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DORADO OWNER’S MANUAL
DORADO OWNER’S MANUAL
“DOWNHILL”, “FREESTYLE” OR COMPETITIVE RIDING
TO RIDE DOWNHILL AT HIGH SPEED OR IN COMPETITION IS TO VOLUNTARILY ASSUME A VERY HIGH
RISK, AND DOWNHILL OR FREESTYLE RIDING CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. “DOWNHILLING”
SPEEDS CAN APPROACH THOSE SEEN ON MOTORCYCLES WITH SIMILAR HAZARDS AND RISKS. WEAR
APPROPRIATE SAFETY GEAR, INCLUDING A FULL-FACE HELMET, FULL- FINGER GLOVES, AND BODY
WARNINGS
WARNING
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NEVER MAKE ANY MODIFICATION TO YOUR FORK TO ATTACH ANY EQUIPMENT. THERE IS A HEIGHTENED
LEVEL OF VOLUNTARY RISK ASSOCIATED WITH FREERIDING, DIRT JUMPING AND DOWNHILLING.
LARGER STUNTS/JUMPS MEAN MORE POTENTIAL FOR EQUIPMENT ISSUES OR PROBLEMS AND THE
LIKELIHOOD OF SERIOUS INJURY IS GREATLY INCREASED. LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY RIDE AROUND
OBSTACLES ON THE TRAIL OR ROAD. HITTING OBSTACLES SUCH AS CURBS, ROCKS, TREES, ROOTS,
HOLES, OR SIMILAR OBSTACLES STRAIGHT ON PUTS FORCES ON YOUR FORK IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO
ABSORB.
LANDING IMPROPERLY AFTER A JUMP OR DROP ALSO PUTS FORCES ON YOUR FORK IT WAS NOT
DESIGNED TO ABSORB. YOU SHOULD ONLY PERFORM JUMPS OR DROPS WHEN A TRANSITION OR DOWN
RAMP IS AVAILABLE TO HELP YOUR BICYCLE AND FORK ABSORB THE IMPACT FORCES GENERATED
DURING THE LANDING, AND BOTH WHEELS SHOULD SMOOTHLY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE TRANSITION
OR DOWN RAMP AT THE SAME TIME. ANY OTHER TYPE OF LANDING IS DANGEROUS, AS IT COULD
OVERLOAD THE FRAME OR FORK AND RESULT IN A COMPONENT PART FAILURE AND AN ACCIDENT OR
COULD CAUSE YOU TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE BICYCLE, EVEN WITHOUT A COMPONENT PART FAILURE.
THE STEEPNESS AND LENGTH OF THE TRANSITION OR DOWN RAMP DEPENDS ON THE HEIGHT FROM
WHICH YOU JUMP OR DROP. EVERY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY RIDER; CONSULT WITH AN
EXPERIENCED RIDER BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY JUMP OR DROP.
FAILURE TO PROPERLY RIDE AROUND OBSTACLES ON THE TRAIL, OR FAILURE TO PROPERLY LAND AFTER
A JUMP OR DROP COULD CAUSE YOUR FORKS TO FAIL, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BICYCLE CONTROL
AND, POSSIBLY, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER. RIDE ONLY IN AREAS SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNATED FOR YOUR RIDING STYLE. DO NOT MISUSE OR ABUSE YOUR FORKS. LEARN HOW TO
RIDE, AND ALWAYS RIDE WITHIN YOUR ABILITIES. OUT-OF-CONTROL RIDING PUTS THE EQUIVALENT
OF YEARS OF HARD USE ON YOUR FORKS AFTER ONLY A FEW RIDES. SOMETIMES THE DAMAGE IS NOT
OBVIOUS TO THE USER, BUT COULD HAVE FAILED INTERNAL COMPONENTS OR DAMAGED THE LOAD
CARRYING ABILITIES OF THE MATERIALS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FORK.
ALL SUSPENSION FORKS REQUIRE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR. THE HARDER YOU RIDE, THE
MORE OFTEN YOU MUST INSPECT AND MAINTAIN YOUR FORKS. IF YOUR FORKS START MAKING ANY
STRANGE NOISES, CLUNKS, CREAKS, CLICKS, OR FEEL “LOOSE” OR DIFFERENT IN ANY WAY, THEY
SHOULD NOT CONTINUE BEING USED, BUT IMMEDIATELY HAVE A CERTIFIED MANITOU SERVICE CENTER
INSPECT AND REPAIR THE FORKS BEFORE YOU RIDE AGAIN. INSPECT YOUR FORKS REGULARLY TO
SEE THAT THEY ARE NOT BENT, DEFORMED, CRACKED, or CHIPPED. If any of these conditions exist the
fork SHOULD NOT BE USED. A CERTIFIED MANITOU SERVICE CENTER should INSPECT AND REPAIR THE
FORKS BEFORE they are USED AGAIN.
