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Dirt Rag Articles
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Price: $599
Travel: 100mm (80mm available)
Stanchion diameter: 30mm
Steerer: 7050 Aluminum
Weight: 2.9lbs.
Spring type: Air
Compression damping: Snap Valve SPV
External adjustments: Air pressure, SPV pressure, Rebound damping
Compression lockout: No
Disc mount: Post style
The R7 Platinum is Manitou's absolute top of the line cross country fork. Weighing in at just less than three pounds, the 100mm-travel R7 sports beefier stanchions than its predecessor
and comes equipped with Manitou's latest SPV (stable platform valve) damping. Dubbed "Snap Valve SPV," the new damping system requires a greater initial force to open the stable platform valve. While the SPV pressure is adjustable, the damping effects are even noticeable at low pressures.
Personally, I like manual lockout, but I can also appreciate the "set it and forget it" mentality that Snap Valve SPV caters to. Some people mistake SPV damping for stiction, but it's actually increased damping in the initial part of the stroke. And while Snap Valve SPV damping is readily apparent while climbing, it becomes much less noticeable on trail, transitioning smoothly into a fully active state with no surprises. What's more, the R7 is not noticeably affected by cold weather, a boon to riders in northern climes.
On trail the R7 also belies its light weight, behaving more like an all-mountain fork than a featherweight pogo stick. While the R7 would not be my first choice for shuttle runs or backcountry epics, it definitely felt sturdier than some cross country offerings.
Of course, no fork is perfect and the R7 has a few downfalls. First, the thick paint on the lowers is subject to cracking and peeling, resulting in an especially unattractive used fork. The fact that there is no integrated cable guide on the disc-only version only exacerbates the paint problem. The stickers are cheap and peel easily, and frankly, Manitou is lucky they offer black as an option, because fluorescent green is for suckers. Finally, the dropouts are so thick I have to unwind my skewer to the very last threads in order to change my front wheel.
All in all, the R7 is likely to pleasantly surprise a few riders—especially those who typically eschew products that cost several hundred dollars less than the competition.
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