Eightpins dropper post

Eurobike 2016: Eightpins Dropper Post

by 3

On show at the Syntace/Liteville booth was the new Eightpins Dropper. Imagine you set a team of engineers on redesigning dropper posts from the ground up, without any of the flaws that sometimes plague existing designs.

[fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/singletrackmag/videos/10154148842338612/” width=”650″ height=”400″ onlyvideo=”1″]
(No video showing above? Try this link instead).

The 34.9mm seat tube standard they’ve based it around makes it so chunky, that it’s sort of like an alternate reality Soviet Russian dropper post. It’s entirely mechanical, apparently using a system of interlocking pins, but has infinite adjustment like most droppers. There will be four models available, with claimed weights ranging from 430g for the 150mm travel option, up to 550g for the whopping 220mm travel version. given the total size of the post and the internal mechanism, I expected those numbers to be higher!

Calibre T3 Hardtails: High stoke, l...
Latest Singletrack Videos
Eightpins dropper post
Here it is. Photos don’t really do much justice to how burly the 34.9mm seat tube is. If I’d had a 50p on me, it’d have been in there.
Eightpins dropper post
That bolt at the back? They’re calling it Postpin. It means no more seatclamps, and no more insecurity about whether your seat is perfectly aligned with your frame. You didn’t feel that before? Well, please try not to now I’ve put the seed of it in your mind.
Eightpins dropper post
Due to pending patents, they’re being secretive about the mechanism right now, but were showing this much in cutaway. The lower part of the post bolts into place right down near the pivot or bottom bracket.
Eightpins dropper post
The seatpost collars were shown in red or black, on Liteville 301 MK14 and 601 MK14 frames.
Eightpins dropper post
Somewhere in there are the secret, not-quite-patented-yet gubbins.
Eightpins dropper post
If you want to tailor the post height exactly, you can remove the upper tube using a 4mm allen key, then cut it down with a hacksaw.
Eightpins dropper post
It has a two bolt seat clamp, and also a rotational clutch down inside the post. There was no rotational play handling it here, but apparently it will allow a little bit of saddle rotation in the event of a big impact.
Eightpins dropper post
As well as a standard seatclamp, they’re developing a version with 23mm setback clamp to compensate for seat tubes moving forward on some current enduro bikes.
Eightpins dropper post
This lower section is the part they’re saying very little about for now.
Eightpins dropper post
As well as taking a hacksaw to the upper tube, you’ll be able to internally adjust the stop point. So, for instance, if you’re riding a lot of XC and don’t need to slam the saddle all the way down, you could limit the drop to a trail position an inch or two below full height.
Eightpins dropper post
The Eightpins allows you to independently adjust max height and drop. Along with the four different length posts, they’re aiming for a range that can be precisely set up for any rider.
Eightpins dropper post
Drive side attachment point for the lower mechanism.
Eightpins dropper post
Perhaps in black?
Eightpins dropper post
Available travel lengths will be 150mm, 180mm, 200mm, and 220mm.
Eightpins dropper post
The only seatposts I’ve known feel more solid than this, aren’t droppers. As you might expect, the Eightpins will only be available OEM, at first on Liteville bikes.

Though this was shown on the Syntace/Liteville stand, the staff talking people through this post were distinct and seemed keen to stress Eightpins as a new brand. At first, it will only be available on Liteville 301 MK14 and 601 MK14 frames, from spring 2017. They wouldn’t talk about other OEM prospects. Find out more at www.eightpins.at.

David started mountain biking in the 90’s, by which he means “Ineptly jumping a Saracen Kili Racer off anything available in a nearby industrial estate”. After growing up and living in some extremely flat places, David moved to Yorkshire specifically for the mountain biking. This felt like a horrible mistake at first, because the hills are so steep, but you get used to them pretty quickly. Previously, David trifled with road and BMX, but mountain bikes always won. He’s most at peace battering down a rough trail, quietly fixing everything that does to a bike, or trying to figure out if that one click of compression damping has made things marginally better or worse. The inept jumping continues to this day.

More posts from David

Comments (3)

Leave Reply