One of the most versatile forks on the market, it contains one-switch instant travel adjust, coil spring internals and the best damping system on the planet with TPC.
Submitted by
Chris Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: May 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
my back yard
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
Lots of featurs, realy smooth if your just riding over bumps and not hiting any jumps.
Weaknesses:
had to use a zip-tie to hold my brake cable, weak weak compresion,(this is kinda my falt but) I striper the front disc break mount (didn't cross thread just tightened too hard) so I'm gunna try to get some longer bolts cuz theres still some thread in there
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
stock Iron Horse Gunsu (2002), new grips, bash gard,
Bottom Line:
this is a fairly good fork for your money but It is the weakest part of my bike (it's a $1299.00 bike so...) its better than my old forks but I don't have the extra cash to put a heavyer spring set in it, and im sooo pissed that the brake mount stripped (the place that pit my bike togeather striped the bottom mount, I noticed when I was cleaning them, so I tightened the top hard to try to stop any play but that stripped the top.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Cross Country Rider
from Montclair New Jersey Date Reviewed: May 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
GREAT stroke, buttery smooth, does everything a fork should do and then some
Weaknesses:
stickers shmickers the fork is still hot without them
Similar Products Used:
nothing can compare
Bike Setup:
Stock 2002 Giant AC Air
Bottom Line:
this is a great fork for the money buy it end of story
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ward
a Cross Country Rider
from vernon Date Reviewed: January 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Strengths:
very plush, very stiff.
Weaknesses:
compression seems very minimal when cranked up
Similar Products Used:
lots of other suspension forks
Bike Setup:
cross country
Bottom Line:
Great fork all around. Joe from Seattle should take a hissy fit brake. People want to know all of a forks weaknesses, and I agree though it's nothing major the decals aren't designed to stay on to well, and if your spending $500.00+ dollars on a fork, they had better be. Joe, was your one star review for the forks performance, or for the hissy state of mood you were in when writing your useless review.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Jordan
a Cross Country Rider
from Beaverton, Oregon, USA Date Reviewed: January 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Spring Water Corridor Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Gallery
Strengths:
adjustable Travel, Rebound dampening and compression, unique "reverse arch" design, nice colors (red, black, bronze, etc.,) lightweight, VERY EASY to lubricate with microlube technology
Weaknesses:
The oil slightly leaked out of the rebound cap for a while, but it seemed to have stopped (and the fork still seemes to be lubricated just fine)
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Psylo, Marzocchi Arrid XC (both on friends' bikes)
Bike Setup:
1999 raliegh M60 with stock Shimano Deore XT drivetrain and hubs, chrome-colored stem and handlebar, front kenda tire (26 x 2.10) and tektro V-brakes. AFTERMARKET: Manitou fork (yeah!), mythos XC rear tire (26 x 2.10), Trek relief zone saddle, specialized speedzone elite computer, rear Zefal rack.
Bottom Line:
Lightweight, manuverable, just great. it's not quite a Marzocchi arrid (although this is an air fork and the Marzocchi was a spring fork) but it rides better than the rock shox psylo I rode on. all three are good forks, but the Manitou was the best deal for me for the type of bike I have. I'm proud to have put the Manitou sticker on my bike frame as well!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Colin
a Downhiller
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: December 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
DH run at COP
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Cyclepath North Calgary
Strengths:
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO smooth and great over bumps. Handles drops fairly well, very strong
Weaknesses:
bottoms very easily, parts braek of of it
Similar Products Used:
rock shox sylo, Z1, dj 1
Bike Setup:
marin rock springs
Bottom Line:
good fork overall, better for light freeriding adn xc. no good for hard freeriding and DH
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neil
a Weekend Warrior
from Tallahassee, Florida Date Reviewed: November 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Cadillac
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Lightweight, smooth travel, rigid
Weaknesses:
Plastic preload adjuster, stock spring too soft, do I really need to mention the stickers? (Reglue them with a product called GOOP)
Similar Products Used:
Manitou X-Vert Super
Bike Setup:
Used fork on 2002 Specialized Enduro Pro and 2001 Santa Cruz Bullit
Bottom Line:
After installing the Black Elite, I immediately felt the stock spring was too soft. However, a week's worth of riding convinced me that it was really very plush on most roots, ruts and potholes....but had a tendency to bottom out on hard hits. I promptly ordered a FIRM spring kit from my LBS and installed it. Now, it was very firm and harsh and lacked the smooth response. So, what I really needed was a progressively wound spring. But that problem was easily remedied since I now had a MEDIUM and a FIRM spring. Decided I would experiment by cutting both springs and installing the pieces. This would give the smooth ride as the softer spring was compressed and yet not bottom out due to the stiffer spring. Just to be safe....I did not cut the springs in half, since that would leave no second chance to get it right. Instead, I cut each 12" spring at the 8" or 4" length leaving a short and long piece. Used a propane torch to flatten the ends and then inserted a washer between the pieces as I slid them back into the tubes. NOW, they are perfect! Hope this idea can help someone else fine tune their forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
who really cares
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario Date Reviewed: November 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything fast and fun
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
big bike sale
Strengths:
work great, extremely plush, lots of travel for what I do, no problems yet
Weaknesses:
the raised stickers suck, why don't they just stay on plastic knobs on the bottom
Similar Products Used:
rockshox jetts then moved to rockshox judy on new bike
This is an excellent fork and the best one I have ever had. The only weakness is the stickers and the cheap plastic knobs on the bottom. I emailed manitou and they sent me a new pair within a few days. The best part is I accidentally sent manitou my address twice so they sent me two pairs of stickers. I am really happy with my purchase of these forks and would recommend them to anyone that isn't extremely heavy and is thinking of buying them. I weigh 150 pounds and with the forks on the 120 mm setting I could feel that the shocks where getting close to bottoming out when I was just having fun and hopping around on them. In all so far I have really enjoyed these forks for the time that I have owned them. If you get these forks I would recommend that you e-mail manitou and ask for a pair of stickers right away before they start falling off because every black elite 100/120 that I have seen has the stickers startingto come off.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jeremy
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO USA Date Reviewed: October 29, 2002
springs are for the under 190lb class in my opinion (I weigh 185) but you can get heavier ones.
Similar Products Used:
rock shox judy xl long travel
Bike Setup:
rocky mountain switch, disc, north shore crankset, fox vanilla rl rear, manitou black elite 100/120, mobster 2.5's
Bottom Line:
I use this fork this summer 20 times. 5 times urban, 4 times riding the lift at Vail, and 11 times out in Moab. For me, switching to 100mm is great for highly technical runs and uphills, 120 works great for fast pedaling and light downhill. I would put this on any hardtail or full suspension that you don't want to second guess before going out to ride. clean it, grease it, ride it, enjoy it. I just got a Stratos LR-1 to put on cuz it's an inch more plus a lockout but if I wasn't gadget crazy I'd ride the Black forever. Anyone want to buy it for $200? Email me at skifryk@yahoo.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: October 16, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
The Stickers - OH MY GOD - the stickers!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
None
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is a lot of folks on this board need to get a clue. You bought a MOUNTAIN BIKE for god's sake! You expect cosmetic stuff to last????? Buy another shock, put it in a glass case and leave the rest of us alone. PLEASE.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
God White Horse
a Cross Country Rider
from HK Date Reviewed: October 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
2nd hand
Strengths:
acceptable weight, comfortable in XC, just keep on riding, it will eat up bumps for u. good for climb & easy downhill,gain more confidence to ride faster.
