I know the tech merits of a post. Though in the Surrey hills I can get away without a dropper, though it would be helpful for descents. I do all the physio and core etc but I have a chronic back condition (suspected AS HLA). So wondering if those who use a dropper find varying post height through ride reduces fatigue on their back. I suspect it might as a change is as good as a rest etc. It might just be the excuse I need to buy some more bike bling.

I think so. I don’t see how you can have good posture when descending with a saddle at full height.

Anecdotally yes, although you could just drop the saddle by hand for a couple of rides and see how it feels before investing.

before i had a dropper post i always used to get a bad back while riding

never get a bad back while riding with dropper now , due to the variety of seating positions you get with a dropper

My post is up and down like a whores draws while out riding in the surrey hills as well – you” be surprised at how much you will use it once you get one

So definitely get one

Yes, but not so much from dropping it as from having it at the right height for climbing. Without a dropper there is a tendency to have a compromise position, a bit below ideal climbing height, which hurts my back after a while.

Thanks guys for the input. Your right dropping or raising manually has given me some insight into it helping, hence asking those who have lived with a dropper for a while, suck it and see i guess

Yes IMO, but not as much as full suss.

Having my seat too low hurts out my back and legs, too high hurts my arse.

I’d guess so, as above with a dropper you never (or rarely) go for a short climb with it down or a short descent with it up for the sake of keeping going.

One word of warning though, first time I used my a gave myself a back injury, I hit the switch, it fell and I wasn’t used/ready for it and it jarred my back.

I have found that when doing long descents on my new FS that I like to keep my weight back – the bike handles much better even if it’s not steep and the fork is less divey. But with the seat up, this position gets tiring and my back starts to hurt more after 5 mins or so of descending.

I have found that when doing long descents on my new FS that I like to keep my weight back – the bike handles much better even if it’s not steep and the fork is less divey. But with the seat up, this position gets tiring and my back starts to hurt more after 5 mins or so of descending.

I used to get that on my XC bike when using it on trails…

Yes, but not so much from dropping it as from having it at the right height for climbing. Without a dropper there is a tendency to have a compromise position, a bit below ideal climbing height, which hurts my back after a while.

I do the same…on my trail bike my dropper fully up is full on climbing and a little higher than I’d have it without a dropper but I tend to leave it an inch below unless I’m on a fire trail or climbing (i.e. flattish trails I don’t really want it down but it gives me a bit more room)

But I also think just varying it a bit is good if you have a tendency to a bad back.

You know, I’d not even thought about it before. My back pain on the bike stopped as soon as I put a dropper on it.

Can’t comment on fatigue though.

I’ve managed to end up with chronic back pain as well, and actually find that with the saddle dropped out of the way on long descents that my back pain increases until I have to slow down, pop the saddle back up and have a wee sit down to rest!

Like others have said though, having the option to vary the position keeps me moving on the bike for much longer before I have to stop and stretch my back out to relieve the worst of the pain. Co-codamol seems to be doing wonders for me at the moment as well. Way more effective than the paracetamol/ibuprofen tabs that I’ve been chucking down my throat. 🙂

Get one and give it a go. You know you want to. 😉

and actually find that with the saddle dropped out of the way on long descents that my back pain increases

How far do you drop? I go down about an inch for most things – only lower for more techie stuff which is shorter.

I tend to only drop my seat very low when it’s really needed, the sort of situations where I would have stopped and manually dropped the post in the past. Other than that I have to admit I’m quite forgetful and usually only remember to drop the seat 2-3 inches out of the way once I realise that things are starting to get a bit out of shape! 😯

The neck of the woods that I play in does tend to have a lot of quite long and techy stuff though, so I find myself up and out of the saddle quite a lot which plays havoc with my dodgy lower back. I’d like to say I get some respite on the climbs….but it’s even more painful when I’m sitting down in the same position for anything more than a few minutes!!!

I’d still say though, that with the type of back injury I have, having the dropper post allows me to stay on the bike longer and further between rest – stretchy – whimper stops because it allows me more freedom of movement on the bike.

B. 🙂

The reason I only drop it an inch or two is so that I can still sit on it for a few seconds during a longer descent without getting out of shape. Gives my back a rest.

I hardly ever even fit my dropper.

The reason I only drop it an inch or two is so that I can still sit on it for a few seconds during a longer descent without getting out of shape. Gives my back a rest.

Yep that’s exactly what I do…. mixed in with the fact “longer” descents tend to be less steep and/or have buts where you can sit and ease the stress on your back… even just 1-2 seconds seems a good break for me ….

If my seat post wasn’t infinite adjustment (I have a cheap TMARS on my XC bike sometimes) I find I don’t have the pedalling quite as high as having the option on full extension – 1″

Just lower your seat, bring the back into a more upright position and add a spacer to bring stem up. Surrey hills just use a Thompson post save the weight.

Depends where you ride some drops need your seat slammed and ass well off the back

For my money, a Thud Buster offers greater overall benefit, especially if efficiency and comfort are your goals.

But it’s not a dropper, obvs.

Something that you may have already tried; stick your arse up and your chest down, if you do yoga, the cow thing… I tend to do long rides, marathon, stage races etc, when I got more into descending (no dropper) I started to get lower back pain. Hamstring stretches help but the cow thing, better attack position (thank you Lee McCormack) helped most.

I have a dropper on the 27.5+ hardtail, not on the FS 29er bike that I use for longer rides.

Long descents on the hardtail still hammer my kidneys though…