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Dropper posts - discuss

19K views 157 replies 93 participants last post by  Fairfaxian 
#1 ·
Ok, people who are not riding. You need to help me with an article.

Have you used a dropper post? Do you use them on all bikes, some bikes, no bikes? Are you thinking about them? What's holding you back?

For those who have experience tell me what's good and what's not.

Factors:
- dropping action and lever action
- installation ease and cable routing
- appearance and weight
- seat clamp mechanism
- maintenance and reliability

Be honest but be accurate.

I made this video and am about to make more. I just got the 2 missing KS posts and so I should have most of them now.

 
#101 ·
I think we have two good products now:
KS LEV Dropper Seatpost Review | Mountain Bike Review
RockShox Reverb Review | Mountain Bike Review

My advice (if you can afford these ridiculously expensive products) is to buy them now, get used to it and be safer and faster. They are truly incredible tools.

I would not wait for the Thompson post. It will be expensive and it will be a first effort. They are a great company and they have never produced a moving part of this complexity before.

Price will be an issue for a while. It is the hottest category right now and they will charge what folks are willing to pay, specially if the product works.

fc
 
#106 ·
Throw a leg over trail bike, and you'll get what I saying. 8in of travel stands the bike pretty tall, even when sagged, and motorcycles don't come in sizes, unlike bicycles. Google "dirt bike tiptoe" and you'll discover it's common. I may suck on a MTB, but motorcycles is something I actually have years of experience (riding, racing, wrenching, building) in :).

The time I lowered my seat was at Demo. There are some things I lean towards with bike set-up because it lends to motorcycle riding (like wide handlebars - I'm used to riding 31" wide bars from dirt bikes). And using my seat to push through a turn is something I do on my MTB. I know it sounds weird, but I like it.

I need to get my climbing in check, first, before I start messing with dropper posts.
 
#107 ·
100+ posts and no one has hated on the Kronolog yet?

I've owned a Joplin 3, demoed the Command Post Blacklight, and reverb on long bike demos, and now have the Kronolog.

The Joplin was actually a decent dropper, just had side to side play which was annoying as hell. I had the lever version and while it was light, i just didn't find myself adjusting it mid trail because I couldn't take my hands off the bars. I thought about getting the remote kit but saved the money and just did the cb upgrade to the kronolog for $170.

The Command post remote was just to damn fiddly for me requiring way to much lever force and I could never get the seat to go down when I wanted and it would pop back with ball crushing force. Granted it was a demo and I didn't adjust the psi and all that crap.

The reverb actually was a great post, but I remember thinking at the time that there was something annoying with it having to do with post return. Or maybe the sideways button? I forget but it seems to be a good option.

I've probably put 300 miles on the Kronolog so far and I really like it for the most part. I haven't had the issue others have with the post slipping all the way down for no reason. No side to side play. Easy to use remote, doesn't require too much force, up and down action that is predictable and not ball crushing. Weight is on the lighter side compared to competition, but still not light enough. The lever is nifty and has multiple angles and install routes. So now that I've said that, I'm sure it will fail on my next ride, so I'll try to fend it off by ranting about the annoying things. The seat clamp uses a t25 which is annoying as hell. Why crank brothers?! And it slips if it's not super tight. I don't have a t25 bit for my torque wrench. I am not going to buy one either. Also somewhere along the way, one of the clamps has seized onto the rail so I can't actually move the angle of the seat. Cable routing is annoying as hell. Out of the box the cable has to be installed facing forward. To have the routing come out on the back side requires you to take the post apart. I'm a medium sized guy with a medium sized blur. I have to install the post flush with the frame to use all 125mm. You will have to travel reduce it on a smaller frame. The cable also has to have lots of slack and point straight down.They claim if you don't, you are installing it improperly and it is the reason all those people had posts that self-dropped. At least it's cheap derailleur cabling and the cable doesn't move. Except that if you replace it with improper tension, the post might fail. Side note: I wish my blur had bosses for full length housing as it's a must. So now i've got extra annoying zip ties. I'm not expecting much longevity which is really sad, but hopefully when it dies CB will RMA it, do another upgrade program, or the thompson will be out and I'll be making enough money to get one.

