Rock Shox RCT3 damper (SID / Revelation)

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Rock Shox RCT3 damper (SID / Revelation)

32 posts & 10 voices | Started 4 months ago by Superficial | Latest reply from philfive

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Superficial - Member

So I've just got some new Revelation RCT3 forks, supposedly the flagship damper they make. But there's literally no information on the SRAM website (or the user manual, or the 2011 technical manual (there's no 2012 version)) on how it all works. I'm a bit reluctant to take it apart just to see - does anyone have this fork or know about it?

SRAM says this: Add in the new RCT3 – a lockout with three positions – and you can adapt to any terrain: Switch between “Open” (with all DNA possibilities), “Threshold” (takes away the big bumps) and “Lockout” for fast rolling on smooth ground.

There are some pictures here of the dials - http://www.sram.com/rockshox/products/revelation-rct3

I have a blue 3 position lever (off/semi-locked/lockout) which is simple enough. Then there's a silver 'L Comp' dial - I presume this is low speed compression? Is this supposed to work in all positions of the blue lever? It turns nicely 12 clicks but I'm damned if I can notice a difference in the way the fork feels.

What I don't understand: Where's the high speed compression adjustment? I'm used to Rock Shox motion contro so I expected the blue dial to be high speed compression but it's not. SRAM say I have open 'with all DNA possibilities' but it seems as though I get a different set of options - basically I have low speed compression instead of high speed compression and floodgate. Is that right?

I'm rambling now - help me out: Where should I have the settings for smashing down rocky descents?

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

No one knows how to use these forks?!

Posted 4 months ago #
Rickos - Member

I'm still playing with my DP Revs with this on. I think the threshold is for slow, steppy, techy descents to stop dive. It's the low compression I'm still playing with - trying to find that balance between grip and a firm feeling.

Posted 4 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Just spoken to TF Tuned. Bally helpful chaps!

I spoke to a guy that had just seen his first RCT3 forks yesterday. He said the silver L Comp dial works pretty much in the same way as the old brass Floodgate dial, so if you're using the fork in the open setting all the time then he suggested turning the L Comp fully on. If you use the threshold setting a bit then you may want to knock the L Comp back a bit.

Think of it as a Floodgate and you'll not go far wrong.

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

Thanks - that's good info although it sounds odd. I would have thought compression damping was kind of the polar opposite of floodgate?

Anyway, I went for a ride on them today and I'm very impressed. They seem very composed straight out of the box in the open setting, I didn't really feel the need to play about too much. Still, I'd like to know how my kit works

Posted 4 months ago #
hamishthecat - Member

Thanks - that's useful - I've just got a set of these from Merlin. As you say, no fork-specific manual and nothing on the web.

I too have been very impressed with them. Streets ahead of my Pace RC38s - and I quite liked those.

EDIT: Mine are SIDs. Same comments apply though.

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

Having ridden it today I'd compare the blue lever to a Fox RP23 shock: Off/pro-pedal/locked. That would seem to be the obvious way to think about it. Not sure about the LS comp though.

Posted 4 months ago #
hamishthecat - Member

That's how I had regarded it.

I can't say I've noticed the low speed comp make much difference. On my other forks I usually run them fullly open with minimum comp damping anyway.

Posted 4 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Are your forks Dual Position/Solo Air or Dual Air? I think it probably makes more difference on Dual Air forks as there's more to play with on the +ve and -ve air pressures. Mine are Dual Position (so no -ve air to put in) and I didn't feel that much difference last night from L Comp being fully on or off.

Posted 4 months ago #
hamishthecat - Member

They're Dual Air. I'll probably have a better play with them when the weather improves...

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

Yeah with the blue dial in the 'open' position I didn't notice any difference between compression full on and full off. Makes a difference in threshold mode though.

(Dual air revs)

Posted 4 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Us three should form our own RCT3 forum/clique!

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

Just the three of us? So who's brave enough to take 'em apart to see what's going on inside?

Posted 4 months ago #
LoCo - Member

One of the Niner stans ergon loco team (need a shortened version of the name!)
Has a set of Sid 29er RCT3s just fitted to his Niner Jet RDO, they're just having a few rides to bed in and for him to assess before I open them up and start fiddling, intial responce is that they're as good if not better than the RLT TI Sids he was running last year, however it's a new bike and there's been a switch from 26 to 29 inches wheels so it'll take a while to consider all factors before tweaking begins.
It's going to take at least 6 rides for the forks to settle down in terms of seal, bushes and the shims stacks/valves inside the damping units to 'bed in' and give consistant performance to assess.
Will keep you all posted to any mods.

Posted 4 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Yay! Feedback from a professional. You can join our forum/clique!

Posted 4 months ago #
singlespeedstu - Member

Just the three of us?

And one more.
I have a Rev 29er RCT3.
Well i will have when it arrives back from geting the marks on the stanchions sorted.

2012_0124forkmarks0008 by singlespeedstu, on Flickr

Posted 4 months ago #
willv - Member

just got some 2012 RCT3's as well in 26" flavour can i join in too?

Posted 4 months ago #
Gachet - Member

One of the Niner stans ergon loco team (need a shortened version of the name!)
Has a set of Sid 29er RCT3s just fitted to his Niner Jet RDO, they're just having a few rides to bed in and for him to assess before I open them up and start fiddling, intial responce is that they're as good if not better than the RLT TI Sids he was running last year,

LoCo, I'd really appreciate some professional advice. I've been looking at the Revelation RCT3s to go on a long travel hardtail (Cove Stiffee), but don't have any experience of modern Rock Shox (I'd ideally like Fox, but they are too expensive these days with the Revelations being about half the price from an online retailer for an equivalent). Was initially looked at Sektors R but I don't think they'll be up to the job as I'm running some 2005 130 Float Rs on there at the moment and want a longer forks with a through axle and hopefully similar or better performance.

