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Average Rating
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3.32/5
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# of Reviews
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22
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MSRP
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$
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Weight
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More Products from Manitou
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Description:All new for 2004, the Axel family is designed to provide new levels of high performance and high value. Features include 28.6 mm stanchions, convertible travel, hydraulic damping and a Manitou RA casting for ultimate stiffness without extra weight.
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Submitted by
Anthony Galvin
a Weekend Warrior
from Islip, New York
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Stillwell | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | With Bike | | Strengths: | No real strengths | | Weaknesses: | To soft, lacks adjustments | | Similar Products Used: | n/a | | Bike Setup: | Numerous upgrades for XC | | Bottom Line: | These shocks are poor for heavier riders. They are next to get scrapped with an upgraded fork. I find they bottom out easy and they do not adjust.
If you are a fire road rider carrying less weight, these are fine. They will take minor bumps and roots. If you are hitting trails and want a shock that will perform during agressive riding, these are not them. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Stebbings
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Black Route, Thetford Forrest | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | With bike | | Strengths: | Looks ok, reverse arch and no canti bosses. | | Weaknesses: | Flexes a lot, even for a casual XC'er. Don't inspire confidence at all. | | Similar Products Used: | '98 RST 381 CL (really cheap but ok), '00 Judy Race (nice light XC fork), '00 Mazocchi Bomber (like a stonger stickier Judy Race) | | Bike Setup: | '04 Giant XTC3 but with Specialized tires and my trusty Kore riser bar. | | Bottom Line: | 1 rung up from Suntour, RST etc but Rock Shox offerings seem better in this price range. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle
a Cross Country Rider
from Corona, CA
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Red Box | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Montrose Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Cheap!!! If you can't afford something else it workable. | | Weaknesses: | Soft!!! If you are a big rider this thing will kill you. Tightening and loosening did nothing to change damper. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi All Montain III, Fox Vanilla | | Bike Setup: | '05 Specialized Rockhopper, Rhyno wheels, Avid BB7 185mm, Marzocchi All Mountain 3 Suspension Fork '05, panaracer, Easton Monkeybar | | Bottom Line: | Hold out for something better if you can. These came stock on my Rockhopper and I beat the heck out of em for a year. I was new to mountain biking and they were perfect for a beginner. They held up good and never locked up on me. I could never get them adjusted properly and they constantly bottom out cause i'm a big rider. They couldn't keep up as i became a more advanced rider. Marzocchi makes some much better stuff in the same ballpark price range or, if you have the cash, Fox Vanilla series are incredible. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JDEcho
a Weekend Warrior
from Savage, Mn.
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Lebanon Hills Eagan, Mn. | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | On paper it would seem to be a good XC fork. Reliable. | | Weaknesses: | To soft for heavier or aggressive riders. Adjustability is all or nothing, no in between. | | Bike Setup: | Bone stock Novara Ponderosa HT | | Bottom Line: | I weigh 185 and it is just to soft for me. Bottoms out to easily no matter how it's set up. Would be fine for lighter and less agressive riders. I've had no problems with it but it's tops on my list of upgrades. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
speed demon lady
a Cross Country Rider
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | anything fast and scary | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with my Gary Fisher | | Strengths: | Uhh...if your slow and like to walk down the hills it's a good beginner fork for you. | | Weaknesses: | Going up to 30 mph over a rock garden is not the Ideal fork. This fork doesn't absorb poo. I do have to say, it's good for someone wanting to try out mountain bike racing. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi Z1 Drop-off 1 and the Psylo Rock shox XC with a extremly different bike set-up. | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Tassajara GS with a Marzocchi Z1 Drop-off 1, and a ghetto set of disk brakes. Easton Carbon Lite Flat bar, and Panaracer XC Fire Pro tires. | | Bottom Line: | If you want to feel more confident with downhill descents, choose or upgrade your fork. Since this fork only has 100mm, choose a fork with more absorbsion. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from chilterns UK
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came with rockhopper disc | | Strengths: | Good travel, easy to use preload, microlube ports are excelent. | | Weaknesses: | rebound adjustment is poor, but rebound is OK so not a problem. Forks lock up if ridden in very wet conditions. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS1 with rockhopper disc parts. | | Bottom Line: | Good set of XC forks, have ridden about 1500 miles on them and they have locked up twice. This free's up after adding some grease to microlube ports and riding for 30 mins. If I lube forks before going out in very wet weather there is not a problem. Fork bottoms out off 3ft dropouts, but then is an XC fork, what do you expect? They are a good set of cheep XC forks. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan McNeel
a Weekend Warrior
from Anchorage,Alaska,USA
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Kinkaid park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | Smooth riding | | Weaknesses: | May bottom out but I have not had any problems.It seems like it may not be stiff enough for aggressive riding..But for a casual trail rider and comuter it has not been a problem | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Novara Ponderosa HT | | Bottom Line: | Satisfied customer so far! But I have very little to compare with. As a novice I have noticed very little problems. But I notice that I could have paid much more for a fork than I did with this one that came stock. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason Biber
a Cross Country Rider
