After taking on Manitou following the demise of previous UK distributor Raw Experience, Madison has now dropped the fork brand. Manitou was recently acquired by Hayes.

Dominic Langan, CEO of Madison, said:

“There have been some significant changes at Manitou since we became involved with the brand; whilst we are still confident that Manitou will in time regain the market position that it has previously enjoyed, the original vision for the partnership has now changed, and so it is with great regret that we have taken this decision.”

This leaves Manitou floundering in the UK. Having essentially lost a whole model year in the Raw/Madison transition, and now without a distributor at all, it’s going to be tough for the pioneering manufacturer to reestablish itself. The move also leaves Madison without a major suspension brand and something of a gap in its portfolio. Of course, Madison distributes DT Swiss wheel products in the UK, and with the Swiss company recently acquiring Pace’s fork business there’s some obvious speculation to be made.

Don’t fret if you’ve already got a Manitou fork or shock, though. Madison will, for the time being, offer a full service and warranty operation.