mtnbiker66

Nice bike. If you going to upgrade something on it,swap out the fork.I am not anti Manitou but I have spent some time on the same fork you have and it's pretty flexy. I have a Manitou Nixon on my Bullit and it has been a really good fork. I have lots of hard trail miles with a few 4 to 6 foot drops here and there and it has held up very well. I have a 'Zocchi outside that has the lowers broken in half,I've had mucho trouble out of a fox..... I think you can have trouble out of any part, but Manitou does have a rep for problems.

ed 

Don't worry about the fork. Just ride it until it breaks. Chances are it won't.

Actually if you do a search as suggested before, you will see that there are a FEW people that don't like them...not like the whole world. Some of those people blow things out of proportion and say that the whole world hates manitou. They make some good stuff and bad stuff. Marzocchi and Rockshox all have good and bad aspects to their product line.

Bottom line is you love the bike. Enjoy it, perform routine maintenance, and don't abuse it. It should last a long time for it's intended purpose.

Incidently...its intended purpose is not a jump bike or a freeride bike and I'm sure you know it so disregard the assumption made by CrashVector about jumps and drops. You bought an XC bike to do XC riding, right? That's where people develop false assumptions about entire companies...they use a bike for something that it wasn't intended to do. Don't take this as a slam against my fellow rider CrashVector...I just don't like seeing a company that built the Manitou Travis Intrinsic, and Manitou Minute 4, and Manitou Black super Air falsely accused for something that was questionably not really their fault.

I could blame Mavic for making a cheap wheel because I taco'd it, but it's an XC specific wheel and I was jumping. It was my fault, not theirs.

Nice bike, man. LOVE the paint scheme. (I like my Fisher too)

euroford

you mentioned a cable lock. cable locks are not adiquate, they offer almost zero resitance to even amature theives. go get a u-lock before its stolen, the new kryptonite evolutions are nice.

especially with such a nice paint job!

born2bahick

Just Wanted to say Congrat's and enjoy, Don't know what fork the 4300 had, but I had an 04 model that had an RST fork that was just a spring and Elastomer, So the Manitou, with at least a little oil bath damping is a step up from the 4300 I started out on. Good luck! Go Army!

foulmouthfool

nice bike, gotta get her DIRTY now

GF_TASS

I haven't been on this forum very long, but here's what I've learned so far. Manitu sucks, Shimano sucks, Bontrager sucks, but somehow the Gary Fisher Marlin, Pirahna, and Tassajara, which are loaded with these brand components are awsome bikes!!!

So far, I have had no issues with any components on my bike including the fork (Manitu Platinum AIR100). Admitingly, I'm not a high skill rider, as I've been back in the saddle for about 5 months after a 15 year break from biking. With this in mind, if I do go off drops and huge jumps, breaking my nads will be a bigger concern then my fork.

We all have to keep in mind these are hardtail bikes and have their jumping/droping limitations.

rydaddy

I'm curious how you "learned" these components suck. Did you learn through experience or simply read the opinion of others? I've seen some of the negatives but in no way do I believe just because a small percentage of people have problems, they all must suck. Learning will come mostly from your own experience. So far, my Tass has held up like a champ....and the abuse level is high.

BTW, congrats on the Pirahana. Nice colors!

bh357

Congrats on your new bike . Now go get 'er dirty .

Last year I picked up a 2005 GF Marlin when I got back into riding. The Marlin was a great bike for me to start back on, and from what I've seen, the Pirahna was added to the lineup between the Marlin and the Tass. This spring I picked up a GF Rig, which I have been enjoying a lot. Currently my Marlin is doing duty as a touring/dirt road bike (Brooks saddle, rack, mirror, semislicks), while the Rig is my off-road fun machine.
The Manitou Axel is a decent fork, and suited me well all last summer. It's not as plush as the Reba, and isn't as stiff laterally though.

Bay Area Texan

is fisher still owned by trek these days?

LowCel 

Yes.

armyrider

chel - thank you for seeing things in clear light... why crash wants to instantly pick out something bad on my bike and tell me something about it i dont know... if its not cannondale or kona he thinks its not good. well **** that, he is incorrect. i would never jump off of a 6 foot cliff or whatever in my bike!!!! tohell with that... this bike is for ridiing on XC trails and aroud campus when i want to.... thanks again man..

armyrider

Go Army!!!!!!!!!!! HOOOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CrashVector

I do not base any of my opinions on subjective data. If a part works, it works...I dont care who makes it. If a part breaks at a critical moment, it does NOT work. I used exactly TWO manitou forks on two of the bikes I've owned. They both cracked. I have an old MOTO FreeRide fork that is now going on 9 years old, and other than usuall maintenence, the thing works and looks like it's brand-spanking new.

Oh, and notice that I said TWO times that if you are only doing light XC riding, then the fork would be fine.


I never said any bike that isnt a Cannondale or Kona isn't a good bike. Hell, there were things on my Dawg that I didnt like, so I swapped them out, like the spring in the Marzocchi GranFondo 1 fork was way too mushy for my liking, so I swapped it out for a higher-rate spring. No bike is absolutely perfect...but staring off with a good, solid set of components helps save upgrade cash later one since you don't have to fork out as much cash upgrading to decent parts in the future.

I'll just point out the fact that you came and asked opinons. I gave you mine and you got all bent out of shape about it. Congrats on your first 'real' bike. I've owned dozens. I'm no professional, but I have many years of experience with various parts, and I know what works and what doesn't work. If you don't want someone to make constuctive criticism about your bike, I would suggest that you don't ask in the first place.

I didn't mean to offend you in any way, but then again, maybe you need to develop a bit of a thicker skin if you are gonna post on a public forum and ask for opinions.

