Dropper seat posts?
- Thread starter Baldy
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Not many. What's the budget.
Firstly, you need to make sure you've enough room in the frame for the minimum insertion - droppers go from 100mm to about 170mm.
Internal and external routing, so check your frame.
I've a 120mm X-Fusion Hi-Lo SL that's been great for 5 years. MrsF has a Rockshox Reverb - but it's not used much.
For cheap and reliable, the Brand-X models are very good for the money. Reverbs can need re-bleeding regular (apparently). My X-Fusion is a little slow on the 'rise' but that's cause I serviced it and made sure the seals were tight - it's not a fast post.
They are great for getting out of the way to get your weight back, especially if you aren't sure of the descent. Great for gnarly stuff and getting the saddle out of the way of your privates/stomach
Firstly, you need to make sure you've enough room in the frame for the minimum insertion - droppers go from 100mm to about 170mm.
Internal and external routing, so check your frame.
I've a 120mm X-Fusion Hi-Lo SL that's been great for 5 years. MrsF has a Rockshox Reverb - but it's not used much.
For cheap and reliable, the Brand-X models are very good for the money. Reverbs can need re-bleeding regular (apparently). My X-Fusion is a little slow on the 'rise' but that's cause I serviced it and made sure the seals were tight - it's not a fast post.
They are great for getting out of the way to get your weight back, especially if you aren't sure of the descent. Great for gnarly stuff and getting the saddle out of the way of your privates/stomach
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I'd say just clean them every ride, like you'd do the suspension, and squirt silicon lube on the seals and 'bounce' / cycle up down a couple of times to remove any grit from the seals. Just factor that into end of ride clean up.
Don't leave them caked in dirt, just like you shouldn't leave suspension either.
Don't leave them caked in dirt, just like you shouldn't leave suspension either.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
PS I love mine, helps make up for technical 'in-ability'. I do use it less now than I did 4 years ago as I've got a 'bit' better.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Pitfalls -
Thay make you a lazy rider, and you don't develop the fine control and weight shifting skills, which can also benefit you on the road where you wont habe a dropper to assist.
Depending on your physiology they may provide little benefit anyway. I am long of leg and have never had the slightest diffuclty with the seat impeding me shifting around.
Extra weight for dubious gain.
Pros -
If yoy just want to ride, and don't give a sheet about actually developing your skills and technique, they can be handy.
Other less skilled MTB'ers will nod approvingly.
Until I retired from it through ill health this year I was a - non sporting - MTB skills instructor to EMS clients, and very few other instructors used droppers either.
Thay make you a lazy rider, and you don't develop the fine control and weight shifting skills, which can also benefit you on the road where you wont habe a dropper to assist.
Depending on your physiology they may provide little benefit anyway. I am long of leg and have never had the slightest diffuclty with the seat impeding me shifting around.
Extra weight for dubious gain.
Pros -
If yoy just want to ride, and don't give a sheet about actually developing your skills and technique, they can be handy.
Other less skilled MTB'ers will nod approvingly.
Until I retired from it through ill health this year I was a - non sporting - MTB skills instructor to EMS clients, and very few other instructors used droppers either.
Ridgeway
Veteran
- Location
- Lausanne, Switzerland
Still new to the MTB world but find the Levo on my bike invaluable. As fossyant says anything towards your limits on DH and it's great for easily and rapidly allowing you to move your weight backwards.
I clean mine down after use and spray a bit of PTFE onto it, actually on to a rag to avoid getting any on the discs
I clean mine down after use and spray a bit of PTFE onto it, actually on to a rag to avoid getting any on the discs
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
We were going up this, but if riding down it, you would certainly appreciate not towering over your handlebars!
marzjennings
Guru
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
As mentioned you need to make sure your frame can fit a dropper post.
I find mine very useful when I want to huck, pump, hop or jump sections of the trail. If you’re not prone to getting air time while out riding, or riding technical down hill sections I wouldn’t bother.
I find mine very useful when I want to huck, pump, hop or jump sections of the trail. If you’re not prone to getting air time while out riding, or riding technical down hill sections I wouldn’t bother.
That doesn't make a lot of sense, how does moving the seat out of the way so that you can shift your weight around make you lazy?
You might be "long of leg" what's that got to do with me, I'm not.
FishFright
More wheels than sense
Just like disk brakes , wider bars , well tuned suspension , better tyres , wider rims etc etc . It's amazing anyone is able to ride at all.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
You'll find you use them less the more skilled you get, but it's there if you stumble across a 'feature' you aren't sure about.
For example, frst time I was at Llandegla, I was using the dropper constantly. I probably use it two or three times now !
For example, frst time I was at Llandegla, I was using the dropper constantly. I probably use it two or three times now !
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
What goes around comes around. Early MTBs always had a seat QR for dropping the seatpost before tricky descents. Then XC MTBs lost it (for weight saving and to avoid scratching your lovely anodised USE post) and now it's back, with remote control.
marzjennings
Guru
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
I remember trying a spring dropper years ago, utterly useless thing.
And I disagree that a dropper post has anything to do with learning to ride technical sections or making it easier. It's about a different aspect of mountain biking and allowing a bike set up for pedaling, more XC focused, to give the rider a better platform for jumping, dropping and pumping. There was nothing on my local trails I couldn't clear before getting a dropper post, but now I have one I find myself getting a bit more air time every ride.
And I disagree that a dropper post has anything to do with learning to ride technical sections or making it easier. It's about a different aspect of mountain biking and allowing a bike set up for pedaling, more XC focused, to give the rider a better platform for jumping, dropping and pumping. There was nothing on my local trails I couldn't clear before getting a dropper post, but now I have one I find myself getting a bit more air time every ride.