Manitou is re-entering the rear shock market with full force: After the lightweight oil-air shock has been haunting the news columns of bike magazines for a while now, the Californians will be presenting three brand new shock absorbers at Eurobike in Friedrichshafen. What the "Swinger" models have in common is that they react only minimally to drive influences thanks to the "Stable Platform Valve" technology adopted under license from Progressive Suspension. In plain language: the shock absorbers can be adjusted so that they make maximum use of their stroke without destroying energy through uncontrolled bobbing when pedaling.

In downhill circles, the "Fifth Element" shock absorber was something of a "state of the art" at the end of last season and this season, but remained the preserve of an exclusive circle of top riders. With Manitou's help, the revolutionary suspension technology is now to be produced in sufficient quantities to make it affordable for mere mortals. The top-of-the-range model with steel spring will be a case for tinkerers and perfectionists with its six adjustment options: in addition to the preload, the rebound damping and the volume of the SPV compensation reservoir and the pressure in it, the compression damping can also be adjusted separately for fast and low speeds respectively.

Without variable compression damping, but still with four-way adjustment options, two further shock absorbers are being launched on the market, one with steel springs and one with air as the spring medium: The preload, air pressure and rebound damping are variable on these two models, and the volume and pressure in the SPV reservoir can also be adjusted to individual requirements. The "Swinger" suspension struts will soon be available for original equipment manufacturers, but end consumers will have to be patient. However, they should also be able to get their hands on them by spring.