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Having been on hardtails and rigid bikes for the past ten years and with my GoogleFu seemingly not working I'm after a bit of help.
I've just built up a FS bike, the frame came with a Rockshox Monarch shock, from SRAM's product page I think it's the RT3 model/version: red rebound dial with a blue lever. The rebound dial I can work out: minimum setting = least rebound damping so the back end can/will pogo; maximum setting = very slow to return to the neutral position. What I need here is the setting that returns to the neutral position as quickly as possible without overshooting. What I haven't been able to work out are the three positions of the blue lever and in what instances I would choose each position.
The blue lever clicks into place at 12 o'clock, 4 o'clock (aligns with a tortoise symbol on the shock) and 8 o'clock (aligns with a hare symbol on the shock).
OK, educate me!
The tortoise and hare relate to the rebound adjuster, which way to turn for fast/slow.
The blue lever is compression, open, pedal and lock, there is normally a blue picture diagram further down the shock body that indicates which position is which.
I think the blue is compression damping, in other words how fast the shock compresses under load.
As for setting the rebound a good place to start is to put it in the middle (I think mine has 11 clicks from fast to slow) and the ride off a kerb sat down and adjust so the shock doesn't feel like it's springing back. Then take it from there, although saying that I don't recall having changed mine since doing this as it rides nicely.
I think the "3" bit of the shock name refers to the three position compression lever.
Fully open, slightly firmer, max firmness - it should be possible to tell which is which by the resistance as you push down on saddle.
Typically use fully open for rough descents, mid position for bumpy climbs/fast descents, undulating trails, firm for smoother climbs, road, fire roads etc.
YMMV obvs, sometimes I use fully open for techy climbs as the bike keeps momentum better.
do the kerb test to set initial rebound.
@steve_b77 I've figured out the rebound part - the nearest kerb to me is about two miles away!
@bigyan - I mentioned the hare and tortoise as a way of identifying the lever position. I've not seen the other picture you mention but I'll have a look tonight. Annoyingly the manual just says to move the lever to adjust the setting but doesn't say which position is which! Surely the point of a manual is to tell you about the product :rolleyes:
Guys I'm asking about the blue lever that sets the threshold not the rebound setting!
Understood, that's what I was posting about above.
Does it feel firmer as you push down on the saddle at one end of its adjustment?
I'll have a check tonight when I get home. I did try it last night and TBH there wasn't much difference that I could tell between the three settings. One, I think the 12 o'clock position, did feel a bit more resistant. I suspect that it's one of those things that you need to know what you are looking for.
The frame and shock are second hand but I understand the shock had a service shortly before I bought it.
Does yours have the little blue diagram like in this pic?
Dunno - it's 13 miles away at the moment and I forgot to bring my USS Enterprise long range viewer with me! I'll check tonight. Apart from the black outer to the rebound dial, mine's all red, that looks the same model.
Cheers.
@bigyan – I mentioned the hare and tortoise as a way of identifying the lever position. I’ve not seen the other picture you mention but I’ll have a look tonight. Annoyingly the manual just says to move the lever to adjust the setting but doesn’t say which position is which! Surely the point of a manual is to tell you about the product :rolleyes:
@whitestone Cool, 12 lock, 4 open, 8 pedal on a couple I have here (modern). Some of the older ones had min, med, max gate on them
Nah, user manual is provided for max manufacturer arse covering, normally 20 pages of warning danger of death...., then 2 lines briefly describing the product.
I've got the same shock.
For the compression setting with the blue lever i use:
Open setting - For most off road use; anything technical and rough.
Pedal Setting - Some long smoother climbs if im out the saddle a lot. it reduces bobbing.
Lock - long road sections between woods.
To be honest i don't really use the pedal setting that much. It stiffens up the shock a fair bit and allows full movement in bigger impacts still. A good modern frame and shock has minimal bob anyway so the pedal setting might not be that noticeable.
@cha****ng - yep, I've got that graphic. Hard to see as it's blue on black, I've not got brilliant eyesight so it's easy to overlook/miss.
@cha****ng – yep, I’ve got that graphic. Hard to see as it’s blue on black, I’ve not got brilliant eyesight so it’s easy to overlook/miss.
Bingo.
Don't talk to me about poor eyesight. I had to get a stranger to read the text on my shock to me when I was trying to add more compression damping in the woods the other week.
At least that's what I told the judge.