I'm actually considering going back to just a regular post and QR for norcal riding. I found the dropper was indispensable for socal riding, but I just don't really know if it's all that useful for local trails around here. We just don't have as much gnar interspersed with our flowy single track. I was just thinking how many times did I really need to use it at skeggs today and would my ride have been that much less fun with out it in terms of weight penalty.
 
#124 ·
I found the dropper was indispensable for socal riding, but I just don't really know if it's all that useful for local trails around here. We just don't have as much gnar interspersed with our flowy single track. I was just thinking how many times did I really need to use it at skeggs today and would my ride have been that much less fun with out it in terms of weight penalty.
Okay... this was the BIGGEST factor for me. There is nothing I can't hit (or willing to walk around :p) on the trails I ride that would warrant a dropper post. I don't travel to ride - and I only ride a handful of trail systems. So, hitting the "gnar" around the country is probably something I wouldn't even do, ever.

But again, I don't even have a full suspension bike and I just recently (like a week ago) got a 10sp. cassette - and that's on my CX bike. Until this last month, the longest travel I had on any bike was 130mm. Now I have a 150mm on my 456 - and I don't even use all of that.

All my bikes are heavy'ish, steel, and cheap. I've never owned a carbon fiber mountain bike or any go fast products like that. The "raciest" item I own would be my Stan's Wheels.

I guess my point is this: I've only seriously been riding MTB's for 3 years. All the bikes I have, down to the 1986 Rockhopper Comp I mostly ride, are better than me. And then, my climbing is still back-of-mid-pack - at best.

I'm signed up for the Cat3 Clydesdale class for SeaOtter. And I'll be lucky to finish well there.

Do I need a dropper post? No. I need to be a better rider with what I have FIRST and then maybe considering something like a dropper post once I get my fitness in check. I am no where near the level of riding where a dropper post would be necessary to shave off time.

Downhill is not my issue. Uphill is. It's where I always get dropped. I don't get dropped descending unless I'm on my 1986 bike (around here).

Personally, for me... I'd be wasting my money if I were to go with a dropper post - and fooling myself thinking that a $300 upgrade would make me any better - I'm not at that level.

I guess for you guys who are at that level, it would make a difference. My overall riding needs to improve first - ESPECIALLY my climbing. I am clearly not ready for a dropper post - it will be like airbrushing six-pack abs on my belly... just faking it.
 
#112 ·
Lot od uninformed and one sided opinions in this thread. There are a lot of people who swear by seat droppers, you will see these people slam their seat all the way down on every descent no matter what the trail, you usually see these people sitting on the slammed seat, or standing off the saddle with locked legs. These are usually the guys who swear they could never ride without a dropper, even tho theyre riding incorrectly.

Then you have the xc guys who swear seat droppers are a waste and who needs em. These are the people you see either going at a snails pace way behind thier seat, barely able to hold onto the bars, dragging brakes, or are constantly going over the nars, or simply just walk their bikes down tech sections.

Seat droppers reward the roders with proper techmiques and fundamental skills, lowering it according to the trails demands, and using the extra cockpit room to squat into the bike to pump, lower cg, and to let the bike move underneath them.

So instead of spewing one sided arguments on the cons and pros of seat droppers, realize that there are many types of riding and riders and a tool like a seat dropper can be very beneficial if used in the correct manner. The best riders can ride fast with the seat up, and even faster with it down.
 
#115 ·
Seat droppers reward the roders with proper techmiques and fundamental skills, lowering it according to the trails demands, and using the extra cockpit room to squat into the bike to pump, lower cg, and to let the bike move underneath them.

So instead of spewing one sided arguments on the cons and pros of seat droppers, realize that there are many types of riding and riders and a tool like a seat dropper can be very beneficial if used in the correct manner. The best riders can ride fast with the seat up, and even faster with it down.
As stated a few posts above, dropping the saddle down is a great idea in my opinion.

What we need now, is to actually make it work in reality, and work all the time, reliably.
As long as the manufacturers keep on doing things the same way, for every "new" generation of droppers, my guess is (wild guessing here, I know) they're gonna get pretty much the same result.

