Taking an already amazing performer, making it stiffer and stronger, while removing 156grams of weight, is the suspension equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of the proverbial hat. Taking advantage of the stiffer yet lighter nature of Manitou’s signature reverse arch and combining it with an entirely new chassis allows for such performance and engineering feats to be accomplished.

For those who choose to run a front brake, Manitou has included an option to route a brake line on the Circus. Front brake DJ athletes will find added convenience in the 160mm post mount spacing as the smaller disc maintains a lower profile and thus stays out of the athlete’s way. Similarly, while stiffness is greatly improved via Boost spacing, to better serve all athletes and guarantee maximum compatibility, spacers are included that will permit riders to run a non-boost front wheel.

The Circus Pro is a DJ specific fork, with a 26” specific casting that allows for a lower axle to crown measurement. It is not a repurposed trail fork. As such, it gets DJ specific internals with purpose-built positive and negative air volumes that offer maximum support for taking off jump faces as well as the subsequent landing. This is not novelty for the Circus Pro but bears mentioning as it sets this fork apart from its competition.

The new Circus Pro uses the Manitou ABS+ Jumpstack damper, which isn’t new to this model yet represents a differentiator from its competition. The ABS+ Jumpstack damper allows for incremental adjustment from completely open to an extremely firm locked position. This particular damper is designed with blow off technology that permits riders to take on big hits even with the fork set up to its firmest setting, braking off on hard hits and allowing the rider to take advantage of the Circus Pro’s travel. Considering the varied nature of DJ fork use, the ease of adjustment of the Circus Pro’s damper becomes an important asset. It is simple to dial in for perfect performance in smooth jump lines, skate parks and pump tracks yet can be immediately adjusted for better traction on looser surfaces, slope style riding or rougher jump lines.

The newest version of the Circus Pro fork, true to Manitou form, is an extremely versatile unit with a travel range of 80mm to 140mm. Such a wide range of travel in one single fork represents benefits both for shops (who can stock one single SKU and serve an amazingly varied clientele) as well as riders, who can purchase the one fork and adapt it to any travel within the range in 10mm increments. Such versatility makes the Circus Pro an investment in future proof componentry…as well as in the pleasure of riding excellent suspension.