[thefriar]

Anyone out there thinking of trying, or tried? Initial thoughts and feeback/e-speculation are appreciated.

I have an 11 rune with the monarch and am looking to swap out for something a bit more well rounded. Trying to keep a lighter build on the puppy, so would prefer air...

 

[MalcolmX]

i'm interested on that as well...
on the long run, i plan to replace the DHX air on mine for something the suspensiontuners can work with (vivid air is also a strong possibility...)
no coil for me, i have my legend for that...

 

[builttoride]

I haven't had a chance to test it... but in theory it should be a good combo if the tune and setup is right.

 

[kulikayo]

Hi guys, I am very interested as well. And what about manitou evolver isx-6. Seems great !?:thumbsup:

 

[thefriar]

I just ordered a pushed Monarch RT-AM, the $595 price of the Plus was a bit too tough, should be a super solid shock if its like their other products. Will let folks know how it works out.

 

[MR.A]

Hi guys, I am very interested as well. And what about manitou evolver isx-6. Seems great !?:thumbsup:

evolver isx6 works great :thumbsup:

 

[juanbeegas]

The Evolver is a great shock on the Rune and a highly under rated air shock in general, but if weight's your concern, the RC3's got it beat in the weight department.

 

[marcus_dukakis]

I just ordered a pushed Monarch RT-AM, the $595 price of the Plus was a bit too tough, should be a super solid shock if its like their other products. Will let folks know how it works out.

X2 - Larry from Mountain High has had my Monarch Plus on back order for 2 months. Mountain High and PUSH are almost neighbours and I've heard that the Monarch Plus will be shipping from PUSH very soon.. they have been waiting on RS to provide parts.

Looking forward to mounting it up on the Rune and hitting the trails... good times.

 

[MalcolmX]

i happen to have a small problem...

i recently bought a legend mk2, and i am just blown away about how well it pedals... actually better than my rune i think... have a 36t chainring on it, and damper is a RC4...

of course i know that the rune pedalling performance is down to my not-optimal chainring choice... it is not bad at all, just i have the feeling that i could do something to make it even better...
currently i run a 22-36-rr combo...

the 22t ring is for long mountain climbs, i dont think i can get away without it.

do you guys think, it would be worth trying to replace the 36 with a 32 ring, and use it almost always, and only use the 22t ring for long, steep fireroad climbs?

does anyone have a hint on which REAL 32t bashguard to use? i want to save a bit of weight as well here if possible...
or is it a stupid idea after all?

i dont want to go to 1x10 since i still have 9-speed cassettes in reserve... so that will remain 11-34 9-speed in the back...

other thing, i started using the proper SAG after i found out that the 15-20% stated on the homepage were a missunderstanding... running little more than 25% sag now... but on the DHX air, i tend to bottom out a little bit now, even on the hometrails... i already put the volume of the piggyback to the minimum...

i have heared, that it works well on the dhx to put a little additional oil into the main chamber to improove the bottom-out resistance...any thoughts on that?

i have fiddled a bit with the pressure in the piggyback, but that doesnt seem to solve the bottoming... only makes it more unsensitive...

i dont want another damper right now, and i know that some things can be done with the dhx air, but i am just no suspension expert... more of the set-and-forget typ of guy... dont know to much about how the settings interact, and maybe somebaody has some advice for me...

 

[builttoride]

Personally before I went to 1x10... I ran 1x9 very happily for a few years. I think it is definately something to consider. You will save weight, and can run a proper chainguide so makes the bike quieter and you will never feel that chain is in danger of jumping off. A 30-32 up front with a 9-34 at the back is well worth a shot!

I've not spent time tuning the dhxair to the rune, so can't really offer too much help with any certainty I'm afraid. Normally with air shocks of that type I'd personally run about 25% sag as you are, and full bottom out resistance. The theory of adding more oil to the shock to increase progression is good, but I haven't tried it myself in that shock (works well in R23 tho!).

