RockShox Updates DebonAir Air Spring For 2021

[News bot]

Press Release

The highly-tunable DebonAir air spring is ready for whatever the trail demands. Buttery smooth feel off the top, now optimized to maintain higher ride height and add more confidence on technical terrain.

Click here to view the article

[Bos]

One more question to Rockshox please. How does an oversight like this sneak into a top tier top dollar suspension design, gets rolled out to thousands of products before the fix is released as an upgrade 3 years later?

 

Sorry to sound negative when there is something else but COV - 19 news for a change. But as you can gather, I have one of these products that needs the "Fix" 

 

They have revised the air-spring 3 times in 3 years. I have the MKII on my new Pike (the red sealhead/PIKE) which works fine but as I found out and was perplexed by, the 150mm version only has 140mm travel, and that was apparently OK at the time?

 

Being a Product designer I know how this works. This thing wasn't tested and developed properly.

 

It goes like this: 

R&D calls Marketing; "Heya guys we got another upgrade on the air-spring you will love it." 

Marketing; "What is it?"

R&D; "Well its a new anodized red seal-head that gives a plusher initial stroke which one can feel right in the carpark and weekend warriors will love!"

Marketing" great we are just finalizing the catalog for next year and need all the details ASAP."

R&D; "Well we are still in the testing phase but so far it works a treat, the only downside is the larger air spring is taking 10mm to settle to equilibrium, therefore we need to redesign the seal head offsets or lengthen the air shaft so that the 10mm is taken into account before allowing it to have the right amount of travel, it will take 3 weeks.."

Marketing; "We don't have time its good enough.."

[TomvdP]

Yup, the official lines not long ago were either:

a) Not achieving full extension was how it was supposed to be. It's indicative of how plush it is (nevermind that it never went to full extension even when lifted off the ground, with the weight of the wheel).

b) Your equalisation dimple must be clogged with grease - maybe you serviced it wrong. Try again and get back to us.

 

Pretty unimpressed that they've corrected this problem under the guise of "it rides higher in its travel".

 

My Lyrik 150 only had between 143-145mm showing on a given day. Add to that that it rode deep into its travel and no amount of pressure allowed for less than 25% sag (80kg rider, testing the max pressure in the fork). The solution for me was to go to 160mm (possible with all modern Pikes by the way, despite what RS says) to get a dynamic ride height I was happy with.

 

I will grudgingly buy this fix.

[Bos]

Yea, likewise. I'm getting exactly 142mm on my 150mm pike, on my bike thats designed for a 150mm fork. 

[Capricorn]

So i must should upgrade the air spring again...

Edited April 14, 2020 by Capricorn

[BaGearA]

Stop buying anything from sram, most of their stuff is rushes out and updated within a year or few months but almost never backwards compatible. Spare parts is mess, most of their new shocks have large functional parts that are deemed 'non serviceable' so when it wears you'll have to buy a new one (which won't be available) so they can convince you they're helping you 'upgrade' for a discounted amount

 

Their lower tier drive trains have had issues upon issues upon issues, the new brain systems which are based on rockshox combined with spez are giving more issues and problems which is why all these 'free' service intervals are coming with the new epics (they know...)

 

The swelling guide pistons became so bad that 3rd party companies started to step in to get peoples brakes working again

 

Stop buying sram

 

OH and the new airspring is such A blatant copy of fox's NA2 EVOL system (which has been available since 2017 with spares widely available) its painful

[Bos]

So i must should upgrade the air spring again...

 

Hey Cap, been reading through the MTBR thread on it, and I think If possible, rather get a longer travel air-spring. The new Debonair MKIII seems to have a smaller negative spring, which might make it even harder to reach full travel although its not what they clam. 

 

https://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/rockshox-debonair-2021-a-1133399.html#post14673989

[Capricorn]

Hey Cap, been reading through the MTBR thread on it, and I think If possible, rather get a longer travel air-spring. The new Debonair MKIII seems to have a smaller negative spring, which might make it even harder to reach full travel although its not what they clam. 

 

https://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/rockshox-debonair-2021-a-1133399.html#post14673989

you have got to shitting me ...

but ok, let me go read 

btw: have 170mm lyrik.

[droo]

you have got to shitting me ...

but ok, let me go read 

btw: have 170mm lyrik.

 

650? I have a 180 spring I can trade if you want...

[DieselnDust]

Stop buying anything from sram, most of their stuff is rushes out and updated within a year or few months but almost never backwards compatible. Spare parts is mess, most of their new shocks have large functional parts that are deemed 'non serviceable' so when it wears you'll have to buy a new one (which won't be available) so they can convince you they're helping you 'upgrade' for a discounted amount

 

Their lower tier drive trains have had issues upon issues upon issues, the new brain systems which are based on rockshox combined with spez are giving more issues and problems which is why all these 'free' service intervals are coming with the new epics (they know...)

