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Reconsidering my approach to saddle height/dropper posts

3K views 24 replies 21 participants last post by  NordieBoy 
#1 ·
I run a dropper on my geared FS bike and can't imagine descending without it. On my SS, however, I've just left the saddle all the way down because there's not much flat where I ride-I'm pretty much always standing to climb or descend. But today, for some reason, I found my legs getting fried in the transitional parts of the trail, the places where I'm not fully coasting, but I'm not fully mashing, either. So I raised my post temporarily, and I remembered how good it can feel to spin seated on sections of trail requiring moderate effort. My legs needed a break from using the same muscles and the same standing posture the whole time, and I liked the feeling of spinning instead of laying down a few pedal strokes, coasting, and then laying a few more strokes, all while standing.

Anyway, I'm reconsidering my decision to forego a dropper on SS. Does anyone else identify with the different muscle groups thing on climbs? Granted, my legs were a little tired today, but I've felt the need for switching up muscles on my other SS rides.

For reference, here's the ride I'm talking about.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1830707784
 
#3 ·
I held out for as long as I could, but now have a dropper on both of my bikes (both singlespeeds).

Earlier this year, I found that my Race Face dropper was clicking (I hate Race Face products). I decided to get a nice rigid post and the sound went away. However, any sort of faster paced riding was unstable and felt very sketchy with my post flapping in the breeze. Forget trying to get airborne on the bike.

So I got a different dropper for it.

At this point, I don't see myself riding without a dropper again. I hate myself for it, but it's just how it is.

It's funny though, because I considered doing the same thing that you've done with a rigid post: just leaving it down and riding that way. But when I have days like I had yesterday where standing to pedal isn't working out because my legs are hamburger, I'm extremely glad that I didn't go that route.
 
#4 ·
I'm headed that way, too. After having a dropper on my FS bike for a few years, I put one on my hardtail SS a few days ago. After I see how well I like this one(it's an IRD--fairly inexpensive mechanical, possibly made by TMARS), I'm sure I'll be getting a dropper for my rigid SS.
 
#5 ·
People Brown Photograph White Facial hair


LOL (and props to life behind bars for the graphic hahaha).

I don't own a dropper for my FS or HT and am one of those crusher sorts on the SS when riding with geared folks. The Strava ride in your link has a healthy bit 'o climb so I could see it for some applications but not for my level of SStoopidity on bikes :D

I run carbon posts on both my SS MTB's and tricky (Morgaw) saddles with shock absorbers hidden where the rails connect.
 
#6 ·
I run this: https://www.amazon.com/ExaForm-Speed-Height-Adjust-Seatpost/dp/B071R1LNW8/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1536587011&sr=1-1&keywords=ExaForm+Speed+Up+30.9+200

Super simple, no non-brake levers on the bars (biggest positive IMO), tons of drop (different lengths available), and easier to operate while riding than you'd think.

I love it for those flatter sections of trail or riding the road to the trail. Otherwise, it's always dropped. I think it's the perfect "dropper" for SS.

Bicycle tire Bicycle frame Tire Bicycle wheel Wheel
 
#8 ·
I am still holding out from putting a dropper on my SS's but mainly b/c of the weight penalty (I know, I know...). However that being said I want a dropper for climbing real technical sections and the slow speed tech trials style riding that I attempt. I know it would be an improvement, just which they were not so damn heavy...
 
#9 ·
My very good friend that works at the bike shop told me "If you get a dropper post, be ready to spend that amount on each bike". Very good advice. I have been using a dropper post on all bikes for 5 years now. I was a late adopter to dropper posts. Never looked back.
 
#10 ·
I have a dropper on my SS, but I also ride a number of different trails that vary considerably in length and terrain. Some trails, literally never touch the dropper remote and ride with the saddle up the whole time. Others....this last year I have been riding with friends nearly every Sunday mourning on a very steep, rocky and technical trail. This place was actually my whole reason for considering a dropper. I do tend to leave the saddle dropped through long stretches and I most definitely feel that fried feeling you describe. About half way through, there is a long smooth section, that I take advantage of to raise the saddle to sit and spin. It really does give the legs a break and I can also go much faster when spinning. Once through there, there is some crazy climbing through some tight, rocky sections and that little bit of a break before hand makes all the difference in the world.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I bought a dropper a few months ago and only used it a few times. Then I put my Thomson back on. I ride the same trails at the same speed (or faster) than many riders who insist that you need to have "at least" 5 inches of travel on your FS bike with a 10-50 tooth cassette, and not using a dropper is suddenly "dangerous." Whatever.

