Manitou

Manitou's Doug Bradbury is a pioneer. One of the first to make aluminum work, and to push against the standards inherited from the roadbike world. He also was right behind Paul Turner's Rock Shox. Manitou frames are no longer made, though Bradbury works with John Tomac, so the Tomac hardtail is probably the modern equivalent of the Manitou hardtail.

HT - This pre-Answer Manitou is an important bike in the mountain bike world. This bike was most likely the inspiration for Easton's Elite tubeset, and therefore, the ancestor for nearly all current aluminum bikes. This frame (circa 1992) was way ahead of it's time - externally worked headtube, gussets on the top and down tube, square section rear-end, and the rear triangle was offset such that the rear wheel had no dish - Something that is now accomplished with offset rims.

And of course the fork; if you have an SX on your bike, this is it's great, great, great grand-daddy.

HT - A very nice, late-model Answer/Manitou Hardtail. Outstanding bike. It has a Jack-in-the-Box head attached to the seatstays somehow. Seems like a strange place for a mojo.



HT - This Manitou hardtail could sure use a better fork. Though it probably wouldn't climb so great with even an 80mm fork on it - the downside to so many great, older frames.




DH - This is what passed for a DH bike in about 1992. How do I know that? Because it says so right on the chainstay. About 2 inches of travel up front, and supposedly the same in the rear - but look at the wear on the rear stanchions, it could be even less. Right now, 2 inches isn't even an XC full suspension bike, but remember that a DH bike two years before this was a rigid hardtail with a Tioga disc wheel on the rear.


FS - This is the fully suspended Answer/Manitou frame. Just slap a fork on the back, you'll be fine! I'll bet it's on par with today's softtail bikes, for ride quality, but a bit heavier - probably make a decent race bike.