# Manitou 1 Sport Fork?



## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

LBS just gave me what I think is a Manitou 1 Sport Fork. I had to laugh as I stripped it down and found that some of the elastomers were rock hard and others had turned into some sort of viscous liquid. Quite sordid indeed...










Other than the elastomers its in top condition so it'll form the perfect starting point for a 20" fork for my daughters BMX come 20" MTB. The plan will call for shortening the stanchions and outers by about 55mm. I might convert it to springs and possible modify one leg to suit a cartridge.

Probably a shame to machine it up but I can't really effectively modify any of the newer forks with mag lowers without lots and lots of additional work.

I was actually looking for one of those early marzocchi forks with the funny narrow lowers with the holes in them that I could easily modify for a 20" wheel., but I haven't been able to find one.


----------



## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

think the sports were below the 3? maybe the 2...


----------



## JJY (Jun 6, 2004)

Hey,
I spent a few hours walking around the spring swap meet in T-Town PA yesterday looking for a good 24" for for my son while doing the VCR Troll. Came up with nothing of any quality. Post some pictures of the project, I would be interested in the process. -John Y.


----------



## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

That's a 1994 model, it was basically the entry level version of the Manitou 3. Black Teflon coated easton EA70 stanchions.


----------



## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

mik_git said:


> think the sports were below the 3? maybe the 2...


The 1, 2, and 3 referred to the years. The First Manitou fork didn't have a number (but it's often called 1). The following year, the Manitou 2 came out, and the next year was the 3. Each year was an updated version of the previous fork.


----------



## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

JJY said:


> Hey,
> I spent a few hours walking around the spring swap meet in T-Town PA yesterday looking for a good 24" for for my son while doing the VCR Troll. Came up with nothing of any quality. Post some pictures of the project, I would be interested in the process. -John Y.


For a 24" conversion using a 26" fork you really only need to drop the brake bosses by an inch. I'd probably just make an adapter plate sort of like a brake booster only with the bosses for the v-brake 1" lower. For the 20" fork conversion I'll need to shorten the inners and the stanchions. The inners will be no problem but for the outers I will need to carefully machine out the dropouts as it is going to be impossible to remove the droputs from then easton tubes without damaging them.


----------



## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

laffeaux said:


> The 1, 2, and 3 referred to the years. The First Manitou fork didn't have a number (but it's often called 1). The following year, the Manitou 2 came out, and the next year was the 3. Each year was an updated version of the previous fork.


er, yeah, sorry, I just assumed everyone knew that it was version number, not level in range, my bad. the 1 or original and 2 had no other in the range? the 3 had the sport below, the 4 the efc above (or beside)...?


----------



## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

Guys, I'm still thinking this a Manitou 1 fork as the elastomers sit below the inner tubes when the fork is assembled, there is no adjustment at the top of the fork tubes and there is no through hole for assembly in the bottom of the fork outers. The only Manitous that I can find that seem like this are the Manitou 1's. The manitous shown in the Manitou 2 and 3 manuals look different.


----------



## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

the manitou sport was the cheaper in the range when the 3 was out, it didn't have adjustments and stuff

5th from top in the very left of the screen, manual:

http://www.suspensionforkparts.net/manitou_manual.php


----------



## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

Awesome. Thanks mik_git. Now I know where to get new elastomers as well!


----------



## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

no worries


----------

