As a mountain biker for many years, I’ve seen dozens of riders and companies come and go. One company I have always admired is Manitou but lately (the past few years) I feel like they haven’t been seen around much. Besides sightings of the Dorado (more on that later), the R7 on some winning XC bikes, and mentions of the Minute forks, the company seems to have been keeping a low profile. Well, I had the great opportunity to speak with one of the many people who are pushing Manitou back into the spotlight with an all new, shiny line up. Richard, or Rich for those who know him, has a passion for anything with two wheels and a frame. Before his present position at Manitou he was the product manager during the development of the Stroker line of brakes at Hayes.

Richard has moved on to the Manitou division and is presently building momentum with Manitou’s strengths while finding weaknesses and either discarding them or finding out what the issues are and fixing them. Having the right people is all part and parcel of his vision: “It’s great having the right people working with you.”

I spoke with Richard on the phone and he had this to say:

We’ve spent the last 2 years sorting through Manitou technologies, creating a new, more reliable brand of suspension. While understanding the history surrounding Manitou suspension we’ve aligned ourselves with our past but lean forward with a new level of suspension expertise.

That past for Manitou includes a very interesting history and Richard was able to fill me in on some of the highlights. Manitou’s history includes several important dates in the development of suspension technology that we all enjoy today so here’s a brief summary of Manitou’s contribution to suspension design.

History

Manitou started in 1985 with Doug Bradbury and Answer Products where many industry firsts occurred and standards were set. For example, the 1.5 steerer, post mount, TPC (Twin Piston Chamber), and even the edgy/bold graphics that paralleled Johnny T and Palmer’s style all had beginnings at Manitou.

Since the purchase in 2007, HBG (Hayes Brake Group) has invested heavily into Manitou owning and operating our very own suspension factory and we’ve hired the best suspension experts on island. We’ve also hired specialists from outside the industry (Showa and Honda) and adapted a new global quality system to track our products from factory to field. This suspension team has only been together for 2 years fixing all the inherited problems, throwing out the bad technology and improving upon the good. They also came out with ABS+, MILO, Dorado Pro and host of new forks for MY (model year) 11. I’m really proud to be part of this suspension group.

I was personally really glad to hear this from Richard. There’s always something positive that comes from taking inventory of what you have and what you need while being honest about what is not working. It takes a lot for a company to say, “OK this is not working, Lets get it right.”

While at Interbike, trek7k and I did get to see a few new Manitou products for MY10 and have heard some rumors of what to expect for MY11. Next year Manitou is preparing to come out with a bucket full of new items which really sound interesting. For one thing, Manitou will be releasing a female specific platform which, as far as I know, is a first! Think about it, specific dampening for women with their specific needs in mind. There will be two new forks in the line up as well: the Marvel 32mm fork for the XC rider and the Circus, a DJ fork that has been sorely needed for some time now.

New for 2010 & 2011

New products and suspension platforms launching soon and for the MY11:

• Absolute Plus, replacing the older Absolute damper.
• MILO, Manitou integrated lock out, developed for the ABS+
• QR15 Hex-lock
• Marvel MRD & PRO 32mm XC race forks
• Circus Dirt Jump and Slopestyle fork
• Tower, 29er specific platforms
• Female-specific platforms
• Dorado MRD & Pro

One hallmark of a successful brand is consistency across product line designations (ex: pro, expert, etc.). Parent company HBG intends to incorporate their tiering system over the entire line up, ultimately making it easier for us to find the level of performance and price we’re looking for with a particular product.

• MRD
• PRO
• Expert
• Comp
• Sport

These designators are common threads among mountain bikers and industry professionals. Our intent is to use this system to further delineate our price points and performance options. It’s a road map for HBG product groups.

Speaking of technology, the following is summary of what to expect from Manitou for the next little while. Going forward there will be three platforms for their front shocks and 4 types (two coil, two air) for the rear shocks.

Damper Technology

TPC: Twin Piston Chamber: this is the umbrella technology Manitou has utilized since 1998. We think the TPC rivals any thing out there (based on) weight, cost, function.

Absolute +: race-proven damper with needle orifice LS and shim based HS, technology common among all motor sports racing applications. ABS+ comes on all forks offering our best damper technology on our most cost conscious forks.

TPC+: race-proven damper with big hit and gravity based technology, relies on energy dependent floating TPC+ pistons activated on big drops and hits. The TPC+ piston is a floating piston that is preloaded by a spring. In essence the system is dually Displacement and Speed Sensitive which makes it an “Energy dependent circuit” aka TPC+.

There’s a quiz later this week to see if the kids were paying attention.

Springs

MARS, TS, and ACT Air systems have been proven on the trail with reliability, tuning and specific applications. Our spring technologies have been refined, tuned, and proven more durable with a wider range of rider usage.

Rear Shocks

Four basic models have been established utilizing the new naming/designations to make rear shock easier to understand. All of the previous models and eye-to-eyes have been preserved and applications have not changed.

• Coil (Metal Comp and Revox Expert & Pro)
• Air (Radium Comp Expert & Pro and Swinger Expert & Pro)

So a couple of final questions

What is to be expected with the new aluminum version of the Dorado?

