Monarch RT3 or Fox Float CTD?

Grovsie29
Grovsie29 Posts: 116
edited June 2013 in MTB buying advice
I can get the Monarch for 198quid or the Fox for 328 from TF tuned. Leaning towards the RS as it's a lot cheaper and from TF tuned it should be set up for me? Though I do like the idea of flicking a lever on the CTD for downhill and back for trails/climb, etc. Does the max/mid/min gate on the monarch do basically the same thing?

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Monarch.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

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  • plasma_man
    plasma_man Posts: 129
    Love the Fox, know nothing about the monarch. The CTD works very well so far.
    - 2013 Cube LTD, SL 29, grey / black.
  • Grovsie29
    Grovsie29 Posts: 116
    supersonic wrote:
    Monarch.

    Heheh, any more? :D
  • plasma_man
    plasma_man Posts: 129
    Yeh, maybe some more info than one word would help!
    - 2013 Cube LTD, SL 29, grey / black.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    It's cheaper, works just as well. Simple as that. The gate function is similar to the three settings on CTD
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    supersonic wrote:
    It's cheaper, works just as well. Simple as that. The gate function is similar to the three settings on CTD

    In that you should put it in the middle setting and leave it there? ;)
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    I've never ridden a bike with a monarch that has felt better than an RP23 or CTD. With forks it's close but for xc shocks I'd go fox everyday of the week. IMO CTD is also a big improvement over the RP23 as it allows 3 default settings over 2. The older RP3 had this feature and it's something I really miss on my RP23, as I can only choose between fully open or a pre-selected pro-pedal level with nothing in between, which id like to have for my trails at home, which are a little tamer than those at uni. Still a very good shock though and it outperforms any Monarch I've ever ridden, the last one I tried was awful, it felt very sticky and didn't offer anything like the performance of the CTD shocks
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Have you tried the monarch back to back against a fox on the same bike though? Sus design and buggered pivots can easily account for a sticky feeling. CTD is a good shock - when it works ;-). They have a habit of failing.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    I've tried a Transistion Bandit 26 with a Fox RP23 Adaptive Logic shock last year and this year tried one with a Rock Shox Monarch shock earlier this year. OK it wasn't back to back but I did try them on similar trails and I did not feel any difference between the two.

    I didn't feel the need to run pro pedal or similar when on the bike and ran both shocks fully open. Maybe if I did I might have felt a difference but when run open they felt identical.
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    I ran a monarch 3.1 for a while, now it may have been down to the bike but it always felt sticky and not at all plush.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • Grovsie29
    Grovsie29 Posts: 116
    Right, well ive managed to break my collarbone so the shock is gonna be on hold for a while.
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Hard luck mate lol, count yourself lucky, it breaks to prevent your spine from doing so!

    I'd go for the Fox CTD if it was the right price, never felt a monarch that hasn't been sticky and vague feeling.
  • Grovsie29
    Grovsie29 Posts: 116
    hehe that's one way of looking at it. hurts like hell occasionally above the elbow, close to fainting pain last night. gotta go see the bone specialist Tuesday, hope its a straightforward break never saw the x-rays.

    Was on my local DH course. not even a big jump. Gutted.
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    sorry to hear that mate. I did mine pretty much around this time last year. hope you get back on the bike soon.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    what frame is it going on?
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Grovsie29
    Grovsie29 Posts: 116
    2011 giant trance x4.

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