# Vintage full suspension bikes: Mantis, Outland, Manitou



## First Flight (Jan 25, 2004)

Full suspension is always a little iffy in the vintage category so I just shoved all 3 into one thread:

Second generation Manitou design:








Many more pictures and details @ MOMBAT: 1996 Manitou full suspension

Outland with VPP:








Pics and details @ MOMBAT: 1998 Outland VPP

Mantis Pro Floater:








Pics and details @ MOMBAT: 1993 Mantis Pro Floater


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## pint (Oct 6, 2008)

The Mantis is sweet! How do they ride?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

pint said:


> The Mantis is sweet! How do they ride?


Haha! Awesome question. FFB doesn't ride their vintage bikes. They hang them.


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## pint (Oct 6, 2008)

You're right, they all look pretty clean! I was passing through town on Sunday and stopped by but they were closed!


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

pint said:


> I was passing through town on Sunday and stopped by but they were closed!


In London they have keys for that.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

Nice Jeff.

The new photos you're doing of everything look great!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

pint said:


> You're right, they all look pretty clean! I was passing through town on Sunday and stopped by but they were closed!


Bummer. From people who have been there, I'm told that place is pretty impressive in person. And that wES is pretty impressive in person too.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Very nice Mantis! I like the picture too. You guys do great photography!


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## pint (Oct 6, 2008)

Rumpfy said:


> Bummer. From people who have been there, I'm told that place is pretty impressive in person. And that wES is pretty impressive in person too.


I'll be back soon. I'm only working 2 1/2 hours away for at least the next year. house in CO and apartment in VA...


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

Looks like the Outland just landed a big jump!


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## timbercomp (Jan 16, 2004)

Fillet-brazed said:


> Looks like the Outland just landed a big jump!


 yeh there is a little melted marshmallow action going on with that fork.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

I had a buddy with a Mantis Pro Floater in the early-mid 90s, it rode great - always wanted on. The Girvin on that Outlander is hurtin' for certain'. I had a Girvin on a bike, I actually really liked it in terms of lateral stiffness and it worked well when you rode over things head-on as it moved back and up.


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## First Flight (Jan 25, 2004)

Some of our pictures dated back probably 10 years or so. They were taken on an early Sony digital camera that took the 3.5" discs! It takes a lot of time and effort to upgrade everything but it does look much better. One of our customers, Wes Stearns, took the pictures with the black backgrounds and my son Seth has been doing the recent ones. He takes that bikes out on a tour of Statesville and is looking for interesting places to take pictures. He is also a lot more artistic than I am and I have tried to include a few of those pictures as well.

Looks like the Girvin elastomers weren't up for the heat of the attic this summer


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