With a new Debonair air spring, the 2021 RockShox Lyrik is easier to live with and better on the trail, but best of all the upgrade is backwards compatible.
We all like innovation and change, but not when it means we have to dump something that we love and is perfectly good already. For example, Boost hub spacing. Our old hubs worked fine, but now we can’t get the wheels we want to fit our frames, so we need a new frame, new fork and new wheels.
But then again some innovations that offer huge improvements to the quality and ride of our bikes can be added to what we already have, like the newly updated RockShox Debonair air spring in the 2021 RockShox Lyrik.
2021 RockShox Lyrik First Look and Ride Impressions
Last year when RockShox announced the new range or Lyrik forks, they didn’t launch a whole new chassis, there wasn’t a new crown or larger stanchions. Instead, they introduced a new Charger Damper 2.1 and new seals that were backwards-compatible with older Lyriks.
So while the Charger damper 2.1 was a great update, it wasn’t reserved for riders on the latest kit, and with a few minutes work, a handy DIYer could literally convert a set of 2019 Lyrik to 2020 spec without needing to buy a whole new fork.
For 2021 RockShox has done it again, releasing an updated Debonair air spring that not only improves the brand’s latest forks but can be installed in older models to bring the same levels of refinement. Again, it should only take a handy home mechanic a short time to fit, and it’s one of those upgrades that you could consider doing the next time you open your fork up for a service. You do service your forks, don’t you?
2021 RockShox Lyrik Ultimate
As you can see in the photos, the 2021 Lyrik isn’t any different from the outgoing 2020 fork. The new model uses the same chassis, the same 35mm stanchions and gets the same rebound and compression controls.
The updates we saw with the Charger Damper 2.1, oil and new SKF seals are all carried over from the 2020 Lyrik too, in fact, the only way you would know that this is a 2021 fork is if you opened them up.
2021 RockShox Debonair air spring
RockShox still uses the Debonair air spring on the Lyrik but it has been refined and updated with a new aluminium seal head with internal bushing and a new longer foot nut for the base of the air spring shaft.
It might not look like much, but these minor changes have improved several ride and set up aspects of the Lyrik, and because the CSU and chassis are the same, you can buy these parts aftermarket and update your current fork.
RockShox says that the new air spring ensures the fork rides higher in its travel, is now even easier to equalize, is easier to set sag and even with all these changes the force needed to get full travel and bottom out is unchanged, so how did they do this?
New Debonair airspring. 
Old Debonair air spring
Two changes have been made to the Debonair air spring. The first is that the new foot-nut at the end of the air shaft is longer than before, and the second is a new, larger, aluminium seal head with internal bushing.
The reason for the changes is because some riders were experiencing their forks were sitting lower into the travel even when air pressure was set correctly. For example, a 170mm Lyrik might sit at 160mm at static though the sag is correct with the rider on. This meant riders would find their forks would sit lower on the trail, they could lose travel and if they wanted to remedy it with more air pressure it could sacrifice small bump compliance.
New on the left 
New longer foot-nut on the left
These 2 component changes move the air piston 10mm higher so that it sits in the dimple of the fork stanchion, this means the ride height from top-out to sag is higher and riders can benefit from more initial support. So with you’re air pressure set correctly, the new 2021 Debonair air spring will read the correct amount of travel at rest, and the correct sag when the rider is on board.
And if you’re following that equals supple small bump performance, AND a higher ride height and better support on the trail.
Another plus of the air piston now sitting inside the dimple is that the positive and negative chambers can automatically equalise making the fork much easier to set up i.e you achieve full travel and correct sag with a higher initial support height.
And as we’ve mentioned, because there are no construction changes to the fork these, component updates will fit previous Lyrik, and Yari forks as well as Pike and Revelations.
2021 Lyrik Ulitmate Specifications
Designed not only for the race down but the ride up. Holding onto every critical line, Lyrik Ultimate features an updated DebonAir air spring paired with our ChargerTM 2.1 damper for unmatched trail control and precision. Ultra-low friction SKF wiper seals and Maxima Plush damping fluid all work overtime to reduce friction, silence noise, and provide unmatched fork performance sun up to sundown.
RockShox
- Wheel size: 27.5in, 29in
- Travel options: 150mm, 160mm, 170mm, 180mm
- Charger 2.1 RC2 damper featuring independent high and low-speed compression adjust
- Updated highly-tunable DebonAir air spring offers a buttery smooth feel off the top and maintains a higher ride height for increased confidence in steep terrain
- Ultra-low friction SKF wiper seals provide long-lasting fork performance and improve overall suspension feel.
- Maxima Plush damping fluid reduces friction and silences damper noise.
- Available Offset: 37mm (27.5in), 46mm (27.5in), 42mm (29in), 51mm (29in)
- Stanchion: 35mm tapered wall aluminium
- “BoXXer” Red Signature colour options.
- Available: Now
- Price: £929
2021 Rockshox Lyrik Select
For all the ups, downs and to get you to everything in between. Lyrik Select combines an updated DebonAir air spring with the trusted Charger RC damper for unmatched trail control and precision. Maxima Plush fluid reduces friction, silences noise, and provides all- around lasting performance.
RockShox
- Wheel size: 27.5in, 29in
- Travel: 150mm, 160mm, 170mm, 180mm
- Charger RC damper featuring low-speed compression adjust
- Maxima Plush damping fluid reduces friction and silences damper noise
- Offset: 37mm (27.5in), 46mm (27.5in), 42mm (29in), 51mm (29in)
- Stanchion: 35mm tapered wall aluminium
- Available: Now
- Price: £929
So now you know what’s new and updated on the 2021 Lyrik and the new Debonair air spring, I’m sure you’re excited to read how they ride. So head over to our first ride review of the new Lyrik here, and don’t forget to watch our in-depth 2021 RockShox Lyrik video on Youtube (also embedded above).
Comments (5)
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Is there a price yet for the upgrade bits?
And I assume the Select and Ultimate aren’t actually both the same price at £929?
“So with you’re air pressure set correctly”
ಠ_ಠ
@mountainsofsussex a site across the pond states the upgrade bits will be $42 for the whole shaft/piston/sealhead/foot nut, ot $25 for the sealhead/foot nut combo.
@slimshady , so that means £50 here then?…
Am I the only person who feels that SRAM basically messed up the initial design of the debonair spring and are passing off the fix as an upgrade?
I think the upgrade parts should be available at cost – seems strange that one has to pay £50 (ish) to make something that might have cost nearly £1000 work properly.