Performance
I have now been using the fork for a good 500km of hard riding. As this was my first “pro” level fork it took some time to dial in my favourite settings and get the air pressure in the cartridge to my liking. Once I had dialled it in the results where amazing. The Mattoc Pro 2018 can really take the hardest of trails, since the upgrade my grip has improved massively and all my strava times show those results. I still every now and then tweak the settings a little but I have found my sweet spot and I am very happy with the Performance of the Mattoc Pro 27.5+.Issues
The Fork has no real issues, there are a couple of things that are a little annoying. For example, all the adjustment controls move when moving the Low Speed Compression lever. You must be careful when adjusting it as it might change your Bottom Out and Hi Speed Control. Another “issue” I had was the rear arch and compatible mud guards. Manitou Forks arches are on the rear end of the fork. Hayes claim this a) makes the fork stiffer and b) prevents debris from hitting the seals. Now that’s all good indeed but causes standard Mud Guards to not fit on the Mattoc Pro. Some models come with a mudguard, but this did not apply to my model. Other than that, no issues what so ever. Its easy to install, works very well and can take a beating without creating any ruckus.The Verdict
The Mattoc Pro 2018 is indeed a Pro Level Fork. With a ton of tweakability, adjustable travel and a very well built design, you simply cannot go wrong with this awesome fork. The Mattoc Pro will serve you well and long on any kind of terrain and for any level of rider.August 2020 Update
Since writing this review I have changed my wheel-set to 29 inches. I still have my plus tyres but have been riding the 29er’s for the last two months. The fork required some adjustment mainly due to the difference in air volume of the fat tire. The first ride required some tuning and I have not touched the dials since. The fork performs really well with the 29er wheels, it has tons of grip and I can’t really feel any disadvantage.Like my Review?
Thank you for reading my blog, if you like my review please leave a comment and share with your biking friends it would help me tremendously. Thank you, Romie Ride Hard and Smash TrailsManitou Mattoc Pro 27.5+/29" 2018
799
8.9
Pros
- Fantastic Price
- Tuning Options
- Weight
- Adjustable Travel
Cons
- No Mudguard
- Tuning Knobs not stable
What size tire did you use on the 29″ wheel? Was there any issues with clearance?
Cheers, Paul
Hi Paul, I am using Maxxis minions DHF and DHR 2.3, my fork is a mattoc pro and i had no issues with clearance but its noteworthy that the bike was a 27.5+ so there was plenty of clearance for big tired. On my previous set of rims (again 29er) I ran 2.4 minions again no issue and plenty of clearance. I hope this helps.