Suspension school · Brand-Specific Technology

RockShox Air Springs: DebonAir to the 2027 Rethink

Why a 2027 Zeb needs far more pressure than the fork it replaces

RockShox has revised its air springs repeatedly, and the changes matter because each generation wants different pressures for the same rider. The 2027 forks broke with old habits entirely, so this is worth reading before you pump a new fork to your old number.

DebonAir

DebonAir enlarged the negative chamber, the spring that pushes back against the main chamber at the top of the stroke, and let the two self-equalise through a transfer dimple as the fork cycles. The result was a noticeably suppler initial stroke than the Solo Air design it replaced.

The 2021 Update

The C1 revision announced in 2020 moved the seal head and foot nut up by around 10mm and slightly reduced the negative chamber. The point was ride height: earlier DebonAir forks settled too deeply into their travel, and the update makes the fork sit higher with more mid-stroke support for the same sag.

DebonAir+ (Model Year 2023)

DebonAir+ arrived with the Charger 3 forks: a refined spring curve that is softer off the top with more mid-stroke support, a revised equalisation dimple and top-out bumper, and ButterCups at the shaft bases. If you have a 2023 to 2025 Pike, Lyrik or Zeb, this is your spring.

The 2027 Zeb and Lyrik: A Much Bigger Spring

In April 2026 RockShox released new Zeb and Lyrik models branded model year 2027, with a self-contained twin-tube air spring of much larger volume and a far more linear curve. Larger volume means less self-ramping, and that changes the pressures completely.

• Expect much higher numbers: a rider around 75kg who ran roughly 83psi in the previous Lyrik runs around 130psi in the 2027 fork
• The 2027 Zeb typically needs 60 to 80psi more than before, with a 300psi maximum
• Never copy pressures from an older fork or from a mate's previous-generation settings
• Set sag properly and use Trailhead or the calculator for the correct starting pressure

Because the spring is more linear, bottom-out control moved to a dedicated adjuster. ABO (adjustable bottom-out) gives 8 clicks via a 5mm hex, controlling roughly the final 7 to 17mm of travel, so you can add end-stroke resistance directly instead of reaching for volume spacers first.

The 2027 chassis is also stiffer and slightly heavier, the damper is the retuned Charger 3.2 and ButterCups remain. The Pike was not part of this launch, so as of mid-2026 a current Pike still uses the previous-generation spring and pressures.

What This Means for Setup

• Identify your spring generation before trusting any pressure chart
• Sag remains the anchor: set it first, then fine-tune pressure by feel
• A high number on the gauge is not a fault on 2027 forks, it is the design
• After any spring change or service, re-check sag rather than refilling to a remembered figure