Tested: Atlas Crank Brace - Protect Your Neck!

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The Bad:

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Review by Sean "Griz" McClendon // Action photos by Ian Collins

Designed and developed in Canada by Brady Sharron and his father Rick, the Atlas line of neck braces launched in Spring 2012. Built for the rider looking to protect their neck, Atlas offers six variations of their neck brace including the cycling specific Crank brace. We’ve noticed top MX racers Ryan Villopoto, Jake Weimer, and Jeremy McGrath using Atlas braces and that got us excited to test the Crank brace. At $330 it offers a wide range of adjustability and is of a competitive weight. Let’s put the Atlas Crank brace to the test...

A Word On Neck Braces

Neck braces have been a topic of controversy and remain a product used based on personal preference. They’re available to those that want them and advocated by many. Naysayers often complain that neck braces are cumbersome can lead to secondary injuries to collarbones and the sternum in the event of a crash. Atlas designed their line of braces with secondary injury prevention in relation to neck protection in mind. Another element to neck brace comfort and function is choice of helmet. Not all full-face helmets compliment neck braces well. There are many variables around neck braces but the intention remains simple – protect the rider from catastrophic neck injury. Even Wu-Tang knows it’s essential to protect your neck and they don’t even ride.

Outside of neck braces, the other option for neck protection is developed via sport specific conditioning and intuition. I survived a near fatal get-off at US National Champs in 2010 where my head and spine were spared thanks to instinct and professional conditioning. The bottom line is, neck braces are available to those that want them.

Crank Neck Brace Highlights

• Available in 3 sizes Small, Medium (tested) and Large
• 3-axis adjustability (chest size, neck length, and width)
• Removable shoulder pads for custom fit
• Dual pivoting back supports (foldable for storage)
• 6061-T6 aluminum hardware
• Easy on/off
• Custom graphics available
• Emergency Removal System (ERS)
• Chest suspension
• Full chest strap and under arm cross straps included
• MSRP $329.99

Clockwise: Dual pivoting back supports; Adjustable 6061-T6 aluminum rear support mounts; Optional shoulder padding installed; Optional shoulder padding removed

Initial Impressions

We opened a box containing a complete package including a nice drawstring bag where the brace can be stored. The graphics are clean and to the point. With multiple mounting options, removable shoulder pads, and spare aluminum back support hardware, the Crank brace is very customizable.

We were impressed with the simple task of sliding the brace on and off our neck with its light feel. All you do is insert your head through the brace and it comfortably rests on your chest and shoulder blades away from the sternum and spine. There are no clumsy clasps or buckles to deal with.

The contact points of the brace inspire confidence that secondary injuries in the event of a crash have been well thought-out, and the large pads help disperse loads over a larger part of the body, reducing pressure points.

This brace won’t be gaining weight in the rain either. The padding is durable, comfortable and weatherproof material.

The Crank with the under arm cross straps - one above the jersey and one below it.

On The Trail

After a couple runs with no straps, we adjusted the fit by removing the optional shoulder pads. We also decided to try the full chest strap to keep the brace stable. This was the most straight forward mounting option, although the cross straps under the arms are more popular and can be hidden under the jersey. There’s no question the cross strap method is the most streamlined mounting option, however we settled with the familiar full chest option due to the simplicity. With the brace now sitting lower and with stability from the full strap, our Fox Rampage helmet had the range of motion it wanted and we felt minimally restricted.

Utilizing the Fox Rampage Pro Carbon helmet through the duration of testing, we noticed most commonly the chin of the helmet would naturally bump the brace under heavy compressions. We got used to this and it never caused any real problems. Clearance was great in the back and to the sides at all times, even on the steeps, and the Crank brace was noticeably less cumbersome than any previous neck brace experience.

Thankfully we were unable to perform any crash tests. Clean riding remains the best method for injury prevention. Even so, Atlas's own test methods are quite extensive and replicate several real world crash scenarios. They claim to be the only manufacturer performing real world style tests, and also utilize some very expensive, very accurate test equipment.

In the event of a crash, the Emergency Removal System is quite easy to use should medical personnel need to remove the brace without disturbing the head. You simply remove the pin through the front axle nut, remove front axle nut, and finally pull the brace apart horizontally in two parts. Simple.

What’s The Bottom Line?

