Mountain Biking - Manitou Answer? good fork??

I just bought a Cannondale F300, and I had an AXEL, front fork, and I have to say that its not a very reliable fork...my friend said he had a Manitou Answer, and brought it in, it doesn't have a lockout, but it has seems to have a Preload on each side; he is letting me install it on my bike, before I buy it, and ride with it over christmas break, but is it worth installing, and how much do you think he should sell it for...it has been used, but from what I can tell it is in good condition. If so, where do I get a manual to learn how to install it? Anyway, definetly a newbie question,

thanks

Manitou is Answer!

Answer Products is the clothing line of Manitou, or Manitou is the suspension line of Answer. Either way.

What MODEL fork is it?

L8R

Go to: http://www.answerproducts.com/

L8R

is it an six, axel, skarab, black etc. That would be a bit more helpful ;)

I am an Idiot!! But, the only other thing on thier besides Manitou/Answer is "SX", the fork is white...help me...

hmmi think its a 2001 fork with out the reverse arch? the manitou sx...then a model higher was the sxr but i could be wrong.

i have a feeling that this fork isn't going to be much different from the axel. It may be a bit stiffer but performence wise it looks like its gonna be the same. If you wanna buy it off him, i would say no more then 100US depending on the condition.

Imprezaman,

You better research that fork to see its reliability. There's no point in replacing a new, mediocre Manitou, with an old one that may be mediocre.

One word for you - as a fellow disgruntled Axel owner - MARZOCCHI!

Imprezaman,

My suggestion would be to ride the Axel, literally kill it, and then upgrade (when funds available) to a nicer fork, such as a Marz.

Imprezaman,

My suggestion would be to ride the Axel, literally kill it, and then upgrade (when funds available) to a nicer fork, such as a Marz.
Well thats what I am going to do! Tonight I rode, and the ol' AXEL was fine, even after the VERY large dropoff I went off of. Its hard to adjust, but its not that bad...I looked at that other fork, and I think it has been used to much! There is absolutly no lube left...it is dry, and when I pump it down it doesn't sound very good, and the preload doesn't seem to do anything...at least mine works!

Thanks,
imprezaman

Imprezaman,

If you are riding in wet conditions and/or wash down your bike frequently, make sure your LBS checks the fork inside every so often.

The Axel, in my opinion, has a crappy seal and allows water to seap in too easily.

My coil springs were rusted out only after a few months and the oxidation broke the functionality of the knobs (preload and lockout).

SIDENOTE: I was made to feel that it was my fault for washing my bike (which in my opinion is just good, general maintenance to keep grit and dirt from damaging the bike). I never spray harsh jets of water directly at the shocks.

Am I being unreasonable to expect an MTB fork (which is going to be used in all conditions) to keep water out to a reasonable degree?

Is the Axel warranty invalid outside of the Mojave desert?

What good is an MTB fork that reacts to water like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz? "I'm melting! I'm melting!"

SIDENOTE: I was made to feel that it was my fault for washing my bike (which in my opinion is just good, general maintenance to keep grit and dirt from damaging the bike). I never spray harsh jets of water directly at the shocks.


I agree, after every ride I have to wash my bike, it won't shift correctly even; it completly messes it up. Up here in Washington, where it is raining, I don't really think it matters if you wash it or not, there is enough water on the trail alone to get in the shock. Maybe I should just get a new one...I don't have money for that, I am 16 and am buying a car, so I have to put everything aside for that.