I have a 2012 RP23 that IMO has never been that good but now it just bobs every where, I have upped the PSI but this dosen’t make much difference and the no difference when switching the blue lever over. I was thinking about getting a full rebuild maybe even loading the firm setting a little more which means £100 ish but noticed the CTD shocks are available for not much more money new, I suppose this is old stock as there is a even newer model out now.
Anyone use CTD? is it better than RP23?

Sounds like your damping circuit is blown and it might just need a service. How much of a service will depend on how well you’ve cared for it. If you have to start paying for replacement hard parts, it’s probably not worth the cost.

That said, I recently decided to get my 2011 rp23 pushed, rather than by a new shock. Including a standard service it cost me £169 and it’s better than it ever was before.

Talk to TFTuned about getting it pushed. Fox’s model development is screwy and depending on the bike the year on year changes were not necessarily improvmements. I found old RP23s better than the later ones and the first version of CTD Boost to be very poor in stock form (D setting underdamped, other two indistinguishable but still wallowy). Push tune on an older shock likely be better than a CTD (which are cheap for a reason)

Never considered Pushed it sounds like it may be worth a look, thanks

If you never got on with the RP23 you might find tuning it to you bike/riding will improve things but just a service will only get you back to square one.

I’d take a Pushed RP23 over a CTD (never been impressed by them) but I’d take something like a Kirk/CCDB over a Pushed Fox – depends what your budget is.

Edit – ^ what Simons says

Consider a rockshox monarch debonair shock. Ive had both the rp23 and ctd and I prefer it.

Was in just the same boat and just couldn’t come to a decision. 2012 RP23, never got on with it. Repair/service, £150 ish, CTD shock, £150 ish.

Ended up getting a new frame with a recently serviced RP23. Much happier. Does have a Firm tune (old shock was a M tune), far better on the climbs.

Yep, you need a new frame.

It sounds like it needs a service. I find the Pro Pedal on mine loses its efficiency after a couple of years and needs the nitrogen replacing. You can change the seals and oil yourself but the nitrogen for the damping circuit needs replacing by someone like Loco or TF Tuned.

If you’re not happy with the shock then its worth speaking to one of these guys and asking them about a custom tune. From personal experience I’ve found the RP23 to be a good shock once its set up right, but this obviously depends on your riding style and which frame you have it on.

OK thanks, things to consider

+1 for the monarch plus debonair if you can get one for your frame. They were only £240 ish on r2bike recently and mine is brilliant. I have had various fox rp, ctd, even push tuned in the past; monarch really is a different league. (disclaimer – I’ve not tried the regular monarch just the plus debonair).

I was in a similar situation late last year but with RP3 (c2006 I think, never had full service!). Bought a reconditioned CTD-Adj SV directly from Mojo (2015, I.e. same year) for £145 and it’s better than I remember the RP3 ever being.

Anyway, the point of my post is that these shocks can be rebuilt yourself with care and research. You can buy full seal kits (containing off the shelf industrial seals of the appropriate size) and get a nitro charge from a local suspension service centre. You’ll need to fettle your own hex tool for tightening the new rubber puck/sealer though, at least.

This is what I am gradually doing with my Rp3. I bought the seals from eBay. There are several threads on mtbr and hucking kitty (I think) with diagrams and IFP settings.

Take care if you go this route and obviously only try it on an old shock- if you damage anything other than seals then it’s not an economical repair.

Here is the thread I was thinking of
http://www.huckingkitty.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=680&start=0

Note warnings above.

Trying to keep costs resonable as i do need a new bike (tell the wife that its wearing out) so around the 170 ish mark is about my limit. Its a great bike with very plush 4 pivot linkage (i think) (its a ellsworth) a very comfortable bike when working well. It did come with a tune for that linkage if my memory serves.

Had a look with interest at the link you put up (twowheels), looks as great care is needed removing the old Nitro plug. I can see the concept also even got Argon gas which is in a tank behind its own Schrader valve so all I need is a Schrader to Schrader link tube with some kind of transfer control.

Monarch RT Debonairs go for about £100 lightly used.

Can be a really great shock with the right tune for your frame.

That’s what I’d look for anyway.

Yeh just been looking see one for 150 BIN got to be easier than fitting a schrader valve in my old shock however I work in Engineering and love the idea of tweaking my own :-)nothing to loose if it all goes t*ts up – & wear good eye protection 🙄

I’m personally not bothering with the schraeder valve. It looks kind of vulnerable and I think it wouldn’t really fit in my frame.

Hi all, just wanted to update and follow up this thread with a outcome. I decided to go for a Push Tune following a very informative conversation with one of their Tech guys, my shock needed more than just a tune it needed lower shock and air can. Overall cost was approx mid 200s arguably i could have bought a new previous to latest model but it would have been off the shelf and not customed to my weight etc.
I have used the bike on a couple of rides and so far I’m impressed

TBH I thought you’d probably need hard parts for a shock that old that had never been serviced, but I didn’t want to be negative.

Good that you’re impressed so far!

I have had an RP23 and a CTD shock PUSH tuned. In both cases it was less “tuning” and more “fixing”. The ProPedal lever was completely infective in both shocks from the start. According to PUSH the boost valve was broken in both shocks and is a week point. They removed this bit and replaced with their own valving and now the shocks work properly.

I’m happy with the work but not sure I would do this again – I think better air shocks are on the market now.

I think better air shocks are on the market now

It’s the think part of that statement that should really be reworked to say ‘I don’t know, but surely there must be shocks on the market that are better than push tuning by now’.