SRAM's ever-expanding XX component ensemble features the Rockshox Monarch XX shock, which features the XLoc handlebar-remote lockout button and a carbon fiber air can. The Monarch XX is a late 2011 product that will be sold with the carbon fiber air can in the aftermarket for around $550 USD and will appear on 2012 bikes with both carbon or aluminum cans. The aluminum can shock is an OEM exclusive. The XLoc lever can be had with a standard handlebar clamp, or in a brake-lever-mount Matchmaker configuration. The weight of the smallest eye-to-eye shock with hose and XLoc lever is stated to be 290 grams.
About the Monarch XX
Designed for cross-country and trail riders, RockShox pared down the various damping and rate-control adjustments of its technical-terrain shocks to offer a more XC oriented rider the lightest possible remote-locking shock. The Monarch XX's lockout has a preset blow-off threshold and an external low-speed rebound dial - and that's all you get. Before you start crying for more dials and doodads, know that RockShox can custom-tune the Monarch XX to match your bike's suspension - and probably your riding style if you say please. Monarch XX shocks come in every eye-to-eye length that could be imagined and there are a variety of air can volumes available.

Inside the Monarch XX, you'll find a two-stage high- and low-speed damper piston, an aluminum damper shaft and a self-adjusting negative air-spring. Outside, the forged-aluminum damper body is marked with sag gradients to make setup a simple process, and a 360-degree swiveling hydraulic interface that lets you route the XLoc hose from any direction. Why use a hydraulic lockout system where a conventional cable could suffice? For starters, hydraulic fluid in a plastic hose is much lighter weight than a wound steel housing and a seven-strand steel cable. The swivel system is also a hydraulic plus, and hydraulic systems are sealed, so dirt and water can't bind up the mech. Also, a hose can be mutilated and still pass fluid, so in theory, a hydraulic system can withstand a crash much better than a cable-and-housing system. That said, the task of bleeding the Xloc lines could prove to be bothersome for those who opt for through-the-frame hose routing.

Riding the Monarch XX
We tested the Monarch XX shock on a 2012 Rocky Mountain Element, which was designed for Marathon Racing and XC-oriented trail riding. Our initial feeling was that a short-travel suspension bike really doesn't need lockout to feel firm on the climbs or hammer smooth forest roads. After spending some long days in the saddle, however, the easy-to-use XLoc remote encouraged us to go suspensionless on long road sections, and we used this power to 'gift' fellow riders with leg-bending sprints near the tops of rolling climbs. Our shock tune was fairly linear in compression, but the smallish air can gave the shock a rising spring rate. The effect was a decidedly firm ride that did not take away from our leg power when we powered up climbs with the shock unlocked and active. The dual-rate rebound damping moderated the rising rate spring well, so the Rocky mountain did not feel bouncy after full-compression events.

If there is any negative side to the Monarch XX. it may be that the XLoc takes up a lot of space on the handlebar. No more than an adjustable Reverb Seatpost, but the rubber bellows and button of the XLoc actuator (the Rocky was equipped with XLocs for a seatpost and the shock) are a visual distraction for those who like a clean cockpit. Also, why not have one XLoc button for the fork and the shock? It seemed funny to have a handlebar-remote for the shock and still have to reach forward to lock out the fork. So, the back story is that RockShox says they are working on a dual-system. 2013, Hmmm?

Pinkbike's Take:

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RockShox website