Weaknesses:
U have to stop before you can adjust the switches at the bottom, you'll got no time to switch to 100mm before riding up hill,friends won't wait for you!
just buy one bottle of glue to keep the stickers in place. if u want a extreme xc fork for many many abuse, just go for it. u won't regret it!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Bethesda, MD USA Date Reviewed: September 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Homemade Little falls trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$239.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Floats, Looks, Travel, Makes my super V look like a chopper
Weaknesses:
Stickers suck, I emailed Manitou and the sent me 2003 stickers for free
Similar Products Used:
judy, quattro 5, indy,
Bike Setup:
super v700, xtr, bontrager mustang, panaracer Fire XC
Bottom Line:
This has got to be the best upgrade ever! I don't see any problems with this fork. Buy what you want. I want a shock, no lockout. I can crank into it and it won't bob.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Downhiller
from CT Date Reviewed: September 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
the jungle
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$225.00
Strengths:
SOOOOOOOO plush, unbreakable, cheap (well i bought it from a friend)
got it from a friend, he wanted to sell it, been ridden once(all of the stickers were still on) im at mount snow w/my friend we are riding some superfast fire road. i air off the water bars as usual. i start going faster. i hit 40 (yes i have a computer on my bike, i like to track my heart rate) and launch off a big (1.5ft) water bar. my friend said i was about 6-7 feet in the air, and he had to look up to see me. im coming down and my front wheel starts to drop. i land squarely on the front wheel. doesnt even bottom, and im saved from the er. i was going "oh @&$# this is really going to hurt" in the air. nope. i stopped as quickly as possible to check to make sure it hadnt &#%! a bushing or anything and my wheel was intact. everything was normal. i love this fork. and i didnt need to change the springs or anyhting, it works perfectly for my 165lb self. only bottomed it once. dont ask how....it hurt
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Benjamin Gehret
a Downhiller
from Trabuco Canyon Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Your Mom
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Pretty bombproof. I race beginner downhill on this thing, and it is tough as nails. The stroke is as silky smooth as I've felt. Easily maintained and rebuilt. Manitou's warranty department rocks.
Weaknesses:
Sprung very light out of the box. Purchased firm spring kit and it solved the problem, along with some 10 weight oil.
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox psylo, Manitou X-vert, Cannondale Lefty
Bike Setup:
Giant AC-2
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up to my previous posting. This shock has been through a lot of abuse, and keeps coming back for more. Little by little, I noticed that my 2.5 tire was going off center, until it eventually started rubbing on the arch, when I'd take big hits. Last week I sent the fork back to manitou, and it came back today. They replaced the entire lower leg castings, and the rebound assembly. Manitou rocks! If you are a big boy like me, get the firm spring kit, and replace the oil with 10 wt. Make sure that you lube the microports once a month, and also drip some 20 wt. oil into the fork boots. This has kept my fork running smoothly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Heidelberg, Germany Date Reviewed: September 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
I just bought this fork as part of a complete bike. I decided to get this one for the 120mm suspension and the adjustability. Fits exactly the tune-ability I was looking for. Fairly light, suppossedly durable, and nice to look at. What else can you ask for! We'll see how it holds up after a couple more km on it.
Weaknesses:
None yet, except I realize now in hindsight that I probably will never use the 100mm mode, but hey, who cares!
Similar Products Used:
Multiple Manitou forks and one Rock Shox way back when which were too early in fork development to have any major quality points.
Bike Setup:
Storck Adrenalin Race, full XT, some interesting after-market stuff.
Bottom Line:
First off, what's up with everyone complaining about the stickers. I actually thing the fork looks pretty cool, but the stickers simply don't stay on the fork. First ride, I was already missing letters, so I simply removed all of them. Had they stayed on, I would not have taken them off because of looks. People, it's a fork--who cares what it really looks like. Is the trail your catwalk?
For now, I am satisfied. I don't foresee any major problems here and if any show up, I am not all too concerned that they won't be remedies by my LBS or Answer themselves. Folks, you ride a mountain bike, and mostly likely aggressively off-road. Things will break and you will have to fix or replace them. That's part of the game.
5 Chilis from me for this one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bubba prator
a Cross Country Rider
from gearhart or. Date Reviewed: August 29, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
mike's bike shop
Strengths:
has not been a problem yet. Very smoooth running and stiff, Can take a beading
Weaknesses:
weak springs, decals worthless goood for sticking on friends cars.
Similar Products Used:
Mar. Z1 rockshock judys old ones.
Bike Setup:
specialized espert
Bottom Line:
one reason i bought the expert rather than the pro from specialized is cause of the rockshock in the front. rockshock makes junk, only good for grocery runs when you need to hop a curb or run over a nasty dog. I weight in at 220 and have completely ruined alll thinngs specialized on my bike. Bolts, seat stays, frames,brakes, wheels and the only thing that is still running is the manitou fork with a update super firm spring. At my age 57 I don't do much jumping just hard riding i like staying on the ground even if it is 60 70 degree slopes, so five stars.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
A-REN
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Gatos & Fremont CA USA Date Reviewed: August 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hikers only
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
After you take offthe stikers the fork is great Lots Of plush travel TPC+ on mine rocks
Weaknesses:
whell I broke the rebound, every thing els is great except the stickers manitou must have found them out of a lick and sick coloring book!
Similar Products Used:
Manitou 1997 sx, 1999 SX Ti
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Chameleon Black Elite 120, all 8 speed XTR, Race face turbine LP& SYStsm holding protapers, Chirs king hubs&head set,Rinho lights wraped With Kujos
Bottom Line:
this Fork is Awsom it made me a better rider I was loveing this fork it is so plush and responsive it climes good with little bob even in 120 mode till I went Fast throgh a dry creek crossing a little to fast i messed up and slammed right in to a ten inch boulder the fork sucked it up and saved me from eating the stone but at the cost of the reboud damper the fork topped out and ripped the piston off the rod and stripped its threds. though i stii love this fork it just saved me a lot of money i dont have any insurance for stiches or broken coler bones. i called manitou as soon as i got home and they are sending ma a new damper.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joebre
a Weekend Warrior
from Kirkland, WA, USA Date Reviewed: July 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tiger Mt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came on Enduro Expert
Strengths:
This fork is very plush. It takes bumps extremely well and I haven't bottomed it out. I'm not a downhiller, but I ride cross country trails aggressively and it seemed to be the perfect component for my style of riding...
Weaknesses:
Well, it broke on me this weekend!!! I was riding a local trail when the fork went completely rigid on me on a bump. I pulled off to the side, turned my bike upside down and took off the wheel. I pulled on the lower castings to free them up and they nearly came completely off! I am sure that if I had taken off the disc brakes the lowers would have come completely off. I believe that something inside the fork broke. I limped home and took it to my LBS.
