Manitou Swinger SPV Air Reviews

Manitou Swinger SPV Air

Average Rating			4.11/5
# of Reviews			56
MSRP
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Description:

Featuring Stable Platform Valve (SPV) damping technology

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Submitted by daryl stahler a Cross Country Rider from tucson, AZ Date Reviewed: 3/30/2008 10:14:48 AM
FavoriteTrail:	Fantasy Island/50 year trail
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$60
Purchased At:	ebay
Strengths:	Completely eliminated pedal bob.
Weaknesses:	No specific on-line manual support. Kind of a pain to set up on my bike.
Similar Products Tried:	Fox Float R
Bike Setup:	Cannondale Jekyll, ELO Lefty, Spinergy Wheels, SRAM 9.0 shifter & rear der, XTR front der, XTR cranks, Easton Monkey lite bars, Easton EC-90 seat post.
Bottom Line:	I purchased this on ebay for $60 NIP, so what did I have to loose? Not a lot of choices for the Jekyll. The Fox Float served well over the years, but needed the seals changed every 12 - 14 months. The Swinger is a 3-way, and I could not find specific details in the manual. So I read a few reviews, and tried setting it up. The sag adjustment is a real pain on my Jekyll, I need to remove the rear bolt and swing the shock down. Once I'll dialed it in I took it out for some urban assault. I'm in Luxembourg, so I headed up through the vineyards, and few forest roads, through some villages, down stairs, etc. Did I say, there is no pedal bob. I didn't realize how bad my Fox was!! Appears to suck up medium to big hits well, so well I stopped a few times thinking my tire was low or something!! If you want to update that old full suspended bike without breaking the bank, this should do it!! Oh, I weight in at a light 16 stones, 102 kg, or 225 lbs. Two days and air pressure is still holding. I'll update the rating after some time! I only gave it 4 flamers for value since I got it off ebay. Overall - it's too early to tell.
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Submitted by Plug a Cross Country Rider from England Date Reviewed: 1/19/2008 10:44:44 AM
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Strengths:	Configurable, reliable.
Weaknesses:	Lack of on-the-fly SPV control
Bottom Line:	I'm running the original 2003 Swinger 4-Way here, now 2008, and it's still running really well considering. It doesn't noticably lose any air pressure over time. It still feels smooth and plush though it did benefit a lot from sucking a bit of oil into the main air chamber last year as it was getting a bit sticky. There's a bit of air in the damping circuit though nothing that appears to affect its operation. I'd definately consider upgrading to the latest model if they're as good as this, particularly given the newer model's addition of the on-the-fly adjustable SPV which I think could be useful out on the trails.
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Submitted by Mark B. a Weekend Warrior from Ft Wayne, IN Date Reviewed: 12/8/2007 1:38:08 PM
FavoriteTrail:	the next one
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Purchased At:	JensonUSA.com
Strengths:	easy to air up, SPV works, light weight, simple to disassemble
Weaknesses:	MANUFACTURER SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seals easy to replace, but HARD to get for replacement!!
Similar Products Tried:	QRL, coil-overs
Bike Setup:	Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0, Nixon Comp, X.9, Avid BB7 (7/7), Race Face cockpit, Hutch Spiders
Bottom Line:	While it worked, it worked great -- but the seals went, and it's been a chase-your-tail to get a seal kit. Since nobody wants to step up and do the right thing here, the only savior for the air shock industry is Fox, and I can't pop for a DHX right now! I'll likely go coil for the rest of my life (Fox Vans are reasonable, 5th E is GONE!, and Cane Creek is ridiculous)
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Submitted by Eric B a Cross Country Rider from Denver Date Reviewed: 7/19/2007 7:43:13 AM
FavoriteTrail:	anything dirty
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$99
Purchased At:	santa cruz website
Strengths:	easy to set up if you don't try and overthink it
Weaknesses:	too early to tell...will write more if it ends up sucking like most of the Manitou shocks!
