Submitted by
Kenneth Schnetz
a
from Georgetown, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: February 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
auburn canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
VERY stable fork, barely any stanchion play at all. Fork is very smooth, and takes anything you want it to! The fork is much lighter then the marzocchi Z1 series, but not quite as light as the rockshox Pilot. I love this forks adjustment, especially the rebound adjustment!
Weaknesses:
Could use a little more travel, and bigger stanchions. Otherwise nothing wrong with it!
Manitou Mars front suspension, K2 hardtail frame, Single Digit Seven V-Brakes, Race Face cranks, Race Face stem, Race Face risers, LX rear Deraileur, XT front Deraileur, Race Face seat post, LX shifters,
Bottom Line:
Great fork, smooth, absorbes almost anything, nice looking fork, better then the manitou six! This fork is good for someone from maybe 90lbs. to 145, otherwise it might ride a little low for someone heavier. Then again, it is an air fork, so it is extremely adjustable. Fork is really light, and extremely adjustable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kenneth Schnetz
a
from Georgetown, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: February 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
auburn canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
VERY stable fork, barely any stanchion play at all. Fork is very smooth, and takes anything you want it to! The fork is much lighter then the marzocchi Z1 series, but not quite as light as the rockshox Pilot. I love this forks adjustment, especially the rebound adjustment!
Weaknesses:
Could use a little more travel, and bigger stanchions. Otherwise nothing wrong with it!
Manitou Mars front suspension, K2 hardtail frame, Single Digit Seven V-Brakes, Race Face cranks, Race Face stem, Race Face risers, LX rear Deraileur, XT front Deraileur, Race Face seat post, LX shifters,
Bottom Line:
Great fork, smooth, absorbes almost anything, nice looking fork, better then the manitou six! This fork is good for someone from maybe 90lbs. to 145, otherwise it might ride a little low for someone heavier. Then again, it is an air fork, so it is extremely adjustable. Fork is really light, and extremely adjustable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kenneth Schnetz
a
from Georgetown, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: February 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
auburn canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
VERY stable fork, barely any stanchion play at all. Fork is very smooth, and takes anything you want it to! The fork is much lighter then the marzocchi Z1 series, but not quite as light as the rockshox Pilot. I love this forks adjustment, especially the rebound adjustment!
Weaknesses:
Could use a little more travel, and bigger stanchions. Otherwise nothing wrong with it!
Manitou Mars front suspension, K2 hardtail frame, Single Digit Seven V-Brakes, Race Face cranks, Race Face stem, Race Face risers, LX rear Deraileur, XT front Deraileur, Race Face seat post, LX shifters,
Bottom Line:
Great fork, smooth, absorbes almost anything, nice looking fork, better then the manitou six! This fork is good for someone from maybe 90lbs. to 145, otherwise it might ride a little low for someone heavier. Then again, it is an air fork, so it is extremely adjustable. Fork is really light, and extremely adjustable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russ Gartner
a Downhiller
from durango, CO, USA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$135.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Weaknesses:
Adjustment is either full on hard or fully soft. It even seems hard to tell the difference between hard and soft on it.
Bike Setup:
24.2lb Boss Hogg
Bottom Line:
As stated above the adjustments might as well not be there. I have rode this shock hard for about 4 years now and have come to the realization that it was well worth the money. PS if you buy or acquire a used one they are relatively easily serviced. Happy trails to you!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Snoqualmie, WA Date Reviewed: May 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tiger Mountain
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Jenson / Supergo
Strengths:
Light weight, low cost, very plush, and easy to adjust.
Weaknesses:
Stock spring is for lightweigths, not 200 pound riders like me.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou 2, SX-R, Magnum
Bike Setup:
Rain City hardtail and a Univega DS-950. V-brakes on both, no discs.