WARNINGS
ARMOR. HAVE YOUR BICYCLE INSPECTED BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC BEFORE EVERY EVENT, AND BE
SURE IT IS IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION. ROUTINE AND THOROUGH MAINTENANCE IS EVEN
MORE CRITICAL THAN WITH A BIKE NOT USED FOR DOWNHILLING OR FREESTYLE RIDING. CONSULT
WITH EXPERT RIDERS AND RACE OFFICIALS ON CONDITIONS AND EQUIPMENT ADVISABLE AT THE SITE
WHERE YOU PLAN TO RIDE DOWNHILL OR FREESTYLE. SUSPENSION AND DISC BRAKES MAY INCREASE
THE HANDLING CAPABILITIES AND COMFORT OF YOUR BICYCLE AND MAY ALLOW YOU TO RIDE FASTER,
BUT DO NOT CONFUSE THE ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF A SUSPENSION BIKE WITH DISC BRAKES
WITH YOUR OWN CAPABILITIES. INCREASING YOUR SKILL WILL TAKE TIME AND PRACTICE. PROCEED
CAREFULLY UNTIL YOU ARE SURE YOU ARE COMPETENT TO HANDLE THE FULL CAPABILITIES OF YOUR
BIKE. WHILE THE RUGGED APPEARANCE OF MOUNTAIN BIKES AND DISC BRAKES MIGHT SUGGEST
THEY ARE INDESTRUCTIBLE, THEY ARE NOT. CERTAINLY THEY ARE TOUGH AND STURDY. DOWNHILL
OR FREESTYLE RIDING OR RACING PLACES EXTREME STRESS ON BICYCLES AND THEIR COMPONENTS
(LIKE IT DOES RIDERS). REPEATED USE OF A FORK IN DOWNHILL RIDING MAY RESULT IN SUDDEN
OR PREMATURE FAILURE OF A BICYCLE OR COMPONENT RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURIES. IF YOU
PARTICIPATE IN THESE TYPES OF EVENTS, THE LIFETIME OF THE PRODUCT MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY
SHORTENED DEPENDING UPON THE LEVEL AND AMOUNT OF RACING. THE “NORMAL WEAR” OF A
COMPONENT MAY DIFFER GREATLY BETWEEN COMPETITIVE AND NON-COMPETITIVE USES, WHICH IS
WHY PROFESSIONAL LEVEL RIDERS OFTEN USE NEW BIKES AND COMPONENTS EACH SEASON AS WELL
AS HAVE THEIR BIKES SERVICED BY PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS.
REDUCED FORK LIFE
THE LIFE OF THIS FORK WILL BE REDUCED IF (1) YOU USE IT MORE THAN THE AVERAGE USER, (2) YOU
ARE HEAVIER THAN THE AVERAGE RIDER, (3) THE TERRAIN YOU RIDE ON IS ROUGHER THAN AVERAGE,
(4) YOU TEND TO BE HARDER ON COMPONENTS THAN THE AVERAGE RIDER, (5) IT IS INSTALLED OR
MAINTAINED IMPROPERLY, (6) IT MUST ENDURE MORE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAN
THE AVERAGE FORK (I.E. SWEAT, CORROSIVE MUD, SALTY BEACH AIR ETC.), AND/OR (7) YOU DAMAGE
IT IN A CRASH, JUMP, OR THROUGH OTHER ABUSE. THE MORE FACTORS YOU MEET, THE MORE ITS LIFE
WILL BE REDUCED; HOWEVER IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY HOW MUCH.
PRESS FIT CROWNS
THE STEERER TUBE AND STANCHION DROPOUTS ARE PRESS FIT AT THE FACTORY AND SHOULD
NEVER BE REMOVED FROM THE CROWN OR DROPOUTS RESPECTIVELY. PRESSING THEM OUT WILL
PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE CROWN BEYOND REPAIR AND RENDER IT UNSAFE FOR ANY CONTINUED
USE. NEVER ATTEMPT TO THREAD A THREADLESS STEERER TUBE. CUTTING THREADS WILL WEAKEN
THE STEERER TUBE AND CAUSE AN UNSAFE CONDITION. OBTAIN THE CORRECT CROWN/STEERER FROM
YOUR DEALER, OR CONTACT MANITOU CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 888/686-3472.
REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE CROWN/STEERER ASSEMBLY MUST BE DONE TO INCREASE STEERER TUBE
LENGTH. REMOVING AND REPLACING THE STEERER TUBE WILL RESULT IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND
SHOULD NEVER BE DONE.
WARNING
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WARNING
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WARNING
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