At the LBS, they put the bike up into a stand and started taking it apart. The mechanic pulled the coil out and the damping cartridge, and they both looked fine, except for there was a little piece of plastic attached to the coil that had broke off. Not very cool to see a piece of plastic holding the coil in place. He removed most of the parts and then tried to take the lower casting off the stanchions. No luck, it wouldn't budge, not even with the gentle tapping of a hammer. They shipped the fork off to Manitou today and I am waiting to see if they warranty this.
Bike Setup:
Stock Enduro Expert Pro
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is that I was loving this fork until this happened. Now my confidence is shaken. I don't believe that I subjected this fork to misuse. I am waiting to see how Answer Manitou handles this situation, if they issue me a new fork or tell me that I'm SOL. Until then, the best I can give it is 2 Chilis for fair. If anyone else has had this happen to them drop me a line and we'll compare notes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sierra-life
a Racer
from Tahoe's Famous Flume Trail Date Reviewed: July 28, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
120mm of travel available to work with. Another slick working product for Manitou.
Weaknesses:
First of all, forget about the weinie 100/120 nonsense and resign to the fact that you bought a 120mm fork. If you want less travel buy a shorter fork ....... Next, get rid of the plastic preload adjuster and replace it with a metal fork cap and a chunk of elastomer to make up for the preload cap length. Put a nylon washer between the spring and elastomer. ....... Next, if you don't notice much difference with the rebound dial, replace the stock 5wt. oil with a good synthetic 7wt. and try various oil levels within the 117-127mm range til you find a plushness to your liking. And yeah, get rid of the frikkin stickers. What is with the stickers??? ....... go ride. NOTE- Any of these modifications are simple and reversable.
Similar Products Used:
2001 Manitou XVERT 105mm
Bike Setup:
SantaCruz, Jamis, Raceface/XT/XTR mix
Bottom Line:
Good fork as expected. Great fork with some tweaking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
garin noble
a Cross Country Rider
from monterey CA us Date Reviewed: July 25, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
bike store
Strengths:
very plush, travel adjustments are easy, 1 piece system, reverse arc for more strength
Weaknesses:
dumb stickers, adapter necessary for disc brakes
Similar Products Used:
none had a rock shock judy
Bike Setup:
rockhopper fsr a1 beefed up
Bottom Line:
its a great fork i love it. it is able to clear a large tire. sure theres some little things but its well worth the money. i ride with guys that have a s8 a bullet and a super lite and im able to stay with them now because i wont have to worry about my crappy front suspension
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fred Banister
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, VA USA Date Reviewed: July 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Bottom Line:
HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM ?? A properally dished wheel does not "center up" in the fork The centerline of the rim is 5mm too far towards the left (disk side) leg LBS confirmed this and has sent fork back to Manitou...I have not yet heard what they intend to do about it or what the actual problem is. LBS mechanic thought that the fork tips were not machined correctly or that one leg was longer than the other.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kirk
a
from Lake Forest, CA Date Reviewed: July 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$239.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Price, $239 at Jenson! Looks, ride, adjustability.
Weaknesses:
Cheesy stickers, compression adjustment doesnt seem to do much.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi X-Fly 100
Bike Setup:
2001 Intense Uzzi SL, full Shimano XT, Avid mechanicals, good solid stuff.
Bottom Line:
This fork absolutely rocks. It compliments the active rear end of my bike. If you're looking for the smoothest slider in the biz, then this is the one. Rapid travel adjustment works great, in and out of 100 to 120 unlike some of the other blacks forks out there. 100mm positon is ideal for extended climbs. Effective rebound and preload adjustments to dial it all in. Compression adjustments doesnt seem to do much though. Overall, very pleased with this fork and highly recommend it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KPETEH.
a
from Sofia Date Reviewed: July 21, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$300.00
Bottom Line:
MNOGO QKA. NAI-DOBRATA. ROCK-SHOX PSYLO SUXXX!!! are sega shte napisha pone 50 dumi za da ne mi zatriq postinga typite skapanqci ot mtbr-to q se mahaite. oshte dwadest i pet dumi li mi ostawat, emi dobre togawa mojete da mi go apnete s bozichka che da ne wi prisedne maika wi da eba. emi mai stiga, a?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Casioppo
a Racer
from Canton, Connecticut, USA Date Reviewed: July 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Neapaug or West hartford rez
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Used
Strengths:
Great looks,price (for me at least), lots of ajustability
Weaknesses:
something is wrong with my fork. In the 120mm position, the fork doesn't always rebound all the way back, it just stays stuck down an inch or two. I have to pull it to full length. Also, the fork gets stuck easily. If I dont compress the fork for a few seconds, it will lock up. I can then put all my weight,130 lbs, on it and it doesn't compress. Being a used fork, I understand why the fork isn't perfect. It is in a shop right now, getting fixed, hopefully.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z5-very smooth but on another bike Manitou SX-E-my previous fork that died
Bike Setup:
99 FSR, Black Elite 100 120
Bottom Line:
This fork is great and very smooth, when it isn't stuck. When it works, it works really well. Hopefully the shop can fix it. Aside from the stiction or whatever is wrong, I love the fork. I also noticed some oil leaking out from under the rebound ajusting knob but I am pretty sure I fixed it. E mail me if you have had any problems like this. I will write another review when I get the fork back from the shop. I give this 5 flaming things for value, but 3 overall because of the sticking problem
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Redwood CIty USA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came on enduro expert
Strengths:
Very good rigidity, a great steering fork. Climbing is excellent in the short travel position.
Weaknesses:
Travel adjustment has a dramatic effect on preload (not necessarily bad). Travel adjustment has no effect on spring rate.
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC, Marzocchi Z1, test rode the 02 Psylo a couple times.
Bike Setup:
FSR enduro expert
Bottom Line:
This fork is truly excellent, IF its features match your needs. On the face of it, the Psylo seems a better design. On the Psylo, travel is infinitely adjustable, with the spring rate ramping up as you dial the travel down. On the Black, the spring rate stays the same in the short travel position, and the preload is pushed WAY up. In the short travel mode, the fork acts kind of like forks did in the pre Marzocchi, pre Judy era: it is pretty much topped out with no sag, and feels very firm. In the long travel mode, of course, the fork has lots of sag and eats bumps for lunch. Basically, the fork is a completely different beast in the two modes. For me, this is perfect. The short travel mode is great for climbing, and for slalomy single track. The long travel mode is excellent for fast descending, or for slow, steep technical descending. On the other hand, if you want a fork whose height you can dial in to perfectly suit your bike, the Black is probably not it. Its behavior is just too different in the two modes. As I said above, the short travel mode is perfect for climbing. If you want the short travel mode to act more like a normal, modern fork, you will have to do more than flick the travel switch, you will have to back off the preload and increase the damping to keep the fork from topping out (folks who are hearing noises in the short travel mode, this is probably the issue). I have yet to bottom the fork, and I weigh 180. I think the fork came with stiffer springs than most people are getting (perhaps because it was OEM on a size large). I do some technical riding, but any drops of more than a couple feet are not for me. Sounds like if you do a lot of these you might prefer a Bomber. Still, I have to say that the Black is way more laterally ridgid than my old bomber (which admittidly got a lot of abuse). The Black is a great steering fork. No oil leaks, no problems. I give it five for performance, cause it suits my needs perfectly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dvVIII
a Downhiller
from 'The Big Smoke' Toronto Ontario Date Reviewed: July 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
the 'Don'
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cyclemania
Strengths:
Lots of adjustability, light, super smooth travel, option of no brake-bosses for disc-only is nice but...
