I have a monarch debonair plus rc3. It feels like there's a lump or notch in the travel.
I removed the shock and tried the linkage so I'm happy its not there.
I removed the air can and retorted the damper to the bike and still can't feel it.
I'm therefore convinced that it's the air circuit. I think it's around 15% travel and related to the transfer port that balances positive and negative chambers.
Is this "normal"? Am I being too sensitive or have a got a duff one?
Mine does exactly the same thing, when you push down on the seat to compress the shock it moves smoothly till about the 15-20% sag markings then compresses differently for the next 5%, makes a funny "air/oil/don't really know" transfer noise
I don't feel it when riding as i'm running 25% sag so its normally past the point in its stroke were it feels and sounds odd.
Don't know if its a fault or its meant to do it. I Will try to video it and post later tonight to confirm its the same symptoms as yours
Mines fitted to a 2015 Orange 5
Cheers. Sounds like the same thing and it seems a fair few are doing it. I know of 3 first hand.
Be nice to know if this was "normal" or if there's a fix.
Is this not to do with equalising the chambers when inflating. I think you are meant to inflate it a bit then cycle the shock, inflate some more and cycle the shock etc. Did you do this when you first inflated it?
Yes, I did equalise the two sides. I can still notice this effect after riding as well so the two chambers should be balanced by then.
Becoming a regular topic this one! I've also had this, I'm fairly sure its when the piston slides past the notch and the air circuit is essentially open for 1mm or whatever so the piston moves without resistance . This tiny distance on the shock is longer at the wheel and us noticeable. Regardless if the mechanics behind it I found an aircan service improved things greatly
I got a debonair plus to upgrade from the monarch plus, the notch you mention was always there and felt no where near as nice as the monarch it replaced, always felt dead.
It was on a spicy so poss something to do with the type of Suspention but I sold the bike after falling out of love, it worked but never felt great.
Mine did it and was changed under warranty without any quibble. Seems like its quite common.
Andy, did the warranty replacement feel any better?
The new one doesn't have a notch and feels the same as the first one did before it broke. I thought I had broken it bottoming it out too many times on big drops and jumps but the shop I bought the bike from me it wasn't caused by that. Further internet reading confined that its a common problem.
I know there's been some issue with the piston unscrewing itself from the damper rod but my issue is only in the air can (so far).
I've got the same shock on my mega275 and it doesn't do that, it feels perfectly smooth all the way through the travel.
My other bike however has a ccdb air and that has a noticeable notch at the start of the travel which is apparently to do with the negative air balancing.