Viewing 36 posts - 1 through 36 (of 36 total)
  • CrankBrothers Highline dropper – would you?
  • BigR
    Full Member

    Looking for a post as my Gravity Dropper is too long. I can get a CB Highline for 200 euros which sounds tempting if it weren’t for their previous reliability issues. It does come with a 3 year warranty…

    Brave or stupid?

    bone_idle
    Free Member

    No I would not risk it.

    CB shouldn’t make things with moving parts.

    just saying from my experience

    chocolateteapot
    Free Member

    According to this review they’ve sorted their issues – http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/seatposts/crank-brothers-highline

    No personal experience though

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    flange
    Free Member

    Apologies if this comes across as argumentative but IMO MBR reviews are normally complete tosh – like the MensHealth of the bike world. First page – 29er’s are rubbish for everything. Next page – 29ers are the future. Substitute ’29er’ with pretty much anything you like.

    I’d not touch anything Crank Bros – I’ve had their wheels, pedals and two of their droppers and all have been utter bobbins. I rank them up there with Evil in the ‘brands I wouldn’t touch’ list.

    legend
    Free Member

    That review put the post through a whole 4 months use!!!!1!

    BigR
    Full Member

    CB have a lot of ground to make up. I wish my gravity Dropper fitted as it has been bombproof. Alternatives are Brand -x ascender, £115, heavy and no longterm results or a Specialized Command Post. Reverb looks too expensive for a stealth one and I am still unconvinced about their reliability.

    Ming the Merciless
    Free Member

    CB stuff comes in a beautiful cardboard coffin for when you have to send it back under warranty. Only thing worse than CB stuff were some horrendously expensive Canfield Brothers flat pedals that lasted about 2 months of winter use.

    crimsondynamo
    Free Member

    CB shouldn’t make things with moving parts.

    I had a headset from them and the upper cup cracked! Not a moving part!

    I’ve also had Candy pedals (which disgorged its ball bearings after a month or two) and a Joplin dropper post, whose fate really doesn’t need to be elaborated upon.

    chrissyharding
    Free Member

    I ordered one from my LBS. I waited, waited and waited. After 8 weeks. I bought a brand X. Brilliant works excellently. Only 8 rides old tho.
    For £135 fitted. I am pleased. The weight isn’t noticeable to me.

    mickmcd
    Free Member

    I have 2 of them , one of which has been hammered literally into the ground, still works

    peak district mud will eventually eat the anodising and but reliability wise they have been good

    spesh post failed within two months and one reverb failed out the box

    so any post that runs for 4 months is an obvious PLUS ymmv on the RS and Spesh posts

    its replacement leaked from day one eventually it sagged and i sold the third (replacement) one for 80 quid

    from what i heard about the original CB post they would disintegrate whilst standing still

    BigR
    Full Member

    Mickmcd-that sounds promising and is keeping with a couple of longerterm reviews(about 4 months). I may be naive but I think CB have improved. The ascender is still tempting. I see there is a post on this page that confirms may bias regarding reverbs.

    mboy
    Free Member

    I’d not touch anything Crank Bros – I’ve had their wheels, pedals and two of their droppers and all have been utter bobbins. I rank them up there with Evil in the ‘brands I wouldn’t touch’ list.

    Shame… You’re missing out on Evil! 😉

    Anyway…

    Was turned off to CB some years ago, had my 4th/5th/6th pair of pedals (I can’t remember they all blur into one) fall apart prematurely, and as my knee problems had subsided (the reason I went to CB pedals in the first place) I switched back to Shimano.

    However… My friend is the UK brand manager for CB now. Still hasn’t tempted me back onto their pedals, or even to try their wheels or a few other parts, BUT… And it’s a big BUT… I’m intrigued by the Highline. If it’s as good as everyone is saying it is, and they’ve put the demons to rest from the Joplin and many other products in their range, then I want to give it a try. I’ve asked to be at the front of the queue for when a 150mm drop comes out, and will update in due course on here no doubt as to how I get on with it when it arrives.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    CrankBrothers Highline dropper – would you?

    I believe that the the stw approved phrase is “not with a ten-foot rented stunt cock”

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    one of which has been hammered literally into the ground

    why? (or are you a “newschool” user of language ?)