 

The swelling guide pistons became so bad that 3rd party companies started to step in to get peoples brakes working again

 

Stop buying sram

 

OH and the new airspring is such A blatant copy of fox's NA2 EVOL system (which has been available since 2017 with spares widely available) its painful

 

 

LOL really?!!

I know you're a Shimano dealer but please get a balance.

Shimano:

-peeling derailleur cables

- exploding Dura Ace and Ultegra shifters

- Seizing rear derailleur jockey cages

- cranks arms separating

- Brake caliper bolts cracking

 

and they never issue recalls because according to them , everything is end user abuse LOL

 

If only Shimano actually produced forks and rear shocks for you to actually have some skin in the game.

[Emazing]

https://trailhead.rockshox.com/en/

Evening -Who’s has been able to secure this part ? I looking for two and would like more info. SRAM USA int manager handed me a email of SA agent and I not heard a thing.

[Bos]

https://trailhead.rockshox.com/en/

Evening -Who’s has been able to secure this part ? I looking for two and would like more info. SRAM USA int manager handed me a email of SA agent and I not heard a thing.

I Believe Tom has..? I ordered one but have not managed to collect it. Will let you know when I do. I rode Jonkers this weekend that passed and Still only used 120 of my 150 mm travel. Lets hope the new spring unlocks the last bit. 

[Alouette3]

I Believe Tom has..? I ordered one but have not managed to collect it. Will let you know when I do. I rode Jonkers this weekend that passed and Still only used 120 of my 150 mm travel. Lets hope the new spring unlocks the last bit.

How many Tokens you running?

[Johnny Lawless]

Goodluck finding the new DebonAir spring locally. Been trying everyone for the last couple of weeks including Cape Cycles themselves and it is not available locally...not sure when either. Might need to find a way to import it myself but with SRAM import restrictions that could be tricky.

 

(Or I need ot be patient....which I'm not)

[Johnny Lawless]

Stop buying anything from sram, most of their stuff is rushes out and updated within a year or few months but almost never backwards compatible. Spare parts is mess, most of their new shocks have large functional parts that are deemed 'non serviceable' so when it wears you'll have to buy a new one (which won't be available) so they can convince you they're helping you 'upgrade' for a discounted amount

 

Their lower tier drive trains have had issues upon issues upon issues, the new brain systems which are based on rockshox combined with spez are giving more issues and problems which is why all these 'free' service intervals are coming with the new epics (they know...)

 

The swelling guide pistons became so bad that 3rd party companies started to step in to get peoples brakes working again

 

Stop buying sram

 

OH and the new airspring is such A blatant copy of fox's NA2 EVOL system (which has been available since 2017 with spares widely available) its painful

 

"almost never backwards compatible. Spare parts is mess, most of their new shocks have large functional parts that are deemed 'non serviceable' so when it wears you'll have to buy a new one (which won't be available)"

 

Doesn't seem to be the case in this instance - "You can also upgrade an MY20 air spring using the footnut and seal head spare parts rather than purchasing a complete air spring for your fork."

 

Just my 2 cents but I've always found RS way more backward compatible than say Fox. I just upgraded my 2014 spec Pike with the newest Charger 2.1 damper which essentially gives me a 2020 Pike (at least when I eventually find stock of the new 2021 DebonAir spring). What other manufacturer allows that kind of backward compatible upgrades?

 

Also, RS allows you to service your own suspension. I've had a Fox before and I had to pay a small fortune to get it serviced and it was a logistical mission...maybe that's changed of late?

[DieselnDust]

"almost never backwards compatible. Spare parts is mess, most of their new shocks have large functional parts that are deemed 'non serviceable' so when it wears you'll have to buy a new one (which won't be available)"

 

Doesn't seem to be the case in this instance - "You can also upgrade an MY20 air spring using the footnut and seal head spare parts rather than purchasing a complete air spring for your fork."

 

Just my 2 cents but I've always found RS way more backward compatible than say Fox. I just upgraded my 2014 spec Pike with the newest Charger 2.1 damper which essentially gives me a 2020 Pike (at least when I eventually find stock of the new 2021 DebonAir spring). What other manufacturer allows that kind of backward compatible upgrades?

 

Also, RS allows you to service your own suspension. I've had a Fox before and I had to pay a small fortune to get it serviced and it was a logistical mission...maybe that's changed of late?

 

 

RS is still user servicable for 50hr services. Major services not so much but that's no different to other brands