I knew of YT’s service rep before buying my Capra last September so this isn’t unexpected but my experience will hopefully make all you prospective purchases more informed before pushing the button:

About 2 months ago I noticed scoring and a little bit of oil on the Monarch plus of my YT Capra AL1 Comp. I took some pictures and entered into a warranty discussion with YT. There were 4 rounds of email comms over the course of a month (i work away from home so could not reply during the week) with escalating questions and requests:
– Is the shock still functioning OK despite the scoring?
– Can you take some photos of the shock clean (in addition to the dirty/oily ones that I originally sent?
– Can you take a video of the shock so that we can diagnose remotely?

Not the end of the world but they really were trying to avoid taking the shock back. Eventually the shock gets sent off back to Germany and on to sram. Another two weeks down the road and I get an email saying that sram have inspected the shock the scoring is down to ‘lack of service’ and I will have to pay costs.

This is disappointing as I have done less than 70 hours on the bike (all tracked on Garmin), well under the srams 100 hour servicing requirement. The bike will have been off the trails over 2 months before I get it back and I have had to remove and refit the shock myself.

Anyway I paid up to avoid any further hassle but please do take this sort of crap into account when direct purchasing.

Whilst I’ve experienced the terrible service YT seem to be known for through a mate’s experience with his capra this really doesn’t sound like either theirs or SRAMs fault. You got muck in the shock whilst riding the bike which then caused the issue. It’s a risk of riding a bike with moving parts through mud and grit isn’t it? Unfortunate and annoying but part and parcel of riding full sus bikes no?

And aren’t SRAM generally regarded as pretty great from a warranty perspective?

I respectively disagree Gotama. I expect to ride and service my bike in accordance with the manufacturers requirements (in this case 100 hours riding). If it fails to be serviceable under these conditions then I would expect the fault to be on the manufacturers account.

But…. the original post was for information only. You may come to your own conclusions.

I’m surprised by that – not from the YT end, but the SRAM end. Have seen them replace all sorts of parts without question.

IF you have a friendly local bike shop (and it’s awkward walking into a bike shop telling them about the YT you bought, so they will have to be friendly) I would try sendin the shock back to SRAM through them and bypassing YT.

Scoring is usually due to dirt, so it’s covered by cleaning rather than servicing.

(Yes, i know you can get scoring from other things, but it’s *usually* dirt that’s got in somewhere)

I’m not surprised, I wouldn’t put me off buying a YT though, they make great bikes at prices you’re going to struggle to get close to via a physical shop – I guess by now everyone knows that the downside of that if something goes wrong you can’t walk back in and have a chat about it.

Has anyone tried to use someone like TF Tuned for warranty issues with SRAM stuff?

One of the great things about Fox for me is that I live within 45 mins of Mojo, I can just pop in to see the UK importer for Fox and they’ve always been very accommodating – I’ve never been asked about hours or anything, if it’s less than a year old, no questions asked, if it’s been serviced by them then it’s 2 years – they sometimes ask for proof of purchase, but not always and I’ve not been turned down when I’ve lost it. It’s a lot easier than having to try to deal with a retailer who wants chapter and verse about how you were using it, and saying things like “oooo you got it wet?!” (I’m exaggerating of course).

So, are saying that it should work for 100 hours irrespective of the conditions?

Not really possible is it.

For me everything is a consumable, and should be treated as such, whether it’s doing a bottom end service on a fork when it ‘feels’ like it needs some tlc or measuring the chain to see whether it’s ready for replacement.

Yes, but I’d expect the seals on a virtually brand new shock to perform better than that even in filthy UK conditions (provided I’d done everything I could in between rides to keep it clean). A shock is not a consumable in the same way as a chain.

OP has not ridden it for three years without service then wondered why it’s knackered.

TBF the service intervals should reflect a worse case scenario if thats the case. If it says service every 100 hrs then that would be expected.

Its like having a cam belt snap at 30k when its replacement is recommended 90k intervals..

Interested in a Jeffsy for my next bike, when I purely look at the bike.

Then I realised that I’d rather pay the same for a bike with a worse groupset and less bling, but from a company that actually wants to help if (read when) I have a problem. Because problems happen.

Finding a nice person in an LBS sounds like a plan – SRAM are normally pretty good with replacing stuff. Take plenty of biscuits. Hope you get sorted.

its not really YT’s fault tbh, more SRAM by the sounds of it

but I agree with OP, people saying its his fault cos its got dirt on it ref the scoring, is a ridiculous comment!

ive got a mate whose never had his shock serviced for 4 years and it has no scoring

having it marked and scored under the 100 hour servicing suggests it had a crap layer of anodizing or similar on the shaft itself, how is it possible the OP has caused this through lack of maintenance when its not even due a seal service after 100 hours?????

I’m with the OP on the shocks/sram fault 100%, and sram should replace under warranty IMO… its not YT’s fault though and it wouldn’t put me off, other than maybe a good will gesture from them to sort it and acknowledge somethings wrong with the shock itself

Warranty is through YT though unless I’m confused, who on the face of it appear to be doing a poor job of getting it sorted. The OP has not done anything to this shock that he shouldn’t have by the sounds of things, so it should be warrantied.

If YTs support was any good they’d have sent a brand new shock already to ensure the OP can keep riding.

b r – Member

So, are saying that it should work for 100 hours irrespective of the conditions?

Not really possible is it.

For me everything is a consumable, and should be treated as such, whether it’s doing a bottom end service on a fork when it ‘feels’ like it needs some tlc or measuring the chain to see whether it’s ready for replacement.

Pretty much yes – SRAM will state an almost guaranteed working life for their kit to prospective buyers (bike Cos), they will give caveats of course about intended usage and things like they guy who walked into a LBS near me with a snapped Stumpjumper frame who had to be told that as they’d seen him racing a Dragon Downhill event at the weekend on it, they couldn’t ask Spesh to replace it.