The Crank brace has been designed with lower profile MTB specific full-face helmets in mind. It is the lowest profile rigid frame neck brace on the market, so if you test one and don’t like the fit you probably won’t like any neck brace. Providing critical protection with excellent cost benefit, the Atlas Crank brace is comfortable, customizable and is a solid product overall. For riders that have been considering neck protection and riders that currently use neck protection, the Atlas Crank brace is worth looking into. After all, it's critical to protect your neck.

For more details, visit www.atlasbrace.com.

Distribution of Atlas braces in the Americas is handled by Matrix Concepts. Eddie Cole leads Matrix and has rich industry background as the Founder and former President of Answer Products, Protaper, Manitou, SIXSIXONE, Tag Metals, Sunline and Filtron. Entering 2013, the family operated company is penetrating the mountain bike market with multiple products targeting your garage and race-pit, but Matrix also sells and distributes the Atlas Crank neck brace in America, Central and South America.

About The Reviewer

Sean "Griz" McClendon is back, ladies and gentlemen. Following a major crash during the 2010 USA National Championship Pro downhill race, he put in the hours and fought his way back to health and the fun that is two wheels. Griz has ridden for a number of the USA's top teams throughout his racing career, testing prototype frames and components along the way. Motivated by the mantra "whips don't lie," you'll often find him perfecting his high-flying sideways aerial maneuvers while living the #pinelife.

Tested: 2013 Giant Glory 0 - Credibility Confirmed

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Review by Sean “Griz” McClendon // Photos by Ian Collins and Griz

Now in its third production variation and built around proven advice from Giant Factory Off-Road racers Danny Hart and Andrew Neethling, the 2013 Giant Glory 0 meets world-class demands with new geometry, a sharp look, and X0 components. We’ve been eager to become familiar with Giant's Maestro Suspension design and feel out the new slacked out 63.5-degree head angle. In a carbon crazed world the Glory 0 remains aluminum at 36.4-pounds out of the box. We like this accomplishment. While Hart's UCI World Championship title may not attract autographs at Supercross, it certainly brings a lot of credibility to a bike. After nearly three months aboard the Glory 0, let’s confirm credibility as we walk you through the ride.

Glory 0 Highlights

• Aluxx SL Aluminum Frame
• 26-inch wheels
• 8-inch travel Maestro Suspension
• 1.25 to 1.5-inch OverDrive tapered headtube
• 63.5-degree head angle
• 13.5-inch bottom bracket height
• ISCG mounts
• 17.5-inch chainstays
• 150mm rear spacing with 12mm through axle
• Weight: 36.4-pounds with pedals
• Available in small, medium, and large (tested)
• MSRP $6,200

"Hey, that's the bike that won Rampage!" Correct, the Giant Glory has credibility as a big mountain sled, too. For 2013 the geometry has been tuned to thrive on steep, chunky terrain as we often see on the UCI World Cup downhill circuit and Where the Trail Ends. Over the past few years, Danny Hart and his mechanics helped Giant evolve the Glory into something more suited for Danny’s attacking style. Lucky for all of us, those same geometry numbers are now available to the public.

What specifically has changed? Well, for starters, the headtube angle has been slackened from 65.5 to 63.5-degrees. The bike has been lengthened a bit, and the bottom bracket has been lowered. The changes were made to create a more stable bike at speed. Giant also integrated their unique OverDrive headset into the frame. Last but not least, a reminder of the Glory’s World Championship pedigree is emblazoned on the top tube and headtube. Considering the build kit, this bike is a great deal for privateer racers and hardcore enthusiasts with KOM dreams. 36.4-pounds at $6,200 provides an excellent cost-benefit to the competitor.

On The Trail

We got to know the Glory 0 on the steepest, fastest and roughest terrain in California, all the while gradually bringing her up to that Vet pace. Our first ride we felt like we were on a bike that could do work, and the raked head angle and low bottom bracket inspired confidence immediately and felt better with each ride. That said, this isn’t a bike you can just throw a leg over and be on your way, but rather one you’ll need to take the time to get to know. Surprisingly, coming over from a dw-link bike to the Maestro suspended Glory 0 took several hours of ride time to really feel well acquainted.

In getting to know the bike, it was clear that the race oriented geometry of the Glory 0 demands technique from the rider. Keeping the hips unlocked, weight low and evenly displaced between the axles is key. Once your technique is down pat, the Glory will carry you through rock gardens, corners, hucks, chucks and everything else you want to accomplish just as quickly as any other bike.

