Mountain Biking - Fork broke! Now what?

k, today was an incredibly stupid day. I went riding on this trail near my work today to check it out and it ended up being an extremely easy, extremely flat trail, I went through the whole thing in about 30 minutes. However, at the end of the ride I ended up doing a nice little face plant at the bottom of a hill turn. I looked down at my fork once I got up and that's right, the fork is broke, it looks like where the crown connects to the right leg snapped right apart!! I have a Manitou Skareb Comp which is about 2 years old. Now I ride hard but I don't abuse it so how could this have happened? It obviously happened from one of my other rides since this one had hardly any obstacles, but what would have made it snap like that? Also, if it did break during one of my other rides why did it just now fail on me?

Also, if I were to buy a new fork what would you suggest that would be a similar XC fork but wouldn't break on me like that?

Dave

Thats exactly where I broke my Manitou Six fork.

Man, I haven't heard a lot of positives for manitou's on this forum. Though no fault of the broke-fork owners. My manitou's have been holding up well so far, an axel elite and a black that's a couple years old.

Sounds like you could have got one of those thin stumps stuck in there and had the bike flip for leverage and snap it...? Sounds pretty crazy to me. I might call manitou and see if they have anything to say. It may have been a known problem or possibly even with a recall. I don't know, but it's worth a shot. I think a marzocchi marathon might be what your looking for.

When my fork did that, I replaced it with a Fox Vanilla.

I have to get new forks aswell, cuase mine are bend. I hate this guy now I have to wait like 8 days for a new pair to arrive at the store cuase nothing good can fit on my bike, I have to order a part that no other bikes have to cause other bikes are good bikes, and mine cuase F*C*I*G sucks the big one.

It's fork.....not forks..... Go get a nice Marzocchi fork, you wont regret it, Zocchi kicks Manitou and Rockshox ass like Manson in an old folks home

I looked down at my fork once I got up and that's right, the fork is broke, it looks like where the crown connects to the right leg snapped right apart!! I have a Manitou Skareb Comp which is about 2 years old.

Thats exactly where I broke my Manitou Six fork.I detect a pattern. Manipoo = Bad

It's fork.....not forks..... Go get a nice Marzocchi fork, you wont regret it, Zocchi kicks Manitou and Rockshox ass like Manson in an old folks home

Wish I had the same experience. I bought the 2005 Marzocchi Marathon SL and it was a complete turd. I replaced it with a Fox F100X and have not looked back. I am sending the Marzocchi back to have them check it out, once I get it back it's going straight to ebay.

I'm not sure what was up with the 05 Marathon SL, I rode previous year models and they were great. I believe they are making some changes in them in 06 that should help out quite a bit as well.

It's pretty bad but my SID team fork on my hard tail is actually stiffer than the Marathon SL.

I detect a pattern. Manipoo = Bad


In Manitou's defence, their other forks aside from these two tend not to have issues. Although yes, these two in particular tend to be craptacular. Just check ebay on the prices for a six or a skareb comp and that'll tell you all you need to know.

In Manitou's defence, there other forks aside from these two tend not to have issues. Although yes, these two in particular tend to be craptacular. Just check ebay on the prices for a six or a skareb comp and that'll tell you all you need to know.

Exactly, I knew my Six was low end, thats why I think it snapped. I replaced it w/ a Black Platinum and have no real issues.

Here's some pics, I can't believe that such a cheap looking piece on the fork makes my fork so inoperative, doesn't make sense to me.

The Manitu Six was exactly what made me walk away from the HARO V4. The Trekto brakes didn't help its cause either but it was mostly that fork.

Which model Fox would you guys recommend?

In Manitou's defence, their other forks aside from these two tend not to have issues. Although yes, these two in particular tend to be craptacular. Just check ebay on the prices for a six or a skareb comp and that'll tell you all you need to know.

This has been an incredibly bad year for Manitou so far, with the stance line being craptacular, and with the archs snapping on the skarebs and minutes.

OMG, look at all the breaks in these reviews http://mtbr.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121933.shtml
I assume Manitou wouldn't replace this for me after 2 years of use?

Dave

guess not, "All Answer/Manitou products carry a one-year (two years in EU countries) warranty from the original date of purchase by the end user."

Under the 2003 warranty policy

guess not, "All Answer/Manitou products carry a one-year (two years in EU countries) warranty from the original date of purchase by the end user."

Under the 2003 warranty policy

That's crap. Are American's harder on their **** or something? Actually I'm sure it's something political, I hate that trash.

Just to make you feel better, I had to replace my shock recently. It didn't survive an unfortunate encounter with my garage after I tried to drive in with the bike on the rack. Also bent one of the tubes on my Yakimak rack, and of course it was the new one I just bought in May. Only good news is I replaced the junk RST Cappa with a new Manitou Black Super Air with lockout. Just got it today, can't wait to try it out. Like a lot of you my options were limited in that I have a low travel bike with caliper brakes. Most replacement shocks it seems are 100 mm travel or more and disc only. Any thoughts on remembering to take the bike off the rack when you drive in the garage are welcome...

The only fork I've ever broke, thought not catastrophicaly was my old rock shox 21 r? It just broke where the arch connected to one of the legs with some screws. Otherwise, the only other forks are a Manitou 2 and current Headshock. By far the Headshock has been the best. Hell, I have beaten that thing on my super v active since 96 without issue.

That bites, that is EXACTLY where my Six snapped. It was still under warranty, but I didnt feel like dealing w/ it. I sent it to my grandpa who knows a guy at Answer and he'll talk to him.

In Manitou's defence, their other forks aside from these two tend not to have issues.
:roflmao: Wrong. They've been snapping arches left and right across the board. They've had seal issues for a long time and they're flat out flexy

The Same thing happend to me 2 days ago, I had to go to the doctor to give me some stiches cuase my face was all bloody from the pavment That I fell on, I broke My Nose, and got 5 stiches on my nose and another 3 on my forhead. God dam crappy Forks, or well, it happens. ButI feel your pain lol.

--Nate

The Same thing happend to me 2 days ago, I had to go to the doctor to give me some stiches cuase my face was all bloody from the pavment That I fell on, I broke My Nose, and got 5 stiches on my nose and another 3 on my forhead. God dam crappy Forks, or well, it happens. ButI feel your pain lol.

--Nate

Actually I'd take my face plant in the dirt over your face plant in the pavement anytime, OUCH! Thx for letting me know I'm not the only one this has happened to. If I haven't had it for 2 years I'd actually feel ripped off. Guess I'll just have to get a better fork now.

Manitou has issues with their stance line as well. Fork bends outwards (forwards, when you're on the bike) rather easily as opposed to flexing and coming back.

For anyone who rides hard, a sub 3lbs air fork is a bad decision, honestly. Best bet in the realm of lightweight is a Fox, no questions asked. Durable, simple and dependable.