S-Type shocks were designed to pack huge performance in a small, clean package. Other features include a CNC machined air canister, minimized domed cap for optimized spring feel, and aluminum damper shaft.
Submitted by
mtbwesley
a Cross Country Rider
from rockville Date Reviewed: November 9, 2009
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
plush,light,tough
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
rp2
Bike Setup:
xc trail
Bottom Line:
shock never gave a problem. i get a little nervous on some decent drops, but it always eats 'em up! not bad for xc specific shock. but i hold a manitou 4x as back up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rx_7addict
a Weekend Warrior
from redlands, ca Date Reviewed: November 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Marshall Canyon
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
cyclery usa
Strengths:
This air shock is light and robust. I wiegh near 200 lbs and I ride all mountain. I have never had a problem with this shock. The lock out works great. the rebound adjustment is very fine tunable. If serviced these shocks should last years.
Weaknesses:
I have not found any weaknesses. Don't buy it for a downhill shock
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Roco TST R Air, Fox RP2
Bike Setup:
2006 Fuji Thrill 1.0
Bottom Line:
No problems with this shock. it performed weel during the time I used it. I love the ability to lock out a rear shock.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
barry S
a
from Modiin, Israel Date Reviewed: March 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ya'ar Ben Shemen
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Easy to take off bike
Weaknesses:
Hard to dial in settings. looses air preasure - ALOT. Kept tightening the valve stem, fixed the problem for a week, then lost even MORE air. Worse - ones no air is in the canister, the shock won't lock out. :(
Similar Products Used:
RockShox Monarch 2.1 - i replaced the manitou with this shock.
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Supercaliber 29er - 2007. Tubeless, Ergon grips.
Bottom Line:
At first the shock was OK, since i didn't know any other shocks, i was new to FS bikes. I replaced the shock with a Rockshox Monarch 2.1. I wanted the 3.1, but the guy on the phone misunderstood me. in any case, after trying this very basic shock from Rockshox, the Manitou REALLY REALLY REALLY is an awful piece of garbage. If yours is broken, don't send it back in, even in working order it can't compare to what Fox and Rockshox has to offer....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Just Racing XC
a Racer
from Boulder, CO USA Date Reviewed: March 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
XC
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
The stable platform valving seems to work well, but inconsistently.
Weaknesses:
This is the worst documentation for a product I've seen. The manual does a great job of describing their premium SPV shock, but overlooks the rest of the product line. It took a long, long time to figure the best settings, etc. The lockout lever has no detents from off to on. When you're riding you don't want to reach down and swing and back and forth several times trying to figure out if you're close to a lockout, etc.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float R
Bike Setup:
Trek Top Fuel 8 2007
Bottom Line:
A good shock on a great bike. Trek upgraded to Fox RP2 for the 2008 model year in order to have a great shock on a great bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Al Osorio
a Cross Country Rider
from Zurich Date Reviewed: February 8, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Engadin, Switzerland
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with Trek Fuel 8
Strengths:
Great performance for Price of total spec on Bike. I have always had good things to say about Manitou, although it seems there is a small but very strong anti-manitou biker group out there. I assume they have good reasons.
Weaknesses:
at 185 lbs. I can get it to reach its limits, but it stays in the game without failure. Probably not a good chioce for a freerider or downhiller, but we know it's an XC product.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Radium with Lockout.
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 8 2007. Nice Bike.
Bottom Line:
Compared to the the lower end Radium I noticed the difference in the first mile. Very stable and well balanced. I need to have 120 Lbs. of pressure and after 3 or 4 weeks that might drop to 110 lbs. No Problem. My Fuel 8 Works like a charm, and the geometry remains very stable during climbing and meets all my expectations for the downhills and rocky/rooty singletrack. I am not enough of a engineer to know how much has to do with Trek's design or the manitou rear shock. But anyway, I felt like saying something positive after reading some other reviews.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Benjy
a Cross Country Rider
from Welsh Borders, UK Date Reviewed: January 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Climb On Bikes
Strengths:
The Manitou S-Type SRL was fitted as standard to my Trek Top Fuel 8. This is my first experience of a full sus bike and am totally satisfied with the way this shock performs. I have no problems with it losing air as others have described, perhaps i got lucky who knows?
Weaknesses:
Lockout lever seams a bit fragile and not very clicky if you know what i mean but hasnt bust in any tumbles yet.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Trek Top Fuel 8.
Bottom Line:
Does the job, no problems. Is getting better as it beds in.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnest
a Cross Country Rider
from Quebec Date Reviewed: October 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
PBSD
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Easy to set-up, lock-out and plush
Weaknesses:
That thing loose 50psi over one night, got to re-inflate it everyday. Became totally flat in 3 days.
Similar Products Used:
Fox float, Fox RP3, Manitou swinger and some Rock Shox
Bike Setup:
Trek Top Fuel 8 2007 stock except for some Time Atac pedals
Bottom Line:
That shock really is a piece of crap. I have never seen anything like this before. I just came back from a 3 hours ride and it as already lost 25psi from the setting that i have made just before the ride. It's not a big surprise too see that Trek release the same bike in 2008 but with Fox RP2 instead of that Manitou S-type piece of junk.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu
a Weekend Warrior
from Yorktown VA Date Reviewed: September 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
original to bike
Strengths:
weight
Weaknesses:
poorly assembled; leaked 50 lbs per day out of the box. Sent to Manitou by LBS for 'repair', leaked 55 lbs per day afterward.
Bike Setup:
Fisher 29er
Bottom Line:
A miserable piece of crap from a company that couldn't care less about service or reputation.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Randy
a Weekend Warrior
from GFBC Date Reviewed: August 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
nil
Weaknesses:
nil
Similar Products Used:
what ever
Bike Setup:
giant
Bottom Line:
I have a jamis with a swinger 4 beat it to death and keeps on going got a giant anthem with the ligth s shock packed it in with just a bit of thumping it is xc and was used as the bike is to be used maybe I will put on the swing 4 .
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Downhiller
from Seymour, CT Date Reviewed: November 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
- Easy to use - Easy to setup (if experienced with suspension setup) - Lockout
Weaknesses:
- Lack of documentation - Lack of tuning documentation (internal valving) - Rebound damping knob does not always click at each adjustment level
Similar Products Used:
- Fox Float
Bike Setup:
2006 Iron Horse MKIII Expert
Bottom Line:
A decent air shock for trail and cross country riding. This one has seen some decent downhill training rides (shuttles) and has been over a few stunt runs with no issues . The air canister volume is not an issue however lack of tuning documents makes this shock hard to setup for different bikes or riding styles.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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