We were also impressed by how light the bike feels. In fact, this bike is so light it sometimes feels nimble to the point of twitchy. There’s a reason why Danny Hart can occasionally appear raggedy in his race runs (aside from his ridiculous speeds). Once we felt at home on the Glory, the light weight and incredible stiffness were really apparent. Acceleration feels effortless and abundant, and when you apply power to the pedals the bike is snappy in response with minimal energy waste. It was also pleasant noticing how well the bike accelerated from pumping. The front end is easy to lift with minimal fatigue on the body, and jumping requires no strain on the rider either. It is an effortless task to find flow on such a light bike, making the task of pumping transitions painless.

Steep chunk and falling onto hard corners feels natural with the 63.5-degree head angle, low bottom bracket, and stiff chassis inspiring confidence. Having the front axle ahead of your chin also compliments the active performance of Maestro Suspension, resulting in a stable bike that loves to carve steep lines and blast off into the lower atmosphere.

Diving into corners feels best with the full-body approach, and the relaxed head angle works out to be a great thing when you bring your chest down. We noticed it was critical to lead through corners with our head, keeping our chest low and pressure firm on the inside grip to keep the front wheel tracking in corners. With our hips unlocked, the rear end was easy to control and very playful under the outside foot in drifting situations. Overall, this bike requires the rider to stay relaxed. Extra tension only complicates the Glory riding experience.

Suspension Performance

We have a before and after story surrounding the stock RockShox suspension. Why? Mostly because our test bike came with some hours on it and the suspension felt like it needed love during every ride.

Up front, the stock 2013 BoXXer World Cup felt sticky and rode high in the travel. This caused the front wheel to push, especially in tight berms, which led to a few incidents where we had to pick ourselves up off the ground. Fresh seals, properly aligned crowns and servicing the air spring likely would have solved this symptom.

Out back, we found that the original 2013 Vivid R2C rear shock lacked a wide enough range of adjustments to compliment the Maestro Suspension platform as best as possible. Even with a (soft for us) 400-pound spring, the shock didn’t offer much small bump compliance, demanding lots from our legs and increasing fatigue. Pedaling over chatter and absorbing harsh square edges seemed to be compromised as well. Breaking loose in corners with brake bumps was constant but never unmanageable thanks to the new geometry, which gives the bike a “sled like” feel. After being advised to speed up the low speed rebound, we adjusted to 9/14 clicks on the RockShox Vivid R2C and started tracking a bit better. The rear shock felt best on a 400-pound spring with 5/6 clicks of compression, 9/14 clicks of beginning-stroke rebound, and 5/6 clicks of ending-stroke rebound. This setting gave the bike some small bump compliance and tamed down the occasionally harsh kick from the rear end on large square edge hits.

Unable to squeeze the performance we wanted out of the taxed stock setup, we made the swap to the recently released 2014 Vivid R2C and BoXXer World Cup. This immediately brought the bike to life, allowing us to really feel how the Maestro Suspension platform could perform.

This before (unmounted) and after (mounted) change made a big difference.

With fresh suspension in place, the Glory 0 finally settled in high-frequency compressions while changing direction or in a straight line. Feeling very planted with less energy being transferred into the legs, we're convinced the 97% of riders that can’t do what 3% of us can will benefit from the new RockShox rear shock. Heavy compressions felt fluffy, traction was increased and the bike had predictable pop. Pedaling efficiency greatly benefitted from the new Vivid R2C over chatter and everywhere in between, leaving no complaints in the pedal performance department. The Maestro Suspension remained exceptionally active under pedaling and braking forces. All said and done, the new suspension completely transformed the bike's performance, giving us the strong impression that the bike works best with freshly serviced parts and/or the new version of the rear shock with its added features.

Regardless of the shock that's in place, Giant's Maestro Suspension design has a near vertical wheel path until the final 25% of its travel when the wheel arcs forward toward the rider. When you reach that final 25% in rear wheel travel, the Glory ramps into a firm kick that propels the rear end and rider forward. This sequence taxes the legs and leads to fatigue, so you’ll have new motivation to put that gym membership to use. Riders with functionally strong legs will dominate this bike.