If SRAM decide that because the weather can be so grotty in Northern Europe than they cannot guarantee their shocks can go 100 hours without a service then they should reduce it, or only offer a lower time for certain areas, which in turn will make for less sales.

They will expect a certain % of shocks to fail within the warranty period and they will expect to have to pay to repair or replace them, but at some point someone would have worked out the fail point for their shocks at different conditions and compared them to projected sales figures based on warranty conditions and come up with a figure. Sounds like OPs shock is one of the % that they knew would fail within 100 hours and should really make good on their promises.

I’d be disappointed with SRAM and surprised really, their argument seems to be “our shocks last 100 hours without service, this one has failed ipso facto it’s done more than 100 hours” which seems crazy, unless they can really, truthfully think that baring any obvious manufacturing fault ALL their shocks will last a min of 100 hours.

I like this whole idea that –

Direct sales = big bad bogie men
LBS = warm cuddly kittens

it’s like Leave v Remain, but for bikes.

I just had a shock with wear on the shaft replaced by Fishers (UK Sram agent), but that was well under 70hrs use.

Friend has had two new Monarch Plus from Canyon for similar issues.

Seems a fairly common issue and I would be disappointed as you are OP.

Scoring is usually due to dirt, so it’s covered by cleaning rather than servicing.

Surely it should be “covered by” functional seals and wipers ?

Surely it should be “covered by” functional seals and wipers ?

To be fair you could introduce dirt into the system by using a shock pump you keep in your pack (for example), so its not necessarily a problem with the seals. It does happen.

It is a shame Sram didn’t sort out the shock. But personally With mail order bikes I largely self warranty. If a frame broke it would go back, but if something could be sorted by a service I’d just get it done myself, I’d take these sort of costs into account when deciding what bike to buy.

Nobeerinthefridge – Member

I like this whole idea that –

Direct sales = big bad bogie men
LBS = warm cuddly kittens

it’s like Leave v Remain, but for bikes.

It’s not as clear cut as that, but for me, the slight premium I might pay for a bike from my LBS is for excellent, professional support, and is totally worth it.

I’ve never actually warrantied anything through my LBS – but as and when I need to, I’m pretty confident they’ll not leave me for months without a functional bike. Which appears to be standard policy for at least some of the direct sale options.

It’s not as clear cut as that.

Darn tootin’.

I’ve never actually warrantied anything through my LBS – but as and when I need to, I’m pretty confident they’ll not leave me for months without a functional bike

Unless you’re lbs is awash with cash and can just ‘give’ you a replacement, then you’ll be waiting for the importer/distributor/bike co to sort you out, which can often be every bit as long as direct purchasing can.

There are always going to be instances like the OP’s, my Yeti cracked twice, and both times I was without it for over 12 weeks. My lbs is brilliant, but they can’t just magic up a rear triangle, even the distributor didn’t carry spares.

And aren’t SRAM generally regarded as pretty great from a warranty perspective?

Not my experience.

Scoring after 70 hours is a warranty job

At least you still have the shock, myself and several people on here have sent them back to be told there is a long wait for a replacement of the correct tune, either wait or here have a stock aftermarket tune that won’t suit your bike.

IF you have a friendly local bike shop (and it’s awkward walking into a bike shop telling them about the YT you bought, so they will have to be friendly) I would try sendin the shock back to SRAM through them and bypassing YT.

I would do this.

My monarch plus also had wear within a couple of weeks of summer riding. When I opened it up it was virtually dry, so with all rs shocks I always open them up and lube them. Fisher did replace it, although they weren’t happy about it

Surely it should be “covered by” functional seals and wipers ?

surely it should be designed properly to not actually score when you get mud on it…you know if the anodising scratches off then surely its not fit for the purpose.

I am pretty sure a shock could be ruined in under 100hrs if ridden in muddy conditions, left to dry on and then ridden again before cleaning, so won’t always be a warranty issue.

Has anyone tried to use someone like TF Tuned for warranty issues with SRAM stuff?

Yes…… They wanted to charge me 40GBP for their admin time for a 35GBP part, which I kind of understand, but then again thought it was a bit steep so just paid the 35….

Dickyboy – Member

I am pretty sure a shock could be ruined in under 100hrs if ridden in muddy conditions, left to dry on and then ridden again before cleaning, so won’t always be a warranty issue.

“Could” yes, “should” no.

I live in Wales (hardly rare on here I know), 100 hours is about 12 weeks / 3 months worth for me if I’ve been good, my current shock is 14-16 months old and has never been serviced, it’s due, but it’s working perfectly and I’m trying to save my pennies.

Yes I wash my bike after most rides, but in reality how long does it stay clean? About 30 seconds into my next ride. Anyway, as I say, Welsh, it’s ALWAYS muddy here, certainly Oct – May, and usually the rest of the time too.

Cleaning bikes is great for a close inspection, and nice to look at in between riders, but I’ve never really considered it much of a maintenance thing aside from the drive-train, mud and dirt can’t do it much hard when it’s static and when it’s not, it’s always dirty.

had similar experience, called me up to say seatpost I put in was shagged however you should get it warranted, crack on I said call later for £40 for admin.

Got a new post so can really complain, much.

Isn’t 100hrs for the full-service? Air-can is something like everything 20-30hrs and I’m pretty sure the manual says something about wiping the shaft clean after everything ride too.

Edit: nope, I was wrong.

Tbh I’ve found the air can sealing on RS shocks to be poor compared to the seals in a fox air shock are far superior.

One thing on the monarch is that the bushings can be incredibly tight and that causes the shock to twist a little and put a lot of load on the glide rings near the wiper seal.