaknesses:
factory did not put much oil in it in the beginning so anti-bob didn't work(it's all good now) my rebound adjuster cracked off little sticky can't get the pump off fast enough to keep air in it
Similar Products Used:
'99 sid xc (Really Broke)
Bike Setup:
giant,king,crosslink,'00 9.0 shift setup
Bottom Line:
Sweet fork, little flex, bob works great after I fixed it. When it's time to change air pressure its depressing i half to sit there trying to guess what the pressure is at when im letting all the air out trying to twist the shock pump off fast enough. And my rebound adjuster cap snapped off after a rock i guess kicked up and broke it clean off so now i half to stick a allen wrench inside the little plastic piece stuck inside of the adjuster (rod). And once i get my sid back i'm selling this one
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rajan Sharma
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham, UK Date Reviewed: July 18, 2000
Favorite Trail:
XC
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Lightweight plush greaseport facility
Weaknesses:
not rigid enough (flexes under cornering)
Similar Products Used:
Pace air force
Bike Setup:
Specialized stumpjumper comp 2000
Bottom Line:
It is a plush fork as long as you don't follow the 80-120psi rating and use a low pressure with loads of compression damping. The problem is it can bottom out a lot and so a compromise is hard to find. There is no reference in the manitou manual to how to service the forks which is not at all helpful. If buying new airforks, stick with sids and pace which are around the same price, or wait to see if 2001 mars's are any better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lee Norton
a Racer
from St. Catharines Date Reviewed: July 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Tight & Twisty
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light weight and plush controlled travel. Relatively stiff. Very tuneable.
Weaknesses:
Leaks air, tuning, maintenance information hard to get. No boots and dirt will get past stock seals. Answer Manitou has not been helpful.
Similar Products Used:
Lots
Bike Setup:
Lightspeed Obed, USE seatpost, Crane Creek wheels.
Bottom Line:
Further to my earlier review I have now spent some time with my Mars-1 fork. It is a great fork but all is not perfect.
My fork started losing air, about 30psi in 24 hours of sitting in the garage. The upper O-ring was split, so I got a new one from a local rubber supplier as my LBS and Manitou were no help. The fork still leaked air, but only sometimes, which meant I'd better check it before every ride (it would still lose 30 psi overnight at times. My dealer suggested I put some 90 wt oil in the air chamber to help seal the air leak going around the piston. I had an old can of motorcycle gear oil, so I poured in ¼" of oil. The leak has stopped. However the oil is slowly leaking past the piston. Does anyone have any other solutions? I haven't taken the fork apart to see if the piston has an O-ring that could be replaced. Please let me know. (I did not get a manual with my fork, only some papers describing a fork which wasn't the Mars model. The exploded view from the internet is not clear after I downloaded. I have not been able to get further help or information from Answer nor my LBS.)
I've read that the fork has received a poor rating because some testers can feel the changeover spot from the elastomer to air in the stroke. Yes you can under perfect circumstances, but to label it a problem is blowing the issue out of proportion. The fork has a sweet, stictionless stroke. I understand that Manitou is going to use a metal spring in 01 to solve this "problem".
I'm using White Brothers caps (for a Rockshox) on the sliders (fits perfectly) to keep the guck out of the fork as it didn't come with accordion boots. They work well in keeping dirt away from the Manitou seals. This is good because the Manitou seals let dirt by.
I've also read that there is not enough adjustment for rebound and compression damping. I've found that turning the knobs from one extreme to the other makes a noticeable difference and I don't have either knob on the limit. The fork adjustments work well.
My transfers are wrinkled and one is coming off. Shame on Answer Manitou. I emailed Answer to get a replacement, but only received a snarky reply, unlike another user in this review. As noted above, I have found Answer useless in trying to get any information about their fork. This is unexpected as I had such good responses from my previous Total Air Cartridge Englund Air people, who couldn't do enough for their customers.
In summary: A really good fork at a good price, but your on your own to work out any tuning, maintenance, or warranty issues. "Answer service" is an oxymoron.
