Twenty Years ago, the parent company for Manitou Forks, Hayes, began working on its brake systems called the HFX-mag, changing the Mountain biking world forever.
Even so, in 1985, the motorcycle company Harley Davidson began buying its braking systems exclusively from Hayes.
In 1996, Hayes introduced its first hydraulic brake system, revolutionizing the mountain bike industry.
They sold twelve thousand units to Trek, just one sign of the company’s growth.
The growth continued into the early 2000s; in 2005, Hayes began to strategically acquire bicycle companies with specializations in parts that included Manitou Springs.
Who Owns Manitou Forks?
As mentioned, Hayes Bicycle Group had acquired enough size and wealth in the early 2000s and was going through an extensive period of growth.
In 2006, amongst the purchase of many other Mountain Bicycle parts companies, Manitou was acquired. As of today, Manitou has been researching, developing, and producing high-performance suspension products for the mountain biking community.
After Hayes acquired the company in 2006, Manitou disappeared for a while, prompting a passionate, loyal customer base to ask about it. Quickly the bike suspension company came roaring back and is currently working on The Science of Smooth.
Where is it Made?
There are two main contact points in the world for Manitou suspension forks, the one in the United States can be found in Mequon, Wisconsin, at the Hayes Performance Systems Headquarters at 5800 West Donges Bay Road.
The other point of contact would be in Europe in Munich, Germany, at the address HB Performance GmbH, Dirnismaning 20 a, 85748 Garching.
Most of the manufacturing is done in the United States, while the Headquarters in Germany is to help with the international demand for the Hayes brand products, including the Smooth Technology of Manitou Suspension forks.
Was the Production Always in the US?
For much of the thirty-five years of manufacturing suspension forks, Manitou was considered “the gods of suspension” and stated proudly that everything was made in the United States of America.
Made in the USA, it meant quality and incredible design, both of the Manitou main staples. The company was started in a garage in 1986, where they saw the need for a suspension for the new sport of Mountain Biking and, in doing so, created the legendary company of today.
In the win-win merger with Hayes Bicycle group, Manitou secured its made-in-the-United States product, a future for many generations to enjoy.
Do They Make the Best Forks?
To know which company makes the best suspension tuning forks, we first need to define what makes the best fork, which would be graded on comfort, travel, and shock absorption.
Manitou would be considered a competitor versus the likes of companies such as Fox and RockShox. The best answer is that Manitou is one of the best producers of Mountain bike suspension forks; if they make the best, yes, they make some of the best on the market.
However, some of the more expensive forks will cost you around five hundred to about a thousand dollars.
What is the Average Price?
Manitou offers various forks and suspensions; on average, a rear shock set fresh from the factory will cost about five hundred dollars.
Front fork and shocks will average about the same, depending on the model and fork, for all Manitou products, which will be around one thousand and one hundred dollars. These are average prices directly from the manufacturer or brand new from the store.
Of course, second-hand stores or auction sites will have different prices but remember, the used products will have wear on them and should be inspected thoroughly before confirming a purchase.
Final Thoughts on Who makes Manitou Forks
This small company from Colorado, which became a world leader in the Mountain bike Fork and suspension game, has been a standard in the Mountain biking community.
There are few Bicycle companies with attention to detail and high standards like that of Manitou bicycling company. Extreme sports companies come and go, but this one has stood the test of time and consistently delivers products that consumers want.
So if you still need to check their webpage, do so and learn about their Smooth technology initiative to provide an even better and smoother ride out on the trail.