[Rhubarb]

Hate to ask but I havent found any information with specific details on how to drop the travel on the new Solo Air. I know you are required to replace the base plate assembly with specific travel choice but I have heard it is possible to mode the original unit. Modifying is not revearsable I have heard but I am not concerned about this as 170mm is not ideal on my 150mm rig. I am looking to drop from 170mm to 160mm.
What I am mostly concerned about is getting it wrong and screwing up the equalisation done by the shraeder valve etc.

 

[al-irl]

unfortunatly you have to change the whole solo air internals, its a bit of a pain in the ass as its quite expensive for the parts. Very easy to do but it really pissed me off having to shell out another €200 for a new air spring assembly for my new bike just to drop the travel 10mm.

 

[dump]

€200 for 10mm in the fork? You gotta be joking. Once you account for sag, what's the noticeable difference between 170mm and 160mm?

 

[Rhubarb]

The extra 10mm would'nt bother me on a normal given day but the bike is designed around a 150mm fork but can accept a 160. With a Hans Damph up front it feels like I am tweaking the ego a little more that I would like.
I was pissed when I found out I needed a new kit and how much it cost. I did hear you could mod the assembly but it wasn't reversible. If I don't like the fork at 160mm I will through a coil spring in it and use it on another bike. Really tempted by the new Pike.

 

[dan-o]

I was told the plastic all-travel spacers are all I needed to drop my lyric from 170-160.
Not sure if that changes axle/crown distance or not.
I just run more sag, the compression/rebound adjusters work well enough that I could dial things in that way without opening up the fork.

 

[wood booger]

Yeah, pretty sure you just add a spacer under the negative piston in solo air assembly to reduce travel. I have heard of folks going down to 150mm without any issues, less than that and air springs starts feeling "weird".

I have 2011 solo air lyric and believe 2012 is the same. If it is set at 170mm there is no spacer. Get some 10mm spacers from SRAM and get busy!

 

[Rhubarb]

Dan-o and WB - this the prvious incarnation of solo air, unfortunately. The new solo air does not use the plastic spacers but requires a complete part change. I am looking for the mod since I cant swallow the bitter pill of a pricey piece of plastic. I have been away from home for 5 months but back next week. I can open up the fork again and see what I can do about this lame ass design.

 

[al-irl]

I tried popping in an all travel spacer and it seemed to work ok until i rode it a little and the fork would pack down. The air was leaking from the positive to negative chamber as a result. I was having trouble getting to lift the front end of the bike up tried different bar heights etc and none of them worked. Lowered the forks 10mm and it just felt so much better. Was an expensive change but it transformed the bike for me so just about worth the expense