CrashVector

edited out

fireman1291

nice bike- just replace componets as they break. Stay safe and ride hard.

nathank8792

I definitely know the feeling you have right now, I just bought my bike yesterday. Have fun with it!

armyrider

Thicker skin? Dude, listen. I dont care what bikes you like.. But when you base parts on a bike on your past experiences which entail very ahrd riding, like not most people do, then your stance for knocking the components on my bike based on YOUR riding is not a good thing... But like I said i dont care what bikes you like man. Like what you like and ride whatever you want.... take it easy. i just like my gary fisher and know that its built like a tank.

cryptid01

If you come to a discussion board on mtb's, chances are you will find a higher percentage of serious riders, some with opinions based upon experiences different than yours.

I certainly hope you're not suggesting we dumb things down here to a bunch of "HEY! LOOK AT MY BIKE!" threads posted by fundamentally ignorant beginners.

CrashVector

Let me say it again so that you can understand me:

I have had more bikes in my lifetime that your entire family has probably owned. I'm not just pulling this stuff out of thin air kiddo. My opinons are based on past experiences. If I dont have experience with a certain product first hand, I either don't comment, or I say that my opinion is based on secondhand knowledge. In your particular case, you came here asking for an opinon, and being as I HAVE OWNED A FORK NEARLY IDENTICAL TO THE ONE YOUR BIKE CAME WITH, I can tell you that its NOT going to hold up to anything more serious than XC trails. Take my advice of leave it..but when your crown cracks when you take a little 4 foot jump, you have no reason to whine, as you have been forwarned and have chosen to ignore said warning.

Also...your GaryFisher is ***NOT*** built like a tank. Well...the FRAME is a good frame, but if you think that fork will take any kind of serious abuse, you are very mistaken indeed. GaryFisher bikes USED to be built like tanks, almost literally....but since Trek bought out GF, they are virtually identical to Trek's bikes.

In one sentence, you accuse me of basing my opinion of your bike on the fact that I ride hard, saying that you do not intend on using your bike the same way I use mine.....and THEN you turn around and say its "built like a tank". Which is it? Did you buy your bike for light XC riding (not a tank) or did you buy it to bash through the wooded trails (tank)?

catch my drift?

So..for the LAST time: My opinion is based upon the fact that I have literally spent MANY thousands of hours sitting on various mountain bikes with various equipment. If you think my opinion was harsh, oh well...grow up and deal with it or stop asking people what they think.
Newsflash: Not everyone will tell you what you WANT to hear. Some of us will actually give you our honest opinion.

Jameson

Hey I'm pretty sure that seat tube sticker that tells you the size could come off, other than that (I'm gritting my teeth in silence about the safety sticker) it looks good.

mtnbiker66

Dang Crash,is it your week in the bucket? Most of the time it's me some of these guys hate. Thanks for taking the heat off.

GF_TASS

No I haven't had enough experience to form an opinion yet. Just pointing out some interesting facts in my two weeks of surfing. It appears most of the components on these bikes are hated by most, but the bike itself loved. Just sounds kinda contradictory...don't you think. Just a nubie observation I guess and I'm in no position to agree or disagree with the view points.

I love my Tass as well and will probably not replace a thing until it fails.

CrashVector

lol

sometimes, the truth hurts.

armyrider

Goddammit, Crash. You are about the biggest forum troll online for starters... If you are such a "hard ass" rider, then why dont you get off line and on the trail?

Now to exploit the completely rediculously stupid bull**** comment you tried to lay in some vain attempt for you to sound smart, brace yourself... Just because I plan on doing light XC (not that i have to explain a goddamned thing to you) does NOT mean i cant have something that is tough. You want to tell me that my bike isnt tough... fine say what you may. All I know is that the frame is a very very very solid frame! I have strong wheels on it, good breaks, and good shocks... SO **** THE GODDAMN MANITOU. Jesus Christ. but your little comment trying to make yourself sound cute was .... cute. Just showing that you are a typical loser who trolls a forum online.

By the way, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You have owned more bikes than me and my mom and dad!!!! LMAO. Well I am glad to see that you own more than 2 bikes... Thats all I have and all i need for the riding i do.. You would think that for as hard ass a rider as you are, you SHOULD have more than 2 bikes..


(in case your ignorance is as obvious in other ares of your life as it was when you laid that cute little comment about my bike being a tank but me only riding light xc.... MY MOM AND DAD DONT OWN BIKES.)

CrashVector

^ point and laugh..lol

no wonder you're in the army. Since you want to make this a pissing match, I'll glady oblige you.

If I'm as ignorant as you seem to think, then I wonder how it is that I have a MNS degree? Well, I guess I really shouldn't even bother with semantics considering the comments came from a guy that can't even spell "BRAKES" correctly...but I digress.

Anyhow...if you would open your eyes and actually READ something (you army types CAN comprehend what you read, right?) you will see where i said the frame is a good frame....the FORK...i repeat..ONLY THE FORK is what I commented about being weak.

How do I know? I've owned on just like the one on your bike.

I in no way tried to appear "cute" as you say. YOU, on the otherhand, need to learn how to take criticism without getting your labia in a bunch.

The funny part is that I can picture you sitting there with the veins poking out in your forehead because someone that actually knows more than you do about bikes DARED to make a seemingly negative comment about your fork. The world will stop turning and the sun won't rise unless every post you read says something along the lines of "OH BOY! THAT IS SOME 7337 FORK YOU GOT THERE MAN!!!!!! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO JEALOUS OF YOU AND YOUR LITTLE TOY BIKE WITH THE CRAPPY FORK! I'M GONNA ASK SANTA FOR ONE JUST LIKE IT!!!"

get over yourself, junior....you have an OKAY bike. Its not bad...but its not exactly something people are gonna stare at either.

Now..go take your lithium and stfu.