Magura :)
 
#116 ·
My stealth reverb custom fitted to my mojo hd has worked flawlessly for the last 8 months or so akd show no signs of wear. No annoying cable either. I used joplins before this and i would get about a year outta them before needing rebuild. Really not that bad for a device being used hundreds of times per ride, thru slop, dust, and all conditions.
 
G
#117 ·
Originally Posted by Mr.Magura
Reliability is really hit and miss still, and it seems to continue that way for a long time.
......
Till then, not really. Too much trouble.

Magura

Wow, I'm really surprised by peoples input. Do any of you remember the first edition suspension forks...Mag 20? It was a piece of ****; Judy...not much better, I had a RST ??? with 3.5" on a hardtail in 1997. That fork was flexy, the fork action was dependent upon ambient temperature...basically garbage. It was still better than the rigid fork my bike came with; my riding improved...and I really appreciate the current forks, even with their current problems :D

I just bought a Fox DOSS; I don't have any time on it yet, and yes that lever is ugly and obtrusive. I'm having a hard time finding a location for it.

I'm thinking about the KS LEV for my girlfriends bike. She has narrow bars, because she is narrow :) She doesn't have room for an additional control on her bars. The integrated lever into the clamp on grip is ingenious. This is a must for people with narrow bars.

Happy New Year
 
#120 ·
Originally Posted by Mr.Magura
Reliability is really hit and miss still, and it seems to continue that way for a long time.
......
Till then, not really. Too much trouble.

Magura

Wow, I'm really surprised by peoples input. Do any of you remember the first edition suspension forks...Mag 20? It was a piece of ****; Judy...not much better, I had a RST ??? with 3.5" on a hardtail in 1997. That fork was flexy, the fork action was dependent upon ambient temperature...basically garbage. It was still better than the rigid fork my bike came with; my riding improved...and I really appreciate the current forks, even with their current problems :D

Happy New Year
I sure recall the first suspension forks ;)

What I also recall, is that development meant at least trying something new, in order to move forward. Each year meant a step forward. In like 5-7 years, things went from scratch to something close to what we have today.
The last 10 years, it's been small refinements for forks, nothing really ground breaking.

The dropper posts are changing marginally from year to year, but the basic issues are not dealt with.
On top of that, I find it hard to understand why all these issues are there in the first place?
Most of the technology, can be found in tried and tested solutions, either in forks, or in the industrial sector.
On top of that, I find it odd to say the least, that no frame manufacturer so far, has figured to build in a dropper system in the frame yet.
The dropper post as an "add on", is not exactly the answer to my prayers, as saddle angle is ignored. The saddle must move backward when dropped, and the nose of the saddle must move a bit upwards, to still fit the rider in that position.

Magura :)
 
#123 ·
The Thomson will likely be a good post, but there will be problems with it. Everyone thought the Reverb would be flawless, but it wasn't. The DOSS probably has its share of problems, but we'll never know since it's so damn expensive and won't get much market share.

If you want a reliable post now, go with a brand that has been building them for 5+ years (except Crank Bros).
 
#127 ·
I got one because I've gone OTB a few times and when on certain trails "close to the ocean", I hated being behind my seat as if I got jarred forward i would hit the back of the seat and making that feeling of about to OTB become a bit too real. I also hated adjusting my seat on the trail. It's not the lowering, but the raising... getting that spot just right. And yes I had marked the post with a silver pen.
 
#132 ·
I'm the only one in my main group that doesn't ride with some type of dropper. They all make a statement similar to those I've read in numerous posts here, basically "once you try one, you won't be able to live without one". My aversion at first was that I've been riding w/o one for 20+ years and done just find, I'll survive. I learned to hang my rear end off the back of the seat when necessary. I can only think of one occasion (at Bootleg Canyon) where I've had to drop my post.