Bottom Line:
I bought these as aftermarket replacements for the original forks on both my bikes. The deciding factor for me was the low price and the low weight of these fine forks. I've been riding them for 2 years and have not had any problems with blown seals or air leakage. I did have a problem with air pressure building up in the damping leg of one fork, but it doesn't seem to affect overall performance.
I've used them primarily for cross-country and the occasional (about once per season) gnarly downhill ride. They've worked great every time with no breakdowns! Just keep the oil fresh and juice up the grease ports every other ride to keep them running smooth.
The only drawback was the stock springs being selected for 145-pound riders! Are Manitou's customers all still in the 8th grade? We have an obesity epidemic in this country and Manitou needs to select it's stock springs accordingly!
Anyway, the new springs were fairly easy to install because the forks are super simple inside. The plastic internal pieces kind of worried me at first, but they seem to hold up alright. Trying to make up for the light springs by boosting air pressure doesn't work. The initial sag will still be too high and you will blow a gasket on the air chamber.
I'll give Manitou their props on customer service. I've found the best way to get an answer from them is to e-mail them your question. I've always gotten a detailed response within a few days.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a
from Show Low AZ USA Date Reviewed: May 17, 2003
02 Gt agressor frame 8"purple hayes cheap disc rim frount sun mamnoth rear w/ lx everything raceface bars exc.
Bottom Line:
I Like these shocks except for the fact I cant keep air in the suckers for mor than a 5 min ride on the street if i bounce at all BOOM all the airs gone. I took them apart to fix the seal. got it fixed w/ a 3.00 part from my LBS. one month later No air again It really sucks when you hit up your fav trail and 5min into it you have to stop to pumpit up again it will go down from 168psi to 13psi and then your face is in the dirt it blows I wish I could fix them some way cause I really like the butterysoft plushness of them But after the spiders and the marz I will never own anout manitou product again bummer for manitou
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
captn
a
from Laguna Hills Date Reviewed: January 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$169.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
light for a good price
Weaknesses:
I had a problem from the beginning, leaking! My local bike shop ordered some new parts and installed them for me. It took care of the problem.
Similar Products Used:
manitou ....
Bike Setup:
trek 9800oclv hardtail
Bottom Line:
For the price and weight they are worth it. As long as they don't start to leaking again. It's been over a year and a half and they are doing the job. So cool they are good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken Robb
a Cross Country Rider
from La Jolla, CA. Date Reviewed: October 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
came on Marin Rift Zone
Strengths:
easy to adjust,easy to replace spring to tune ride,easy to lube w/microport greasegun.Came w/spring for rider 130-175lbs. It was OK for my 210lbs but I was running lots of air pressure to prevent bottoming. Tech service told me I was lucky not to have blown the seals at 250psi. I replaced the spring easily myself with one designed for 175-230lbs. riders. Now I get a plush ride and no bottoming at 170psi. I guess that many of the failures to hold air were caused by riders using too much air pressure instead of replacing the spring. I had to have LBS order it but it arrived in 4 days.