The Revelation RCT3s are the most expensive option I've been looking at and I just wanted your opinion if they are worth the extra cost over the Rev RL (£45 more) or the Rev RLT (£23 more) and is it just purely more adjustability the RCT3 gives or will it provide more controled damping performance and a plusher ride over small and large bumps. Alse what is the reliabilty of modern Rockshox like? I'm happy to do a lower leg service as this looks fairly straightfoward, but wondered about leaking dampers, air leaking from the dual air setup and stantion wear.

Sorry for all the questions!

Many thanks in advance

Posted 4 months ago #
LoCo - Member

At that price I'd just go for the RCT3 TBH.

The RLs and RLT are O.E in the UK for 2012 with the RCT3, Worldcup and XX being the ony model available aftermarket.

Reliability is good from the Revs, although you do need to keep up to date on the lower leg services as they don't have as much oil in them as they used to.
Reliability of DNA dampers as yet unproven as they haven't been available that long but should be pretty good.

I'll be fitting SID or Reba 120mm RCT3 custom forks onto my 29er when it arrives/I make my mind up

Posted 4 months ago #
Gachet - Member

Thanks for the super quick response!

How would they compare to the Fox Float I'm running on there at the moment and the 2008 Fox Float 36 R (Fit damper) that I'm running on my full sus. I'm ideally looking for better small bump performance.

Also what about reliability, durability and how often does a lower leg service need to be done.

Many thanks

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

When I demo'd my bike, the demo bike had 2011 Fox Float 140 32s with the FIT damper in. I couldn't get them set up right for small bump compliance at all - even with 40% sag they felt harsh on small stuff (and yet never achieved full travel). Really nice once you got midway into the travel though - the FIT damper felt smooth on repeated hits, in much the same way that the RCT3 feels from my short experience so far. I wouldn't like to choose between them based on damping. But the Revs are great on small bumps (especially with -ve air pressure slightly higher than +ve) even though they're only 2 rides old and not nearly bedded in, and I think the Revs are stiffer, too.

So I'm quite happy that the Revelations are an all-round better fork, and since they're half the price of the Floats it seems like a no brainer to me.

(I also err towards Rockshox anyway as it's what I've had for years and I know how to service them quickly etc.)

EDIT: Rockshox state a 40 riding-hour interval for the lower leg service on all their XC/trail forks. Not too bad and it's only a 15 minute job.

Posted 4 months ago #
Gachet - Member

Superficial,

Thanks very much for the reponse, that's just the kind of real world experince I'm looking for. I know exactly what you mean about small bump performance on FIT Float's, my 36s aren't great in that respect and running more sag doesn't really improve matters.

With regard to the lower leg service, I've looked at a few guides and am I right in thinking you don't have to touch the dual air spring or the damper and its just a case of changing the oil in the lower legs and cleaning the seals?

Posted 4 months ago #
Shorty121 - Member

TBH I find dual extremely hard to setup.

Posted 4 months ago #
Superficial - Member

Gachet - Yep - you only need to undo the screws at the bottom of the forks, give them a tap to free them, pull the lowers off, refill with oil and put them back together again. The damping and air springs are self-contained in the uppers and you don't touch them (the same as all rockshox forks I've seen in the past 5 years or so. I usually take the forks off the bike (which takes the most time) because it's a bit easier but I suppose you don't even need to do that.

Dual air used to be a bit funny - my better half has some 2008 Revelations (130mm dual air u-turn) and I could never get enough negative pressure to make a difference without sucking the fork down and reducing the travel. But my new RCT3s seem a lot better, I guess RS has tweaked the relative size of the positive / negative chambers.

Posted 4 months ago #
hamishthecat - Member

I could never get enough negative pressure to make a difference without sucking the fork down and reducing the travel

Hmm - that's the effect I seem to be getting. Had a play with my new RCT3 SIDs today and struggling to avoid losing a bit of travel.

Having said that, when riding they feel really good - very confidence-boosting.

Some useful comments above - so does anyone know if there is a manual available anywhere?

Edit: I'm liking the RCT3 club BTW

Posted 4 months ago #
LoCo - Member

I've a set of RCT3 Revs on their way to me for my winter (hack) steel hardtail, first set of Rockshox for a while, so will have fiddle with the dampers as soon as they turn up.

Posted 3 months ago #
Rickos - Member

*on edge of seat*

Has he tried them yet? Huh? Huh?

Posted 3 months ago #
LoCo - Member

Huw, for Niner, Stans, Ergon , Loco UK Team really likes his SID versions, waiting for him to give them another couple of rides before we discuss possible adjustments.

Posted 3 months ago #
composite - Member

Mine arrived yesterday at work. Couldn't get them home as I was on the bike so will bring them back Monday. They look the shizz. Unfortunately they won't actually being going into the build for a little while yet though.

Posted 3 months ago #
philfive - Member

just ordered a set of these forks so anyn help on setting up would be great

Posted 1 month ago #
philfive - Member

just ordered a set of these forks so anyn help on setting up would be great

Posted 1 month ago #
philfive - Member

Come on I need tips

Posted 1 month ago #

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