 

[MalcolmX]

okay, thank you on that...

i'll try the 32t ring up front and just see how it feels... i can try to avoid the 4 easiest gears on the 22t ring to see how i come along without that and than keep the granny, or switch to single ring...

maybe it was just a little too much sag already, i run more like 28% right now... lets see how it does with a liiiitle bit less...

dont get me wrong, right now, i am carving the turns and tackling terrain more agressivly than ever... i just want to make it as efficient as possible...

 

[FM]

i dont want to go to 1x10 since i still have 9-speed cassettes in reserve... so that will remain 11-34 9-speed in the back....

There's lots of options for a 36t cog with your existing 9-spd casette.
I am running one of these on my hardtail, just fits behind the 34t cog, then you remove your 13t cog so it's still 9spd. Shifts fine and works with aluminum free-hub bodies.

I've tried a few different drivetrain set-ups on my rune, seems like a 33-34t front ring offers the best pedaling performance. 1x9 with a 32t in front, 36t in back has worked out well for me on the rune, you get the added benefits of lighter weight, simplicity and a perfect chainline even with a chainguide....on my hardtail now I'm running 1x9 with a 30t in front, 12-36 in back, I don't think I will miss the granny even on long XC rides with this set-up... although I'm not sure the 30t would be ideal on the rune.

Anyways consider that 36t rear cog as an option!

 

[thefriar]

PUSH Monarch Plus enroute, on further consideration droped the RT AM and went all out.

 

[nightofthefleming]

There's lots of options for a 36t cog with your existing 9-spd casette.
I am running one of these on my hardtail, just fits behind the 34t cog, then you remove your 13t cog so it's still 9spd. Shifts fine and works with aluminum free-hub bodies.

I've tried a few different drivetrain set-ups on my rune, seems like a 33-34t front ring offers the best pedaling performance. 1x9 with a 32t in front, 36t in back has worked out well for me on the rune, you get the added benefits of lighter weight, simplicity and a perfect chainline even with a chainguide....on my hardtail now I'm running 1x9 with a 30t in front, 12-36 in back, I don't think I will miss the granny even on long XC rides with this set-up... although I'm not sure the 30t would be ideal on the rune.

Anyways consider that 36t rear cog as an option!

Shimano makes a SLX 12-36 9 speed cassette.....

 

[dwyooaj]

Shimano makes a SLX 12-36 9 speed cassette.....

I installed the single 36t cog FM mentones,its awesome now I can use the middle ring more. When the whole thing wears out I will replace with the slx casette!

 

[qbert2000]

Shimano makes a SLX 12-36 9 speed cassette.....

the one knock on it is that its heavy. that sinle cog with an xt or pg990 looks good. think i'll give one a try

 

[FM]

I installed the single 36t cog FM mentones,its awesome now I can use the middle ring more. When the whole thing wears out I will replace with the slx casette!

I have both actually, the SLX on the Rune, and the 36t cog on my 29'er (both are 1x9).
The thing about the 36t cog add-on, is that you can use it with an aluminum spider 9spd casette, which plays nicely with aluminum freehub bodies. ends up being a fair bit lighter than the SLX with a steel freehub. If your hub has an aluminum freehub body, the SLX casette will thrash it.

 

[dwyooaj]

I have both actually, the SLX on the Rune, and the 36t cog on my 29'er (both are 1x9).
The thing about the 36t cog add-on, is that you can use it with an aluminum spider 9spd casette, which plays nicely with aluminum freehub bodies. ends up being a fair bit lighter than the SLX with a steel freehub. If your hub has an aluminum freehub body, the SLX casette will thrash it.

hope hub w/steel freehub body. Used to be aluminum and ordered a steel one instead, tired of it getting chewed up.

 

[marcus_dukakis]

Bump

Does anyone know if PUSH are shipping the Monarch Plus's yet? I'm sick of my RP23 and bustin' for the Monarch...

 

[thefriar]

Mine should be coming out early next week. Darren had it in his had when I spoke to them last Friday.