Bike Setup:
stock 2001 Marin Rift Zone 19.5" frame
Bottom Line:
It's light,plush,easy to adjust and service. Plenty strong for my X-C riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nick
a Cross Country Rider
from Amarillo Date Reviewed: May 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
running trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
plush travel, light weight, smooth, cheap
Weaknesses:
hard to adjust air
Similar Products Used:
no air shocks
Bike Setup:
completly rebuilt specialized hardrock
Bottom Line:
its great for light weight riders but may be a bit too plush for heavier people, i weigh 120 pounds
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DeReave
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$169.00
Purchased At:
price point
Strengths:
Light, Cheap, Manitou custumer sevice
Weaknesses:
Flexy, sized up
Bike Setup:
Trek 7000 with 02' Mars Elite, Avid Arch rival, xt fd, winter- THE fenders, Tioga Psyco TTs
Bottom Line:
It worked good, then it stopped. That was a bummer at first but then I got a call from the LBS, Manitou sent me a bran-new 02' Elite completely FREE! Buy Manitou and they will take care of you
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Racer
from State College PA Date Reviewed: March 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything technical
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
MTBR.com
Strengths:
Light one-piece lowers are stiff, even with disks easy to adjust microlube ports lockout good customer service
Weaknesses:
not very plush - it's a race fork postmounts for disk
Similar Products Used:
98 SX-R 98 SX-Ti
Bike Setup:
cr-mo hardtail, XTR/SRAM drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
I picked this up in the late fall of 2000, and did't get to ride it much before winter hit. Then Answer had some issues with the steerer assembly, and their fix (an alloy piece to reinforce the steerer/crown junction) didn't fit my fork, so off to Answer it went. A few weeks later, I got back my lowers with new uppers, and for some reason, they threw in a lockout and boots (thanks, guys). Well, for this terrain, I wouldn't have paid for lockout, but now that I have it, I'll use it on foreroad climbs, and it does make a difference. One complaint is the postmount for disks. I put on a Magura Clara, and could never get the rotor centered. With the postmounts, you can't shim the caliper, so I ended up shimming the hub. I've since gone back to V's, so it's not that big a deal, but was frustrating. I really prefer the I.S. system, and hopefully it becomes a true standard at some point. I weigh 140, and haven't felt any flex bombing through rock gardens and over logs. Be warned, though, this is a racing fork, and has never been particularly plush, even at 90 psi (recommended is 100 +- 5). That's okay, but with the lockout, I'd like to get it a little cushier. Still a great fork, and the newer models keep getting better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony
a Racer
from GJ, CO, USA Date Reviewed: March 16, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA.com
Strengths:
Light, smooth, cheap, air spring is easily adjustable
Weaknesses:
Air chamber leaks after 4 months. Jenson has TERRIBLE cusotomer service! Its only XC stiff.
Similar Products Used:
sid xc, judy stuff, other mars
Bike Setup:
hayes disc, may contribute to early bushing slop?
Bottom Line:
The fork worked great out of the box, started to leak air after a few months. Called JensonUSA they told me to call manitou, they are only concearned in healping if its under 90 days. Manitou fixed the problem in under 2 weeks (January) but would not let me send the fork in myself, i had to take it to my LBS, DUMB RULE! Over all the for works pretty good. The spring is air and MCU. The air is easy enough to adjust but the MCU, top part of the travel must be replace if you dont like the way it feels, i have just dealt with it. Seems to hold stiffnes well enough (im a clydesdale with disc brakes). The oil side doesn't have much in the way of adjustment which is probably why I don't care that it also leaks oil.
In my relatively worthless opinion forks are disposable if you race or ride hard. This fork was cheap and it works fine barring the production problems that mine has suffered. I would only by something from Jenson if you know you won't have any problems with it and it is the lowest price around. Manitou could have been cooler but they took care of it.
Overall deductions for my internal problems but still a good value.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Palmer
a Cross Country Rider
from High Peak, UK Date Reviewed: February 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Several depending on weather
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike Factory
Strengths:
Light weight, easy to service.
Weaknesses:
Poor responce, don't hold air pressure, fork seal don't keep out water, damping oil becomes mayonnaise very quickly, spring supplied too weak so forks bottom out too easily.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX
Bike Setup:
2001 Marin Rift Zone
Bottom Line:
These fork are standard equipment on the Rift Zone which makes life difficult. If I had purchased them seperately I would be getting my money back. They are totally unsuitable for the purpose of XC mountain biking. There is clearly a design fault with the air and oil seal design. The reviews here highlight the air seal problem, the wet weather in the UK perhaps exaggerate the oil seal problem. Needless to say they are on the way back to the manufactures.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hank
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ Date Reviewed: January 27, 2002
Favorite Trail:
50-Year Trail, Catalina, AZ
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Supergo - came with Bike Purchase
Strengths:
Light, user friendly
Weaknesses:
Weak spring - Manitou should stock with mid-range spring, not the lightest they have
Similar Products Used:
RockShox Judy
Bike Setup:
On Schwinn Rockett 88 FS
Bottom Line:
I really like this shock - it's light (I felt like I had to lower my tire pressure to improve grip on loose soil), and I've found the shock (and instructions) to be user-friendly. Rides nicely over all terrain - though at 180#, I find that I need to use a higher pressure than suggested... in checking with Manitou, I found that this is because they ship their shocks with the lightest spring (<120# rating)... come on folks... look at the average of sales - I'd bet most riders *don't* weigh <120#... just a cop out to get us to buy the heavier spring, huh? Well, it's worked - I've put my order in. This aspect alone drops the overall by a couple of chilis... otherwise, I'd rate a "5" on both aspects. Once I install the beefier spring, this will be a shock that I'll stick with for a long while.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Westwood
a Cross Country Rider
from The USA Date Reviewed: December 1, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Light, air, plush.