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    My 30 yr old multitool is still my favoured tool for long rides. They should have stuck to them!

    chestrockwell
    Full Member

    Sound about as reliable as a reverb.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    However… My friend is the UK brand manager for CB now. Still hasn’t tempted me back onto their pedals, or even to try their wheels or a few other parts, BUT… And it’s a big BUT… I’m intrigued by the Highline. If it’s as good as everyone is saying it is,

    I’ve been a long term user of the pedals and the quality and design has been improving and some big changes in the last 12 months. The post has been out testing with their pro’s for a year now. Gracia had one back in Feb that he wouldn’t let people take pics of. It sounds like they have taken some steps forward with the design on this one and the STW review was positive.

    The main thing to remember with droppers is a number fail from all brands and those people post about the failures, not many post about a few years of unbroken use.

    walleater
    Full Member

    I understand the hate (whoever came up with the Kronodog should be shot), but I’ve installed a couple on bikes, and taken one apart to see what’s going on inside (not a lot), and they’ve been fine. If one should fail, it’s a 5 minute job to swap the cartridge out which IIRC CB will be selling really cheap should the post be out of warranty. The price is ‘good’, or at least not laughable like some of the competitors. I’d be tempted if I was looking for a 125mm stealth post.

    monkeyboyjc
    Full Member

    I’ve a couple of mates who swear by the new cb dropper.
    Personally I still wouldn’t touch one.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    why? (or are you a “newschool” user of language ?)

    AltWrite.

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    I’d give it a go, FTR I have had bad experiences with their pedals as well, but that was a long time ago.

    I was also a bit of a Avid brake hater, but in fairness the new quides that came with my Capra are miles better than the XTs on my Spectral.

    BigR
    Full Member

    Thanks for all the opinions. Those that have the post , do any of you have issues with the slow return?

    richieokeefe1
    Free Member

    No dont bother ! Mine broke after only after a few months and had to be sent back to EXTRA for repair . The main cartridge failed . It wouldnt return to full extension , I got a refund .

    nickc
    Full Member

    Brave or stupid?

    Only you can decide really, but given that you’re clearly aware of their reputation, plus the cheapness of the product, plus the warranty that they’ve felt they need to provide, d’you feel like spending your own cash on their stuff?

    jamj1974
    Full Member

    I would. I’ve had minimal issues with their stuff though!

    Goldigger
    Free Member

    BigR, did you get a highline?

    BigR
    Full Member

    I took the plunge. So far all good. The return is a little slow especially compared to my gravity dropper. The Singletrack review was very useful as I had to adjust the bottom to get it to work properly. Otherwise very pleased with it so far……

    Trimix
    Free Member

    The speed of light is slow compared to a Gravity Dropper 🙂

    blackmountainsrider
    Free Member

    How are people getting on with these? I must say I’m tempted to try one.

    Thanks

    Kamakazie
    Full Member

    I’d only seen good feedback on them but there was a post in the recent thread on here that didn’t sound so promising! I’ll see if I can dig it up.

    Kamakazie
    Full Member

    Thread here.

    bedfordrd’s post near the bottom….. it’s kinda put me off.
    Not the issues so much (all parts have them) but the need to pay postage for something that’s within warranty if it can’t be done locally.

    cycl1ngjb
    Free Member

    My first ever dropper was a Joplin – it died roughly every 9 months and after the last time it was repaired (which was just before the warranty ran out) I decided it was time to replace it

    Current dropper is a KS i900 – it’s just over 5 years old now (been used pretty much all the time on 3 different bikes) – has been very reliable overall – had to service it once in that time (it got stuck down after 3 1/2 years without a service)

    Based on past experience a CB dropper would be my last choice

    BigR
    Full Member

    I have been using it for 6 months. No issues apart from the slow-ish return which you get used to. Much less wobble than my gravity dropper (not that I notice it when riding).

    Goldigger
    Free Member

    Any more feedback on these? Just had an email which has Reverb stealth 125mm for €150 (2017) tempted by that to be honest..

    fudge9202
    Free Member

    I’m on my second first one was faultless so had no hesitation putting one on the Habit but hasn’t had any riding yet, with a 3 yr warranty I’m not worried , also plenty of favourable long term reviews on internet, would certainly have it over a reverb, only other one that I had no issues with was a Thomson, but I prefer the Highline

Viewing 36 posts - 1 through 36 (of 36 total)

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