Am considering putting a dropper post on my trail bike. Just after some opinions on whether its worth the extra going for the remote lever type. I prefer the thought of keeping things tidy and not having an extra cable about the place. Also my frame collects water a bit, so have to take my regular post out after pretty much every ride to get rid of the water, so was wondering whether this is a problem with a cabled in post. On the plus side having the remote would mean hands on the bars at all times. Would like some opinions on whats the pluses and minus are from users. Cheers, cant really afford a Reverb so was thinking of either a KS dropzone or a Joplin

Definitely remote.

+1 remote

+2 remote 🙂

Remote, definitely. You’ll have to do something cunning with the cable clips/routing to get the post out easily post-ride.

I opted for the non-remote version….

Wish I’d paid the extra ~£25 now.

Its much less faff than a QR with a post lever. but the benefits of having a bar mounted lever are evident on your first ride when approaching something where a dropped seat would be good and your riding at it fumbling with a lever in the bollock area….

stump up the extra if you can

Remote is definitely better most of the time, but have a look at the X-fusion Hilo – you get both kits and it’s pretty easy to swap to and fro.

on the other point you brought up, if your frame holds water badly then i suggest drilling a small hole in the bb shell to let it out, it wont weaken it so dont worry about that but will save your frame if its steel and make your BB’s last a lot longer

Remote. My GD started out as a non-remote (Descender) and basically it just served to make it obvious how useful it’d be, if it only had a bloody remote. Not totally useless, but pretty frustrating. You can drop it while riding when things are smooth and simple but the thing is, more often than not, when I want the post down in a hurry I definately don’t want to be taking my hands off the bars!

Definitely remote, any oh my god moments you can press and drop your body weight down and back, done it many times 😀

Remote

Remote Defo……!!!!!!!!

Keep them hands on the bars,lol

I’m not saying remote wouldn’t have an additional benefit but I’m happy with the lever version on the basis that the main benefit, regardless of remote or lever, is just having a dropper post that saves you the hassle over messing with a QR/standard seatpost. Furthermore, I would say the majority of the time you know the trails you’re riding so know when to put the post down anyway. If it’s a new trail you’ll probably just pop it down at the trail head and keep it down.

Remote, otherwise you are losing a lot of the point of an uppy-downy post. When you have an ‘OMG that’s steep moment!’ do you A.Drop your seatpost, B.Take one hand off the bars? Mine come off the bike without any bother. You need to drop the saddle and it’s still joined by the cable but it means it fits in the car easily.

Remote…

I wouldn’t use it half as much I don’t think. Drop of a few rocks… Keep momentum… Saddle back up, then drop down in seconds for the next few drops. If i had ti search for an awkward i wouldnt bother or would have to stop half the time.

Got a reverb and its awesome.

ride your bike everytime you want to lower your post grab your crotch Michael Jackson style – easy isnt it.

Remote – lever is ok for familiar trails but not much more convenient than QR tbh

+1 for remote.

Just leave a little extra cable to give you room to get it out of the frame.

I use an old toe strap to hold it to the frame when it’s not in the seatpost.

APF

Defo remote.

Neither.
Well someone had to say it.

Remote. Adjusting the post becomes as much part of your riding as shifting gears. Lever ones are just an expensive QR.

I’ve found the KS one very reliable.

I’ve just got a ks remote & soooo glad I did’nt get the lever.

very very impressed (but only done one ride at present)

Its fairly unanimous in favour of the remote. Now for some bargain hunting

Well I’ve done the remote and nothing but problems with it. Running the KS950 and just found that it gummed up to a point of which it wasnt reliable.

Went back to the normal lever and it’s fine now.

Post is still shite though.

Post is still shite though.

I love uppy downy seatpost threads 😀

not long purchased the joplin 4 with remote…..brill….use it all the time….quick thumb press and its back up ready for the next uphill section and no need to search round for the lever 8)

KS remote cable easily unclips from the seapost to allow you to remove the post

use something like this for frame guides…
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=19014
only need two – but place them further in along the top tube than normal cable stops – so you dont get a loop of cable in between, and it doesnt catch on the frame
also replace the sticky pads from those with some of this stuff…
http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=672288

example routing here…

Started with the lever version thought it was great, bought the remote – my word what an improvement

Remote.

As for cost, I just ordered a reverb from Hibike (germany) – came in at £197 inc delivery. Helps justify getting the post that Singeltrack mag recommended….

+1 on the M-Part guides, they work well.