Weaknesses:
... where's the cable guide!?!?! $600+ Cdn. and I have to use a zip-tie to keep my front brake cable snug?!?!?
Bottom Line:
One of the best single crown forks on the market for aggressive riding (at least until the Sherman's come out...)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
THEbigP
a
from NYC, NY, EARTH Date Reviewed: June 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$340.00
Strengths:
This is the macdaddy dude for bombing freeriding man. XC girlies may want to try it to, but for free it's the ultimate bowel movement.
Weaknesses:
Wassup with the stickers man? Heck, my backdoor is stickier than these things.
Similar Products Used:
all
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi - that says it all.
Bottom Line:
Buy this fork then whack it up. Tellied mine last week at 10001, but it was so seismic it was styling.
Cut 'em up on side and let it ride man.
This is the fork for you man. BUY IT NOW.
For anything other than free.... well, is there anything else? No.
Free rules and so does this fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ang
a Cross Country Rider
from singapore Date Reviewed: May 30, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Strengths:
it is an multi purpose fork.......if you do dirt jumping just change the travel and you get a near to ridge feel.....power..nice....hardly bottom out
Weaknesses:
the decals all came off..... too many thing to adjust.....
Similar Products Used:
judy tt
Bike Setup:
xc setup
Bottom Line:
this is the end for all your forking problems......no need to think which is next to upgrade to....unless you are thinking of getting a triple clamp fork......other than that this is one of the best if not the best for single crown fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd K.
a Downhiller
from Canton Date Reviewed: May 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Coon Hollow Path
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Wi]th AC Air
Strengths:
Looks, plushness, adjustments, everything
Weaknesses:
Words come off, and hard to adjust travel
Similar Products Used:
Alot of stuff
Bike Setup:
AC Air
Bottom Line:
Its a good fork. It takes 8 foot drops fine. Unfortunatly the rear shock is so active that the front fork barely gets any action. Don't complain, its a good fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Cross Country Rider
from Tulsa, OK Date Reviewed: May 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hi-chi
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
BOT
Strengths:
Stiff, Smooth, Fairly-Plush, Looks, Adjustable
Weaknesses:
Tire Clearance (2.4 max), Spring rate is not as progressive as it should be for a fork intended for hard riding, Decals
Similar Products Used:
Judy, Black Comp, SX-R
Bike Setup:
AC Air w/ minor mods
Bottom Line:
The fork is nice. Its a great aggressive trail riding fork. For freeriding however its a little lacking. The spring rate really needs to be more progressive. on the last half of its travel. SRP could really bank on this one if they manufactured some progressive springs.
The adjustability of this fork is incredible. I wish I had a little more range, however, on the compression adjustment.
This forks looks are sweet. Even the decals look cool. The only problem is that they come off or move around really easily. Everyone I know with one either has a letter missing or a letter that has moved.
I think thats about it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bogdan M
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: May 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Bing Bang (Bromont, QC)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$360.00
Purchased At:
Vello Sportable
Strengths:
Smooth like butter, great steering precision, did I say smooth. Nice travel adjust option ...
Weaknesses:
Weak Rebound adjust, bad placement for the rebound and travel contol levers
Similar Products Used:
Z1's, Judy's
Bike Setup:
Chuck Cycles FS, Hayes Disks, Chris King hubs, lot's of Race Face, SRAM Drive train
Bottom Line:
Well, first things, this fork really should have stiffer springs. Having said that, after using this fork over the weekend at Bromont ( a local dh ridng place) I have to say it's sweet. I weigh 260 with the compression and preload cranked. I only bottomed out 2 times during the entire day, but I can see how it would on a drop .. I didn't do any drops just hard technical riding.
I guess the heavy springs will do the trick for that. I was really impressed by how well this thing steered, compared to the Z1's I had before. This one is actually smoother.
One beef is the rebound ... the dampning on this is nowhere near as controlabe as the Z1's. You could make those take 1 min to get back up .. the Rebound adjust seems a bit weak .. maybe heavier oil would help. However saying that I didn't really find the need to adjust it past the slowest point ...
Also while I have not had any probs to day with the levers at the bottom of the fork ... if you do and Urban riding ... I can see how you cold bash these and break them off ..., mind you at that point are also probably going to bend your disk and snap off your caliper ...
To wrapp it up I love this fork ... I can't wait till I get the stiff springs ... this should be something that Manitou swaps for free ... I should not have to buy an extra set ...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lefty
a Cross Country Rider
from Trabuco Canyon, Ca Date Reviewed: May 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim, Moab
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
After 6 months of abuse, the fork has held up reasonably well. Travel stroke continues to be as smooth as Astroglide. Microboots have done a decent job of keeping out the elements. I put in the firmer springs, and that seemed to do the trick as far as blowing through the travel prematurely on Rock Gardens and such, but drops are another story.
Weaknesses:
After 3 weeks of use, the travel adjust quit working. Now the fork stays in the 120mm setting, which is fine now that I have the firmer spring kit. Still bottoms out on 3 footers. I weigh 220 now, and maybe need to lose another 20 lbs. to keep er from slammin. Manitou recommended to me that I change out 5 wt. oil, for a 7.5 wt oil. This will increase the compression and rebound qualities of the fork. I plan on doing that this week.
Bike Setup:
Giant AC Air. Basically stock.
Bottom Line:
This is a good fork. I think that the travel stroke has to be the smoothest on the market. Manitou definitely needs to address the spring rate and dampening issues. If I could have chosen the shock that my bike came with, I probably would have gone with the Fox Vanilla RC 125. www.teambasso.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenixville, PA Date Reviewed: April 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
French Creek - Red/White
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Ride quality, rigidity, easy of adjustment/maintenance, price/value.
Weaknesses:
Utterly ridiculous cheesy stick-on letters. C'mon, Manitou, you can do better. Also a little weighty.
Great fork, great value. Had an XVert Super for three years and loved it. This is the "improved" version of it, with better rigidity & easy of adjustment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Snakebite
a Downhiller
from Calaveras Date Reviewed: March 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Toad
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
JT Cycles in Sonora CA
Strengths:
I love this shock, especially in it's 120 mode. It really is the best thing I've ridden that gives the greatest control in fast rock garden action and big hits and drops. Tiping the scales at 175 I did opt for the heavier spring. After riding an Exvert Super for a few years, the reverse arch does the trick for noticeable added stiffness. My Exvert would actually make my brakes rub as it flexed. Grease ports are really handy, and yes it is asthetically pleasing. Bottom line - it makes me faster.
Weaknesses:
It makes that "noise" in the 100 mode especially after i went with the heavier spring. Still I use that mode for climbing as it, along with cranking up the compression, almost locks the fork out. Yes, the letters will come off without attention and probably will end up just spelling "ACK" ala Bill the Cat. It does bottom out on four footers and above drops but wha-de-ya want? The best of both worlds? A shock that's responsive in fast bumpy, rocky stuff and that won't bottom out on a four foot drop? Dream on farm boy.
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Aurora, CO Date Reviewed: March 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stiffness, adjustability, performance - particularily rebound adjust is very good. 100/120 adjust ok I guess, but I never take it out of 120 mm.