Similar Products Tried:	fox float rc tried the rp3 and rp23 on showroom bikes
Bike Setup:	2000 superlight, raceface deus, thompson, king, reba race, crossmax enduro
Bottom Line:	this shock changed my whole bike and possibly saved me the money of buying a whole new frame. the old fox float rc was like riding a pogo stick. Not sure how I did it for so long. that said the new p/p technology is pretty darn good. I just rode the swinger-i'm using the 3 way-last night for the first time. I ride 5 days a week and weigh 190 lbs. I try and brake the bike or myself everytime I ride and crank the biggest gears possible (I ride a 1x1 when I'm not on the superlight). however, I may ride the 1x1 less. because the swinger three has made the single pivot superlight climb like a hard tail...only better since it gives just enough that I don't spin the back wheel when I'm standing up on the bike. Otherwise the rear end is immobile until i hit something at which point it moves upward. on descents it railed and was very plush. This canged the whole ride of the bike and enabled me to push harder and go faster since I could keep my body weight where I wanted it and not get bucked by the pogo-ing shock. I am running at about 105 in the main chamber and 55 in the spv chamber. I guess the accepted rule is to ride it at 15 lbs below your body weight in the main but that is crazy. The shock didn't move when I did that. and I like a very firm rear-end! I set the rebound on the slow side of the middle of the range. I perhaps haven't found the "sweet spot" that everybody is looking for but it's sick and I probably won't fu*&k with it too much. Honestly, the bike rides way better than any of the blurs or yeti's that I've riden with a variety of shocks. All of the VPPs that I've riden have bounced after being "set-up" by the shop guys. If any body has studied physics or rides by feel as much as they think they do then you know that force or motion down and into the suspension saps your energy forward. riding a plush, sagged out overpriced frame is not for me. firm up your ride, gear up and ride faster.
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Submitted by Bart Simpson a Weekend Warrior from UK Date Reviewed: 6/18/2007 4:33:54 AM
Duration Product Used:	More than 3 years
Strengths:	Hassle free motoring. Does what it says on the tin
Weaknesses:	Only one setting, ie you set the pressure in the main can and SPV chamber and get on with it.
Similar Products Tried:	RP23
Bike Setup:	Orange 5, swinger 4-way, Talas 130 forks.
Bottom Line:	I have had this shock for three years, and it has been through regular mudfests, rock gardens, rain and sludge( ie a good day in the UK ). It is a bit of a faff to find the best combination of pressures for you and the type of riding that you do, but when you do( in my case about 140 psi in the main and 70-80 psi in the SPV chamber ), it is reliable and quite plush. It is also fantastic with regards to pedalling, and virtually eliminates bob, which is a good thing on my single pivot bike. All in all, it works, and works well.
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Submitted by Simon Jeffery a Weekend Warrior from Kuala Lumpur Date Reviewed: 5/27/2007 7:53:30 PM
FavoriteTrail:	Rush Hour - Bukit Kiara
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Purchased At:	Came with bike
Strengths:	When it works, it seems OK
Weaknesses:	Leaking seals and questionable assembly
Similar Products Tried:	SPV 3 way
Bike Setup:	Intense 5.5. frame, Fox Float forks, usual stuff.
