# 1995 Manitou Hardtail



## rollercam (Mar 25, 2005)

One the local police oficer came in to the store wanting to upgrade and sold me hiw old Manitou hard tail for $300 I figure it is a '95 pretty stoked especially with this following my recent Brodie score.

It has a dent in the top tube, but other than that has mainly seen road miles, 1 1/4" Chris King headset! plus full XTR with slightly older XTR cranks.
Unfortunately it is not a real manitou its one of the post Answer take over frames, but I think its cool none the less.


----------



## downhilljill (Apr 21, 2005)

Sweet! I love all the machining on the chain/seat stays.


----------



## rollercam (Mar 25, 2005)

you mean just likea Haro


----------



## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

You wouldn't want a hand-made manitou, the quality is even worse and with 145mm spaced dropouts, they weren't the easiest to get hubs for. If it was a hand-made manitou fork too, then that'd be 115mm spaced and even harder to get hubs for. As to the dent, every manitou frame owner has experienced that.


----------



## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

DeeEight said:


> You wouldn't want a hand-made manitou,


uhm..... tell me.. how where the 'other' Manitou's made than?


----------



## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

I Believe He's Refering To Bradbury Manitous


----------



## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

DeeEight said:


> You wouldn't want a hand-made manitou, the quality is even worse and with 145mm spaced dropouts, they weren't the easiest to get hubs for. If it was a hand-made manitou fork too, then that'd be 115mm spaced and even harder to get hubs for. As to the dent, every manitou frame owner has experienced that.


When you say 'you wouldn't want a hand-made Manitou' (assuming DB made)...I think you mean to say _you_ wouldn't want a hand made Manitou.

You might get excited for mediocre, mass produced, no name bikes...but you can't honestly think that DB made Manitous aren't desirable.

You're right about the parts being hard to find.
And yeah, I don't think there's hardly a new(er) Manitou out there without a dent or cracked headtube.


----------



## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Rollerc-

That's a fantastic score for $300.


----------



## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

that's a HUGE headtube. this thread just reminded me i need tires, lots of them.. want to sell me some?


----------



## igotsoul (Oct 29, 2004)

I remember lusting after a Doug Bradbury Manitou back in 93-94ish, i ended up not being able to find one in the UK and bought a 94 Indian Fire Trail instead, I'd donate a kidney to a fat-fecker to get my hands on one today.

There's just summat about highly polished aluminium that raises the hairs on my scalp.........and sets the nose/ear/eyebrow hair a-twitchin.

God-damm ageing process..............


----------



## Lutarious (Feb 8, 2005)

*Manitou FS*

Is anyone out there lusting after one of the Manitou frames with the Manitou 4 forks front and back? I have a Marin Titanium frame collecting dust with decent upgraded manitou 4 forks back and front. It's currently set up with all xt 8speed/canti brakes/rapid fire but I may just unload the frameset and use the running gear on another frame that fits me.

Pics tomorrow.


----------



## erkan (Jan 18, 2004)

Seems like Manitou and Yeti ARC frames always shows up dented or cracked. For Maniou it is cracked headtube, for ARC it is cracked headtube or cracked seatbinder area.


----------



## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

there's also a black manitou HT frame, think a 97, on ebay canada currently i believe.


----------



## YETIFIED (May 4, 2005)

1. What year did Answer actually take over production of Doug Bradbury's Manitou frames?
2. What year was the hub 115f/145r spacing changed?

Thank you


----------



## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

I have broken 2 of those stems. The coolest stems back in the decade.


----------



## cspike (Jul 28, 2006)

*great bike*

Since the last post on this topic was in 2004, I don't imagine any one will see this. I stumbled across this posting while looking for info about my bike. I had a Manitou HT comp, the black one, and broke it at the rear drop out. I now own the normal Manitou HT with the polished frame. Built in 11/97, and the bike is still running great. Contrary to what was posited about dents, mine has none, and so far no cracks. I have raced it and ridden it many times without any issues beyond the seat post slipping. I had someone tell me it was a classic, which confused me, but here it is mentioned in the Vintage forum. Great bike! Point and shoot steering, nice and light, great bottom bracket clearance , and it climbs like a beast. Anyone who still owns one is very lucky. Named as one of the top ten best mtn. bikes ever made. If I ever break it, I might have to get the Tomac version.


----------



## rollercam (Mar 25, 2005)

wow this thread is still around!


----------



## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

cspike said:


> Since the last post on this topic was in 2004, I don't imagine any one will see this. I stumbled across this posting while looking for info about my bike. I had a Manitou HT comp, the black one, and broke it at the rear drop out. I now own the normal Manitou HT with the polished frame. Built in 11/97, and the bike is still running great. Contrary to what was posited about dents, mine has none, and so far no cracks. I have raced it and ridden it many times without any issues beyond the seat post slipping. I had someone tell me it was a classic, which confused me, but here it is mentioned in the Vintage forum. Great bike! Point and shoot steering, nice and light, great bottom bracket clearance , and it climbs like a beast. Anyone who still owns one is very lucky. Named as one of the top ten best mtn. bikes ever made. If I ever break it, I might have to get the Tomac version.


Where was it named a top 10 bike ever made?

If you're still riding yours...give it time, it will be sure to fail sooner or later. 

No doubt a great looking bike though...but they really seems plagued with failure issues.


----------



## cspike (Jul 28, 2006)

I think it was in either Mtn. Bike Action or Mtn. Biking magazine, I don't exactly remember. The only reason that I do remember is because I figured myself lucky for owning one.  I realize that may have been a long time ago, but I think it was more to recognize Bradbury. 
Given time, just about any high end racing mtn. bike is going to fail. I ride the bike hard, but I am very nice to my equipment. I also realize that the odds are not in favor of an aluminum hard tail with square seat and chain stays. The darn think is just too rigid. So I will enjoy it while I have it, and hope that if it does fail, I won't crash too badly.


----------