Weaknesses:
none...ok, crappy decals, but who cares?
Similar Products Used:
Headshock 80 mm super fatty sl, Psylo XC,
Bike Setup:
'99 Cannondale SV 1000, Cane Creek S2, C'dale headset adapter, Rhynolite/2.3 Panaracer DH rear, Dave's Speeddream/2.1 Panaracer front (mamomouth/2.3 for downhill), Avid Arch Rival brakes, Fox Float R rear shock.
Bottom Line:
Now my bike has 120 mm travel front and rear and this fork really transform it! I've tried to make a C'dale "stinky" out of this thing. New fork makes wheelbase go from 42.6 to 43 in., like Kona stinky and SC bullit, and head angle from 71 to aprox 68-69 degrees, as close as I can calculate. At speed 20-26 mph, bike is more stable. Fork is plush but a too soft with std med spring (I weigh 230). Put in firm spring. Sag as I set up is about 1 1/16 inch. I think Manitou is wrong in the way they say to set sag ...they say you should be seated, but all bikes I have checked, have at least 2/3 of the wt on the rear wheel when seated. I use the semi crouched - arms sorta loose, ass about a couple of inches off the seat - "dyno" position someone called it - like you are approaching roots or rocks on the trail. I also borrow the neighbors bathroom scales and use with mine, have someone steady me as I move back and forth "body english" and record the wt readings, to understand wt transfer going on while riding - do it, it may surprise you. Have ridden about 5 hours of time now and I really love it...but have to wait about 10 days after snow for the ground to dry out enough to ride trails. Most of the folks I talk to with the Black have std spring and use heavier shock oil....I don't agree with this, as having set up road racing cars, we always use springs and sway bars to set up the basic behavior of the car and use the shocks to control dampening. This shock was designed with 5 wt oil, and while 10 wt does stiffen the response, some of the finer response of the fork is lost. IMHO, tune with the springs first then I think you will find the fork adjustments will handle the fine tuning. I also got the X-firm spring and will see if needed when ski resorts open in mid June for downhill. After listening to my Headshock clattering going downhill, I can't wait....great fork!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a
from Edmonds, WA Date Reviewed: March 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Downhill Zone
Strengths:
Buttery smooth and stiff
Weaknesses:
-stock spring too light -compression adjustment nearly worthless -travel adjustment difficult to use (lever is very stiff) -crap decals
Similar Products Used:
Psylo SL
Bottom Line:
I was originally very impressed with this fork. The spring rate was not a big issue on most of the trails I usually ride. Then I took this fork to Moab for a week-long huck fest. It bottoms out way too easily for my 150- lbs and tossed me over the bars on one particularly violent compression (I deserve some of the blame). However, I switched back to my old Psylo SL and had no more problems. think the Black in its stock form is a good show room fork. It looks cool and is sooo smooth. The bad news is that out in the world this is not a big plus. I still don't know if its worth it to upgrade the fork or just sell it. Right now i like the Psylo.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
stiffee_shane
a Weekend Warrior
from somewhere in Canada Date Reviewed: March 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
whatever, whenever I can ride
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
Trail Blazers Cycle
Strengths:
Plush, adjustable, stiff.
Weaknesses:
Cable routing for Avid disc brakes is a pain. Had to use zip ties and pieces of an old tube (to protect the finish from the zip ties) to route the cable.
Bike Setup:
Cove Stiffee, XT/LX stuff, etc... really tricked out ;-)
Bottom Line:
I think I will really have to break down and order some firmer springs for this fork. With a weight of 180 lbs, I can compress this fork pretty easily. I bought this fork in the fall of 2001 and have been riding it since. Most of the things I don't like are cosmetic. The method I had to use to route the cable for my Avid disc brake really takes away from the clean look of the fork. No mechanical problems to date and it looks good on my new bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Hillsville Iowa Date Reviewed: March 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Stiff laterally, good looking
Weaknesses:
soft spring, decals, compress adj dosen't do much, no lockout available, slight oil seep around rebound adj knob, mini-boots are going to protect the bushings for east coast riding.
Bike Setup:
Enduro Expert
Bottom Line:
Good fork, but would be better with a lockout option. People complaining about top out noise need to compress the fork after each travel change. Since the stiffer springs don't help, I am going to try the $80 TPC+ dampening upgrade (position sensitive dampening).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a
from Newbury, MA Date Reviewed: March 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
stiff torsionally, goes where you point it, sturdy(hasn't broken)
Weaknesses:
spring rates
Bike Setup:
2002 specialized enduro expert
Bottom Line:
It is not as easy as it might seem to set this up for your weight. At 200 lbs., the stock spring is marginal. Worked ok in 100m with sag at the max suggested. Bottomed out every once in awhile. 120mm forget it - way too much sag. Firm spring arrives - with new fixed top cap! No more preload adjustment! This spring seems marginally too stiff for a 200 lb rider though Manitou says its for 170-190. No sag whatsoever in 100mm mode, less than an inch in 120. Gone is all the plushness. Now I swap out springs depending which travel I want for a particular ride. Just a heads up - still like the fork and think it's likely better than most.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Boris
a Downhiller
from Brooklyn, NYC Date Reviewed: March 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Central Park, Mantattan
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
universal
Strengths:
actually stiff, killer looks
Weaknesses:
just about everything-supper tight tire clearance, useless travel ajustment, compression doesn't do much, crappy srickers, straight rate springs, so so seals.
Similar Products Used:
PSYLO-i miss them so much, and wonder why i sold them
Bike Setup:
giant ac frame, doublewides on XT Disc hubs, Hayes purple brakes, azonic almost everything, gazza rear,irc kujo Dh front tire
Bottom Line:
I H A T E T H I S F O R K i'm not saying that it's a bad product, i really dig it's super smoooothness. it's just not right for me(even tho it was intended for a freerider initially) The only Two things that trully bi=other annoy dissapoind and piss me off is the tight a$$ tire clearanse(only 2.4 max)i had to giveup Gazza Jr. from the front leaving my bike looking like a freak with front tire smaller than rear.
Another thing is that it has straight rate springs that simply blow through the travel(thank god it doesn't bottom out badly) the fork uses same ammount of travel on foot drops and on 5 inch curbs (about 90% of it's travel) ir ramps up fast and feels totally nonagressive) and the compression doesn't help either. i really missmy PSYLO XC, even tho they didn't have the compression ajustment and it wasn't as easy to ajust the travel (i keep it on the max anyway) and wasn't as smooth, my bike felt al lot better and more agressive on BMX trails, plus i was able to rin 2.7 tires on it.
for the tire clearance and spring rate i'll give it 2 chills if manitoufixes that problem and keeps the same price i'll give them five, but for now...only 2
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LEXX
a Downhiller
from ALAMEDA Date Reviewed: March 5, 2002
Favorite Trail:
so many
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
after almost 6months since my last post... this fork is still as plush and stiff as the day i bought it. Manitou finally sent me a new dampner assembly a while back and the fork works great - if your stickers are comming off... stop wiping out!Quit playing around with the travel adjust - bobbing can be a good workout.