The fork could get 5 stars if the minor problems were worked out. For now I give it 3 due to lack of tuning and maintenance information and lack of caring about specific problems a customer might have.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
david whybrew
a Weekend Warrior
from chch, nz Date Reviewed: July 5, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light Plush (when woking) Soak up the hits well
Weaknesses:
Very unreliable. Is a very heavy rigid fork
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC
Bike Setup:
Marin Riftzone with Raceface risers and short stubby stem
Bottom Line:
The MARS 1 is unreliable. It does have the red insert. My 1st set had no o ring in the air chamber, hence held no pressure and was replaced. Since then I have had repeated problems x 3 with them locking out. Each time they have been plush with the brakes applied, which seems to line something up in the fork and allows them to compress. Without the brakes on they are rigid and won't budge an inch. Fixed x 2 and after a few rides the same thing happens again. I'll admit I am a fairly aggressive rider but they aren't subject to big air and certainly haven't been bent or abused. Also the R hand leg is quite pitted and worn after minimal use. I wouldn't buy them again and am looking at some marzocchis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from KY Date Reviewed: July 2, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light Plush Price
Weaknesses:
No boots Scraping downtube
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox
Bike Setup:
'00 Jamis Dakota
Bottom Line:
This fork came on my dakota. It is a great fork except for the fact that in crashes, and I crash a lot, the knobs will scrap my frame. Since it is on a steel frame, having a fork that scraps off paint can lead to rust. Maybe on a bike with a less sloped downtube this fork would be better. I will have to ask Jamis about what can be done about it. Would be nice if it came with boots too. I ended up purchasing some boots for $10 from Answer. In addition, I had to have the red insert put into my steerer per the recall. Even with these faults, this fork functions great and is light to boot. This will be a great line of forks for Answer in the future once the kinks get worked out. It is definently much better than the first SIDs that came out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Q Public
a Weekend Warrior
from Anytown Date Reviewed: June 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
the dirt kind
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
It's a great shock, they have a new one out (the Mars-1) that replaced the recalled model.
Weaknesses:
It's score keeps getting dragged down by people telling you it's been recalled 40 times.
Similar Products Used:
Lots
Bike Setup:
Red and Black with a new Mars-1
Bottom Line:
If you are considering this shock, get the Mars-1, the Mars 2000 model had been recalled. It's a great, light and responsive shock at a good price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joeblow
a
from kern,ca Date Reviewed: June 9, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
LIGHT,PLUSH,GREAT PERFORMANCE PRICE
Weaknesses:
A TAD FLEXY, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FOR A 3 LB FORK!! BEST NANG FOR THE BUCK!!
Bottom Line:
This fork is really awesome. I ride in Kern where the trails are pretty demanding. The MARS1 handled it. Sure there was a recall, the MARS1 was the upgrade, which comes with the red insert to increase the strength.
For $300, you can not go wrong. If you are an engineer, look in McMaster catalog, and swap the elastomer for a spring.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
geff
a Weekend Warrior
from washington Date Reviewed: June 9, 2000
Favorite Trail:
porcupine rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
exc brand
Weaknesses:
design/manufacturing defect: RECALL (see below)
Bottom Line:
USED BUYERS BEWARE! certain EARLY models of this fork have been recalled! check iut the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website for full info:
Submitted by
CJ
a
from Western NC Date Reviewed: June 4, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Laurel Mtn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Nice plush ride, easy to adjust, LIGHTWEIGHT at @ 3lbs., good travel, and good rebound dampening.
Weaknesses:
The decals were poorly installed, lots of wrinkles.
Similar Products Used:
RS Judy supplied with the bike (I call it the pogostick)
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper, all XT, lot of other $tuff added.
Bottom Line:
I originally ordered a SX-R with antiBOB from my LBS. Answer was out of them so they substituted it with a new black Mars for the same $$$. It's a great fork. Light, hugs terrain, takes everything from big rocks to little roots real well. I'm also very pleased with the adjustment setup, and of course the antiBOB is a nice feature for long climbs. I was disappointed that they did such a bad job on the decals, but I emailed them and they sent new ones right out. One thing I am confused about is the claim that you don't need fork boots. Their web page shows them on all the Mars, their instruction sheet says to use them (or else), but they didn't provide any, what gives???
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan Brideau
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, MASS, U.S Date Reviewed: May 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
the other trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
very nice travel, smooth ride, handels the big rocks on the way down and really makes riding easier, takes a beating and still works, little micro lube and your ready to rip up a trail
Weaknesses:
has to fill air up after a few rides, or else losses stiffness and becomes to loose.
Similar Products Used:
umm, some of the bombers ride like it but these really stand out and do a great job
Bike Setup:
on a specialized stumpjumper comp '00', with xt/xtr drive train, mavix 222 rims, stout hubs, specialized comp tires, avid brakes with speed dial levers, specialized seat, grips, bar, stem, and strong arm cranks, and clipless pedals.
Bottom Line:
very nice choice for medium riders to great riders that really need a decent shock to get better. Recomends the mars c, or mars cl for excellent riders, very nice shock for all three.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J.D.
a Weekend Warrior
from San Francisco, CA Date Reviewed: May 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Flume Trail, Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Sub 3 lb fork, nice color, well made, microlube
Weaknesses:
Wish it had forkboots dampening and compression adjustments barely noticable unless you turn them a lot.
