Rail (625Wh) 2021 Zeb upgraded with new Charger3 damper, Debonair+ air spring, and Buttercups

Ushtang

Active member
Sep 14, 2020
111
138
USA
Anyone update their 2021 Zeb with the new Charger3 damper and Debonair+ air spring yet? What are your impressions so far? Just did this and going to hit the trails to dial it in today. Hoping it'll be as easy as setting the same pressure and knob clicks I had before I did the conversion.

IMG_7013 2.jpg
 

BuzzinHornets

Member
Jul 10, 2022
30
48
CA
I just did the damper in my 22 Select +, waiting for the air spring to come back in stock. So far I’ve got about 50 miles on it and it’s noticeably smoother and quieter. I have no complaints.
 

SandroRiz

Member
Sep 6, 2022
36
13
Italy
Anyone update their 2021 Zeb with the new Charger3 damper and Debonair+ air spring yet? What are your impressions so far? Just did this and going to hit the trails to dial it in today. Hoping it'll be as easy as setting the same pressure and knob clicks I had before I did the conversion.

Any impression after ten days? I'm waiting the parts too from italian distributor (even SRAM usa told me October or later...)
 

CordlezToaster

New Member
Aug 18, 2022
14
3
n/a
I found the rebound of the zeb select + quite aggressive on the rebound when going over smallish consecutive bumps, does this upgrade smoothen that out?. What sort of cost is this uopgrade?
 

Ushtang

Active member
Sep 14, 2020
111
138
USA
Hmm, not sure. My Zeb is the Ultimate which I believe has the same air spring and damper as the Select+. I found small bump compliance very good. This upgrade noticeably improved it more, but I wouldn't say it was an extreme difference.

Perhaps your Zeb needs more tuning? I recall at first I thought my Zeb was quite harsh with small bumps. I was able to make it feel very muted over fast, small, consecutive bumps by lowering my air pressure a bit more than what I had, having very little low speed compression (LSC), and lastly, speeding up the rebound to almost fully open.
 

BobMtnBkr

Member
Mar 17, 2022
55
21
Williamsburg VA
I have a 2021 ZEB Select + on a 2021 TREK Rail 9.8XT. It came with the same air spring as the 2021 “Ultimate” ZEB, but the damper was less capable (Charger 2.1 RC damper vs. Charger 2.1 RC2 damper).

I wonder how the new Charger3 damper and Debonair+ air spring would compare to installing a coil conversation kit like Push ACS3 or Vorsprung smashspot?
 

ckkone

Member
May 21, 2021
12
6
UTAH USA
I would just sell my current Zeb and buy the new one, seems like you spend more trying to upgrade the old one and you don't get the air bleeders.
 

Ushtang

Active member
Sep 14, 2020
111
138
USA
Old Zebs now sell $800 - $830 new. I'd be lucky to sell my used Zeb close to that. I also don't need the bleeders. Where I ride, elevation change isn't that extreme so I'd have no use for them.
 
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