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2005 Sherman Slider Plus with SPV Evolve Guest Reviewer: Mark Steinebach |
Every mountain bike fork maker is on the lookout for its niche market and Manitou is no different. Freeride exploded on the biking scene a few years ago and for a while, there was one only company servicing that market: Marzocchi. In an effort to take on the Big M's apparent stranglehold, Manitou jumped in the game with its line of Sherman forks.
After its initial attempt at freeride, the Sherman fork line itself evolved from a TPC dampened platform to a Stable Platform Valve fork last year. For 2005, Manitou has promised further advancements in plushness and small-bump sensitivity with its new SPV Evolve set-up.
Admittedly, it was the hype from Slider fork users that originally got my attention. Critical, knowledgeable riders were saying some very good things about this fork in 2003-2004. My concerns lay in some of the negative comments. For example, some people felt the Sherman line still suffered from poor small-bump sensitivity - an issue that seems to go hand-in-hand with some of the SPV suspension platforms. The promise of a brighter future for this fork supposedly lay in the move to SPV Evolve.
The Manitou Sherman Slider Plus fork with SPV Evolve is a 170mm dual-crown fork with stable platform valve dampening. Compression and dampening duties are handled by spring and oil, and like many stable platform suspension products, the degree of stability of this platform is determined by air pressure.
The progressiveness of the fork is determined by air volume within the cartridge itself much like 5th Element shocks; the higher the air pressure within the chamber, the greater the hit required to overcome the stable platform and the harsher the ride will be (i.e. the poorer the small-bump sensitivity). With low air pressure and the chamber volume set at its highest, this SPV fork should theoretically feel like any non-SPV fork.
First Impressions
When Mr. UPS showed up at my door with this new baby (a spanking new, urban camo Slider Plus) I cried like a little girl I was so happy. Unfortunately, the fork had a grating, gravely feel right out of the box that sullied its new beauty and my enthusiasm. It just didn't feel right. 30 minutes and four drops into the first ride and the thing was locked - it would not compress at all. James at OGC West suggested that the bushings had probably been installed incorrectly and was Johnny-on-the-spot with a brand new replacement.
After swapping forks, the Slider was pure buttery bliss. With the fork adorning the front of a new VP Free, I was ready to put this unit through its paces. For you tech-minded folks, I set up the fork with the manual's suggested 45 lb. of air and dialled the air chamber in half-way for a reasonably stable platform and a moderately progressive feel.
The Ride
The
first ride was a long, nasty, grind up Vedder Mountain to the Den. Normally,
my old fork would be bobbing like crazy but the Slider did not move. Even when
I stood up to pedal, the fork only moved about ½ inch per pedal stroke. Manitou
told no lies in this regard.
As the trail turned downward into fast, steep, and sweeping old-school DH, the first thing that grabbed my attention was the lack of brake-induced fork dive. The Slider likes to stand tall in its travel until a hit comes and then it responds appropriately. This gives it a very stable feel on steep downhill lines.
As for the small-bump sensitivity issues, the Evolve version of the Slider seems to have addressed these concerns. Even with more progressive settings, this fork nearly rivals a certain Monstrous fork for "goosh" through its entire travel and is close in performance over small bumps. It was certainly much more sensitive than my previous fork, which was renowned for numbing my hands while riding at Whistler.
Next, I rode down Wife Beater, Hidden Pleasures, and Dilemma to put the fork through some new-school paces. Going off the drops, the words "bottomless" and "buttery" came to mind. Even on a 10-footer, the Slider was up to the task.
Pros
A real plus for this fork is the dampening adjuster. This thing actually works, unlike the external dampening adjusters on so many forks. Through about 180 degrees of turn, you can set dampening from rapid to dead slow and anything in between. Plus, the large knob is easy to adjust even with gloves on.
Another thing I liked about this fork was the weight - an astounding 6.7 lbs. While most dual-crown forks have been gaining weight, the Slider offers a lighter freeride alternative to the more race-bred Boxxer and its new rival, the Fox DH40.
In addition to all this, the stiffness was remarkable. The hexagonal 20mm through-axle, reverse arch technology, and rather narrow profile make this fork impressively stiff. It will rival any of the heavyweights out there.
Cons
What is the dark side of this otherwise-happy story? Turning radius and tire
clearance. It seems astounding that Manitou has not followed in the footsteps
of other fork makers, who have been working to decrease turning radius. Even
the Boxxer, which has a reputation for a wide turning radius, has been improved
for 2005. The Slider probably has the largest turning radius of any big fork
on the market today, which puts the rider at a disadvantage when things get
tight on the trail.
Tire clearance was also a bit of an issue. Just about any 2.5" tire fit easily in the rather narrow-looking reverse arch, but a 2.7" Kenda Blue Groove did not fit without rubbing (despite some reports that 2.8" Michelins fit this fork). If you want to run the bigger rubber, you'll probably need to get handy with a scalpel and cut off the side knobs. [We're not recommending you do this. - Ed.]
CONCLUSIONS
The narrowness of this fork does give it a bit of a wimpy look compared to a Fox DH40, a Shiver, or a Monster T, but do not mistake its demure looks for weakness. It is easily as stiff and tough as its burlier looking cousins - like Bruce Lee amongst a crowd of Hulk Hogans.
I've now logged a couple of months of abuse on this fork and it does not leave one wanting. It is perfectly mated to a stable-platform bike when riding new-school stunts. It allows for rapid acceleration, and every pedal stroke will give the rider a full return on their investment, which is a nice feature when you are trying to ramp up your speed on short notice. And even if your landing isn't particularly graceful, you can plop down off a big stunt to flat and simply ride off to the next stunt without stopping to pick up your teeth.
Even when the trail has no flow, this fork helps a big bike to feel as if it likes to be pedalled. Does it have the suppleness of a pure DH fork? No. But there is a cost to that suppleness, and that's what has makes big bikes feel big. The Slider acts big without making your bike feel like a pig.
Is this fork for everyone? No. If you don't ever pedal up or rarely crank hard on the pedals, don't bother with it. If you only like to fall from the sky, don't bother with it. If you need to turn on a dime without your wheels leaving the ground, don't bother with it. And if you value perfect small-bump sensitivity above all else, don't bother with it.
But if you do like to cruise the trail, ride up and down, mash the pedals, go big but not huge, and want a buttery fork that doesn't weigh a ton, then the Slider Plus is definitely worth a look. In other words, this fork does not disappoint.
Manitou has answered its critics by producing a fork that is inexpensive enough to be accessible to the broad marketplace and one that can outperform forks that are twice the money. This fork is one that has evolved from its predecessors to occupy a truly unique place in the mountain bike market. SPV Evolve by name and by nature, as it were.
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For more information about Manitou's fork lines, check out: www.answerproducts.com
