Getting ready for the Revelations on my 2018 Turbo Levo been serviced. Is it worthwhile having the latest DebonAir C1 Air Spring Kit done at the same time. ?
Will I notice the difference or not ?

Done this to my Yari forks and it was definitly worth the upgrade small bump sensitivity is a lot better.

A mate went to the C1 in his Pike, says it’s much better. Sits a lot higher in it’s travel.

You can get the C1 upgrade for your existing spring. Also, assuming it’s got the MoCo damper, defo put a Charger 2.1 in. Yes, it’s pricey, £170 from Germany, but what a difference! Add a pot of Dynamic Seal Grease too, and you’ve basically upgraded to a Pike Ultimate for £200 all in.

(OK, not quite, its RCT3 v RC2, but it’s still great and better than the Charger in the Pike Select).

Will I notice the difference or not ?

Yes, the workshop that serviced mine advised me to take a token out and add 20PSI once I had upgraded, fork rode higher in the travel and was better on bumps after the upgrade and changes

I’m with Richard … plus seeing its the eBike maybe worth going to a RC2 (assuming you don’t care about lockout on the eBike)

Not sure as to what damper is fitted

https://trailhead.rockshox.com/en/specs/46t76358347

This is what SRAM site says, any ideas

Charger will say ‘Charger’ on the crown dial. I reckon it’s the standard MoCo on there, if you click on available upgrades it lists

00.4020.169.003

Damper Upgrade Kit – CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 Crown – PIKE/REVELATION

00.4020.169.005

Damper Upgrade Kit – CHARGER 2.1 RC2 – PIKE/REVELATION

Moco to Charger is a no brainer.

Personally, I’m wary of claims of better small bump sensitivity with the C1 upgrade. I think that’s because you just serviced the lower to fit it! From my understanding all the revised seal head does is equalize the 2 air chambers better, so you get full travel instead of it dropping 10mm or so.

There are reports out there that this change actually worsens small bump. I haven’t upgraded mine as I took that 10mm into calculation and run a 150 spring to get the 140 I want. That, with the Charger = amazeballs for me.

As Richard ….

If you are fitting a new damper anyway then I’d go for the extra incremental cost of the RC2 if I wasn’t worried about the lockout.

Add the Deb upgrade and do the seals/oil and you are pretty much on a Pike Ultimate

Moco to Charger is a no brainer.

Personally, I’m wary of claims of better small bump sensitivity with the C1 upgrade. I think that’s because you just serviced the lower to fit it! From my understanding all the revised seal head does is equalize the 2 air chambers better, so you get full travel instead of it dropping 10mm or so.

There are reports out there that this change actually worsens small bump. I haven’t upgraded mine as I took that 10mm into calculation and run a 150 spring to get the 140 I want. That, with the Charger = amazeballs for me.

I have similar misgivings and wonder how much of this change was due to “I paid for x travel”?
That said its a very cheap “upgrade” and easily reversed.

Tracey, which model/year Levo was it? I’ve a 2019 Levo with the Revelation, the fork came with a 150mm debonair damper, which I replaced with a 160mm travel unit, then they release the C1 version, so I installed the C1 upgrade kit.

Article here on the air spring upgrade. I just fitted one but having been for a razz yet so can’t tell you how much of an improvement it is but previously my forks were prone to sucking down.

https://enduro-mtb.com/en/lyrik-pike-yari-revelation-debonair-upgrade-2020/

Thing is they’re on my 29er hardtail which I use for winter / XC / dossing around on (have a 27.5 FS for heavy stuff) so I’m only concerned that my fork goes boing through its prescribed 120mm travel, so not too bothered about the Charger Damper upgrade. If it was my big bike though I’d be tempted and it looks like you can find them discounted from Germany if your fork maintenance schedule allows for potential shipping delays.

As for your current damper I’m not sure 2018 Revs came with anything other than MoCo but I could be wrong (the whole point being that better internals = Pike)

EDIT – your trailhead output is identical to mine bar serial number obvs, and travel 120 vs 150 so I’d strongly suggest it’ll be the same internals; MoCo damper and original sucky-downy airspring that requires the complete new airshaft (£37 from Biketart for me).

Yeah there were a few 18 OE Revs with Charger in. My Norco was supposed to come like that, but it didn’t.

Firstly I’d take a charger damper upgrade in those forks over an airspring one – it’ll make more difference. With your knowledge of bikes and seeing some of the stuff you ride an RC2 charger damper probably makes more sense than an Rct3 charger. It’ll keep small bump compliance but be much better at heavier / faster hits as it won’t get overwhelmed like the moco you’ve got in there at present.