Weaknesses:
Chose your spring weight wisely. I'm 147lbs which is too heavy I think for the stock rate coils Manitou has and the kind of riding I'm doing... I had some correspondence w/t Manitou for some time, and they agreed to send me a new coil for my wieght - which hasn't happened yet... i hope they solve this customer service issue soon... but thats it.
Bike Setup:
Same as B4 w/t some new parts
Bottom Line:
PLUSH & STIFF be weary of your coil rate and your weight, Manitou markets this as an Agressive Trail Fork (it says so on their box), very capable fork... my only quam is with the correspondance that occured...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ricardo Pavia
a Weekend Warrior
from Sintra Date Reviewed: March 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$425.00
Purchased At:
Avalanch Bikes - Cascais
Strengths:
this fork is really stiff, very smooth, not too heavy, completly ajustable, travel adjustment is very usefull, rebound adjustment works, this fork is really good... and it is beautifull...
Weaknesses:
Try it and look for weaknesses because i can't find any...
Similar Products Used:
Marzochi Z1 Drop Off, Manitou SX-E, Rock Shox JUDY TT, Rock Shox Jett xc
After trying it, i though that it was too smooth, but now i don't think that, because it works very well on the terrain. A like very much the 120mm mode, this really absorbs all, on 100mm mode it isn't very sensitive to small bumps but its realy good for climbing. Well i was going to buy an Rock Shox Psylo XC but after seeing this manitou i finished my doubts. I'm am really satisfied with this answer product, i think this is the best fork that manitou has done in all his history... I hope my Black keep working for long and good years of riding...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dub
a Weekend Warrior
from ARIZONA Date Reviewed: February 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The ones that go DOWN FAST
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
STIFF!! A-JUST-ABLE!!!! It's a TIGHT FORK...looks like $1 million DOLLARS!!! Reverse arch, LIGHT!!, RED!!!, and my "BLACK" stickers STAY ON!!! It's the perfect fork if you do XC or if you like to get crazy and do some freeride'n and some average drops.
Weaknesses:
well....it wasn't free. That would have been PERFECT!
Similar Products Used:
Psylo
Bike Setup:
A beast!
Bottom Line:
GET THIS FORK!! If you like adjustability and - THAT WORKS!! - You won't be disappointed. Try it out if you get the chance...then....by it. Manitou ya'll out did yourselves this time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Staka
a
from Adelaide, SA, Australia Date Reviewed: January 29, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$465.00
Purchased At:
JT
Strengths:
Very stiff. Adjustable. Very smooth. Look sexy.
Weaknesses:
Labels - a little glue would not cost manitou that much. Also the plastic adjustment levers are going to break - esp the travel lever.
Similar Products Used:
Psylo XC, Judy XC, Indy XC, RST Delta XL.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro FSR 5.2" rear.
Bottom Line:
These forks are great compromise on weight, stiffness, adjustability, travel and plushness. They are perfect for someone l who wants to have fun flying down hills, but also wants to be able to ride back up them without too much wasted effort.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
luis pegado
a Cross Country Rider
from portugal Date Reviewed: January 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$432.00
Purchased At:
Portugal
Strengths:
All around stifness
Weaknesses:
yet to be found
Similar Products Used:
manitou mars super 2001, manitou sx r 2000, manitou xvert 2000, manitou 1999, manitou 1998, rst
Bike Setup:
Specialized m5 XT / XTR
Bottom Line:
2002 manitou black and mars models are from a distance the best suspentions they ever created. In fact comparing with other suspentions they make a preety good diference for the better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Trabuco Canyon Date Reviewed: January 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pocupine Rim, Moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Taylor's-Provo Utah
Strengths:
The travel stroke is very smooth. No stiction whatsoever. Good looks. Micro boots do their job of keeping the Stanchions clean.
Weaknesses:
Stock spring rate is for anorexic roadies. Compression and Rebound adjustments don't make much of a difference. The travel adjust knob requires some serious strength to move. Decals fall off if you ride too fast.
Giant XTC AC Air. Avid Mechanical Discs, Rhynolite Rims
Bottom Line:
I weigh 230lbs. I ride hard. I took my new rig up to St. George Utah this past week to break er in. I had to keep the fork in the 4 inch mode, to keep it from bottoming out. Heavier Spring kits for the fork are almost impossible to find at this time.
The fork however is very laterally stiff. I noticed very little or no flex at all. It is the smoothest thing next to my Lefty that I have ever ridden. It kicks fanny on the Psylos of 01.
When I hit the trails for the first time with this fork, it was topping out really hard, and making a load sound. I immediately switched the fork to the 120mm setting, and the noise went away. I will write it off as noises during the break in period. I think the cold weather had something to do with it too. Later in the day, the noise was gone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Malcolm Jitam
a Racer
from Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Date Reviewed: January 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
5 Ton Trail (technical with drops)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
bike shop in KL
Strengths:
Plush, never found the bottom, stiff.
Weaknesses:
Stupid non-international disc brake mounts.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Atom, Z3, Rock sucks..
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR Elite with XTR (used to have HOPE disc)
Bottom Line:
The rider rating for this review drops out of a box, and I don't quite fit in as we reckon that we are XC free riders.
Realisticially with this fork, you wouldn't want to talk about climbing but descending. I ran it the full 120 ml travel but never felt it bottom out. This also did not change the head angle too much and I din't notice any difference here.
Having 100 ml travel puts more damping into the fork but make it less sensitive to small bumps (roots). Control was nice and predictable. I am however anticipating headaches in fork maintainance especially riding it in Borneo mud. I also hope it that doesn't fall apart.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joseph
a Cross Country Rider
from Montreal, Qc Date Reviewed: December 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Prevost & Coaticook
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
where i work
Strengths:
Incredibly stiff fork, no lateral flex!! ... on the fly adjustments that WORK .
Weaknesses:
Limited range of Travel Adjustments (ie: a la Psylo..)
Similar Products Used:
Psylo SL, Marzocchi's, Manitou;s .. etc ... all major brands
Bike Setup:
GT I.Drive 2.0 ..
Bottom Line:
INCREDIBLY stiff fork, liked it a LOT better than the flexy psylo, that's why i got rid of it.. i would like to have the same infinite travel adjustments that the psylo has, but will sacrifice for 100/120 and the stiffness ... it climbs like a machine and tracks sooo well! ... 5 fat turds for the BLACK!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Venum
a Downhiller
from CA Date Reviewed: December 13, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
Doesn't leak or piss oil or anything out the seals.Must have improved em.
Weaknesses:
looks different ?
Similar Products Used:
Almost everything!!!
Bike Setup:
Intense Tazer slalom bad azz bike
Bottom Line:
Stiff fork w/o flex compared to most other single crown ...I have it on an Intense Tazer as a slalom bike & it works great...100mm mode is real nice 120mm is more plush for freeride'n...No problems wid it,go get it...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Laval, Quebec, Canada Date Reviewed: December 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
still searching !
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Primeau velo
Strengths:
Extremely plush ! incredible stiffness ! I love this fork
Weaknesses:
My fork had a defect... it leaked half its oil after 4 hours of light riding but they fixed it in 3 weeks... it should be ok now...
