With their suspension lining up on the World Cup XCO races once more, Manitou wanted a contemporary XC fork and shock for the Rockrider Ford Workforce riders.
The brand new Manitou R8 and Mara are it, providing an up to date tackle their dampers, lowers, and air springs for the entrance and rear of the bike. Let’s begin with the fork…
Manitou R8 suspension fork
Constructed round their 34mm stanchion platform and signature reverse arch, the brand new R8 is available in at a claimed 1450-1480g. They declare the rear arch is stiffer than a comparable entrance arch, or lighter than one with equal stiffness…a win both manner. And now they’ve bolt-on fender mounts and pressure-relief bleed screws, too.
The uppers (stanchions) are Hyperlite, a light-weight alloy design borrowed from sister model Reply, with deeply bored cutouts and exterior machining on the crown to save lots of weight.
On the backside, the brand new Hexlock SL-R is their lightest-ever via axle at simply 25g.
Internally, a brand new XC-tuned Dorado air spring is a bit lighter, however retains the flexibility to vary journey at residence in 10mm increments, from 80mm as much as 120mm. The changes change each constructive and unfavorable air volumes in tandem, so the journey high quality is constant regardless of the way you set it up with out needing to purchase a completely new air spring simply to vary the journey, which is what number of of their opponents’ forks work. A brand new XC model of their IVA quantity adjustment enables you to tune the air spring, too.
The damper can be new. It’s an XC-specific VTT Professional-X that’s lighter and has a singular three piston/three place adjustment. In contrast to different dampers that make changes to the identical high- and low-speed circuits, Manitou’s multi-piston design lets them have distinct settings in all three modes – agency, path, and open.
In Agency mode, it’s mainly locked out, with its personal piston basically closing off each circuits. Within the center place, a second piston adjusts each high- and low-speed circuits to create a supportive platform that may nonetheless soak up the terrain. Within the open place, a 3rd piston enables you to independently modify low-speed compression damping to your liking whereas high-speed is opened as much as be extra aware of large hits.
Mainly, it’s kinda-liking having exterior controls for each, however with three largely pre-set settings that modify each high- and low-speed compression with a single knob. There’s additionally an 18-click rebound adjustment on the underside.
Obtainable in 29er solely with 44mm offset, increase spacing, and an choice for distant lockout lever. Talking of, they’ve a brand new Ace/Deuce lockout lever with three paddles, one for fork and shock lockouts, one to launch the lockout, and one for dropper seatposts. What’s cool is which you can stack them nevertheless you want, placing suspension or dropper controls on high or backside.
Manitou Mara air shock goes XC to Enduro
The brand new Mara shocks are available in three varieties – Inline, Inline with King Can, and Piggy Again. All three get new, extra sturdy air piston structure and are simple to tune with constructive and unfavorable quantity spacers that want no particular instruments to put in.
Inside, a brand new compression piston and up to date shim stacks enhance small bump compliance. Mid-stroke assist is adjustable utilizing exterior compression changes and the amount spacers.
All three additionally use their Steadiness Groove, which is basically a verify valve that routinely equalizes constructive and unfavorable air stress, similar as just about each fork on the market besides Cane Creek’s Helm.
For XC bikes, the slim Mara Professional IL XC inline shock (above, left) has a brand new Lite Can air can, which has decrease complete quantity for a firmer, extra environment friendly journey high quality. That makes it ramp tougher, however for XC racers, it additionally retains it from wallowing round below laborious pedaling and sprints.
For path bikes, the brand new King Can outsized air can provides extra quantity with an outer sleeve. It’s discovered on the Mara IL Professional & Comp (inline) and Mara Professional PB (piggy again), supplying you with choices for longer journey bikes, all the best way to DH and park driving.
The Mara Professional PB provides a two-position swap that permits you to shortly toggle between two pre-set modes – Work (for climbing) and Celebration (for descending). Work mode makes use of one damping circuit, and Celebration makes use of one other which you can tune with exterior high- and low-speed changes.
There’s additionally a fourth Mara Professional PB DH that loses the Work/Celebration swap because it’s aimed toward lift-served driving with no climbing.
Manitou Mattoc LE
Pining for the glory days? Again if you had one fork for all the things from XC to DH?
For a restricted time you may get a completely trendy Manitou Mattoc path fork within the black and silver end that the legends rode, besides it’s for 29″ wheels, not 26″.
Claimed weight is 1750g and it comes preset at 140mm journey however could be simply adjusted from 110mm to 150mm. It comes with their Hexlock SL2 via axle, Dorado Air system, and IRT dual-positive air spring adjustment that permits you to individually tune the mid- and end-stroke ramp.