I justify my opinion (in my mind at least) because every single one of the people I ride with has had multiple issues with their various seatposts....it usually won't lower fast enough or far enough or maybe they get it down but it doesn't come back up. I can't and won't deal with that nonsense, especially for somethingthat costs $300-400. Even if they worked flawlessly, I'm not sure I want to spend $300+ to add another pound to my bike when I'm usually spending money to take weight OFF my bike :)
 
#133 ·
Not all that tempted. I'd rather put the money towards upgraded rims. I've learned to live with one seat height. Most all people I see with droppers are less confident descenders than I am. I think its kinda like a life vest, great in a pool for those who can't swim -- not worth the bulk or expense for those that can.
 
#134 ·
I should note that the Crank Brother's lever is quite dangerous. It made a 1" long, 1/5" deep gas in my left leg when I crashed the bike. The lever acted like a scoop digging the meat out of my shin. Not a lot of fun and took a long time to heal.

In contrast, the Reverb lever is blunt and more likely to snap before doing serious damage.
 
G
#135 ·
I should note that the Crank Brother's lever is quite dangerous. It made a 1" long, 1/5" deep gas in my left leg when I crashed the bike. The lever acted like a scoop digging the meat out of my shin. Not a lot of fun and took a long time to heal.

In contrast, the Reverb lever is blunt and more likely to snap before doing serious damage.
I think crashing your bike is more the issue here. It doesn't matter what lever you have, if you don't crash :D
 
#136 ·
I have been riding a Gravity Dropper since '06. I did break the upper tube way in the back country of Downieville in '07, on upper Empire Creek, & riding out without a seat was a bit of a pain. GD replaced it quickly for free and it has been totally trouble free since, as the upper tubes were redesigned.

My once a year service is to pull the top tube & install new plastic shims in the top tube, re-grease and install a new cable. That's it & I am good for another year.

Sure, I would like to try a post with infinite adjustment. But until one is available with somewhat near the reliability of a GD, there is no way that I'm throwing my hard earned down.
 
#137 ·
Joplin 4 R user here. It was flawless for about a year. Then just a month ago it started leaking air out of the actuator. Sure the CB warranty is great BUT I don't have the receipt anymore and the shop I bought it from went out of business, so I'm SOL.
If I lift the seat it locks and works fine, but with no air, it will not rise with the push of the remote. So I turned it into a lever actuated.
My options are: Pay CB $50 to replace a $0.10 seal; bin it and get a rigid post; or ride AS IS and wait til something better comes along.
I'm opting for getting a rigid as I never really used it anyways on the trails here (MN).

:madman:
 
#139 ·
I have used a Reverb but find that it doesn't get nearly enough use to justify the cost (weight, mainly) and it is never 100% firm. This is probably since I don't do as much riding that requires a "behind-the-seat" maneuver.

I removed it from my Trance and no longer need one. I can ride all the local trails and stuff like Downieville without any need to drop the post. Most important I like having the knowledge that my seat will be in one place at all times and it also allows me to rest/sit on it easier and spin without being out of position or dropping and lifting it all the time.
 
#140 ·
Dropper is not about "behind the seat maneuvers". Its about NOT having to be behind the seat while maneuvering.

You see, if one was used to always riding with the seat up, they have developed the feel of not having much room to move around in the cockpit. Used to being stiff leg, or having to stick their ass way back to get knee movement. Typically also used to the slower speeds that you go when you are forced to ride like this. Now give this rider a seat dropper, and when they lower it they have no idea what to do with all this extra room, it feels foreign, unecessary, and actually worse! Mainly because they do not know how to pump, at all, with their legs, and are not used to using their core muscles to balance, while pumping with their legs and arms. Totally foreign concepts, they want their seat back, their comfort zone, their seat which gives them stability.

Now give this same rider a dirt jump bike, take them to a mellow dirt jump park, and tell them to go pump some rollers (not even jumping) try a small manual, or do any kind of "maneuvering" and watch how fast they will be trying to drop their seat.
 
#141 ·
When I had a rigid post and I needed to get behind the seat, I find that I had more control. Then when I got my Joplin and it was working, when I lowered it to get behind the seat, I felt like I had less control because there wasn't a seat there for my thighs to grab onto. I'm sure its just the way I ride and the trails I ride on.
 