Build Kit

The stock Glory 0 build mimics the top tier Giant Factory Off-Road Team bikes, leaving little to be desired, and we get the full SRAM X0 treatment in the spec department. Avid's four-piston X0 Trail brakes have plenty of stopping power and crisp feel without feeling domineering. The SRAM X0 carbon cranks are stiff, light, and durable enough to handle the punishment of downhill. The 10-speed SRAM X0 drivetrain worked well in conjunction with the MRP G2 guide to protect the 36-tooth sprocket, but was missing one crucial thing - a clutched derailleur.

DT Swiss manages the wheel department with EX-500 wheels wrapped in 2.5-inch Schwalbe Muddy Mary rubber. These wheels come with quality DT 240 hubs and will likely last awhile if you’re lighter than 175-pounds, but think of them as race wheels and you won't be too caught off guard when they dent. We ended up testing on Maxxis, Bontrager and Specialized tires with treads better suited for our SoCal dry ice. Who can really expect tires named Muddy Mary to work well on sand paper?

Giant supplies OE bars, stem and grips, which feel surprisingly good. The bars may feel narrow to riders that are positive on the ape index. The OE stem is adjustable from 45mm-55mm in length, giving plenty of adjustability for rider preference. Due to rider preference, we ended up swapping the combo to an Answer stem, Deity Dirty 30 bars, and Sensus Swayze grips. At 5-foot 10-inches, we rode the stem at 45mm for the majority of testing, giving the cockpit a neutral feel and aiding our adaptation to the 63.5-degree head angle. Eventually, we moved the stem to 50mm and really liked the change as the bike felt more stable with our body weight more evenly displaced.

Topping things off, RockShox covers the suspension department with a BoXXer World Cup fork up front and Vivid R2C coil shock in the rear.

Things That Could Be Improved

In downhill, your brakes are like an artery - have complications and you may end up in the emergency room. With this in mind, we can’t figure out why the Glory 0 has brake and shifting cables routed in harm's way along the downtube. A stone crimped our brake line near the bottom bracket while in pursuit of Strava glory, proving the necessity for revised cable routing. The simple addition of a 3M adhesive mount on the topside of the downtube provides a quick and easy solution to the problem, allowing you to reroute the rear brake and shifter cable out of the danger zone. This fix is used by the Giant Factory Off-Road Team and Giant's own Nate Riffle.

Long Term Durability

This is always tough to predict, but luckily Giant has an encouraging track record in product durability. Aside from chips in the paint from shuttle abuse and a chain that rattled worse than a terrorist popping off an AK-47, no damage was sustained through the three month duration of our test. Right off the bat, we'd suggest wrapping the drive side chainstay. The pivots wore well but don’t be surprised if you have to Loctite the top shock bolt to keep it from self-extracting. Giant offers a limited lifetime warranty on all of their bikes, so if anything out of the ordinary ever does fail you'd likely be covered. As of the conclusion of this test, our confidence is high when it comes to the long term durability of this bike.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Did the Giant Glory 0 confirm its rainbow stripe capabilities? Yes, this bike wants to haul the mail. If you’re looking for performance on steep, rugged terrain, the Glory will giddy-up-and-go. Mimicking the Giant Factory Off-Road Team bikes, the Glory 0 is capable of handling world-class demands out of the box. The 2013 geometry adjustments really allow the bike to reach entirely new speeds. The Glory's Maestro suspension platform works well when the shock is well-serviced, remaining active when on the pedals, in a tuck, or on the brakes.

Rolling on a 36.4-pound downhill bike eases the task on the body, but be sure to stay loose. If you ride it tight expect the bike to feel a bit twitchy. A rider that can keep a relaxed state on the Glory will find that she’ll work effortlessly with you. Even a rookie will feel safe inside the cockpit of the Glory as long as they remember to unlock their hips and keep their head down.

Bottom line - backed by rainbow stripes and Rampage gold, the Giant Glory 0 is a top performer once you get to know it.

Visit www.giant-bicycles.com for more info.

Bonus Gallery: 13 photos of the Giant Glory 0 in action

About The Reviewer

Sean "Griz" McClendon is back, ladies and gentlemen. Following a major crash during the 2010 USA National Championship Pro downhill race, he put in the hours and fought his way back to health and the fun that is two wheels. Griz has ridden for a number of the USA's top teams throughout his racing career, testing prototype frames and components along the way. Motivated by the mantra "whips don't lie," you'll often find him perfecting his high-flying sideways aerial maneuvers while living the #pinelife.