It’s not obvious what airspring you have – it says debonair but if it’s a 2018 fork I’m not sure if it’ll have got the original 2019 debonair airspring with the anodised red bit. If it’s got that I probably wouldn’t bother going to the latest airspring – it’s got mixed reports. It doesn’t suck down so much but heard it’s not as good for small bump compliance. I’ve had several of the 2019 airsprings and can’t say I’ve really noticed them sucking down much into the travel (run at 170mm on a Lyrik and now 140mm on the same Lyrik).

Just to add there was a revelation charger rc – this isn’t the same as a full charger damper. It’s better than moco – but it’s not a sealed bladder damper. I think it’s got an ifp. This is now called the Pike Select I believe.

Its a 2018 Turbo Levo, is there an easy way of seeing what damper is in it

What does the lockout lever look like?

All the Charger dampers have “Charger” on the crown dial. without that it is MoCo.

Thanks looks like it a MoCo. Was only going to upgrade the air spring so now need to decide if to go the full lot

This guy’ll convince you no problem. You may as well go and get the money now.

Thanks looks like it a MoCo. Was only going to upgrade the air spring so now need to decide if to go the full lot

You could tune the MoCo some people swear by them for fettling… not sure it would end up cheaper though.

Obviously if you are going to stick in a new damper little point paying to service the current damper. It’s possibly more a Q of what you want to use the bike for. Strictly guiding/coaching or fun?

Also in terms of incremental cost and given the inherent weight of the bike I got a Lyrik Ultimate for just over £600…. chuck in the say £100 full service, potential airshaft and new damper and sell the Rev’s for a half decent price and it won’t be that far off?

DO the charger! I had that thing in and then out of my shopping basket for MONTHS before just doing it.

MoCo to 2.1 rct3 is night and day, I can’t vouch for rct3 to rc2.

Save £s of 5WT damper oil that you now don’t need to use 😀
And lowers service yourself with some Dynamic grease on the airshaft and some 0w-30 on fresh foam rings and 10ml in each leg.

Looked at the options available including new forks and selling on. I have some spare new Lyriks in the garage set at 170mm that I could sort.
I wouldn’t sell the Revelations without a service, Bike is used for everything so think I will stay at 150mm.
I recon if I get the bits from Germany its going to be around £300 plus the service for the lot or £40 for the air spring.
Part of me is saying go the full hog and the other part is saying that I didn’t even know about the charger upgrade till on here and I’ve had the best part of 2+ years of fun with what’s already fitted

Looked at the options available including new forks and selling on. I have some spare new Lyriks in the garage set at 170mm that I could sort.

I wouldn’t sell the Revelations without a service, Bike is used for everything so think I will stay at 150mm.

If you are upfront I don’t see a problem to sell with “needs service”. Someone might buy to service themselves or upgrade. Otherwise you are just going to add the cost to the used price.

I recon if I get the bits from Germany its going to be around £300 plus the service for the lot or £40 for the air spring.
Part of me is saying go the full hog and the other part is saying that I didn’t even know about the charger upgrade till on here and I’ve had the best part of 2+ years of fun with what’s already fitted

I guess ultimately its a cost / benefit thing.
My Lyrik’s on my “main bike” are buttery smooth and way ‘better’ than my original 2015 Pikes.
On the other hand my most fun lately is on the HT with the old Pikes and seeing just what it will smash down. When I meet less experienced mates I take the HT to add a bit of fun… perhaps different to doing it for a job though?

On the other hand if you want to race on it then that’s a different question I suppose.

I’ve taken the plunge and ordered the Charger 2.1 RC2 upgrade kit and the C1 Debonair Air spring kit.
Thanks for all the pointers, once its sorted I will feed back on the difference.

Dialling Tracey

I’ve taken the plunge and ordered the Charger 2.1 RC2 upgrade kit and the C1 Debonair Air spring kit.
Thanks for all the pointers, once its sorted I will feed back on the difference.

Thinking of doing similar so would welcome any feedback given you’ve done the same? Thank you

The upgrade was the right thing to do. It transformed the fork on the Turbo Levo
A too good to miss deal came up on a 2022 S Works so on impulse I bought it.
My old Turbo Levo was sold a couple of weeks ago without having to advertise it. I swapped the upgraded forks out with my eldest daughters standard Revelations so she will now benifit from them and also swapped out some of the other being stuff back to the originals.
The spare Lyriks that we sat in the garage never got fitted and I sold them for mates rates as theirs had packed in and condemned a week before their Alps trip.

I can’t get air springs or dampers for my 2021 modrl where I live. I suppose I could get family to buy them in blight and FedEx them out, paying import tax on them.

However, I just stripped them down, used good silicon grease, replaced all the oil, and they’re far better than new! Don’t beat me up anymore. Air Spring side had no lower leg oil, I couldn’t find any evidence of grease used inside, but the damper oil was clear.

Haven’t had this frustrated feeling since the RS Psylo XC problems.

I got my damper for my revelation and yari from amazon. Their prices were better than anywhere.