Sizes: 158×32, 165×38, 190×50, 200×50, 200×56, 216x63mm / Adjustments: SPV platform, rebound / Negative spring: air capture / Weight: 285g (including hardware)
Contact: Hotlines 0131 445 2600

There have been a lot of changes at Manitou in recent months but it’s mostly to do with the business end of things, and the latest Swinger 3-Way air shock is identical to the one we tested on the Orange 5 last year in every way bar the sticker on the aircan.
SPV is factory set, so you no longer have to worry about topping it up like the older SPV air shocks, but you still have some control of the level of platforming with the four-position SPV lever at the head of the shock.
For the negative spring, Manitou uses air captured when the aircan is fitted. This means that negative spring is fixed and, over time, there will be a gradual loss in pressure and the only way to recharge it is to slide the aircan off and on again. Easier said than done. Topping up the positive is straightforward but we have had a couple of valve stems unscrew from the shock in ’07 — hopefully the problem has been addressed for ’08.
Of the three shocks worth considering in this test the Swinger 3-Way gives the most XC orientated ride, and by that we mean it has the firmest platform and harshest ride even in the minimum SPV setting. This offers great chassis stability and instant acceleration when you hammer on the pedals; in fact, when we replaced the Magura shock with the Swinger it was like getting a fresh set of legs.
On the negative side the SPV tends to prop the rider up, then when the SPV valve opens it drops you into the mid-stoke until the spring and damping catch you, causing the suspension to wallow, but only in certain situations like hitting a bump while going through a compression. This instant flow of oil in the damper also allows the rear wheel to get out of the way amazingly quickly when you crash the bike into square edge hits. But if you like to see the O-ring on the shock body indicating that you have achieved max travel, forget about it, as the combined effect of the increase in end-stroke compression damping, coupled with the rising rate air spring, make it nigh on impossible to bottom the Swinger 3-way air.
So where does that leave us with the Swinger 3-way? Basically it is slightly harsher off the top than the other shocks here, even in the minimum SPV setting, but the suspension is very effective on square edge hits. We’d like to see a lighter SPV tune for a more compliant ride, where you could then make use of the SPV adjustment if need be, rather than always running it in the minimum setting. Alternatively Manitou could revive the ’06 Swinger 3-Way with new decals and an elastomer negative spring, as it was a great shock, especially on the Orange 5.

MBR RATING: 8/10