Weaknesses:
None, i am only 120 pounds so stiffness is not an issue.
Similar Products Used:
RS Jett, RS SID XC
Bike Setup:
Stock Jamis Dakota AL
Bottom Line:
It seems like the poeple who did not like the fork bought the fork aftermarket and when they got the fork it was not working. In other words, everyone who liked the fork had a working fork, everyone who hated the fork, recived it dead on arival. I got stock on my bike, and i could not ask for a better xc fork. Its super light (3lb!!), tuneable, and for my weight its stiff. So if you can get one that works out of the box, do so.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
C Money
a Weekend Warrior
from Shelburne Falls, MA, America Date Reviewed: November 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
bridge of flowers (illegal)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$139.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Cheap, Light, plush, looks pretty biatchin'
Weaknesses:
NO compression control, NO damping control, springs too weak
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Jett (hahahaha) Manitou SX-R (R.I.P.)
Bike Setup:
Iron horse hardtail with good compos.
Bottom Line:
This is a great buy for the money. But honestly, i'd rather have the SX-R back (my tard local bike shop owner cut the steerer tube to the same length as the old Jett that speced with my bike, making it so I could ONLY use the stock stem). The SX-R wasnt that much heavier, and the adjustments made it soooo much nicer to ride (except when it got cold...). On the Mars, I ride it about 10-20 psi over pressure because the freakin think compresses so much...its still too easy for me to bottom it out (though I do have to being TRY to bottom it out to do it ) but any higher of a pressure just makes the rebound feel like youre blocking punches with your arms and fighting the bike. The ride over basic to fairly bumpy single track is way smooth and nice, though, I will admit. But if you dont keep your torso steady on the uphills with this thing, you will be bobbing like an apple at a halloween party
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Homansky
a Cross Country Rider
from Marietta, Ga. USA Date Reviewed: November 27, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Price point
Strengths:
light,I do think it is stiff enough for its weight
Weaknesses:
too soft,springs set up for 130 lb rider,stickers came on crooked,first fork came to me with oil all over the box and inside the plastic sleeve, Its made by Manitou
Similar Products Used:
RS Judy, SID XC, Marz.Z-2 BAM, Atom Bomb, Manitou SX-Ti,
Bike Setup:
Yeti ARC, XT, XTR mix, King HS, Thomson post and stem,Avid, pretty sweet for my 2nd bike
Bottom Line:
I bought this fork because of the price and weight-I had read some mixed reviews on MTBR but I rolled the dice and lost big time! Full story-I had a bad crash and somehow tore the cap off with some otf the threads on the non air side.Ok, my bad Ill order a new part and replace it.This was in late August-it is now Nov 27th and I still dont have the part.I called Answer and they told me I shouldnt ride on the fork bec. the cap could fly off.(With the plunger and all the oil)I would need to order the part through a dealer.So far they have sent the wrong part 2 times ,said they sent the part but wouldnt give the shop a tracking #, went to Interbike and lost the order, Blah, blah.I ride a lot and want my bikes to work, thats all.