Bottom Line:	I took delivery of a new 5.5 frame last December. I specified the SPV 4 way because I'd had a great expereince with a SPV 3 way supplied with a 2004 model Trek Liquid. (There were a few options of shocks you could specify with the Intense frame). On the first day of delivery, I went to pump up the shock, and all the air immediately leaked out. I found out that the little valve holder that you stick your pump onto wasn't screwed in tight. Well I screwed it up finger tight and the "O" ring split. This was not a big deal as I removed the valve holder, wrapped a bit of teflon tape around its thread, pumped it up and off I went. The local Malaysian bike store that supplied the shock got me a replacement "O" ring. (They are good guys here - called KSH Bicycles) No big deal. BUT - over the coming months I noticed it slowly but surely lost air. My old SPV never lost a single psi, so this annoyed me a bit. I sent an email to Answer products who responded with the same as they responded to the writer below on the 11th Oct 2005 - sort of saying nicely it is loosing air because it does this when I stick my pump on (duh). I suppose at least they responded to my email. Anyway I didn't want to have to send it all the way back to the States and not be able to ride so my LBS double checked the seals for me (and loaned me a spare SPV 3 Way they had - told you they were good guys). Well this helped, but still it slowly but surely leaked air. Finally I thought I'd upgade it to another brand as I got sick of pumping it up. The LBS has checked Intense and worked out a fair price for me (the Intense guys are good as well). I took it off on the weekend, dumped the air out of it and "bingo", it sucked fully in on itself. At least I know where all the leaking air was going now - to the wrong side of the piston. So in conclusion I'm a little unsure on Manitou shocks now. My first SPV 3 Way was extremely reliable. This second one leaves me puzzled, not so much with the seal issue, but also that from day one it had a small assembly problem. Also the shock has a SPV lockout/bypass(??) lever, but to this day I can not find a manaul on their website that notes how this lever is to be used. Perhaps I was just unlucky, as I'm sure they sell thousands of these shock every year. When they work, they are well priced and work well, but I'm a little disappointed at present.
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Submitted by Soki a Weekend Warrior from Ellensburg WA USA Date Reviewed: 5/23/2007 6:28:44 PM
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$105
Purchased At:	Good old Ebay
Strengths:	Good adjustments for the cost. Easy to use and set up.
Weaknesses:	Bottoms out a bit.
Similar Products Tried:	Rock Shock Deluxe Pro, Fox Float R
Bike Setup:	Mongoose Tocali, SR SunTrour Duro E, SR SunTour Cranks, BigEarl bars, Race light stem, wiennman rims...
Bottom Line:	Its a good air shock and the first one I have ever owned. So far so good, but Im a bit worried about the bottoming out on it. Odds are I haven't set it up 100% right yet. But it gets me to work and back so Im happy. Does well on smooth trails with smaller jumps and bumps.
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Submitted by Doug a Cross Country Rider from Greater Boston Date Reviewed: 4/30/2007 6:20:28 AM
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$170
Purchased At:	eBay
Strengths:	SWINGER 3-WAY: Adjustablity, plushness, pedaling platform
Weaknesses:	SWINGER 3-WAY: None so far. Might leak a little air, but nothing I've really noticed.
Similar Products Tried:	X-fusion RPV2
Bike Setup:	Specialized FSRxc, Rock Shox Revelation 426 dual air, Truvative Team bars, stem, seatpost, XT drivetrain, Hayes MX1 brakes, XT hubs/Mavic xc717 rims.
Bottom Line:	SWINGER 3-WAY: This is a trememdous upgrade from the stock X-fusion shock that came with my 05 Specialized. The pedaling platform negative air chamber adjustment works great..better than I thought. Once you hit a bump it becomes a really plush (but not squishy) ride. You can get up off the seat and hammer pretty well up hills depending on how high you set the air pressure. Rebound dampening works well. Holds air well, lightweight. Pick one up. Its well worth it. I had some trouble at the LBS getting a bushing set, but I called X-Fusion and they sent me the parts I needed and they fit nicely into the Swinger. Not sure this is entirely how things work, but I was able to make it work.
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Submitted by mtn rider from cornvalley Date Reviewed: 2/15/2007 1:34:29 PM
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Price Paid:	$400
Purchased At:	goride
Strengths:	SPV durability great feel through travel Very tunable
Weaknesses:	cost out of the box spv air valve leaked when attached to pump
Similar Products Tried:	cloud nine vanilla
Bike Setup:	faux bar FS, minute 1 in front, swinger 4 way in back.
Bottom Line:	Yes this shock was expensive, but it totally transformed the way my bike climbs and descends. I think it was worth every penny. SPV if for real, works great, allows you to firm up the rear for efficient climbing, yet oh so plush on the descents. Sure the spv air valve leaked straight out of the box, but a call to manitou CS and I had a replacement air valve in less than a week. Since then its been ridden aggressively for over two years w/o service and I have had no problems. No their products are not perfect (had some problems with the minute too), but manitou CS was great in helping me sort out the bugs and since its been all good.
