Manitou Forks are some of the highest quality parts in the Mountain bike industry; they come with a hefty thousand-dollar-plus price tag and will, in effect, give a rider the professional standard equipment needed to compete at the top level of the sport.
Additionally, adjusting these bike forks is relatively easy when considering the construction and disassembly process.
A person will need to know what model of the fork is being used, whether it is an XCR, Juicy, or Yari, and how to adjust each style. This is because each model has a different procedure when it comes to manual adjustments.
Is it Adjusted Externally?
For Manitou forks, the XCR fork has two separate legs with four adjustments each. They are the preloaded settings that can be adjusted with the turn of the knobs labeled ‘Fork Spring Preload Adjuster’ and “Fork Spring Preload Adjuster #2.’
Otherwise, other adjustments will require getting into the inner settings but adjusting the pressures, and potentially replacing the suspension systems.
Again, this will best be left to the professionals, but some guides can help a DIY-savvy rider; having a knowledgeable person handy is recommended.
What Controls Manitou Forks?
The system’s design, in a nutshell, is a long-path twin tube frame allowing the brake fluids to move about freely and help seal out air from the damping system.
These elements and a spring-based suspension system will round out the components that make up a Manitou Mountain bike fork.
There usually are two sets of settings controls, as well. The XCR, as mentioned above, will have external settings controls. Still, as with most of the Manitou products will have to use internal adjustment controls to get the desired feel and travel rate.
What Does the Adjustment Process Look Like?
A few adjustment processes can be taken to make the changes desired when changing the settings of the Manitou Mountain bike fork. The first is an external knob that generally has two presets for simplified adjusting.
The more complex process will include disassembling the fork frame and opening up the vacuum-sealed inner workings of the Manitou product. Getting to this step should only be taken if the external controls need to set up the desired setting.
Again, it is recommended that a knowledgeable person be present when this type of work is done.
How Long Does it Take?
Depending on the expertise of the individual doing the work, this process can take an indefinite period to complete. However, the experts that can do the fix, and adjustment, in a relatively fast time will be able to complete the work in an hour or two.
These professionals have done the process more than a few dozen or a hundred times and know what needs to be done and how to do so without damaging the frame or wasting time.
Then again, an individual looking for the perfect setting might take weeks of trial and error scientific study to get the exact specifications desired.
Can Beginners Do it?
This, more times than not, would be an emphatic no; this is a highly complex adjustment when it includes the disassembly of the fork to get inside and change the inner settings and setup.
In scientific terms, beginners will want to stick with generic settings to get a feel for the standard control-like ride.
After that, finding the proper adjustments to create the best riding experience possible becomes easier, especially with a base feeling/understanding of a standard ride.
However, even after years of riding, it is still recommended that a beginner or amateur consult an expert before doing anything drastic.
Final Thoughts on How to Adjust Manitou Forks
Before leaving the bike store, consult the experts on the settings of the fork; you might save yourself the time and trouble of opening up a Manitou fork only to find out that another product would have been easier to use.
For instance, there might be a fork out there with the exact specifications that a rider would desire, and there was no need to disrupt the inner workings of the fork in question.
Of course, the best policy is to do some personal digging and investigation into the topic; a little research can go a long way when empowering an individual to make an informed decision or purchase.