RockShox Monarch RT3 Rear Shock: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

Looking for a do-it-all rear shock that is affordable and reliable? The RockShox Monarch RT3 might just be your answer. In this review, our customer Enoc picks up a new rear shock for his GT. Check out his review to get his thoughts!

Overview

The RockShox Monarch RT3 Rear Shock is one of the most durable and efficient rear MTB shocks I've used. When I decided to make the switch from Coil to an Air shock after a friend of mine recommended I made the switch after a few rough sessions on the mountain bike that were giving my back hell; I can proudly say I am more than happy to have taken his advice and made the change. The RockShox MTB Rear Shock has great tire contact, beautiful reaction and some of the absolute best breaking not to mention it allows magnificent steering and comfort. The switch has taken off a noticeable amount of weight off my back which has made me faster and overall makes me waste less energy compared to how I felt while using a coil shock. Usuall,y I go on bike rides a good three to four times a week and once a weekend and I can say that this RockShox Rear Air Shock has given me and my back way more freedom, energy, and way less back pain. Comparing it to the coil shock that I had been using for quite sometime the switch was absolutely outstanding and I can honestly say I will be recommending this air shock to a few of my buddies to save them the pain.

On Trail Performance

As far as maintenance goes when it comes to this shock I'd have to say it's pretty easy, usually give it maintenance every two months and it's good to go. I spend a decent twenty to twenty-five hours on my mountain bike monthly so every two months is worth it with all the benefits I get out of the shock. When it come to the fork just for the sake of keeping it at a good shape service comes monthly to make sure it stays in good working condition; with that the shock and it work like a charm. Another great thing about this air shock is the manageable size options that it has compared to the coil since those tend to be more standard and again just weigh down your bike that even with an aluminum frame is heavy. The amount of comfort this rear air shock has provided me with along with it's outstanding performance when it comes to tire contact, traction, and breaking in rough and tough terrain is worth the bimonthly maintenance on it along with the monthly service with the fork. The reason for the amount of service I put into this is solely because of how many hours I tend to rack up, but say you just go out for a ride a few times a month then I'd go as far as saying that a simple service for both the fork and shock every four to three months should be fine.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the RockShox Monarch RT3 Rear Air Shock is one of the greatest rear air shocks I've used. As previously stated this shock has awesome traction, breaking, comfortable steering, and tire contact; highly recommend to anyone searching for these qualities. Maintenance again depends on how much you use your mountain bike and how much work you really put in so it'll be different for anyone. Truly the RockShox Monarch RT3 Rear Air Shock is one of the best out there if you're looking for something of good quality and performance.