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Submitted by Doug a Cross Country Rider from San Diego Date Reviewed: 12/19/2006 11:29:22 PM
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Purchased At:	Stock on my Giant Reign
Strengths:	No real strengths to speak of
Weaknesses:	SPV chamber leaks air constantly. In order to reduce BOB, air pressures have to be so high that small bump compliance suffers. At least on the Giant Reign, the SPV valve is nearly impossible to get to.
Similar Products Tried:	Fox Float, Fox Vanilla coil
Bike Setup:	Giant Reign
Bottom Line:	This review is for the Swinger 3 Way: This came stock on my Giant Reign and I am not very impressed. It was a pain to set-up initially. Not impossible by any means, but it took a lot of experimenting to find the sweet spot. I prefer the ease of the Fox Float as far as set-up goes. The red capped SPV chamber leaks air constantly. I have to pump it up before every ride. Also, to eliminate BOB, small bump compliance suffers a great deal. On my other bike equipped with a Fox Float, I can have both. Not so with the Swinger. At least on the Giant Reign, the SPV valve is nearly impossible to get to. Not a negative for the shock itself, but something to think about if the fit is going to be tight. Also, the Swinger seems to blow through its travel very quickly--at least on Giant's Maestro suspension. I don't feel like I even have 5", let alone the 6" I'm supposed to have. Don't get me wrong. The shock works OK. It feels plush and pretty stable as far as BOB goes. If you don't mind checking the air pressure before every ride, ruining 2-3 rides while you figure out the set-up and loosing a bit of small bump compliance, then get this shock. If you want an easy "set it and forget it" system that is efficient yet soaks up the small stuff--get a Fox Float.
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Submitted by cameron ventura a Downhiller from melbourne Date Reviewed: 12/1/2006 8:10:58 PM
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1450
Purchased At:	came on my raceline
Strengths:	Ummmm...... everything. the rebound is awesome, plenty of travel and does the job well
Weaknesses:	hmmmm.... rebound dosent work when there is no air pumped into the air chamber, as it should (the suspension shouldnt be ridden without air in it,
Similar Products Tried:	none
Bike Setup:	2005 raceline extreme pro, manitou swinger rear suspension, 2005 rock shoz boxxer race
Bottom Line:	Awesome rear suspension
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Submitted by Mark Wallace a Weekend Warrior from Tucson Date Reviewed: 10/1/2006 1:08:37 PM
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Strengths:	Plush
Weaknesses:	Sticks down.
Similar Products Tried:	Fox
Bike Setup:	Stock
Bottom Line:	The four way has an issue with them getting stuck down. I bought my son and I each a VT 1. The 4 way came stock. First ride out my shock got stuck in the down position. LBS gave me a loaner Manitou fixed original. A year later my son's bike had the same issue. I met another guy with a VT 1 and he said he had the same problem with his 4 way. This shock has issues it should be recalled!!!
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Submitted by Collin a Cross Country Rider from SC Date Reviewed: 9/7/2006 5:40:11 PM
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Strengths:	No bobbing with a nice plush ride. Set up was a breeze thanks to Cannondale's set up guide
Weaknesses:	Started leaking at about 1 1/2 years...Manitou service center say it needs to be rebuilt once a year because SPV valve gets contaminated
Similar Products Tried:	Fox vanilla and alps 4
Bike Setup:	Cannondale Prophet 1000
Bottom Line:	Lots of plush travel, bob-free. I would like it to be a little more maintenance free.
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Submitted by RBeller a Weekend Warrior from Fort Collins Date Reviewed: 8/4/2006 4:58:26 PM
FavoriteTrail:	Wathan
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Purchased At:	Came with Bike
Strengths:	Easy to set up; good instructions; great adjustability and shock absorption; no maintenance issues
Weaknesses:	None yet.