Similar Products Used:
Headshock, Rockshox Sid (leaked all the time)
Bike Setup:
Habanero Ti
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty good fork and a great fork for the money. you can get this fork for $379 mailorder from Supergo or Performance
This is the newer version with the one piece Forkbrace. The two piece forkbrace is the one with the problems everybody is talking about. I've had this for 3 weeks now and ridden it on a dozen rides. This fork ROCKS!!! It's one of the smoothest forks I've ever owned. Granted I'm only 150 lbs, this fork is perfect for the type of riding I do and it's already saved my butt a few times on some fast descents on some narly singletrack. This fork feels like it rides on rails absorbing small and large hits with smoothness and ease. I would like it to be a tab stiffer tortionally,but it's really pretty stiff as it is. The old Noleens and Headshocks are stiffer but have less travel.
This is the perfect fork for Cross Country riding as well as an occasional race. Given that all the Mars have the same internals and only veary in weight by .2 lbs, this version has to be the best buy of the bunch. A Carbon Mars with lock out will run close to 600 clams. This fork can be had for under $400 smack-a-roos.
You won't find a better value for the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Racer
from San Jose Date Reviewed: May 12, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weight Good looks Solid construction 80mm of travel
Weaknesses:
No forkboots Lack of instructions on when and how much grease to use in the Microlube ports.
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Sid Rockshox Judy Noleen
Bike Setup:
Litespeed OBED
Bottom Line:
First of all, realize that there are different versions of this fork. The most current release with the one piece brake arch is the one to get. The Carbon and two piece models have had seal problems and a problem with the way they bond the arch to the fork legs causing the arch bonding to separate from the fork causing quite a bit of instability.
My version is the latest one and it works like a dream. At 3.1 lbs it is light. With it's newer construction, it is a stable platform at speed and at all speeds. I feel this is one of Manitou's best forks. It's great for racing and Cross Country type riding. I find myself hitting familiar and unfamiliar terrain faster and harder. I'm pushing my abilities more as I feel so much more confident on which direction I'm heading. I highly recommend this fork for racing or just tooting around the back singletrack trails on weekends. The combination of price, quality and performance can't be beat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
K ace
a
from LA Date Reviewed: May 11, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Break easily - RECALLED
Weaknesses:
Dangerous and fatal when it breaks
Bottom Line:
The 2000 forks are recalled. My friends were all having problem with their forks and now they are finally recalled. The Manitou mountain bike forks are Mars and X-Vert Super models. Bicycle brands that were made with these forks include Specialized, Klein, Jamis and Marin.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J Taylor
a
from NY Date Reviewed: May 1, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Ringwood, NJ
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Extremely well made. Does not require major maitenance (whew...) Only Microlube injections
Weaknesses:
Company should update dealers on improvements so they can share accurate info with the end user. The owners manual should be updated to correspond to the new MARS1 and not MARS (with fork boots) and whatever else.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Pro C (stock fork)
Bike Setup:
97'Klein Mantra Comp, (Fox 5R Airshox and KORE Torsion Bar upgrade, XT drive train)
Bottom Line:
The original yellow MARS fork is ALREADY discontinued. The mailorder folks are selling the MARS fork and they are asking for the retail price or close to it. The replacement is the MARS1 which is probably what the other rider has. The MARS1 has a new sealing system that does not require the use of fork boots unlike the MARS. Answer will send you a pair of boots if you ask for your MARS1. There are also other significant improvements over the MARS.(read lower posting) The MARS1 is awesome and more than ideal fo the XC rider. I,m 195lbs also and it's phenomenal. Buy a MARS1 from your dealer and have a blast riding. I am! Low maintenance too...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Gilroy Date Reviewed: April 17, 2000
This is one nice fork! I've only had it for a week now, but from what I could see and feel, I love this fork. I was looking for the plushness of the Judy 100 with more adjustability and lighter weight. The quality and workmanship are first rate. I shyed away from a Sid as it felt too flexy and not as plush. I liked the Judy 100, but it had too much flex, weighed too much and had no adjustable rebound and compression. I had lots of luck when I had my old Manitou 4 and the customer service I received from Answer at the Sea Otter Classic always made me want to go back to Manitou. They rebuilt my entire fork (Manitou 4) for $10. Can't beat that. So each year, I'll pay a visit to the Answer booth and have them overhaul my fork. In comparison, customers at the Rockshox booth had nothing but complaints. That steered me away from going with Rockshox.