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z.3 long travel (my friend's) , manitou spyder R
Bike Setup:
99 Specialized Rock Hopper A1 comp fs, Mavic X618 LX, XT derailleurs, Manitou Black Elite 120
Bottom Line:
This fork is incredible. It has great damping. It's so much smoother than my old spyder R ! It's behavior when you switch the travel is also incredible... it seems like the spring rate changes when you switch it... not just the preload... so it's superplush in 120 and in 100 it's a little stiffer and feel like my friend's marzocchi Z3 100mm. This fork is good for freeride and for crosscountry (in 100mm) Finally, I'm very happy with it and I'll forget it had a defect (see in weaknesses) since this fork behaves so good ! I've but only 4 chilis overall because of the defect but I'd have put 5 if it wouldn't have leaked...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Downhiller
from South Africa Date Reviewed: December 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
twister rock
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$445.00
Strengths:
torsionally stiff.reverse arch is really stiffer than regular arch design.lot's of plush travel.
Weaknesses:
Nothing so far & i got one of the first ones they made!
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Psylo...felt flexy compared to Black fork...
Bike Setup:
Kona Stinky-freeride setup...
Bottom Line:
I felt like i got my money's worth buying this Black fork..I have not had any problems & i change the travel back & forth every once in a while,not constantly,like the other post from Matrix,this is a bikercross type of fork..not a Z.1 BIg drop fork...I have dropped 6' to asphalt & it still works fine.....A spot of superglue fixes the BLACK stickers from coming off.easy!....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matrix
a Weekend Warrior
from Knoxville,TN Date Reviewed: November 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Still searching ?
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Travel 120mm-looks rad
Weaknesses:
none yet?
Similar Products Used:
Monster-T -99X-Vert-Zoke z.4 -Z.5 - Z.1qr20 -X-vert-R dc -& more
Bike Setup:
GT steel hardtail 20" - XC/freeride
Bottom Line:
Baddest fork i have bought besides Monster-T's i had! THis BLACK fork is goin off..looks killer for sure....I like all the external adjustments too... It's plush.. I'm going to leave it in 120mm mode all the time! & not mess with it like other anti-bob freaks...Just let it bob a little....It's not a XC fork with a silly lockout!! I think Manitiou intended to have the travel knob be used every one in a while-Not every time you reach the top of a climb,constantly turning it.I think it just makes it easier to Change the travel w/o going internal & doing a spring change..... Those little fork boots are cool.. Feels stiff due to the reverse arch ....This fork is smooth no doubt !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonds Date Reviewed: November 20, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Downhill Zone
Strengths:
Extra plush
Weaknesses:
-lack of a lock out devise -no meaningful compression adjustment -travel control knob on bottom of fork leg not very useful
Similar Products Used:
Phylo, Judy 100
Bottom Line:
This is by far the most buttery smooth fork in existence. It makes bumps disappear, both big and small. It delivers every bit of travel advertised without ever feeling the bottom.
Now life is full of compromises. Try standing up and hammering out of the saddle and you have a pogo stick. Try to moderate this effect by damping the fork down results in zero effect. Compresing the fork to 100mm fo climbing stiffens it up nicely, but because the adjustment is at the bottom of the fork leg you are forced to stop at the top of the hill to release it back to the 120mm setting. Relocating the travel adjuster or putting an effective lockout/compression adjuster on top of the fork leg would be a big improvement.
I bought this fork after blowing up my 2001 Phylo SL. I had thought the Phylo to be a pretty good deal up to that point, however in term of travel quality alone the Black is the better fork. The reverse arch makes for a cool look, but at 150 pounds I cannot tell the difference in stiffness. The lack of brake bosses also adds to the forks good looks. The only fashion faux paux are the stupid Black decals which began to peel off almost immediately.
Like others reviewers, it was between this and a Z 1 MCR. It's kind of like that chick you never ask out. You always wonder. But when I point my bike downhill I no longer care.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tim bohac
a Weekend Warrior
from plainfield,il,usa Date Reviewed: November 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
palos
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
local bike shop
Strengths:
this is a follow up
Weaknesses:
follow up
Similar Products Used:
n/a
Bike Setup:
n/a
Bottom Line:
manitou rushed a replacement part to my L.B.S. and fork was repaired in a total of 4 days. they requested the broken part from the shop (black plastic shaft below spring) to see what happened. they said that this was a fluke, but we will see. overall, they handled the situation pretty well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tim bohac
a Weekend Warrior
from plainfield,il,usa Date Reviewed: November 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
palos
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
looks great.nice to have different knobs for individual adjustments.stiff.
Weaknesses:
broke on the first day.way too plush. i had to put a firm spring in and hadn't even ridden it yet.
Similar Products Used:
psylo sl, sid 100,judy xc
Bike Setup:
01' i-drive w/ ryno-lites, avid disc front on xt disc hub and xt shifters/drivetrain
Bottom Line:
the fork just broke on me the first day. i ride a little harder than most (into freeriding)and it was a great ride for the first hour. then i rode off a cheasy little 3 foot picnic table and heard a "boink" sound. i looked down and legs were gone. they were all the way in the lowers (fully compressed). i changed the stock spring to a firm spring last night because it felt too plush out of the box. the adjustments for rebound and compression did not seem to do too much. after taking it in to the l.b.s that i got it from, we came to the conclusion that the "rapid travel adjust" must have broken because the spring is in one piece. this is my first manitou and i'm not very impressed. everyone i ride with has told me to switch from rockshox,a failing company, and this is what i get. i agree with most psylo owners that it is a little flexy, but at least it held up longer than this thing. maybe it was just a fluke. i hope that their 5 inch travel forks are designed to handle a lot more than 3 ft. drops. i'll re-post when i find out what's up. i'll give it 2 chili's because it felt real nice for the first hour, it's stiff and looks great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: November 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
City Park in Austin, TX ; National Trail, Phoenix; anything in Fruita
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Stiff, Stiff, Stiff. Travel is butter-smooth but not mushy. External travel adjustment(while it works, see weaknesses) Looks awesome(as long as the stickers stay on, see weaknesses)
Weaknesses:
Call me crazy, but the compression adjustment seems to flat out not work. Especially coming from the superb "climb-it" control adjustment that my 2001 psylo has. This is a bit of a problem because when I go to 120mm, the compression rate of the fork seems to completely change, and no matter what I do, I can't adjust the fork to have the same compression characteristics in both travel modes. The rebound adjuster works a little better but not much. The travel adjust broke(details below), so I am stuck in 120mm until we hear back from Answer. Overall build quality does not seem to be anywhere near RS and especially Marzocchi. The adjustment knobs are already getting pretty beat up and wobbly, I have a bunch of paint cracking, and I the cool raised BLACK lettering on the Right Leg has come completely off. You can say that this is just aesthetics, but it really shakes my confidence in the reliability of this product.
Similar Products Used:
2001 Psylo SL(on my other bike); Z1 MCR
Bike Setup:
2001 Titus Switchblade frame, XT/XTR mix drivetrain, Avid Mech. Disks, Mavic 519F'S with XT hubs.
Bottom Line:
I like the way this fork rides, I really do. The stiffness is confidence inspiring, and while the travel feels much different in the two travel modes, both feel incredible. I have a psylo SL on my other bike which I love, but when I finally was able to pony up the cash for my new ride, I decided to try something different. I settled on the BLACK b/c of some ringing endorsements from the shop guys and the cost difference from a Z1 MCR. However, as time goes on I'm starting to get a bad case of shooda-bought-a-zoke-itis.