Bike Setup:	2005 Cannondale Prophet 4-cross Team Replica with Marzocchi Z1 forks
Bottom Line:	For all-mountain use, I have nothing to complain about. I followed the setup instructions exactly, and it's stable climbing hills, with no bob, supple on small bumps, and has never bottomed out on larger rocks and drops. By way of comparison, I wish my Marzocchi Z1 forks were nearly as good, because the only bumps I feel are in front.
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Submitted by SharkRider a Cross Country Rider from Fremont, CA Date Reviewed: 8/2/2006 11:01:14 PM
FavoriteTrail:	All trails that allow bikes
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$150
Purchased At:	eBay, but not really
Strengths:	Highly customizable. Never bottoms out. Plush with bob-resistance.
Weaknesses:	A little complicated at first to set up, but makes sense later.
Similar Products Tried:	Manitou 3-way
Bike Setup:	Giant VT3 frame, Juicy 5, SRAM X.0/9 drivetrain (except for LX FD), WTB Laser Disc w/ Mavic XC717
Bottom Line:	I had the 3-way initially with the frame, but opted to get a 4-way, and topped it with Manitou's No Tools Volume Adjust. I love the ride of the 3-way. At 170lbs., I set mine (like someone earlier) at 150 PSI in the main, and 90 PSI in the SPV, rebound a click or two on the fast side, and that gives me the platform AND the plush ride I love, without the pogo affect. I "upgraded" to the 4-way to add additional adjustability, and complemented it with the No Tools, and man, it is such a blast! I flip between all 4 settings depending on the type of trails I am anticipating. Now I feel so much more in controle and stable in the real with the progressive travel coming off of jumps! The slight weight penalty is worth it! Be patient and understand the relationship between the SPV and the air spring, as you will find an infinite number of options to dial in your ride. The 3-way is recommended for the XC rider, while the 4-way is for the rider that wants some insurance against bottoming out from big hits, as well as a little progressive feel like custom springs on a car!
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Submitted by Rob a Cross Country Rider from Murrieta, CA Date Reviewed: 6/19/2006 8:59:53 PM
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Purchased At:	came with bike
Strengths:	Smooth adjustable reliable durable holds air well
Weaknesses:	weight, takes the room away for bottle cage
Similar Products Tried:	DHX AIR
Bike Setup:	Intense 5.5 Fox float ID
Bottom Line:	I have beaten this shock for a couple of years now with no Issues at all. I tried the DHX Air and did not like it much. The shock has been set it and forget it
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Submitted by Nathaniel Williams a Weekend Warrior from Lynnfield,mass,usa Date Reviewed: 3/3/2006 4:19:29 PM
FavoriteTrail:	Any rocky,rooty, hard trail. (LYNN WOODS)
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Purchased At:	REI (came w/bike, paid $580)
Strengths:	Spv does it's job. It is not like a Terrilogic fork but, it makes the shock controled so it does not feel like a po-go stick. Holds air. I like it.
Weaknesses:	Does not eliminate bobbing. Does leak oil, drips from rebound adj. And oil marks on the air sleeve. The $$$ for those who buy it aftermarket.
Similar Products Tried:	RP3, save your hard earned money. Anything is better than that.
Bike Setup:	Novara Buzz. SPV fork and shock. 120mm SPV black, and 3 way. LX, Deore, Huffelset.
Bottom Line:	Good shock. the oil does not seem to affect the preformance. Sometimes I run it at 20psi (main chamber), sometimes 200psi. For SPV, always at 175PSI, but if I go down to 20PSI in main chamber, I'll decrease SPV. (I weigh 102lbs) SPV does not eliminate bobbing out of the saddle, but almost does in the saddle. Buy it.
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Submitted by Blake a Cross Country Rider from Houston, Texas Date Reviewed: 2/3/2006 11:17:52 AM
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Purchased At:	Came with Tomac Revolver
Weaknesses:	I damaged the red cap on the SPV Schrader valve by letting it come in contact with the bottom of the seatpost when the shock compressed. The cap would not come off, so I had to back the entire SPV valve out. When I called ANSWER to order a new valve, I was told it would be 6 weeks for a replacement to come in. Both the Black Air Canister valve and the Red SPV valve are backordered for 6 weeks.
