MANTA does not market from eBay (yet)
“MantaB” are not “the same as” a production MANTA
Back in 2014, a batch of plastic parts was found unsuitable for MANTA’s use, due to a high degree of brittleness on impact – the batch was rejected – unheard of up to then, and since, it ended up on eBay
Not the worse thing, but there are warnings…
To illustrate the difference between production quality, and a “Manta B” – we posted a video (below) of Jon’s material comparison – 2014 vintage.
Long since that unfortunate batch, the design itself has developed, upgraded
The reject parts were not supplied by our original moulding partner, who had produced all previous batches with no issues. A few supply changes were made, and there’s been nothing like that problem since.is
MANTA set quality control (QC) standards with DuPont, and our tooling/manufacturing partner’s, Protomould in Fife, during development, and manufacture.
The sellers made a claim: “We stress-tested every single component – something Manta had not done – we repeat the same tests when assembling each saddle, so every part is tested twice”, without destroying every part, this is false – it’s why the whole batch was rejected after so many parts failed – on the short video from 2014, Jon executes effective tests.
To test a plastic part, you take it beyond its ‘plastic limit’ – beyond the material’s elasticity, it should bend eventually, safely, if enough samples break, snap, or shatters, the whole batch fails. Either way, the samples/parts have to be taken past their limit.
Polypropylene is a tough, malleable plastic, one of the lightest, and most resilient.
That is the material's attributes, shattering isn't. We caught the problem nine sales in.
These were recalled immediately, and replaced.
Materials comparison, original specification, and contaminated parts
Two distinct batches: the original, pure U77A are “safely bent”, but the snapping, even shattering parts (contaminated) were rejected
A few identifying features
designed in 2018, around the ischial area, optimising the design
upgrade in details for 2019, any rotating movement was resolved
2018 Soft-Grip™ updated for 2019
silicone is ideal, tough, resilient, designed for purpose
Soft-Grip™ above, on black-bronze element
grey Neoprene below, on pitch-black element
Soft-Grip design update, so surface pressure grips onto the elements
independent design, funding, development, manufacture