Manitou MK1 forks from a 90s USA race team ?

[2manyoranges]

I was one of the first purchasers of these in uk (four pairs) and frankly, set up well with small sag, they were streets ahead of the stiction-prone RS offerings - nicely small bump compliant and no bottom out issues. Well worth it...

 

[Joe*Pro]

I was one of the first purchasers of these in uk (four pairs) and frankly, set up well with small sag, they were streets ahead of the stiction-prone RS offerings - nicely small bump compliant and no bottom out issues. Well worth it...

Great to hear. Any idea why they were popular on Oranges ?

one of the earliest ‘bikes I admired’ was a wealthy older chap (age like 30) who use to give me lifts to local races circa 1994/96 and he had built ground up a P7 with manitous.

save me pulling it all apart to check, do you know what steerer length I should need on my 96 P7

she’s currently used as a river tow path cruiser. Hence the fat franks to soften the rigid ride. It justifies her place in the pack of 10 !! …along with a matching ball burnished Zaskar LE for the misses! Which also now has black fat franks on.

 

[Antstark]

You also have to remember 99.9% of bikes at the time were not designed for suspension. The Manitous were much closer to a standard rigid fork size whereas RS1s could change your bikes geometry and handling quite significantly..........not that we actually cared...cos they looked so cool!

 

[kingoffootball]

save me pulling it all apart to check, do you know what steerer length I should need on my 96 P7

Measure the head tube and add that stack height of the heaset, which hopefully you can find online.

 

[Antstark]

I'd say a Pace RC35 was the ideal fork partner for an Orange, not a Mani

 

[Joe*Pro]

I'd say a Pace RC35 was the ideal fork partner for an Orange, not a Mani

My RC35s sit on the Cinder Cone and I try have something different on every bike. RC36s on the Lava Dome. All really great forks. Just thought somthing a bit more silver would look good on the nickle P7, was also tempted by some Bomber Z2s

 

[Antstark]

Perfect… you just need to swap them over

 

[brocklanders023]

Yeah, RC35's are the perfect match for Orange. Saying that, Manitou and RS were options.

From memory of the early 90's MBUK group tests the RS, Manitou and Pace were always regarded as the best and pretty equal (through the years, original versions to later Manitou 3, Mag 21's, RC25 AB) with other offerings not in the same class. The early Marzocchi's always seemed to fall short because they were so noodly.

 

[Joe*Pro]

NOS and boxed:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-...p2349624.m2548.l6249&mkrid=706-127636-26712-0