Bike Setup:	Tomac Revolver with Manitou Swinger 3-way shock and Fox F100X forks.
Bottom Line:	I am now without a bike for 6 weeks because, ANSWER does not stock spare parts for equipment they sell, nor can they give me the name of a dealer that stocks their parts. BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!! If a company cannot support their product with spare parts, you could be out of a bike for 6 weeks. This valve fits all 5 models of the shocks they sell (3 way, 4 way, 6 way, coil and air) and they do not have a single one in stock. TERRIBLE.
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Submitted by pedal a Weekend Warrior from Christchurch, New Zealand Date Reviewed: 10/14/2005 5:02:11 AM
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Strengths:	Widely adjustable between super plush and firm pedalling depending on the trail
Weaknesses:	Leaks air fast. Time consuming to set up for each ride, made worse by having to start from the begining each time due to no air.
Similar Products Tried:	Fox RP3
Bike Setup:	This shock came on an '04 Giant VT1 - basically stock.
Bottom Line:	I'm happy to review the shock since I recently got a 4 inch travel bike (Yeti ASR) with a Fox RP3 and can now compare. I'm pretty happy with how the Swinger performs - after a few rides I figured how to set up and modify. Learned the approx. pressures I needed in each chamber for both a plush and firmer ride then fine tuned with calipers for an exact sag to the millimeter I wanted. The only riding performance issue that worries me is that on the VT1 at least, a firm platform reduces the small bump compliance a little. Leakage is the problem - since new the main chamber has lost air to zero pressure within a couple of days. The LBS sent it off to the New Zealand agent who returned it with the comment that it wasn't leaking but they'd serviced the seals anyway. Back on the bike it was leaking even faster - but when the LBS told me to "expect some leakage and anyway you'll lose some air each time you attach and remove the pump" (duh!) I gave up and resigned to the set up time before each ride. Thats also about the time I bought my first hardtail for years and marvelled that I could just lube the chain and start riding. Now that I got the new frame with the Fox RP3 I can compare (although on 2 different bikes and the Yeti probably has a better rear end). The riding performance of the Fox feels all around better - is it superior rebound control that seems to keep the back end glued to to the trail? The Fox is plusher over small stuff in the firmest Propedal setting but of course if you want zero bob with the Swinger you can pump it all the way up to a hardtail. The bottom line here is that the Swinger does have a bigger range of adjustment than the RP3, from super plush with mega porridge pedalling thru to fast but harsh at higher pressures. Really, there is no comparison. I've never lost any air out of the Fox shock which means there is no set-up time before a ride - only the very occasional pressure and sag check. And instead of setting the shock for a whole ride the Fox can be easily adjusted (Propedal has a noticeable effect) for fire roads, climbs, downhills, singletrack, whatever - on the fly. On my experience, although the pedalling platform SPV technology works and the Swinger is a huge advance on earlier shocks I've used, the Manitou doesn't match the quality, reliability, versatility and ease of use of the Fox shock.
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Submitted by Howard a Cross Country Rider from Chandler, AZ Date Reviewed: 9/15/2005 1:04:57 PM
FavoriteTrail:	Any Singletrack
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Easy to adjust (once you have the right tools) Holds air (once you figure out how to service it)
Weaknesses:	Setting pressures is a PITA (until you get the right pump) Having to air it up every ride is a PITA (until you figure out how to seal it up)
Similar Products Tried:	Noleen pull shock (on an old K2), Fox AVA (the factory original), Fox Brain (on a Specialized Epic Marathon loaner)
Bike Setup:	Basically stock Ironhorse Hollowpoint. (Love it!) I've ridden it hard (almost every day) for over 1-1/2 years! (Love it!) I keep the main chamber pressure at 190# to get about 25%-30% sag and the SPV chamber set at 75#. The shock is set in the long travel posn (4.5") for this frame.
