RS Monarch Plus Rc3 vs Fox Float Ctd BV

[foxpuppet]

The brain shock on my '11 stumpy is a little worse for wear, gonna be $220 to get it serviced and back in good health. I figure at this point it's gonna be a better and more cost effective option to ditch it for a simpler and better design.
Lucky for me both RS and Fox are offering models to fit specialized proprietary link. Unlucky is the cost of doing so..... Well not crazy, but not as cheap as off the shelf like most of you can do.

My local spesh dealer has a used (only twice as service loan shock) '14 model fox float ctd BV kashima I can get for $350 or the other option I was also keen on is a new RS monarch plus rc3 for $650 (retail from them)

Cost of the RS i could maybe save a little on IF I can find one from OS. But not much so figuring I will stick local with it. My main concern is the performance.

The fox is tuned for this bike, but the reviews I've read on the CTD models report a lot losing function of the CTD damping with little or no difference between the descend and trail modes.

The monarch reports better small bump compliance and the extra volume of the shock gets longer descending performance.

It's gonna be almost double the price and waiting for shipping (rs out of stock in Oz) vs fit straight up and ride away for fox.

Anyone replaced a float with monarch plus? Worth the extra? Points for or against?

 

[mitchy_]

having gone from a Fox CTD BV to a Monarch RCT3 (to a CCDB Air)... i'd go the Monarch. that said, i'm not sure i'd pay $650 for one though.

can you get a CCDB or CC inline for it? if they are around the same price, i'd be choosing that.

in short, CC > RS > Fox

 

[madstace]

I went stock RP23 -> Tekin'd RP23 -> Monarch RC3+ on my SB66. A few thoughts...

• Stock RP23 - POS, just terrible. How I lived with it for a year I'll never know. By all accounts the CTD stuff is worse again.
• Tekin'd RP23 - Huge improvement, got rid of most of the bad traits of the stock shock, but still suffered from some Fox-itis (somewhat harsh initial stroke, still a bit too much mid stroke usage).
• Monarch RC3+ - Big improvement again over the tuned RP23. Much better small bump compliance and mid stroke support. Only complaint at the moment is I'm not getting full travel as I think the compression tune is just a bit too much (haven't played with more sag yet though).

In short, I'd be avoiding anything Fox that currently available. Whether the new EVOL shocks are a bit improvement remains to be seen, but even then they'll be exxy in RRP form. I also wouldn't pay $650 for the Monarch+, as you can get them for less than $400 (maybe not delivered) from the likes of bike-discount.de

 

[fedor346]

re: shock options

I've had a monarch plus on my reign for almost a year on my Reign. Had a Fox ctd performance originally - this was horrible - platform was non - existent - needed a full service and tune.
The monarch was a huge improvement out of the box. If you like to tinker - you have a lot to play with. There's the tuning bands and also IFP pressure to play with and for the even more technical the shim stack of the piston as well.

cheers,

Gav

 

[DMan]

I've had the Fox Performance and Factory CTD shocks (presently running a 2014 factory on my bike) and they're very different. My Factory kashima CTD is much better than the CTD performance ever was. I think there is a noticeable difference between all 3 modes. Trail assist I'm not so sure about, but for the difference in coin I'd go the Fox.

 

[link1896]

The RockShox product you can service and tune yourself, total cost of ownership is lower. RS documentation is great.

 

[DMan]

The RockShox product you can service and tune yourself, total cost of ownership is lower. RS documentation is great.

Just don't get it serviced? Ever. Until it dies...

 

[Psimpson7]

I haven't tried any Fox rear shocks but my last bike had a CCDBA and my current one has a Monarch plus Debonair RC3.

I had intended to swap the Monarch out on day 1 for another CC, but I didn't and have been using it quite a bit.

I actually really quite like it, and am glad I didn't swap it out.

It is very plush, the 3 stage damping works very well, and as has been said it has great small bump compliance, and mid stroke support. If you do run out of travel it isn't harsh and appears to ramp up really nicely (Mine has a MM tune)

 

[foxpuppet]

Thanks for the input everyone, I really would have loved the RS but in the end I just bit the bullet and went with the fox. It was ready to go, is a 2015 model and tuned for the stumpy. Plus it was half retail price (or at least that's what I'll keep telling myself) it's pretty much the same shock as the current model sworks runs.

If i hate it I can always sell it and go for the monarch plus, but at least this gets me riding in the meantime and anything has to be better than the 2011 rp2/brain I was running.

 

[foxpuppet]

Picked up the bike this morning and this afternoon had a quick smash around my local.... All I can say is phwoar!!! Worlds apart from what I had gotten used to with the brain. Trail feel in descend mode was exceptional and the firmness of the trail setting is clearly noticeable (unlike some reports of them feeling the same) I had the trail setting at 3, didn't try the climb mode yet as there's more than enough platform in trail for where I was riding.

This is the 2015 model float ctd BV tuned for the stumpy mounted up.

 

[slimjim1]

Is your stumpy a 29er? Did you have to purchase the 'evo' link as well? I'm very interested in doing a similar swap as my 2015 stumpy expert brain shock has failed after 1 month and really want a monarch after trying one on another bike, but the info online seems to suggest that aftermarket shocks are only made for the evo and not the regular stumpy's??

 

[foxpuppet]

Is your stumpy a 29er? Did you have to purchase the 'evo' link as well? I'm very interested in doing a similar swap as my 2015 stumpy expert brain shock has failed after 1 month and really want a monarch after trying one on another bike, but the info online seems to suggest that aftermarket shocks are only made for the evo and not the regular stumpy's??

Nah 26" but I'm sure that's not right. For my '11 model the difference between the EVO and normal version was a shock with different length and stroke. For '12 onwards the difference is in the Clevis, but the shocks are all the same. However you should have more available aftermarket than I did as they started making these shocks for the newer bikes more frequently.

Monarch plus RC3 195x46 - I messaged a seller on eBay and they can do it for $440 tracking/shipped with Dhl (2weeks)


https://www.bike-components.de/de/Rock-Shox/Monarch-RT3-Auto-Sag-Daempfer-Modell-2015-p39638/

 

[DMan]

Picked up the bike this morning and this afternoon had a quick smash around my local.... All I can say is phwoar!!! Worlds apart from what I had gotten used to with the brain. Trail feel in descend mode was exceptional and the firmness of the trail setting is clearly noticeable (unlike some reports of them feeling the same) I had the trail setting at 3, didn't try the climb mode yet as there's more than enough platform in trail for where I was riding.

This is the 2015 model float ctd BV tuned for the stumpy mounted up.

That's what I found. It's not fair to compare the Performance to the Factory shock. They're streets apart. I like it on my Jamis and have always felt you could feel the difference between the 3 modes. You will notice a difference in climb.