Their customer service blows -if you call you get a voice mail. The fork worked pretty well for me, but it is doing me no good sitting in my garage.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Stillwater, OK Date Reviewed: November 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
with bike
Strengths:
light
Weaknesses:
too plush, not made for heavy riders. I am 190 and it bottoms out all the time. Loses air.
Similar Products Used:
RS Judy's, Psylo
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakota XC XT/XTR, mavic
Bottom Line:
The fork is very lightweight, but I just need more stiffness! It would be a great fork for a 165 lb rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Conrad
a
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: October 9, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came on 2001 Sugar 2
Strengths:
Had a lockout, light
Weaknesses:
Not stiff at all, air leaks like a funnel, not adjustable at all, blew up dampener after a month, not really good for anything.
Similar Products Used:
Lots of Manitous and SIDS
Bottom Line:
It is now on my single speed working as a suspension corrected rigid fork. Manitou should try making a fork work before putting it out to the public. This is the third Manitou product I have had that has been trash. I'm just glad their lockout works, the fork makes a great rigid fork, and gives my riding budies and I something to laugh at.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from fairmont wv Date Reviewed: September 15, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
with bike
Strengths:
big improvement on my beginner level jett c. gets all its travel. cool to have air and coil
Weaknesses:
not stiff at all in wv rocks. feels like it squirms all over. not plush at all anymore. difficult to dial into my weight (130) so it is plush but not limp and dead feeling, the shock compresses in stages and you can feel the different levels. the boots suck the whole thing can get scratched easily. not enough dampening when the air is at my proper weight
Similar Products Used:
stuff
Bike Setup:
bike
Bottom Line:
id rather have a sid for a lightweight fork with better dampening and lock out and stuff but of course it is more. id get a marzocchi if i wanted stiffness and smoothness. both forks would be more plush than this. the fork seems well built but it just isnt for someone like me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh Karnes
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX, USA Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Emma Long
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$159.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Light weight, stiff, tuneable
Weaknesses:
No damping adjustment, Answer Products does not respond to email
This fork is terrific. Much more plush than the SIDs and nearly as tuneable, nearly as stiff as a Psylo, ultra lightweight, and very affordable at this closeout price from Supergo. Would have been worth the $350 MSRP, a steal at under $200 current street prices. This fork seems to be the ultimate compromise in ride quality, tuneability, weight and stiffness, with the price being a huge bonus!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sal Cania
a Racer
from Potsdam NY Date Reviewed: September 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Ledge trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa
Strengths:
The fork is nice and cushiony without stiction you find with forks that are full air. Its also really easy to tune
Weaknesses:
A bit flexy for me, but I weigh 145. I race it hard and I'm not sure, but it might be leaking air or something.
Gary Fisher Sugar, XC racing/trailbike setup (alternating)
Bottom Line:
This fork RULES!!! Its light and soft. Can't beat the price either. Manitou is the way to go!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle
a Cross Country Rider
from McMinnville Or Date Reviewed: August 26, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$169.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
Light, Cheap
Weaknesses:
Flexy, lossing decal, no lock out
Bike Setup:
Trek 7000
Bottom Line:
Good light fork
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken Robb
a Cross Country Rider
from La Jollla, CA. Date Reviewed: August 7, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Laguna
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Easy to adjust stiffness w/air pressure. While it has no external adjustment for damping, the internal valves seem to adapt fine to whatever air pressure I choose. I weigh 210 lbs. and thought I might need to buy stiffer springs that has not been needed as I haven't needed more than 180 psi. There is no problem with stiction and they hold air for a long time: I don't need to pump them up as often as I do my Fox Vanilla Float R.
Weaknesses:
haven't found any.
Bike Setup:
Marin Rift Zone 2001, stock
Bottom Line:
For the cross country riding I do,no big drops, these work great and may be one of the reasons I bought the bike. On the few occasions when I bottomed them out the hit at the bottom of the stroke was well cushioned--no big clank.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Slick Rock
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa.com
Strengths:
These forks are light, adjustable-but on the soft side, active, take the lumps well,offer enough rebound control. They came with fork boots. Finish had no defects. Never had any problem bottoming out or rough rebounding.