I do not happen to be particularly badass on the bike, I just don't allow myself to be limited in that way.

I run my saddle a little lower (measured to BB, only 1cm or so) than I have my CX/ road bike to make it easier to manuever around it, get behind it, etc. I would not recommend riding at "dropped" level full time, but try it once. Chances are, your legs and lower back are going to be screaming at you after a few miles. You rely on a full-height saddle more than you might think. It's hard to find a saddle that fits you and is also narrow enough to get out of the way.

I'll probably put the dropper back on eventually but I am taking the Amish approach to the thing for now.
 
#12 ·
I personally feel like a dropper post is a must-have. I could ride without, but why would I want to?

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I was a long-time hold out as well. I loved having a dropper on my FS bike years ago, but convinced myself "there was no point" on a hard tail. I borrowed a friend's bike after he put a dropper on his SS, and *FOR ME* it was a game-changer in a different, but equally important way than on the FS. Due to my bike having a 27.2 seat tube, I'm limited to only a few choices, so my PNW components post is only 100mm of drop, it's still 1000% worth it.

I've even ridden my bike setup rigid, the dropper stays on.

(my apologies for the potato-quality pics.)
 

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#13 ·
If anything, a dropper makes even more sense to me on a SS bike than a geared one. SS has you out of the saddle a lot more. Pumping the trail, cornering, technical climbing, obstacles-maintaining momentum's always important, but especially when you don't have easier gears to fall back on.
It's starting to change a bit(online, anyway), as everything seems to be getting a bit slacker, but the bikes people typically ride SS tend to be steeper and more "XC" oriented. After owning bikes with 69.2, 68, and 66.5* HTAs, I find that, while I've used the dropper a lot with all of them, it was of more value for quick descents on the steeper HT. With a slacker bike, I may do it for the sake of handling in fast, twisty stuff, but often don't bother dropping the saddle in places that doing so made me feel safer when pointing down on the steeper one.
 
#16 ·
I really want to like my dropper, but I have to constantly deal with the voice in the back of my head that says, "not if, but when, this thing stops working, you'll be screwed." I have one mountain bike and a budget that I stretch pretty thin to make it nice. if I come to rely on the dropper for my riding style, putting a rigid post back on is going to suck when my expensive dropper post fails. I have to laugh at how many people ride the same trails on a rigid post and rigid fork, only to hear people say that a dropper post is a "safety necessity" for this or that trails. what a bunch of wussies we've become!

just don't let it become such a crutch that you can't live without out.
 
#18 ·
if you ask some riders where I live, a dropper is an absolute necessity for every little bump on the trail. I see riders fussing around with their seat height constantly while I just ride the same features with a comparable amount of grace with a rigid post.

so the necessity of a dropper is partly a function of your trails and partly a function of what you can do. I can see how some trails make it more critical than others, but that's still subjective to some degree. chances are, I am just going to walk the kind of feature that a skilled rider would not touch without their seat dropped, no matter how low my seat is.
 
#19 ·
I put a dropper on my Pivot Les SS this spring. I loved the look of the bike with just a carbon post, but the bike with a dropper is just more fun. Subjective I know. I tell folks I may not go any faster, but I'm in more control at the same speed or faster. Couple that in with many of my local trails are putting in more jumps and tables and I just don't see it going away any time soon. Well worth the one pound hit and if it breaks, well, that is why I have other bikes :)
 
#21 ·
Since this has turned in to a 'To dropper or not' thread, I'll jump in!

I'm totally with mack_turtle on this one. I still ride all of my local techy trails without a dropper and my seat at full height without issues, while everybody else claims they need a dropper. I never find the seat in the way when I'm climbing out of the saddle or riding through techy chunk.

I can't understand riding a SS(or any bike for that matter) with the seat permanently slammed, that would get old really quick!
 
#22 ·
I have a dropper on my Fuel, but I'm not really finding much value in it. Most of our trails don't have downhills of any sustained length (central Ohio), and after riding for 25+ years, I'm just very used to getting behind the saddle when the going gets steep. I'll probably just sell the dropper when I sell the frame, and not miss it.
 
#24 ·
I just put a dropper on my Fat Bike. The standover and wheel size was overwhelm me when I got in to really technical terrain. Had my SS out yesterday, seat at the normal full extension, and never felt the need to lower it. Time will tell, but I would not remove the dropper from my Fat, but don't feel I need on on the SS...
 
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