WhistlerMountainBike.com just posted their review of the Dorado MRD. Click here for the full review. Here’s an excerpt (reprinted with the author’s permission):
2009 Manitou Dorado
Author: Chris Armstrong | Created: 2009-10-08 06:46:47 | Location: Whistler, BC
In case you have been under a rock for the last two years the Dorado’s are the flagship fork in the Manitou line. The first think that you notice about them is that they have inverted stanchions, i.e. the tops are fixed and the lowers slide up into them, opposite to all other forks on the market.
Inverted forks have different characteristics than traditional forks. Fork flex is greatest at the triple clamps on all forks; by having larger diameter tubes to clamp it decreases the flex in the fork. Also since the cartridge is above the legs it decreases the un-sprung weight. Stanchion size is 36mm, with thick plastic lower leg protectors keeping the muck off of the important parts.
