Manitou R7 Expert 27.5+/29 Inch Fork - 100mm - Tapered - 44mm Offset - 15x110mm Boost

Rebirth of an Icon

The R7 has a vast history of combining a lightweight chassis with performance and reliability. And this latest incarnation of the icon is no different. The new R7 expert pairs superior damping thanks to the 3 position dual piston VTT damper with a lightweight and stiff 32mm chassis. 

Highlights of the Manitou R7 Expert 27.5+/29 Inch Fork

• Expert Air Spring: unique balancing valve that equalizes the positive and negative air chambers during air fill process
• VTT Compression Damping: 3-position compression adjustment (Open, Trail, Lock)
• Chassis: perfect balance of weight, stiffness, and reliability
• Rebound Damping: in-leg adjustable TPC
• Leg Diameter: 32mm

Features of the Manitou R7 Expert

Expert Air

The Manitou Expert Air spring system contain a unique balancing valve that equalizes the positive and negative air chambers during the air fill process. This gives the spring rate a consistent feel without any flat or dead spots in the stroke, along with giving riders of different weights the same initial stroke feel.

VTT (Variable Terrain Tune)

Adjustments: 3-Position Compression Adjust 
The goal when developing the VTT Pro damper was to maintain a rock-solid lockout without compromising the open and mid settings. The downside to many dampers with firm lockout modes is that in any other position than lock-out you will reach some critical shaft velocity that choke off the low-speed flow path. When this happens the damper peaks at nearly the same lock-out force as the locked-out position. This translates to harsh force in the hands and possibly lack of control. The goal with VTT is to eliminate that high-speed spike while maintaining the lock-out force demanded by most XC users. This allows the fork to have a less progressive high-speed response while maintaining some low-speed support without getting wollowy. This is achieved thru independent shimstacks (one for Lockout, one for the other two positions). By controlling the shim stack through which the oil flow is diverted, the characteristic of the damper to be Lock-out, digressive, or progressive can be manipulate to meet the demands of the rider and terrain.

Chassis

When developing the chassis of any Manitou fork the primary goal is finding that perfect balance of weight, stiffness, and reliability. Thanks to Reverse Arch the arch could be positioned further away from the axle. The lower tire clearance behind the fork relative to the center of the axle allows for a shorter arch which yields 13% increased stiffness compared to a forward arch fork of the equivalent weight. Because of this 32mm stanchions could be used to save weight while keeping stiffness closer to that of a larger stanchion fork with a forward facing arch.

Further specifications of R7 Expert:

• Ride Height: 485-525mm
• Adjustable Travel: 80-120mm Internally adjustable in 10mm increments
• Adjustments: Air, Rebound, 3-position Compression (Open, Trail, Lock)
• Steerer: 1.5" Tapered
• Crown: Forged Aluminum, Hollow Bore Gloss Black
• Leg Diameter: 32mm
• Leg Material: 6000- Series Straight Wall Aluminum
• Brake Post Mount: 160mm (203mm Max)
• Axle: 15mm x 110mm Hexlock
• Max Tire Size: 77mm (27.5+), 68mm (29)
• E-Bike compatible: no

Scope of delivery: fork, Hexlock SL 15mm axle, volume spacer, fender