Same great internals, less cost, taste great..! But seriously it’s the same fork as the MRD Carbon just with aluminum legs, it tracks a little better than the carbon and has proven bombproof in our lab and field testing. Although a race fork like the MRD, this fork should be considered for all freeride applications.

What’s next after the Dorado?

Maybe a single crown Dorado in 160 - 170mm , I didn’t just say that, did I…?

After revamping the R7, Minute, Drake, ABS+, what can we expect with the newer forks?

They get lighter. Minutes improves on damper and spring technologies and Drake is replace by a Minute Expert.

TPC+ or Absolute+ (which is better for you) and why is Manitou going with these?

TPC+ is for bigger, longer travel forks and ABS+ can and will be tuned from 80mm XC to 160mm All Mountain forks.

So what is new from Manitou for the 2010 year that folks can buy right now?

For Calendar year 2010 you can buy: Dorado Pro 26 / 29′, 3 newCircus dirt jump and slopestyle forks, ABS+ upgrade kits, MILO lockouts, Marvel high end 32mm stanchion XC fork

Well folks, stay tuned for more from the folks at Manitou and the Hayes Group. There are some really great products that can be purchased now and in the very near future. Check out the blog for previous articles and keep looking for more info on the up-and-coming products from Manitou. We’ll keep you posted.

Cheers!

Here’s something all you who own 2007 and newer Manitou forks are going to be extremely interested in hearing about. The best part? It won’t cost you an arm and a leg to upgrade your front suspension.

Just in time for the holidays, Manitou has released the new Absolute+ damper cartridge (MSRP $44.99 -$69.99 depending on fork model). The Absolute+ is basically a new damper unit that will give you 8 low speed compression levels and a shimable high speed compression circuit on your Manitou fork. It’s super simple to install and you can be up and running in just 15 minutes.

The Absolute+ unit is similar to a TPC damper but the Absolute+ allows you to change up both hi (called the Pro Stack) and low speed compression (called the Speed needle). Out of the box the Absolute+ is set up for the average rider, however if you find yourself riding super rough trails or are on the heavier side of the spectrum, (180+ lbs) you will need to re-shim the high speed compression unit for maximum performance (your local shop can help you out on this).

A close look at the damper side by side to a TPC you can see a totally redesigned piston assembly.

In this article I will give you the low down on installation which will allow you to decide if you want to DIY or get a pro to do it for you. For this job you’ll need a few socket wrenches (20mm and 24mm) and one 2mm allen key. Pretty simple tool list, huh? You may want to consider changing the fork oil at the same time but it’s not necessary. Factory oil will work well with this damper unless you’re over 250 lbs. (in which case you’ll want a heavier oil).

Installation

For most home mechanics, replacing the damper will take less time than reading this article. First, turn the TPC knob full open (soft, counterclockwise). Then with the 2mm allen wrench, remove the solitare screw that holds the adjuster knob on. After you remove that screw carefully remove the cap and remove the two detent bearings and springs. Once that step is done you can remove the damper cartridge by turning it counter-clockwise with a 20mm wrench until it is totally off. You can now compare the two damper cartridges.

With the cartridge out you can either dump the oil and replace with fresh stuff or just check the level and top it off as necessary. Use a measuring tool like a vernier caliper or a simple tool cut out of cardboard with graduations on it and top off the level using the chart provided by Manitou. Each fork has a different recommended oil level so it’s important that you get the right amount (my Minute needs a level of 87mm for example).

Once you have the right oil level, you can insert the damper cartridge and torque to 45 - 55 in/lbs or 5.1 - 6.2 Nm. Carefully install the springs and then the bearing detentes (180 degrees appart). For this step, make sure you have the fork level, otherwise the detents will fall out. The final step is to install the cap with the allen screw; torque it down and then you’re ready to go.

Performance

On rocky trails with big drops I found the Absolute+ improved performance over the TPC unit that it replaced. For one thing the new control knob is easier to adjust and makes it much easier to identify settings at a glance. There are eight levels of control which offer distinct differences in slow speed compression. The shock worked equally well on washboard technical stuff and even the larger hits. One great thing I observed was how the fork didn’t feel like it was blowing through its travel too quickly on drops around the 4- 6 foot level.

For about $50 this upgrade is well worth the coin and will really improve the performance of your older 2007+ Manitou fork. Once you get the fork dialed in you will see that the separated circuits really do a great job controlling how your fork behaves.

Manitou has been doing a lot of  work revamping their product line-up and beyond the Absolute+ they have several new and exciting products just around the corner. Thanks to the folks at Manitou for providing the Absolute+ damper for review.

Well folks here I am, back at it again. I’ve been spending some time lately checking out what Manitou has to offer in the all mountain/ XC categories of forks. The biggest thing I have to say about the Manitou Minute Elite TPC (MSRP $650.00), is WOW - what an awesome fork right out of the box! No mods are necessary for this one, just a few pumps on the high pressure shock pump to get the correct sag and this fork was hauling up slopes, ripping the trail apart, and soaking up 6 foot drops like they were curb hops.