from West Chester, PA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | WCU South Campus | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Exton Bicycles | | Strengths: | Very adjustable and slick looking. I weigh over 200 lbs and have not bottomed out yet except riding over a 3 1/2 foot log jump without any speed...I was scared. Really took my rim out of true, but the fork still works great. This came with my bike and I love it so far. Not sure if I have 80mm or 100mm of travel, but who really cares! | | Weaknesses: | A little notchy, but it is still semi new. Paint is easily chipped and scratched but I don't think anymore than any other fork. | | Similar Products Used: | First Fork | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR XC Pro Stock Large | | Bottom Line: | I am a true novice (getting better all the time). The guys I ride with have been doing it a while and they are impresseed with my progress. This fork is great for someone like me. I'm sure as I get better and want to try some bigger stuff, I will need a slightly stiffer and deeper fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Krasin
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Huntsville State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | came with bike - Bike Line | | Strengths: | Simple, cheap, 100mm, rebound adjustment | | Weaknesses: | Flexible, stiction | | Similar Products Used: | Headshock, Rock Shox Psylo XC, Lefty (demo) | | Bike Setup: | Basic Jekyll with Avid disc brakes. | | Bottom Line: | This shock provides good travel, but seems to suffer from a bit of stiction - it doesn't operate nearly as smooth as the Lefty $$$ (with roller bearings) or my wife's RS Psylo XC (may have to secretly swap forks with her). A good fork for the money though - see them going for ~$75 online now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Barker
a Weekend Warrior
from Saskatoon,Sask. Canada
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | rebound adgustment | | Weaknesses: | little soft | | Bike Setup: | Jamis kommoto fx 14in. frame | | Bottom Line: | not bad but at 165lb. I can easly bottom them out even with them stiffend right up. may help if i change the springs. good as a starter fork for a lighter person but don't try anything bigger than a 4 foot drop. they are reliable and havent had any problems yet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Horrigan
a Cross Country Rider
from Beverly, MA
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$109.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria Bike | | Strengths: | plush travel, solid construction, set up for disk and V brake. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Rockshox Judy, Rockshox Indy | | Bike Setup: | Redline Monocog single speed with avid disk fronnt brake. | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking for an inexpensive fork to replace the rigid frok on a single speed or hardtail you can't go wrong with this fork. The 80mm of travel is good enough for a cross counrty rider or a weekend rider trail riding. My favorite XC fork has always been a Rockshox Judy, but so far I like this fork better. It moves a little smoother (with less stiction) and seems to have less lateral flex. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Missoula, Mt, USA
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | ? | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | I like its rebound adjustments. It has plenty of travel for what I do. I weigh 200 lbs and it doesnt seem too soft for me. In fact I ride this fork with the stiffness adjustment all the way down. | | Weaknesses: | Have not had any yet. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Rockhopper Comp no changes to manufactured specs. | | Bottom Line: | This shock is leaps and bounds better than the weak Rock Shox Judy TT. If you ride cross country with some moderate downhill action this shock is perfect even for someone at 200 lbs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
k3n!f3
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart, Tas, Aus
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Bottom Line: | Hooray! After loosing my noble steed for three whole weeks its back. Manitou didn't fix the fork under warranty, but changed the whole top section for free! Yay, kinda wierd but I'm not complaining. They said it was due to misuse, and I got charged freight and a service but they changed the stanchtions (spelling???) and didn't charge for them =) I think I'll be riding Manitou for some time hooray! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cory Emmett
a Cross Country Rider
from Grass Valley, CA USA
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$770.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Bannannas | | Strengths: | Nice and soft, adjustable rebound dampening, adjustable travel, it's cool. | | Weaknesses: | Might be a little soft for some people, but for me (100 lbs) it's just fine. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi Drop-off comps, Marzocchi MZ Comp, Manitou Mars Super. | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Jamis Exile, avid disc brakes, Deore LX derailleurs, etc. | | Bottom Line: | It's a great fork for lighter weight riders (if it's stock, it's easily changeable to a stiffer spring) and it's pretty soft, just the way I like it. Rebound adjustment and travel wind-down are pluses. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakeville, MN
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | decent fork for the $$, adjustable rebound, adjustable travel | | Weaknesses: | heavy, sloppy, where's the lockout? | | Similar Products Used: | rigids | | Bike Setup: | '04 r'hopper comp, spd, ritchey, 100mm setup | | Bottom Line: | This is a great fork for the value, sepcially that it has adjustable travel & rebound. I have found it is fairly good at eating most bumps and drops, albeit is a rather "soft" fork. However, it seems pretty sloppy for me, especially while cornering or hitting up a log run. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
k3n!f 2
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart, Tas, Aus
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Mt Wellington | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Bottom Line: | I posted a review a while back but things have changed since then. It ran pretty well and I was pretty happy with it for around 4 months. Then the trouble began. The first problem encountered was seizure of the fork. It got stuck with around 35 mm of sag and i had around 30 mm of travel. Not cool. After much hard work and icky gloop shovelling pleny of grease and many an hour, it was alright again. The bam! Shot down. Three days later the same thing. I decided a month after the trouble began to take the fork into the lbs for repair properlike. The nice chap in the shop had a look and said he could get it going again, and lifted the seals to have a look. Now this being my first bike, I had lifted the seals many a time, but figured the damaged stanction was just what happened (stupid f@#king noob riders I hear you saying....) Turned out the steel had cracked, water had got in and was rusting away quite happily, resulting in the chroming peeling of. Not happy. Awaiting response from Manitou, fingers crossed, I'll post again to tell yall how it went. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas Dixon
a Weekend Warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | very plush and smooth | | Weaknesses: | too soft, prone to bottoming out on minimal impacts (and I weigh 160 lbs.) | | Similar Products Used: | rst 381r, marzocchi z2 atom sport | | Bike Setup: | jamis komodo fx | | Bottom Line: | immediatley replace the medium spring to a firm one ($20). change oil to 7.5 wt and convert to 100mm. doing so transforms this otherwise mediocre fork into a new beast.