#142 · (Edited)
It basically comes down to this:

You do not need a seat dropper for XC riding. If you are a XC rider, just realize that a seat dropper likely isn't for you, all it will do is make your bike heavier, more unreliable, and will feel awkward when you no longer have the seat there for stability. But it is a very viable tool when getting into trail and especially all mountain riding. Understand that for many, many riders, flowing through the woods, and having fun on the downhills is as equal or more important than a cardio workout and getting to the top of the hill faster, and it is in fact, more fun, faster AND safer when the seat is out of the way, if you know how to work with the bike, not just sit on top of it.

If you are a Trail/All Mountain rider, a seat dropper is as important as a suspension fork. However, realize that they are not the holy grail of all riding. They are not necessary on xc rigs, cyclocross, or road bikes. If you feel you need one on a bike that does mostly pedaling, and you have no idea how to ride any kind of downhill without one. You sorely need to brush up your fundamentals and skills, you have become way too accustomed to having the seat out of the way, and are likely a one trick pony.
 
#143 ·
I love dropper posts. It's not just for going downhill either. I use it just as much on fast flowing trails and technical uphill rocky sections. For me having the seat out of the way allows me all the room I need to move the bike around under me. I feel the dropper lets me ride faster safer. I do use a rigid post on my 29er hardtail, but on my Ibis hd it is a must have.
 
#146 ·
I'm sure a lot of this depends on where you ride. In Marin, there are quite a few trails that exceed 30 degree grades, others are around 40. Degrees, maybe more. I can't imagine riding some of these without dropping the seat post at least 3-4 inches from climbing position.
 
#147 · (Edited)
You should try it with the seat up for fun. Youve likely forgotton how to highpost. Seat dropper has got u lazy. If you push your hips back(not your butt) ajd put your chest on the seat its much easier. (yeah I know, its not "that" fun, lol)

Long travel, slack headtubes, seat droppers and etc all make it easier to stay neutral in tye bike while descending to give you more control so you can go faster safer.
 
#148 ·
My wife and I demoed Giants with the Giant dropper post at Kernville for a long weekend, and have a lot of experience with them. Honestly, we despised the mech aspect because the actuation was extremely hard to push the lever with the thumb. It worked well though. I would have thought the demo fleet would have special care made on these newly released devices. I wanted to like it. But there was something consistently wrong with the cable pull. Everyone who demoed them seemed to comment about that.

Wife has a GD Turbo and loves it for at least three years now. I had a Joplin but it was crap, and crapped out in less than 2 months. I sold the carcass.

I'm getting a GD Turbo. I hate the cable routing on it though.
 
#150 ·
I haven't bought a dropper post yet. Main points that hold me back from making a purchase are :

1. reliability vs cost - They don't seem to last that long and cost $$$$$. I thrash my bike and am not made out of money. I don't put parts on my bikes that are prone to failure/ have short life spans - especially if they cost $$$$$

2. Not enough drop / rise. - I'm 6'4" and not only do I ride XC regularly, I also like to man up and jump my bike / get rowdy. If I am going to spend $300.00 + on a dropping seat post it better be able to slam down low enough to really allow me to get my groove on. For me thats at least 150mm of movement. With the current offerings its either not going to raise high enough or drop low enough depending on where I set the post in my frame.

Until something else comes out I would rather just keep riding around a tall seat, been doing it for years. Having typed all this, I may consider the Thomson post once the reviews come back with the yay / nay. :p
 
#151 ·
1. I bought a i950r 2 - 3 years ago and ride several times a week, havent spent a dime on it except for slick honey to service it.

2. Im 6'4" (240#) and the 125mm drop has worked well for me although yes, the 150mm would be better and they are available now.

The problem is with my non dropper I set it super low for steep or jumps, then I need to stop again to raise it slighty so im not totally slammed, then stop again to raise if fully...etc, kinda mess's with your rythm, although no big...

Nothing wrong with a non-dropper I did it for many years and still do it on my backup bike. I think the majority of people out there don't have problems. Many people run to a forum to bad mouth or complain about a product as soon as they have a glitch.

I'm not riding through daisy fields either and mines been awesome......someone mentioned it for a road bike and I think thats smart but the weight needs to come down, less travel needed. I hate high posting my road bike coming down the fast twisties..
 
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