They sound good, but there are just a few observations/questions that spring to mind.

First - are they open bath? The need for greasing was always a no-no with Manitous.

Second, it's interesting that they're available in 1 1/8th. Hedging bets, or is the new 'std' not being adopted quick enough to enable them to sell decent quantities?

Sounds like a good idea, but the switch/cable system looks a bit fragile. And the high price is not going to help. But maybe there are just a few people around that want and can afford this kind of fork? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

"The need for greasing was always a no-no with Manitous"

But why did Manitou use greaseports on so many forks then? My Mars forks (2000) still run loverly & smooth in no small part because of the greaseport allowing regular lube without stripping down.

Glad you liked them, but I couldn't be doing with a fork that needed s squirt of grease every so often when there are some that require no attention at all. And you do have to strip them eventually to get rid of the grease. And you have to buy a grease gun and grease too.

Ooh, too much travel, no onepointfive steerer, how does that adjustable travel thing work - sounds a bit hit and miss to me, bet something will break, blah blah blah...

Right, I've got all the stupid luddite objections in early...

To be honest this looks like a fantastic piece of kit. I've got a 5th Element coil (same as SPV) shock on my 6" travel bike, ride it with Boxxers, and find it really enjoyable to ride. Sure it isn't the fastest up hill, but that's almost completely due to the bob and height of the boxxers - with SPV and the IT adjust and much lighter weight, these really do seem pretty damned fantastic.

Okay, I'd have reservations about taking it downhill racing or attempting to clear big jumps - at 4.1lbs it might not be sturdy enough to handle serious abuse, but then this is clearly a trail fork. Just because it has 6" travel doesn't mean it *must* be used for DH racing.
(The Marzocchi DJ forks have about the same travel as a SID100. And you wouldn't take the SID100 dirt jumping now would you.)

AM, Shermans and Minutes are open bath.
I had some Sherman fireflys, and they were sweeeeeeet.
I only changed them because I wanted more travel.

They'll probably follow on from last years forks and be open bath. Manitou dropped the grease ports last years.
I bought a High Octane FR when they first came out and didnt really noticed many other onepointfive frames/forks until around autum last year. I now see them quite often. I think it always was going to be a slow uptake and I'm sure Manitou knew this. Good to see they have improved this years shermans with more travel and spv damping. I hope they stick with it.
Onepointfive was/is a very good idea, as my shermans are stiff and as strong as triple clamps and it also provides a stronger frame design.

These new forks look good and would probably go well on something like a Kona Stinky or similar 6" travel "peddaly" bike.
I'd buy them if I needed them!!! But know Manitou you'l need to remorgage your house to afford them!!!

What about everyone just going back to picking lines, learning trail skills and enjoying getting out on the bike FFS!

Before the lectures kick in, I know that re-investment in the sport is a good thing and technological progress allows people to ride further, faster, with less fatigues etc etc. I just don't see how having a trail bike with 5-6 inch travel each end adds to the enjoyment. If any idiot can ride it down a rocky trail then where's the skill and subsequent satisfaction at having nailed a technical section?

I know this isn't the soap box but the hype that surrounds this type of, ahem 'progress' pee's me off a tad sometimes.

A fork needing no attention? a service free fork?

AM, I need to know which company produces this, as I want one, to match my low maintenance philosophy.


I knew Manitou had dropped the grease ports last year, the last open bath fork I used was a RS Jdy SL, and the stanchions corroded within 6 months following the advice given by the company. Don't know if I want another in case it does the same.

Dirt jumping on a SID 100? Steve Geall used to. Thick stanchions to get the air volume right, you see.

I had one of those once and really liked it. Don't know what happened to it, though.

"a service free fork? I need to know which company produces this, as I want one"

That'd be marzocchi then! Had my Z4's on since 2001 and not touched them once.

For my 2 cents: i agree with 4 Assed Monkey - having to concentrate and pick a good line is 90% of the fun imho and relying on such massive travel forks to do the work for you spoils that

You still have to concentrate and pick a good line with big forks, it just changes what constitutes a "good line" :-)

a good line is the quickest one... even with a bunch of travel i still get caught out on occasion over big stuff, fun seeing how far you can push it though.

4AM, I see where you're coming from - a couple of years ago the most suspension fork travel I'd ever experienced was 80mm, and I was still faster than most of the people I rode with.
With that kind of experience I strongly believe learning to ride on a fully rigid bike had it's advantages.

Now I've got more disposeable income, I've ridden in different places, and I've been trying to keep up with riders that are better than me, and have better kit.

Sure you can get on any bike, ride it, and have fun. But the amount of fun you can have on a 6" travel bike has to be tried to be believed!
If you jumped on it and rode the same lines at the same speed as you would on your normal bike, then I agree - It'd be a step backwards. But once you've tried it you soon start seeing familiar trails in a completely different light. Going downhill you'll be travelling faster and you'll start to notice lines and possibilities that just weren't there before.

It opens your eyes.
(And it's quite scary how fast you can go -we were doing 40mph down dirtlow rake a month ago...)

That's right - 5" travel each end is GREAT on some chiltern descents. Don't forget, not everyone wants to take the lumps required acquiring those skills.

i could squeeze 6" forks in my bike, i feel the front end a touch too steep an angle (Marin B17 5" travel) and whilst my mate praises the single crown fork on his patriot 7+ i am still wary of manitous, being built for lighter riders and hoping there aren't plastic bits inside that break, resulting in buying new,v ery expensive whole units (x-vert dv damping carts anyone?)

Gary,

I've Done 40mph+ down Dirtlow Rake on a hardtail with 1995 RockShox Mag 21's on the front.

I'm not saying having more travel is a bad thing - it's not the be all and end all of MTBing is all.

I never thought I'd say this............... but those Manitou's look cool, why do these things always come out AFTER you've bought your new bike. I'm pretty happy with my Z1 Freerides though, just wish I could remember to unlock them BEFORE racing down the hill !

4AM, just how long have you had a deathwish ;-)

I've done dirt-jumping on a road bike. But it's a lot more fun with 5" travel at both ends, and fun is really the deciding factor for me.

Dirtlow rake seems to have got a bit lumpier over the winter, but anyway - I'm taking my big bike to Spain - which should be 'interesting'.

After riding a hardtail all month, to then jump onto the 6" thing and do a big XC ride round the peak district this sunday felt a bit 'wrong', but it was still loads of fun.

I like the offerings of both these shocks, proberley looking at end of 2005 ( want 2 years outta it ), before I upgrade my Ruckus, so hopefully something like these or the New RS's in there second year with fixes will be pretty much standard.

I still ride a rigid ish hard tail though, not much I can't do on it, it only fails on serious rock gardens really, but the comfort offered on longer travel is nice, and the it'll get U outta trouble to aspect.


If only, I was rich !!!!