2020 E-150 Low Cost Fork Upgrade

[Kilham5]

See RockShox thread in General section regarding upgrading to 2021 Debonair Air Spring.

My fork is well overdue a lower leg service, now well over 100 hrs, but not a concern (I think 50 hrs is over the top).
Gearing up to do it at the weekend if raining.
New SKF low friction seals etc.

But the 2021 Debonair C1 is getting lots of recommendations as an upgrade.
I don't normally upgrade stuff for the sake of it, but the kit is only £42 and I will have the fork in bits anyway.

You can get the upgrade in 160mm, so as the 2021 Whyte is now 160mm up front, I am going to experiment and see what it is like.
If I don't like it, I can revert back to 150mm, with or without the 2021 C1 piston.

Because I will be doing it all myself (it is piss easy ) , I will get a 160mm fork with 2021 Debonair and SKF seals for less than the cost of a plain old lower leg service that was due anyway at a LBS.

What do you guys think?

 

[MadsB]

If it’s only £42 and you are servicing the fork anyway it’s a no brainier to me, might do that myself on mine ? let us know how you get on

 

[Jamze]

Agree, no brainer. Last years DebonAir was good, but it's now supposed to sit up in its travel a bit more.

 

[Doomanic]

Might as well chuck a new damper cartridge in there at the same time. The MoCo is shite.

 

[KenX]

Agree totally, bit more than £42 though.........

 

[Maxb]

I have got a 160 air shaft ready to go in have not gone for the C1 upgrade yet as I spoke to TF tuned about the upgrade and they said it my not work for me as I’m light (68kg) so I’m going to wait on a bit more rider feed back before I comment I’m going to pop the 160 shaft in before a BPW trip in September

 

[d4ve86]

Just stripped my fork to fit the upgraded air shaft, I also chose 160mm but I've not gone for new seals as only covered 500km's, regretting not ordering them now as foam rings were dry, very little grease on the seals and the top out bumper is split, good job its not going back in -

 

[Beezerk]

Yeah I did the 160mm upgrade as well a few months ago after a mate put me onto it.
Piece of piss fitting the parts and doing a little service, got to be honest though, I can't really tell much difference from 150mm

 

[d4ve86]

Not a bad idea, hopefully now it has 10ml of oil in each side that could help.
I am tempted by the RC2 too but not sure I 'need' it / can justify it.

 

[d4ve86]

Yeah I did the 160mm upgrade as well a few months ago after a mate put me onto it.
Piece of piss fitting the parts and doing a little service, got to be honest though, I can't really tell much difference from 150mm

I went for 160mm hoping the BB would be higher, rough measurements but I now measure the bike sitting 7mm higher.

 

[Doomanic]

RC2 damper is available from our friends on the continent for €252, RCT3 for €184.

 

[steve_sordy]

RC2 damper is available from our friends on the continent for €252, RCT3 for €184.

Back in June this year, this is where I got my RCT3 Charger 2.1 damper from, to fit my 2019 Rockshox Revelation RC. It was the cheapest place I could get it from that gave enough information for me to be CERTAIN that I was getting the right one. (see the parts table below)

Kleinteile • Gabeln

Große Auswahl Ersatz- und Kleinteile für Mountainbike-Federgabeln verfügbar – für Wartung, Reparaturen und Tuning von Gabeln verschiedener Marken.

www.bike-components.de

The page should automatically convert to English, or there is an option to chose, I can't remember.

Here is the Rockshox Spare Parts table that tells you exactly which damper you need for your fork. The table of contents is on page 3.

https://www.servicearchive.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/rockshox_spc_-_rev_h_1.pdf

Unless the place you are buying your damper from quotes the exact reference number, then don't buy it. The description on the TF Tuned website was wrong, but by the time I had sorted that it they had sold out!

 

[d4ve86]

Funny enough I ordered the RC2 from JTech Suspension early Friday morning when it popped up back in stock. Hopefully it will arrive Friday.

I'm going to try and fit it without removing the lowers....

 

[steve_sordy]

Funny enough I ordered the RC2 from JTech Suspension early Friday morning when it popped up back in stock. Hopefully it will arrive Friday.

I'm going to try and fit it without removing the lowers....

If you manage it, I'm sure that more than just me will be intrigued as to how you did it. But then I am no expert on fork dismantling, nope, absolutely not!

 

[d4ve86]

With the air out of the left side, I 'should' be able to knock the bottom bolt on the damper, unscrew it at the top. Remove. Drop the new one in, oil in, compress the forks and put the bottom bolt back in...

I'll let you know if it works.

 

[Doomanic]

When are you trying this? I'm doing mine tomorrow, but I'm changing the air shaft and fitting low friction seals as well so it'll have to come apart.

 

[d4ve86]

Won't be until Friday at the earliest

 

[d4ve86]

The standard Charger RC in these Lyriks is a cartridge style damper same as the RC2 and RCT3. I took it out to have a look when I replaced the air shaft.

 

[Doomanic]

Did you put low friction seals in as well?

 

[Doomanic]

I'm out on my Charger 2.1 RC2 for the first time tomorrow. Shockwiz is on and ready to go...

 

[d4ve86]

Not sure this thread counts as 'low cost' fork upgrade now
I was able to fit the RC2 without removing the lowers, very easy. When reassembling I put the bottom bolt in, 10ml oil in the top and screwed up the top cap.

Bike felt the best it ever has on yesterdays ride.