Bottom Line:	This review is for the Swinger 3-way. The bike came stock with the Fox AVA and it seemed to work great for 3 weeks of daily riding until the frame broke. The replacement IH frame came with a 3-Way and I had no option to keep the AVA. I was disappointed until I rode the 3 way. It worked just as well after I got it dialed in, but I had fits trying to set the pressures! It was a guessing game how much would bleed out and I had to carry the shock pump with me for awhile to ajust the shock during a ride. Once I got the pressures right, it worked great for about 6 months then started to leak air from the main chamber. Damn! Now I was back to puuming and guessing! I picked up a pump from SGo that has a retractable pin for the schraeder valve. It was the best $20 I've ever spent on bike parts!! I could dial in the main chamber and the SPV chamber pressures spot on! I recommend this pump to anyone with an air shock or an air fork! (I have a Minute 2 fork so I can dial in the pressures on it as well). This pump allowed me to keep up with the slow leak in the 3-Way (every ride!). Then I got to thinking... I used to take my Noleen shock apart at least once a month to grease the o-rings and seals because it was a leaker, too. How hard can it be on the 3-Way?? It's not hard. In fact it's downright easy! I just pull out the suspension bolt on the piston end, swing up the shock in the frame, bleed off all of the air pressures, spin off the SPV (red) valve, and spin off the main chamber housing. (Mine is now hand tight.) I clean up the piston and body piston seals and body O-ring. (It's amazing how much crap gets by the dust seal!) I lube all the seals and rings liberally with Manitou grease, put it all back together and air it up. The whole process takes about 20 minutes! I've done this several times over the last 6 mos. and I have not lost any air since the first overhaul! (I just like to keep it clean inside). This may be more work than some riders are willing (or able) to do, but it's a no brainer for me compared with all of the other maintenance required on a complex mountain bike. It's a small price to pay for the great performance that this shock offers. I think that a lot of the problems that other users report could be easily solved with a little maintanence and the right pump. I give it 3 and 4 because it came on the bike (I don't know how much it costs) and because I had to discover on my own how to make it realy work!
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Submitted by Judah a Racer from Panama city Fl USA Date Reviewed: 8/11/2005 7:08:35 PM
FavoriteTrail:	tsaily
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$362
Purchased At:	Local bike shop
Strengths:	Smooth, compliant, no bob and versital.
Weaknesses:	adjusting the spring rate is not so easy.
Similar Products Tried:	Fox float.
Bike Setup:	GT I-Drive, Sram X.0 drivetran, Tubeless thanks to stan's with Geax arojo tyre's
Bottom Line:	Compliments my I-Drive suspension and rides amazingly well once set up rite. When setting up the shop remember to ONLY adjust ONE THING AT A TIME. otherwise you will get lost in it real quickly.
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Submitted by Max a Racer from Rhinebeck Ny Date Reviewed: 6/24/2005 9:50:58 AM
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Strengths:	came on the bike.....
Weaknesses:	Leaks AIR!, really hard to get setup
Similar Products Tried:	all fox shox, some rock schox rear shocks.
Bike Setup:	Intense spyder
Bottom Line:	Bottom line... this shock is garbage. i got the replacement parts and had them installed (apparently this is a big problem) and the shock still leaks. Every day i have to put 100 psi in the shock.. a pain to say the least. ALSO by the end of a long hard mtb ride the shock has leaked enough air to bottom like crazy.. I am so tired of dealing w/ broken rear shocks, time off of my mtb is wasted time.. do yourself a favor dont buy this shock. Also the customer service at manitou hasnt proved great yet.. they just told me to take it to the dealer and be without the bike for 2 weeks or more??
Value Rating: Overall Rating:

Submitted by Edward a Cross Country Rider from Portland, Oregon Date Reviewed: 4/30/2005 6:28:33 AM
FavoriteTrail:	Flume
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Purchased At:	Stock on 2003 VT1
Strengths:	Adjustability
Weaknesses:	Maybe set-up
Similar Products Tried:	FOX, ROCK SHOX
Bottom Line:	Super adjustable and works as advertised. This came stock on my '03 GIANT VT1. The shock recentl