Monarch Plus RC3

I am going to buy a RS Monarch Plus RC3 to replace a CC DB Inline.
Any reason not to?

Depends on the bike you’re putting it on / what the leverage rate is and how much you’ll need to alter the volume reducers in the monarch

There is less to play with on the monarch so less you can do to fine tune it

Good shock tho

Also why a monarch?

I just bought a Monarch RC3 and it had its first run yesterday up the Golfie for the money I thought it was spot on

I’ve just gone from Bos Kirk to a Monarch Plus, have to say I’ve been very impress so far.

It took a lot of faffing and fine tuning to get the Bos set up but just jumped on the Monarch with minimal setup faff and felt almost as good as the Kirk out of the box.

As above, does depend on bike to a degree – some volume spacers which will hopefully bring it up to the performance of the Bos, not having as many settings to fiddle with has been refreshing too.

Just moved on from my Monarch plus to a Fox Float x2. It was a decent enough shock but slightly wooden feeling with the Turner RFX frame. I think i just needed a bit more tuning options than the monarch has so i could fettle more..

Also why a monarch?

I have been offered a good price.

Of the 3 monarch shocks I’ve owned, all three have had a horrible step around 15% of travel that no one seems able to explain.

I was tempted to get some avalanche guts fitted to it but I’ll not do that if I can’t be certain the basic chassis isn’t flawed.

Mac, how are you finding the X2 on that bike?

Hey Onzadog, not fitted it yet, i need to get a spacer removed internally next week to get it changed from 200×50 to fit the RFX 200×57. Should be up and running next week but i have fork issues as well so running the hardtail a lot t the moment.

How you finding the RFX, im loving mine. Wouldn’t pay new prices tho. £3000 for the frame 🙁

Too be honest, I’m having an unfair number of “teething” problems.

Funnily enough, I was looking at an X2 shock on here in 200×50 but it wasn’t clear just how much removing that spacer was going to be.

@mikedabear I have a BRAND NEW RockShox Debonair Plus RC3 for sale, it’s a warranty replacement that I don’t now need. I advertised some time ago but got no replies, what sort of price have you been offered?

Heres’ my shameless plug to the shock I still have for sale 🙂

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-brand-new-rockshox-debonair-plus-rc3

Onzadog, issues with the frame or components?

Getting the spacer removed was £20 as quoted to me. Flotec are not far from me so easy to pop in. Takes half an hour tops apparently.

Both I’m afraid. 🙁 Although less so the components. Dropper post and pedals there

I’ve got an unused one for sale 216 x 63.
superlightmtbATgmailDOTcom

The frame should have no issues. If mine did i wouldn’t hesitate to invoke full warranty. 😯

Oh also got a fully serviced 200 x 57 Monarch plus going if needed.

How you finding the RFX, im loving mine. Wouldn’t pay new prices tho. £3000 for the frame

Is that how much an RFX frame only is now?!?! Good God.

The world has gone mad.

Mac, I’m trying, believe me, I’m trying.

Sounds shit buddy, who is the problem with?

Good question, but I think it’s actually going to the man at the top believe it or not.

No idea why I’m not experiencing what their reputation was built on. Maybe it’s part of the move to far eastern manufacture and plastic bikes.

Strange you mention that, i have had an epic getting replacement lower pivots for my lads 5 spot so curently its not in use. Tried emailing them more than once but no reply.

My email is in my profile but it would be of interest to hear what issues you having and if its with both bikes.

In all fairness i do love my RFX and so do a couple of people i know that have them as well. Also i have had no issue with the stock shock. I just felt i wanted something more from it that i couldn’t get from the lack of tuning options.

When it’s working, it’s great. I just don’t feel like I’ve got the reliability or service that the brand is famed for.

I will drop you a line, I’d appreciate an impartial opinion. My email is also in my profile.

I’ve just gone from Bos Kirk to a Monarch Plus, have to say I’ve been very impress so far.

It took a lot of faffing and fine tuning to get the Bos set up but just jumped on the Monarch with minimal setup faff and felt almost as good as the Kirk out of the box.

As above, does depend on bike to a degree – some volume spacers which will hopefully bring it up to the performance of the Bos, not having as many settings to fiddle with has been refreshing too.

That’s kinda the appeal of the Monarch. Not much to faff with, works fairly well out the box on most bikes, certainly difficult to get a truly terrible setup anyway.

Of the 3 monarch shocks I’ve owned, all three have had a horrible step around 15% of travel that no one seems able to explain.

It’s to do with when the negative and the positive chambers of the shock pressures equalise. It’s somewhere around the 15-20% travel mark, and you’re right, it does “feel” horrible. The reality is though that out on the trail, you’re sagged further than this into the travel anyway, and you never actually feel this step except for when pushing the bike up and down when you’re stationary. It doesn’t detract from the ride in my experience at least.

I was tempted to get some avalanche guts fitted to it but I’ll not do that if I can’t be certain the basic chassis isn’t flawed.

I was tempted too, but… It’s £200 fitted, and your RS warranty is then null and void. I’ve heard good things about it, but wasn’t going to get it done to a shock that’s barely worth more than the price of the service 2nd hand and is still in warranty.

Just moved on from my Monarch plus to a Fox Float x2.

Just done the same. Early days yet, and a LOT more to faff with to get the right setup (a single click on each adjuster can make a noticable difference, and there’s 24 clicks on each of 4 adjusters!), but it’s a fantastic piece of kit. Also helps that I picked it up new off a guy for a stupid price. He’d sent his back to Mojo for warranty, got bored of waiting, and bought a PUSH ElevenSix in the meantime. Mojo sent him a brand new 2017 shock with climb switch, and he let me have it for a price I don’t want to repeat!

Of the 3 monarch shocks I’ve owned, all three have had a horrible step around 15% of travel that no one seems able to explain.

It’s to do with when the negative and the positive chambers of the shock pressures equalise. It’s somewhere around the 15-20% travel mark, and you’re right, it does “feel” horrible. The reality is though that out on the trail, you’re sagged further than this into the travel anyway, and you never actually feel this step except for when pushing the bike up and down when you’re stationary. It doesn’t detract from the ride in my experience at least.

But some do it, and some don’t. I have wondered if it was a sag thing, but after the pressure is balanced, it shouldn’t notch like that should it. I’ve changed those debonair o-rings more times than I care to remember now. I know one chap who had his replaced under warranty and the new one was better. I’ve also heard someone on here suggest it’s actually due to poor quality control in the piston bore and he had his sorted by TFT.

If I am going to put £200+ worth of guts in it, I want to make sure I got a good one. It seems they’re very variable. However, the Avy guts in my DHX5.0c were fantastic.

I sympathise entirely onzadog

I was having the same dilemma as you regarding quality control and investing in upgrading the Monarch. The Avy upgrade comes highly recommended, but I’ve seen too many Monarchs need to be returned under warranty early in their lifetime (which I couldn’t do if I’d upgraded the internals on!)…

Hence why I bit this guys hand off just below the elbow when he offered me a brand spanking new 2017 Float X2 for a ridiculous sum!

I’d have done the same, he’s not got another one going begging has he?