Manitou Research and Development (MRD) spent nearly two entire World Cup season’s testing and refining the perfect xc solution underneath elite athletes, with the fork hiding in plain sight thanks to its prototype camouflage. From the first iteration the fork has been securing podiums on the world stage, further proof that being RIDDEN, NOT HIDDEN produces results. In other words, what started off as a successful initial test gave way to an elite feedback loop that produced the most complete XC racing suspension package available. Little did curious minds know that beneath the intriguing covering lied a killer, of compromise: the MANITOU R8.