only worth it if you make these changes, otherwise, I would rather have had something else come OE on my Jamis. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dudley Coulter
a Cross Country Rider
from Marathon, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Blue Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | Rollin' Thunder | | Strengths: | Very adjustable to the exact right level you want it to saty at. Exellent for cross country riding. Holds up great. | | Weaknesses: | Not very stiff. Not good basically for anything besides croscountry riding. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou sherman elite | | Bike Setup: | TruVativ parts all round' tha frame. Shimano Deore. 19' Jamis komodo Fx frame. 2'Hutchinson scorpion tires. And alex rims with hayes rotars and discs with Avid shifters | | Bottom Line: | Great bike fo' Cross Country... but dont even try another category...trust me i tried urban riding, it blows. Nice fork! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
k3n!f
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart, Tas, Aus
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Mt Wellington | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | lockout, grease ports, rebound adjustment, preload adjustment, plush (over small to medium stuff), disc specific. | | Weaknesses: | have noticed that is kinda lacks stiffness. would probably be fine with v's, but break hard with hydro's and it shakes to bits. | | Bike Setup: | 2004 merida matts speed, margura julies, deore, wicked cf handlebar, maxxis, ike seatpost + stem, shimano 520 pedals | | Bottom Line: | really really really nice fork for the money, has plenty of super cool features and holds up to anything i can throw at it. suit lighter riders (i'm 65 kg-145lb) but i have had no problems yet and will ride it till it snuffs it =) i gave it 5 to push the average up cos the top guy had some probs and cos i think its present average is a bit harsh | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed Hood
a Racer
from Canberra
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Majura | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Londsdale St Cyclery | | Strengths: | Lots of features, sturdy enough for agressive riding. Good for casual XC riding. | | Weaknesses: | Prone to Bottoming out on 80mm. Many Problems Encounterd. Not up to racing. Fork not easily convertible from 80/100. | | Bike Setup: | Scott Racing Comp('04)XT Discs LX cranks/f.deralieur,XT rear deralieur, Scott everything else. | | Bottom Line: | This fork came with the bike, and had problems right from the start. First of all someone had tampered with the bolts inside before i even got it, and therefore after a few weeks riding the whole inside of the fork had to be replaced. Then when i got it back the rebound adjust had stopped working, so that had to be fixed up too.
The ride is good for casual, but not up to racing. On rough/rocky single track it just doesnt cut a smooth line, even on the softest setting had my arms begging for mercy.
I would reccommend this fork to a recreational or casual rider, but nothing more.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Chlebowski
a Weekend Warrior
from East Stroudsburg, PA
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Jacobsburg State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Stock on my Can F400 | | Strengths: | Good travel. Not too soft but if I were a 'big boy' I would say it was. Strong construction, takes the punishment. I don't think I'll be needing a warrenty replacement. The msrp is a bargain in the money/miles ratio. | | Weaknesses: | Heard it could bottom out, but haven't had it happen to me yet and I like jumping over stuff at full speed and taking the bumps (my insurance company hates me). I'm not sure if it will bottom out because I'm 155lbs, but I bet if I was 180lbs it would. | | Similar Products Used: | Judy TT2 | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Cannondale F400 that I immediately replaced componants with XT's | | Bottom Line: | All round good and tought though some might feel it to be a bit soft in the compression. Manitou durability will take the punishment. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cris
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa City, Iowa USA
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Sugar Bottom | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Convertable travel, Microlube grease ports, and RA casting | | Weaknesses: | Pretty soft but thats not a problem because im 140 lbs. | | Similar Products Used: | Crappy nsync shock than came on my old Trek | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Specialized Rockhopper Comp | | Bottom Line: | I don't know if I would have this fork if it didnt come on my bike but so far Im satisfied. Not the best fork out there but it is all I need. But if I put on 40 lbs it will be way to soft. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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