Now there is a difference in my fork compared to those reviewed. Answer had a problem with the Carbon fork braces bonding to the lower legs. I waited over 3 weeks to get this fork and it's the newer version. The forkbrace and lowers are now one piece. Any seal leakage problem was addressed also. Manitou doesn't keep stamping out the forks with problems like the folks over at Rockshox. I'll make a follow up report in three months after I throughly break this fork in. Right now, it's the best fork I've ever owned. 5 chi-wha-whas.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lee Norton
a Racer
from St. Catharines Date Reviewed: April 17, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Tight & Twisty
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Good quality travel even if not as much as advertised. Easy adjustability. Relatively stiff for a lightweight fork. Easy to take apart. Owner can rebuild TPC cartridge or change oil viscosity to tune. Microlube ports for greasing seals/bushings.
Weaknesses:
Should run fork with boots unless you are going to take your fork apart and clean it often as the minimal seals will let crud past. Mine did not come with boots. (I now have to order and purchase them separately.) Downhill Dave of Answer Customer Service is useless at answering technical questions. (He ignores them.) I measured my maximum fork travel at 73 mm and not 80 mm as advertised. Manitou transfer is wrinkled and coming off fork leg. Lack of tuning information with the fork could be a problem for some people. Crown has minimum slope that may allow adjusting caps to contact your bike's downtube (mine just scrapes), which could cause damage to your frame and/or fork.
Lightspeed Obed, Mars fork, Cane Creek Crono wheels, USE seatpost, WTB seat.
Bottom Line:
This fork works very well, is relatively light at 3 lbs, tracks well and is easy to maintain. It's also easy to tune with external separate compression and rebound damping. It is plush, has no stiction, and is easy to lube between rides with the Microlube injector. Unlike others, Answer has designed a fork that allows the Owner to work and maintain his/her fork with minimum hassles.
I'm confused with how many combinations of Mars-1 and Mars forks there are. My Mars has the MRD hollow crown and the Mars-1 one piece lower casting. I've seen the Mars-1 fork on new bikes with a standard crown and boots. I've not seen a Mars with the three piece lower casting.
I've had no problems with my fork. It looks like it will be reliable. This fork could be a candidate for 5 stars if it wasn't for Answer's nonchalant attitude.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MC SKIDLZ
a Racer
from Vermunt Date Reviewed: March 29, 2000
Favorite Trail:
the castrateron
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
light weight adjustability
Weaknesses:
poor feel unreliable
Similar Products Used:
manitou sxr sid
Bike Setup:
fatty voodoo
Bottom Line:
I work in a shop and from what I've seen so far, this year's Manitou forks are unreliable. We have had several TPC chambers leak, and there was something seriously wrong with a mars fork (rapid bottoming out, disconcerting clunking noise.) Once we recieved a functional mars, I noticed that the first inch or so of travel (the elastomer) was very linear. The transition between this and the air spring is dramatic. I would not hesitate to choose a SID over this fork, unless this is only an isolated incident.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon Doig
a Cross Country Rider
from London Date Reviewed: February 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Coed Y Brenin
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Stiff, smooth, light(ish)
Weaknesses:
Disc Mounts require adaptor for non-Hayes
Similar Products Used:
RS Judy Headshock Bomber Z3? BAM
Bike Setup:
Y2K Marin Rift Zone + XT bits added
Bottom Line:
After my Cannondale was stolen I tested various bikes/forks and found the RockShocks were very wobbly on gravel tracks compared to my old Headshock. The combination of the Marin FRS frame and Manitou fork is excellent. I looked at the MARS C with a carbon arch but have yet to be convinced about the bonding methods of carbon to magnesium on such a crucial part of the structure - just to save 0.1 of a pound!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a Cross Country Rider
from Spring Date Reviewed: January 24, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This fork turned out to be a great fork. Tracks great and soaks up the big stuff great... but only rode it on one ride for 45 min. I would still be using the fork now but sold it due the fact that it didn't quite fit my frame the way i wanted it to .... as noted below......
Weaknesses:
The only weakness i found was that on my bike (Specalized Stumpjumper 98') the fork can not turn more than 90 degrees. The adjustment knobs on the top of the crown hit the frame. Works great untill you wreck. I sheared off one knob... fixed it and sold it for fear of doing more damage to it and end up doing more fixing than riding......
Similar Products Used:
after i sold it i bought a 2000 Sid XC. no complaints... works great....
Bottom Line:
bottom line it the Mars fork would be my choice (if it only fit my bike!) .. so in my case I give it a double thumbs up in performance and a double thumbs down in practicality. would work ok if the knobs were lower profile or if the crown was had a slop to it to aid in clearence..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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