Tested: Manitou Dorado Expert - A Worthy Contender

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The Bad:

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Review by Sean “Griz” McClendon // Photos by Brandon Turman

Manitou has been in the mountain bike suspension game for over 20-years. During the last decade, Hayes Bicycle Group (now Hayes Components) acquired Manitou, and in 2010, under new ownership, Manitou launched a completely redesigned version of the Dorado. Boasting larger stanchions, an improved chassis, new internals, and a new air system, the latest design has improved across the board.

When first reintroduced, the 2010 Dorado was only available in the uber expensive carbon variety. Later in the year they released an aluminum Dorado Pro version at $1600. Now for 2013, Manitou is introducing an even more affordable Dorado Expert at $1200. While there are some slight differences between the Pro and Expert, the internals are exactly the same, making the Expert well worth a look. With its inverted design and proven TPC+ damping, we were eager to get our hands on one to put through a good thrashing.

Dorado Expert Highlights

• 6.82-pounds (3096 grams)
• 180 or 203mm of internally adjustable travel
• Large volume air spring
• Externally adjustable high-speed, TPC+, and rebound damping
• Hydraulic bottom-out and top-out control
• 36mm stanchion tubes
• 1 1/8-inch aluminum steerer
• HexLock 20mm thru-axle
• 567 or 591mm axle-to-crown height
• Short or tall crown options
• MSRP $1,200 USD

Dorado Expert Vs. Pro

So what's different between the Dorado Expert and Pro? From a distance, you'd be hard pressed to tell which fork was which. For starters, the crowns and dropouts on the Expert are shot peened instead of anodized - result: a little less bling. Next, the crowns on the Expert undergo less machining, which leaves more material - result: a little more weight. Finally, the aluminum used in the outer tubes of the Expert is a lower grade, which means the walls had to be thickened slightly to achieve the same strength - result: again, more weight. All said and done, the total weight gain is 0.27 pounds (122.3 grams). For the $400 you save, you could easily purchase a titanium spring for your rear shock and save more total weight. Not bad.

As we mentioned before, the two forks are identical internally. The Dorado uses a twin tube style cartridge, which essentially means that air can't go into the damping circuits, keeping them free of gas bubbles and allowing damping to stay consistent.

Speaking of damping, there are four different types of compression damping circuits in the fork. The first is the spring-loaded, pressure dependent high-speed circuit. The second and third types both result from Manitou's TPC+ damping. There's a second piston on compression assembly that moves back and forth a little bit with a bypass to the high-speed circuit. Slow compressions don't fully engage the TPC+ circuit, and neither do small square edge hits. This keeps the fork supple. When the fork experiences a high enough velocity for a long enough stroke duration, the TPC+ circuit closes the high-speed bypass, engaging a second shim stack and making the damping firmer. Manitou calls this energy dependent. At the same time, a tapered needle in the TPC+ circuit makes it velocity dependent as well. The fourth damping circuit is position dependent and comes in the form of the hydraulic bottom out, which only responds when the fork is deep in its travel.

It all sounds complicated, and it is, but the end result is a fork that is suited to a wide variety of terrain conditions without fiddling with adjustments too much.

For 2013, both forks will be available in 26-inch, 650B, and 29-inch wheelsize options. Note that while it's possible to use the 26-inch fork with a 650B wheel, the outer legs on the 650B model will be unique to the wheelsize. The internals are the same between both the 26-inch and 650B forks.

Now then, how does it ride?

On The Trail

We ran the Dorado in the 203mm travel setting for the duration of testing. In this travel setting, the axle to crown length is 591mm – that's 20mm longer than the FOX 40 we swapped out - so the first thing we did was toss in a zero-stack lower headset cup in our Pivot Phoenix test sled. Even with the zero-stack cup, our head angle raked out to 63.5º from 64º. The next step was to get a lower rise bar. We opted for the low-rise Deity Black Label bar and Fantom stem in the 55mm setting. This combo of low-rise bar and 5mm longer stem provided a similar cockpit feel to the FOX 40 it replaced.

During installation, we noticed that Manitou was thorough in torque spec guidance and even includes a spacer in the lower crown to optimize clamp force. This is important because it ensures the clamping force around the legs isn't too tight, restricting the movement of the fork. Smart.