While riding in a 24 hr. race in texas this weekend in 100mm mode, I heard a nasty sound and felt the fork extend. I thought I had brushed the travel adjust switch on something as there werent many sick bumps on the course, but as it turns out it just plain broke. I am currently waiting for Answer to get back to my shop so I can find out what they are going to do about it. Stuff like this makes me wonder if it's one good hit away from full-on catastrophic failure. I scanned these reviews and didn't find anything like this happening, so hopefully I just have a lemon. I'll update this review when I hear back from the manufacturer.
This is a half decent fork, but the bottom line is I like the Psylo SL alot better for roughly the same price. I'm ignoring the fact that the BLACK is a first year model in this review, because so was my Psylo. Rode it hard for over a year and didn't have nearly the amount of headaches. I'm probably going to end up swapping it onto my SB if I can.
I'm a little frustrated with the problems I'm having. I feel like this fork is holding back a ride I worked very hard to save up for. I've never owned a Marzocchi, but I have ridden the Z1 MCR several times and feel it's in a class by itself. I'm sure the 2002's will carry on the legacy. If you're considering these three and you have the cash, don't nickle and dime yourself like I did, get the zoke and don't look back. Otherwise, the Psylo is the way to go. Maybe in a year Manitou will get the BLACK up to speed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Freddy
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland, Ca usa Date Reviewed: November 5, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
universal cycles
Strengths:
Stiffness. looks
Weaknesses:
Everything else!!!! Funny dampning, came apart on the trail, not very adjustable.
Similar Products Used:
Psylo Sl, z3, judy sl
Bike Setup:
Specialized enduro pro, stock
Bottom Line:
I might have gotten a screwed up fork, but my friend john doesnt like the funny damoning either. I going with The 02 Psylo Sl. now theres a fork.
this thing erupted oil on the trail. i had to walk back 2 miles with my head down in shame.
MANITOU can go jump in a ditch. Rock Shox and Fox are coming!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy W
a Downhiller
from UK Date Reviewed: November 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Scout Wood..lol
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
A shop
Strengths:
Super Plush out of the Box They look real nice Good adjustment
Weaknesses:
Plastic adjusters
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Phylo
Bike Setup:
2000 Kona Dudu
Bottom Line:
I used to hate Manitou, this fork changes my view. Super stiff, looks nice, performs amazingly. Ok Ive only had the fork for three months, so time will tell. Upto now I'm very impressed. Its nearly as plush as my Kowa\THE DH fork....and that is some statement.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Metzler
a Downhiller
from ft. Collins, CO Date Reviewed: October 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
sawmill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
manitou
Strengths:
Super plush, very adjustable without disassembly. chicks dig it. good tire clearance I have a 2.35 in there. STIFF
Weaknesses:
a little too soft out of the box for 160 lb rider, easily taken care of with heavier oil. black stickers come off (who cares),
Similar Products Used:
bombers. psylos.
Bike Setup:
99 FSR xc
Bottom Line:
sweet fork, be careful of the fork legs or you could break the rebound and travel adjustments. once again rockshox is at the bottom of the fork industry. they thought the psylo was good ha ha.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Henry Jones
a Weekend Warrior
from Oxford Date Reviewed: October 29, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Horton BSX Banbury
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$479.00
Purchased At:
All Terian cycles
Strengths:
Every thing Plush Stiff. Adjustment is great. good paint job. All in all a great for k.
Weaknesses:
Sticker look a bit breakable and plastic adjusters. A bit to plush at the moment but only ridden them properly twice
The fork is really responsive - but the compression assembly blows off!!!! - note this is not the top cap found on the right leg when changing oil - literally the whole assembly shaft with the adjustment lever still screwed on, came flying into my FACE!!!! - had I not been wearing goggles I would've been hurt - seriously!! Plastic caps!!! -c'mon RockShox figured it out a while ago!!! I'd be careful in deciding to purchase this fork - the rebound dial and travel are at the bottom of each leg -why? - you can break them - if it were not for how plush the damn thing rides i would get rid of it... I'd give Manitou 4stars but only after i contact them about exploding parts - and they help me out ASAP!!! (as you can tell I am very ticked-off, I started leaking oil every where, not to mention couldn't find the cap, and had to end my ride hours short!!!)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
stinky_shane
a Weekend Warrior
from somewhere in Canada Date Reviewed: October 21, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
Stiff, TPC, Microlube ports, Very Adjustable
Weaknesses:
Black stickers - they're gonna come off eventually, and some trivial cable routing issues not worth saying anything else about. Mostly cosmetic stuff so far.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z5 QR 20
Bike Setup:
Kona Stinky
Bottom Line:
My initial thoughts on the fork is that I'm pleased with my purchase do far. I'm not usually one to jump on the band wagon when a new thing comes along but after seeing the Black fork at my LBS and checking it out I was impressed with it. It is super adjustable, super plush, has more then enough travel for me, it is stiff, doesn't feel heavy even though its not super light, and the value you get for all these features is excellent. I do mostly trail riding with some stunts and jumps thrown in along the ride and so far the fork has handled them nicely. I have yet to bottom it out and it handles well in terms of how it tracks and steers. I think after taking it out for a few rides though I may need to order the firm spring kit for it. I like the plushness but at my weight of a 180 it feels too plush sometimes. The Black 3D stickers are more then likely gonna fall off at sometime or another. It also took me awhile to route my cables for my Avid discs without binding the housing but I solved that problem. It doesn't look pretty but it works. Lastly I had to buy a new front wheel as my last fork had a 20mm axle. Not that I'm complaining. It gave me an excuse to upgrade. ;-)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean west
a Weekend Warrior
from canada Date Reviewed: October 18, 2001
Favorite Trail:
horley woods(England)
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
ogc
Strengths:
I wasn't very pleased at all with this fork, its only strengths are the plushness out of the box,tpc etc.
Weaknesses:
The thing breaks!!!!The bonding in the crown and steerer comes undone with stress from jumping and downhilling this has happened to me twice now and one of the times I scrapped the chin peice from my helmet. In optherwords snapped right off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox psylo, bomber Z.1
Bike Setup:
foes zigzag hardtail, chris king headset
Bottom Line:
If you weigh less than 100lbs then this is the fork for you, otherwise wear your dainese and hope for the best!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mauka Rider
a Weekend Warrior
from Rancho Santa Margarita Date Reviewed: October 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
The Luge
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
stiff, plush, travel adjustment, TPC, No lateral flex
Weaknesses:
Mounting bolt for disc have stripped 2x and I am waiting for Manitou for new Fork/Lowers...depending on what issues arise. Last time, it took one week for the new lowers to come in and I live about 1.5hrs away form the company. I hope they get it right this time.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox, Marz.,
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi2
Intense Uzzi SL
Bottom Line:
The fork works great and the travel adjustment comes in very handy when climbing up long grades to get to my favorite downhill runs. No flex noticed and is just as stiff as my dual crown I was using on another bike. I just hope Answer takes care of my mounting bolt problem this time, since I may be out of a bike for a week again and I have only had my bike 2.5 months. This is a great trail riding fork for anyone not counting grams. I will review again if Answer gets on this mounting bolt problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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