Skip to main content

Manitou Mattoc Expert fork


 The Mattoc Expert is a potentially smooth and adjustable fork at a good price, but it struggles with reliability issues and the chassis options need updating. ‘In leg’ rather than cartridge damping adds 100g over the Mattoc Pro but saves you 180$.

Both forks share the same 34mm stanchions and narrow, sloped crown, which flex noticeably under large cornering and braking loads. There are no Boost or 29er options and the rearward brace limits fender options. The switch to a ‘Hexlock SL’ bolt-in axle makes wheel removal/fitting much easier than with the old bayonet-cam QR axle. When it’s working, the DH-derived air spring is impressively supple off the top and ramps up smoothly to create a mid stroke that you can lean on hard through corners. High and low-speed compression damping is tangible and consistent, and it handles big hits without spiking. The 2017 fork also gets the ‘IVA’ volume spacer stack upgrade as standard to make progression tuning easy. Unfortunately, Mattoc reliability has been poor. In this case, our fork began each ride OK but showed increasing damper randomness after only five minutes on the trail.

Travel 160mm (140-170mm*)
Weight 2,020g
Stanchions 34mm
Wheel size 650b (26in*)
Axle 15mm

Price $750 






Labels

Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>

Merida Big Seven 100

We've rolled up to our local woods, with a meandering blue trail, some natural wooded tracks and a bit of fire road chucked into the mix to see how the Big Seven 100 tackles trails that entry-level riders are likely to cut their teeth on.

READ MORE >>

ENVE M50 29" Wheels

Utah based company ENVE have been making drool-worthy carbon components for some years now. Despite the fact that carbon rims are becoming more and more common on mountain bikes these days, you can guarantee that ENVE wheels will be a talking point when someone is eyeing off a steed. Instantly, the big bold logos on each rim scream "fast", "light" and to some extent, "expensive" The kids call this 'bling'.

READ MORE >>

Merida Big Nine 100

Wit the bikes swapped over, we head out on the same loop again, this time on the 29in Big Nine 100. Whereas the Big Seven was snappy off the line, the 29er takes a couple more pedal strokes to get up to speed. That said, once it's up there, it's easy to keep the big wheels rolling, allowing us to cover ground with ease. The fire road is at times a little rough, and the bigger wheels roll over the imperfections so we barely notice them.

READ MORE >>

SPECIALIZED P.STREET 2

S pecialized’s P.Series bikes have been much loved hardcore/ jump hybrid contenders for years and this 2014 nugget is no exception. If you’re after a really well priced and well sorted complete bike package for jump, street and even better-groomed trail centre action then the P.Street is outstanding. Its rock solid responsiveness and short-stroke fork make it seriously unforgiving on rougher trails though.

READ MORE >>