Manitou states the Dorado has a 20-hour break in period. During this time we ran the damper settings more open with a higher air pressure. As the damping felt juicier, we settled into an air pressure of 70psi for a geared rider weight of 175-pounds, 8/20 clicks of rebound, 10/20 clicks on the TPC+ dial, and 12/16 clicks of high-speed compression. At those settings, the Dorado has a very nice bottomless feel. Spiking is a suspension symptom we never found with the Dorado.

We found that the TPC+ damping plays a huge role in the way the fork performs in various conditions. For jumping we would ramp up the TPC+ dial to 18/20 clicks and in wet conditions we’d back the TPC+ down to 8/20 clicks for added front wheel traction and small bump compliance. Regardless of the TPC+ setting, the fork is supple, plush, and asks to be ridden intensely.

Coming from the super rigid FOX 40, it took several weeks to develop the confidence it took to start smashing the front wheel into compressions on steep terrain. Why? Because there's a noticeable bit of flex to this fork. In contrast to the FOX 40, we noticed less fatigue on the upper body – primarily the shoulders – thanks to the force deflection that comes with an inverted fork. It is no coincidence motocross bikes utilize inverted forks. A degree of flex translates into force deflection. In the Dorado’s case, this small degree of flex translates into less force into rider hands, arms and joints with increased front wheel traction – the fork handles more of the work for you.

That said, the Dorado still gave incredible feedback on off-camber lines with rocky and rooted compressions. In this scenario the last thing you want is for your front wheel to deflect and throw you off line and the Dorado still excelled in this situation. We loved how you could aim your front wheel into the nastiest technical lines with precision.

Having heard a lot of complaints from heavier, World Cup pace riders about a reported “wallowing” feel, we're of the opinion that riders under 185-pounds will experience optimum benefit from the inverted design. We’re coming from a lighter point-of-view and attest to the benefit of the Dorado’s force deflection in our GoPro footage. We left a few whips out with zero high-sides. We were straightened out every time and loved this about the Dorado. If you do weigh more than 185-pounds and aren’t riding at World Cup pace, you won’t push the fork to the point of a “wallowing” feel and will also reap the benefits of minimal front tire deflection. Logan Binggeli rode a Dorado to 3rd place at Rampage in 2012, so we also know it can perform in the most dangerous discipline in mountain biking, too.

Things That Could Be Improved

One thing that could use some attention is the axle system.

Manitou’s HexLock axle requires attention to detail, a fair bit of effort when removing the front wheel, and even more attention when installing it. The axle is not self-extracting and you'll need tools to remove it, so we recommend keeping the axle well lubricated – white lithium grease worked well and it’s cheap at your local shop - to ease the task of extraction and installation. Whatever the solution is to maintain structural integrity with a self-extracting axle would be greatly appreciated.

If you run your front brake on the right-hand side, the stock front brake cable routing guide is perfect. If you run your front brake on the left-hand side, American style, the routing leaves a bit to be desired.

Long Term Durability

In general it's a solid package, but we did have one issue early on. After riding in varied conditions, some of which were muddy, at about the 25-hour mark of ride time we ended up blowing the damper side dust seal. We continued to ride the fork for another 35-hours as oil continued to leak. Manitou was quick to respond and sent out a replacement damper leg that has performed flawlessly in 30-hours of ride time.

Could this have been a fluke? It's certainly possible. We weren’t able to cause any terminal damage to the Dorado and Manitou backs their products with an excellent service package, so keep that in mind as well.

After 90-hours of ride time we were able to get the rear brake cable to wear on the anodizing of the lower crown, but it was nothing to cry about. A little tape, vinyl or Velcro solves this issue.

Finally, one quick tip that could save you a headache - be sure to snug the small bolts on the fork guards often, or consider adding Loc-Tite to the threads for a set and forget solution.

What’s The Bottom Line?

We're impressed with the wide range of adjustments in damping, rebound control, and overall performance of the Dorado Expert. At $1200 and 6.82-pounds, the Dorado Expert has a very high price point to performance ratio for a downhill fork. With its proven TPC+ damping, the Dorado is supple through chatter, plush yet supportive through high-speed compressions, and offers Velcro-like traction that certainly stands out in technical off-camber situations. Complete with a limited warranty, impressive service package, and a detailed owner's manual, it's certainly a fork to consider, especially if you weigh less than 185-pounds.

Manitou plans on attending the 2013 Sea Otter Classic and several ProGRT events for you national racers looking for tech support. Check them out at the races or www.manitoumtb.com.