ROMET Monsun LTD – carbon XC hardtail / marathon – check our opinion, learn about its strengths and weaknesses!

ROMET has set itself a hard task to do – they decided to build an MTB bike from the XC / marathon segment, which is based on a carbon fiber frame for the cost of aluminum frame bike. How the hell did they manage to do that?

ROMET is known for the fact that they manufacture bicycles, which offer a very good price ratio to the level of equipment and also to a very decent level of the sets of frames and forks.

The 2022 season was full of global price increases in the bicycle industry, but despite this Polish manufacturer decided to go ahead and created a carbon hardtail ready to ride which is a great deal in retail! I know it sounds like science fiction, but… it’s true. It is worth adding that Monsun LTD is available in as many as 3 colour options – for a Limited Series, it’s quite a lot.

Knowing the old cycling truth that the frame is the most important element of the bike and a kind of investment, we did not intend to pull Monsun LTD to parts, but to check it in practice and answer the question – who is this bike for and what it is suitable for?

FRAME

First of all, the Monsun frame is considered as a very successful construction that meets the needs of an ambitious amateur cyclist. This bike simply looks great, the individual pipe profiles are very nice, they look aggressive, the paint work is impeccable, there is nothing to complain about.

In Monsun we will find a threaded bottom bracket, which will be appreciated by every racing enthusiast – a problem-free and easy to replace. The bike also has a tapered steering head, which supports the lateral stiffness of the front of the bike. In the area of lateral stiffness the Monsun is equal to much more expensive constructions.

This machine does not have a rear rigid wheel axle as standard, but considering the price of the bike it is not an issue. Bicycle market offers hooks that allow conversion to a rigid axle.

To sum up this frame, carbon gain over aluminum when it comes to riding comfort and lateral stiffness. It is also often said that the weight is lower, but in the case of the Monsun LTD weight gives way to the parameters mentioned above and they are felt most of all. Any rider, even unexperienced, can feel the difference riding this Limited Edition machine.

GEOMETRY

We are dealing here with a geometry typical for XC bikes, which allows you to take a sporty position and control bike better on descent trails. This type of geometry allows to aggressively stick into corners, keep good traction of the front wheel and on steep climbs it eliminates the problem of the front wheel lifting. This is due to the low steerer tube. Moving on, we have angles – they are rather traditional. The saddle angle supports us in effective turning, which is why the climbs on Monsun are effortless.

EQUIPMENT

The Monsun drivetrain is a 1×10 system Shimano Deore M4100 series and an M5100 crankset. The operation of the new Deore does not disappoint – the gears are changed with sufficient speed and precision. The only thing that can be pointed out as a minus is a slightly worse level of chain stabilization in compare to some models of similar XC group. Also the gear shifter could be a bit better quality like SLX set for instance (the click of the shifter could be nicer), but the most important fact is that everything works perfect and reliable.

Monsun LTD is equipped with a very popular, but quite basic fork – spring loaded SR Suntour XCT, which can be found in the cheaper group of MTB bikes. The level of XCT performance and weight is simply inadequate to the high level of the rest. The bike, on the other hand, is a great base for modifications and upgrades, which can make it an advanced machine.

The wheels – they are also rather basic what makes them heavy. For the recreational use they will definitely be enough, but to use dynamic potential of the frame to its full abilities it would be worth to think about the wheels upgrade.

Finally, the brakes – well known MT200 from the basic group of Shimano hydraulic products. Despite being entry level, they work very well and are appreciated by mechanics for their ease of service.

OTHER IMPRESSIONS

It is clear from the beginning that buying Monsun XC pays off anyway. Although the list of equipment has several disadvantages, each time you try to list them, the thought returns ‘ok, but it’s a carbon MTB bike for a very decent price tag and we are in 2022/23!’ And this is what it is worth focusing on in the case of Monsuna LTD.

There is no secret, that what makes this bike special is the carbon frame and great value for the money. In addition, the components this bike is fitted with will be appreciated even by the ambitious XC enthusiast. And finally, say what you want, but this bike just looks very good!

The Monsoon LTD is really comfortable to ride – both in terms of position and ability to absorb bumps. This type of character will be appreciated by riders who plan to race on Monsun, as well as those who will use it for everyday training or casual trips in the forest.

Weight of 13.8kg is a lot for a carbon hardtail to be honest, but every cyclist knows that this weight is due to heavy components – primarily the fork and wheels. This does not change the fact that Monsun XC Carbon is still more dynamic than most, even lighter, aluminum bikes. Weight is not everything, and the gains from the carbon frame are still felt in the field of acceleration, general lateral stiffness and vibration absorption.

SUMMARY

Monsun LTD is a great XC bike just as it is for beginner racer. In order to get real racing potential out of Monsun, it is basically enough to replace the shock absorber and wheels. If racing isn’t your cup of tea, you’ve got a really cool (and comfortable!) bike for every day riding without any investment – and at a pretty good pace. However, no matter what Monsun LTD will be used for – its frame is a beautiful piece of art, even though it has a slightly conservative geometry in today’s standards. It handles very decent as it’s expected from a hardtail from the XC / marathon segment.

And finally buying a Romet Monsun LTD simply pays off – it is hard to find or build a cheaper XC / XCM MTB bike on a carbon frame. If you however have a deeper pockets and need something with a higher spec check out ROMET Monsun spec 1, Monsun spec 2 or top model Monsun spec 3. You can find all above models on romet.uk website.

LINKS

Monsun LTD white: https://romet.uk/product/romet-mtb-monsun-carbon-white-ltd/

Monsun LTD black: https://romet.uk/product/romet-mtb-monsun-carbon-black/