Weaknesses:
I weigh 155lbs and they are somewhat too soft for my ideal setup. Good for cross country, scary on the big drops. You have to spend extra to buy the special grease gun and a special air pump. Even though it has a shrader valve, none of my regular pumps work. It has to be a screw on type only! Most shrader pumps are held on to the valve by compression.
Similar Products Used:
Rock shocks quadra, indy, judy
Bike Setup:
Specialized ground control, xt components,
Bottom Line:
Nice cross country fork at a decent price. Soft and not adjustable with common bike pump. Says it has two year warranty on air chamber, Because of the high pressure I wonder how well it will hold up over time. So far it's performed great-on the soft side so watch out on the ledges because you will sink more than you expect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: July 22, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint
Strengths:
light weight, price
Weaknesses:
did not work straight out of the box
Bike Setup:
xt equipped Salsa
Bottom Line:
Still waiting to ride it. After installing the fork it became apparent that the air cartridge leaks air into the outer fork blade, building pressure behind the outer dust seal pushing it out of the fork. Manitou's solution did not work. PricePoint has not accepted my returning the fork. So far, I am VERY disappointed in the service from PricePoint or Manitou.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Austin k
a Racer
from dawsonville Ga USA Date Reviewed: July 12, 2001
Favorite Trail:
StoneWall Falls
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Manitou
Strengths:
It has an incredible plush feel and moves smoothly over any bump you will incoiunter. It is very light and steers suprisingly good for weighing 3 pounds.
Weaknesses:
It comes set up for the lightest rider, at 185 I find it to soft stock, but what else are they going to do. Sometimes the lack of adjustment is annoying but that is what you get when you buy an ultra light weight fork.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox SID XC
Bike Setup:
Fisher Sugar 2, Mostly stock with a hollowtech XT crank, selle italia seat and a riser.
Bottom Line:
The fork works well and doesn't cost near as much as the SID race and SL and works better. it is more responsive than the SID series and more tuneable by air adn spring combos.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carl B
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa Date Reviewed: June 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Sugar Bottom
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Light weight, adjustable
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX and SXR
Bike Setup:
Fuel 90 with full XT drivetrain, RF Next LP cranks, SRAM 9.0SL brake levers with 9.0 brakes, Manitou Mars air fork, Panaracer Mach SK tires
Bottom Line:
Awesome feeling fork during climbs and descents, and you couldn't beat the price. The MARS tracks great and can be adjusted to fit any conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken Hoff
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville, Ky. Date Reviewed: June 25, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Briar Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Goose Creek Cycles
Strengths:
Quick, positive recoil without a bounce feel. The positive compression and recovery allows for jumping numerous logs and rocks in succession without feeling like your bike is mushed down in a hole. If you have ever done a face plant following a log jump, you know what I mean. The Mars '01 is best suited for technical trail riding. Front wheel stays nice and true during off camber jumps and tight switchback decents compared to the Rock Shox equivelant.
Weaknesses:
Could be lighter but not a factor with my style of riding.
Marin Bear Valley, XTR derailers, XT BB & hubs,LX crank & brakes with Sun Rims.
Bottom Line:
A good upgrade in the 80 mm fork catagory. Perfect for technical trail riding with climbs, tight turns and obsticles. It allows the rider to hold a tight line during slower decents in difficult terrain. This fork would complement a skilled rider who rides trials-esk type trails.
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Submitted by
John McShane
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland Indiana Date Reviewed: June 19, 2001
Since I have had this shock only about 2 months my initial feedback is very positive. I replaced my manitou mach 5 sx after 6 years. This MARS shock seems to handle the workload. I have raced on it a few times with no problems. So I feel it is a good shock.
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