To help me evaluate the performance of MTB products, I’ve found it best to change just one part at any given time and to use the same test course for consistency. Once again, the course that I chose for my test of the Manitou Elite TPC was Kelso Conservation Area. The course offers singletrack, rock gardens, high G turns, and drops up to 10′. Kelso is also a stop on the DH circuit here in Canada which makes it the perfect setting to thrash this fork.

Installation

First up, I removed my old fork unit, making sure to remove the bottom crown race from the old damper with care. I then measured the steering tube twice to get the correct length and then marked the Minute with a fine felt marker. After measuring a third time I finally cut the steering tube to the correct length using a very sharp pipe cutter. You could go out and purchase a specialized tool such as the SG-6 from Park or you could use a hack saw with a fresh blade in a pinch. Either way is correct, just be sure to finish the job by removing any burrs.  Also, don’t forget to install a fresh star nut (use a nut setter such as the TNS-1) and finally place the fork on the bike (look for a more detailed post on the procedure coming soon). The whole process took me about 35 minutes and after installing the 20mm axle and brake I was good to go.

Setup

A quick ride revealed that I needed to add a bit more pressure in the fork (too much sag). For those who don’t know, sag is the fork compression you get when sitting still on the bike, hands on bars. I set the compression to mid-way from full left and set the rebound to mid-way as well - with the Manitou Minute the ideal sag is about 25%. Whenever setting the sag on the fork it’s a good idea to have the gear and water you will ride with on you, otherwise you will be off. On my first ride I also had to change the compression and rebound settings to compensate for the slight bobbing I got on extended climbs. This particular model is not equipped with a lock out.

Compression

Riding around finding drops and doubles can be exhausting but luckily Kelso makes it all accessible. Right away I found the Minute features plush, smooth control of the fork through it’s entire travel with a bit of ramping (increase in air spring rate) and the end of its stroke. What you get is a fork that is predicable when going off drops and controllable without coming to a dead stop when you touch down. Hitting rock gardens was equally as fun - the fork went through them with no issues, taking each bump equally well.

If you remain seated in your saddle when climbing the levels set with the control knobs will more than compensate for the pedaling forces you generate and will keep you from losing energy. Now with a fork like this, there will be some movement when pedaling but certainly not enough to annoy you. Using the compression knob you can dial out most of the slow shaft speeds that are associated with this, just don’t dial out too much. The great thing about the Minute is its ability to maintain ground control when climbing and braking.  Once you dial in the right settings you’ll want the fork to set about a half inch while under braking but no more than that.  One reason this fork offers such great control is that it produces very little static friction.

Rebound

The rebound circuit on the Minute will control the behavior of the fork when it is returning back to its ride height. Use the control located on the bottom of the fork to control how quickly the fork returns after compression. You know when you’ve got this right when the fork comes back controlled, without wanting to toss you off the bike. Luckily the rebound circuit on this fork works very well once set. Going through rough terrain and watching the fork follow the trail smoothly without beating on my wrists was a definite indicator to me that the rebound and compression circuits are working well.

Overall Impressions

The Manitou Minute Elite is one of those forks that, once you spend the time setting it up correctly, you’d be hard pressed to find another fork that performs as well in the same category. I was very impressed with the fork’s performance, particularly its ability to take both large hits (up to 6 foot drops) and rock gardens. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden a fork that inspired as much confidence as this one has, especially in the 140mm class. The fork always felt smooth, tracked extremely well, and kept me in control. Under braking and climbing the fork maintained wheel contact and never felt like it was blowing through its travel.

The only thing I *might* change on the Minute Elite TPC is the hex bolt through axle configuration. Even though it is very stiff and strong with no chance of damaging the fork, a tool free version would be a welcome addition.

Manitou Specifications:

Damping:	TPC
Adjustments:	Compression, rebound, preload
Spring:	MARS Air
Stanchions:	32mm, Aluminum
Casting:	One piece Reverse Arch™ Magnesium
Steerer:	Aluminum 1 1/8″
Crown:	Hollow Crown™
Wheel Size:	26″

For those of you who like a more objective rating system, here’s how I rate the Manitou Minute Elite TPC on a 10-point scale:

• Tracking and steering                                                           9
• Rebound control                                                                    8
• Compression control                                                             8
• Construction and quality                                                      8
• Trail worthy (1 for light XC, 10 for extreme FR/DH)     7
• Overall performance & quality                               8.5
  

I also received a press release on Manitou’s latest damper unit that will be available on the 2010 year models and can be added to existing 2007  R7, Minute, and Drake forks. The unit is called the Absolute + and it allows you to more finely tune your fork. The Low and High speed compression circuits can be tuned independently from one another plus the unit includes a lockout feature. Manitou will also be releasing a lockout lever called the MILO which will be available in a right hand version only.

So stay tuned - who says you can’t make a great fork even better?

Just a quick thanks to the folks at Manitou for the chance to review their product. Oh yeah - and be sure to check out the new Manitou website - it’s updated with all the new forks as well as a wealth of information for all their stuff.