Since it seems to only be available in metric sizing, this leaves the McLeod for 'old' sizing (like the ubiquitous 200x56).
From the limited specs description available, this seems very similar to the McLeod internally, with updated looks and switches.

 

You are correct. The McLeod name lives on in the imperial sizes. It does get all the upgrades though other than the SKF IFP.

 

Metric shocks have the hybrid IFP. Imperial sizes do not have enough room unfortunately.

Think of it as a upgraded McLeod with some Mara tech added in. It's a nice update over the previous Mcleod, which was already awesome for a in line shock.

 

Thanks for the updates. Too bad it won't fit my bike, but like you said, the McLeod is already a great shock.

 

MY21 Mcleods will have the same upgrades other than IFP.

Upgrades include:
New rebound needle
New IPA cam
New IPA collar
Slight change to damper piston
New rebound and compression tunes
SKF IFP (not Mcleod)

It's the most impressive inline shock I have ever ridden. (I'm running all the upgrades, but I run an imperial shock so I'm still running the old IFP)

 

Interesting as I am about to build a trail duty bike for my wife real soon. The Mara and Mattoc comp may be a good contender for this build. I have a Mara Pro/ Mezzer Pro on my two bikes.

 

Speaking to "is now available" do people have a preferred vendor to get their Hayes/Manitou parts, or is it always just a waiting game? I have a fork on order, was backordered a month, now just heard it's been pushed out 2 more weeks. A month on my Dominion brakes, 6 weeks on the Mara Pro shock. They may make nice stuff, but they sure aren't great at shipping it. Different vendors too, just seems like they might execute their design better than their production or something.

 

Shockcraft for manitou. I'm in the UK and I buy from them.

 

Mara



Im after the in line mara for my Ripley V4. Im in the UK. Would these guys likley have them

 

In the USA, the best way is to buy direct from the Hayes store.

 

Shipping out of the states is a shitshow right now. I have two separate orders - one through usps and one through ups - both are in transit for past 10 business days and habe not hit Canadian border yet.

Plus side is something i ordered out of taiwan made it to me in 5 business days......

 

just wait till its sitting in kustoms for over 2 months....and they do not care....

 

No mention of a remote ipa adj like the McLeod.

Is there a king can available? Is it needed? What is the air chamber size compared to the Mcleod?

 

Luckily for me it was only a couple sets of Tubolights so I ordered another set to see if I win the customs lottery this time. The 29's came through in less than 24 hours. 27.5 that I really needed over 2 months. Screw Chicago.....

Dougal, you guys gotta ship everything that must be a challenge!

 

Sounds like it's just like this for everyone then. I keep seeing people giving ride reports of their awesome Mezzers, Dominions, and Maras and am thinking, how do I get my hands on mine? Looks like I'm just seeing the one side that has their stuff and lots of people are waiting. I've tried Hayes site as well, they don't have the sizes I need in stock, but it looks like while they may not be able to make a 210x55mm shock for the past couple of months, they are able to turn out new versions of shocks in different sizes, so I think I just got unlucky on shock and fork sizing maybe. Thanks for all of the responses, nice to see it's all around, misery loves company

 

I couldn't resist, mine arrives Saturday. Once again Hayes shipping is fast. If the weather is decent I'll get to hit the trails with it on Sunday morning. It will go on my Ripley, the current McLeod will assume backup duties and the original Fox that was my backup can go on eBay. I had been tempted to put a Mara Pro on but it seemed like overkill for the vast majority of my riding, and the McLeod was working great. So having what is essentially an upgraded McLeod and a better spare makes sense, at least that's how I pitched it to myself. And of course it will look great paired up with the Mezzer.

 

I can't accept that they release a new Mara when we still don't have the old one here in Europe.
It's BS

 

I've seen them listed on European sites, if they had my size I would have probably bought one at some point with the better pricing than I can get here. But the only place I ever saw the 190x45 Mara Pro was on Hayes own site and I missed their sale, I just couldn't quite pull the trigger at full price. Now I'm glad I waited. I've purchased a couple of McLeods and my Mezzer from European sites, and another McLeod and now the new Mara direct from Hayes.

 

From what I gather, it's these low-volume or standard air-cans that are compatible with the Mara Pro, right?

 

Darn, was hoping to long shock a tallboy (190x50). Anyone know if the 210x50 can have total length shortened somehow, like take the 205x60 down with 10mm of spacers inside the negative side like the Mcleod.

EDIT: Didn't mean to write 210x50

 

Darn, was hoping to long shock a tallboy (190x50). Anyone know if the 210x50 can have total length shortened somehow, like take the 205x60 down with 10mm of spacers inside the negative side like the Mcleod.

You'll want to wait for the 190x50. You'll also need an offset bushing for at least one side. I'm loving my longshocked TB3 with the McLeod. I'm using an offset on both sides and added a 130mm air shaft in fork ??

 

I think it has a remote. You can barely make out the mount points in the pics.

 

My Mara IL arrived today. The box label calls it a Mara Inline, and I've already seen it directly called a Mara IL by Hayes, so that's what I'm going with. As expected, it is very much an updated McLeod, the sticker is the most obvious difference. The air can is also different but not obviously so until you look closely, it is threaded in Mara Pro style with external threads on the can. It is a low volume one piece can like a stock McLeod can otherwise, so McLeod King Cans are out but I expect Mara Pro high volume cans should work? The air valve and adjuster end is the same above the can mounting other than updated IPA lever and rebound knob. The bosses for mounting a remote are still there but the IPA lever has no provision for a cable so any remote kit would need to include a different lever or somehow address this. I can't say the lever and knob are anything but a cosmetic change, they seem to function the same from the outside but according to Manitou there are differences internally. Two things I haven't seen elsewhere yet but were specifically mentioned to me by Manitou are that the new internals will provide a "general system noise reduction" and that the new rebound needle shape will have a wider useable range of adjustment. I won't get a chance to ride it until this weekend but I don't expect a dramatic difference to the McLeod which I was quite pleased with already. If the updated guts and tune and flexible IFP are noticeable improvements that would be great but I also tend not to be super sensitive to subtle differences and of course I am human and thus susceptible to the "new and shiny thing I threw money at" placebo effect. We'll see how that goes.

 

My Mara IL arrived today.. The bosses for mounting a remote are still there but the IPA lever has no provision for a cable so any remote kit would need to include a different lever or somehow address this...

Nice! Can you post some photos?

I wonder if the McLeod lever is compatible with the Mara when converting to remote.

 

Oh sorry, I thought you had a TB3. And you are correct about not making a 190x50.

If you reduce one of these shocks, the eye to eye length is reduced the same amount as the stroke. So, you’d be looking at a 195x50

 

It’s great to hear that the Mara is remote compatible even though there is no mention of that in any preview or on their website description.

 

Just ordered one today for my Scott Genius (Fox Nude blew up this week), it shipped two hours later to me in Montana. Hopefully it works well in the stock configuration, I have a big trip planned!

 

Dougal, do the 1.25mm spacers you sell for the McLeod also work with the Mara?

 

Yes. Same can and body diameters.

 

Rebound knob won't turn, any ideas?

 

The set screw on the back side of the shock body, it lines up directly behind the rebound knob, adjusts the stop on the open end of rebound adjustment. Try backing it out a bit and see if anything changes.

 

I should get some Mara stickers and put them on my Mcleod.

 

Ok I just had to try harder. I used a rag and pliers to break it loose and now it turns nicely. It was backed all the way out, so forcing it clockwise was the Ticket.

 

Is ordering direct through Hayes the only option right now? It doesn't show up in my LBS' system and I'm not seeing it at any of the big online shops.