REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Service old or buy new shock?

1123 Views 13 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Dougal, Jul 24, 2021

RS VR6

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2021

Hihi

I've got a DB Air CS that needs a service. The cost from Crane Creek to do a service is 220 + 25 for a new black anodized stachion tube. Part of the reason for the service is that I noticed some small scratches on the tube by the seal. A new RockShox Monarch Plus is 359. I know its cheaper to service the rear shock...but is there any benefit in getting a newer shock?

RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 Rear Shock 7.875x2.25 (200x57mm) 2015-2017

planetcyclery.com

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Kiwibaconator

· #2 · Jul 23, 2021

Your DBair CS after spending 245 is a vastly better shock than a new Monarch, or just about any new air shock.

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Dougal

· #3 · Jul 23, 2021

The DB is a better shock with better parts supply too. It's better both now and in the future.

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kpdemello

· #4 · Jul 23, 2021

You could also check with your LBS. We have a few around here that will service shocks in-house for reasonable prices.

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shadowsports

· #5 · Jul 23, 2021

I'm with the others, service your tried and true and get that new fancy black stanchion.

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stripes

· #6 · Jul 23, 2021

If you get a shock that’s good like the CCDB, you should absolutely expect to get it serviced. I have one on my new to me DH bike and I absolutely expect to send it out for servicing. It’s better than most of the stuff out there.

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Shark

· #7 · Jul 23, 2021

Yep the $200 service hurts a bit. I prefer shocks that you can service yourself, but they do work very well.

Mine will have to be sent off this fall again...

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Shark

· #8 · Jul 23, 2021

You might check for the authorized service centers.

I sent mine to Alleycat bike shop in Bellingham and I think it was $195, they were fast, that was before all the craziness that was this past year.

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CaveGiant

· #9 · Jul 23, 2021

I'm a big fan of cane creek shocks, however the standard air is quite an old design with a small negative chamber.

Whilst you are getting parts for it it might be worth asking how much it would cost to adapt to coil as part of the service.

It's not hard to do, mine was free as I had the parts lying around though =)

It's in a different league to a monarch tough.

My old dB air with a leaking damper still pissed on the monarch from a great height.

Ccdb are some of the best shocks, monarch one of the worst.

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Kiwibaconator

· #10 · Jul 23, 2021

While saying "CCDB are some of the best shocks" is anecdotally true, stating "Monarch one of the worst" is conjecture, like declaring "Holden is terrible, I only drive Ford".

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NordieBoy

· #11 · Jul 23, 2021

Kiwibaconator said:
While saying "CCDB are some of the best shocks" is anecdotally true, stating "Monarch one of the worst" is conjecture, like declaring "Holden is terrible, I only drive Ford".

Depends who is conjecturing...

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Kiwibaconator

· #12 · Jul 23, 2021

NordieBoy said:
Depends who is conjecturing...

Indeed. Vorsprung will service and custom tune Monarchs. They're on record that they will only offer custom tunes for platforms that are good enough to start with.

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CaveGiant

· #13 · Jul 24, 2021

OK, the three monarch rc3+ I have owned and dozens ridden have been some of the worst shocks I've used.

If you reshim, then I've heard it can be quite good.

I've not done that, so from my experience it's awful.

Either no support or spiking, or spiking with no support. Or no support and no traction.

I wasn't kidding above when I said the ccdb air with a leaking damper out performed the last monarch I had.

My current favourite is a combination of an original '05 ohlins/ccdb with the afformentioned leaky air ccdb air, inline cs and a new shaft. This gives me a 230x70 with spherical bearings and a bar mounted climb switch. I can set the tune of the climb switch externally too. I said I liked Cane creek =)

I demoed an EXT last year, my shock felt significantly better... Though to be fair to EXT I only had one day on that, where the ccdb is dialed.

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Dougal

· #14 · Jul 24, 2021

Kiwibaconator said:
While saying "CCDB are some of the best shocks" is anecdotally true, stating "Monarch one of the worst" is conjecture, like declaring "Holden is terrible, I only drive Ford".

Kiwibaconator said:
Indeed. Vorsprung will service and custom tune Monarchs. They're on record that they will only offer custom tunes for platforms that are good enough to start with.

The Monarch RC3 Plus is a good chassis with a terrible tune and poor parts supply.

They need the Vorsprung Tractive tune IMO. It replaces the base-valve with one that cuts the wallow, ditches the preloaded shim stacks and reshims them to work like a shock should.

The other issue with the Debonair cans is the air-can dimple is in quite deep which forces a lot of sag whether you want it or not. It can create geometry issues on a lot of bikes.

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