Mountain Biking - MANITOU AXEL - If you're having problems...

Here's an update on some of the recent posts I've seen regarding problems with the Manitou Axel.

I contacted Answer Products (Manitou).

If your fork is still under warranty either as a new fork, or a fork that came with a recent bike you bought, you should contact Bobby Acuna at Answer Products: 1-800-423-0273 (ext 101). Or e-mail bacuna@answerproducts.com

Even if the fork came stock with a bike, Answer will deal with it as long as the bike/and major components are under warranty. They do advise that you go through your dealer, however.

Let's let them know what's going wrong with the forks and hopefully they'll address these issues.

I've also been dealing with Bobby Acuna. I should be getting a replacement rebound damping unit soon. They were out of stock. Hopefully they have been redesigned for '04.

Al

Does this warranty only apply if you have broken something on the fork??? The Axel is truley a P.O.S. and I would love to get rid of it. Even Answer has to know that it's a pile......

I'm curious if they would upgrade the fork if I gave it to them and some cash. Anyone know?? It is in working condition, just a pice of s^& that came stock on an otherwise great bike.......

you might just try trading it in for store credit or something.

my LBS let me do that(it wasn't a manitou axel though) and now I have a Manitou Black elite sitting in my garage waiting till I get my new bike...

Does this warranty only apply if you have broken something on the fork??? The Axel is truley a P.O.S. and I would love to get rid of it. Even Answer has to know that it's a pile......

I'm curious if they would upgrade the fork if I gave it to them and some cash. Anyone know?? It is in working condition, just a pice of s^& that came stock on an otherwise great bike.......

Yes, it's only for warranty claims. It's not a recall.

I would applaud Answer if they had the b*lls to admit that it is a highly, highly faulty fork and did a recall. Unfortunately, companies won't put out a recall unless their products pose a danger of injury and an accompanying class action law suit.

Aren't they stupid for allowing this shenagin to go on? Consumers aren't stupid. They aren't going to support companies who don't acknowledge their mistakes.

Yes, I appreciate good warranties and technical support, but only to a point. They are not a substitute for a well made, reliable product that should work within the scope to which it was designed. The Axel does not.

What's even the use of the very best warranty if the product is constantly in the shop under repairs?

A good warranty is secondary; a reliable product should be paramount.

i think its spelt axle

i think its spelt axle

Not according to the people who make/sell the fork (http://www.answerproducts.com/depts.asp?function=2&deptid=1&familyid=6).

A good warranty is secondary; a reliable product should be paramount.
What a beautiful dream! You're dead right, though. If a product is known to be reliable, a recall at least keeps the consumer more satisfied and potentailly brand loyal. If a bad product is constantly repaired under warranty, the first thing I'm likely to do once the warranty expires is get rid of the darn thing and buy something made by a different manufacturer with a better reputation.

We have an Axel Comp on my wife's MTB. It hasn't given too much trouble yet, but given the history of problems it is nice to know there's at least some recourse out there.

i think its spelt axle

You know the danger of being the grammar police is looking cavalier and plain silly when you realize that it IS, in fact, spelled, "AXEL".

In addition, you committed a malapropism; you meant to say "spelled".

Finally, you should have used "it's"; not "its". Oooooops!!!

Just kidding around with you. No hard feelings...but good try, Jay! :D

You're right, Manitou spells AXEL in a weird way. That whole fork is a mistake -- not just the way it is spelled...

You're right, Manitou spells AXEL in a weird way. That whole fork is a mistake -- not just the way it is spelled...

:roflmao: :lol: :beer:

Yes, it's only for warranty claims. It's not a recall.

I would applaud Answer if they had the b*lls to admit that it is a highly, highly faulty fork and did a recall. Unfortunately, companies won't put out a recall unless their products pose a danger of injury and an accompanying class action law suit.

Aren't they stupid for allowing this shenagin to go on? Consumers aren't stupid. They aren't going to support companies who don't acknowledge their mistakes.

Yes, I appreciate good warranties and technical support, but only to a point. They are not a substitute for a well made, reliable product that should work within the scope to which it was designed. The Axel does not.

What's even the use of the very best warranty if the product is constantly in the shop under repairs?

A good warranty is secondary; a reliable product should be paramount.

I couldn't have said that better myself. Makes me never want to buy an Answer "anything" unless it is proven to me that it is a superior product.

Now...if I could only have a word with the Product Manager at Specialized that Spec'ed that thing on a otherwise fantastic bike......Was that decision made at 4:55 on Friday?

Hmmmmm Ya know my decision to have the Axel that was spec'd on my Rockhopper replaced with a Duke before I bought my bike looks smarter every single day.