With several months worth of riding in varied conditions, I am now ready to put the final word on the Manitou Minute 29″er fork I’ve been testing. It is the 120mm travel, 20mm through axle version. Our European contributor, “c_g”, put the quick release version through its paces here. You can find my earlier posts on the Manitou Minute here, and here.

finals2010 002

The Highlights: The Manitou Minute is solid, great performing fork that is easy to use. the new Absolute plus damping works. Each adjustment is a noticeable change. The rebound works as well, with a decent range of adjustment that worked fine for my trails. The through axle, of course, was a boon to handling on the Big Mama which it was mounted to. Finally, the tuning of this fork was more “set it, and forget it”, which I like as a rider. This fork, like the finer forks we have tested, needs little attention.

The “Not-So-Bright-lights”: Whenever you complicate a previously accepted method of doing something mechanically on a bicycle, it usually is met with some negativism. So when I say that I didn’t really care for the Hex Axle on the Manitou, it is because the system requires more futzing around with to remove the front wheel. In this regard, Fox and Rock Shox have a better way of doing the through axle wheel attachment. That said, the Hex Axle was solid and reliable, you just have to be careful when you tighten the pinch bolts, and the end cap could easily get away from you out in the field if you don’t pay attention. Otherwise, there really isn’t much in the way of nits that I have to pick with the Manitou.

Conclusion: This fork is right on top of the heap when it comes down to trail performance. Easily set up, with controls that make a noticeable difference when used, the Manitou Minute should please most 29″er riders. The Hex Axle is something I’d recommend for the 120mm fork, even though it is fiddly and you need to be careful when using it. The performance benefit to a through axle in this application makes the fuss worth it. For now this is Manitou’s best fork for 29″ers. I suspect that we’ll be seeing a replacement for 2011 or shortly afterward, and all I can say is that it had better be at least this good, because the Manitou Minute is quite possibly the best 29″er fork you can buy these days. If this fork had a “Maxle-like” through axle, I’d say it was the best.