@mike XFusion HiLo works fine on my 27.2 XC bike. You dont need to buy a new frame just to make it dropper compatible.

It’s the balls I struggle with…….

Try wearing clothes…

Never used one, but having said that I’ve not bothered to drop my post since I used to go ride the jumps in the park after school, and I plan to keep it that way.

Although if you are one of the crowd that stops at the top of every decent to put your seat down, or worse, ask what height your seat should be at, then please buy a dropper because you have me looking like a bulldog licking piss off a thistle the whole way round.

Never had one and don’t feel the need for one either… But then again my rides are usually a two hour slog uphill, then a stop at the top to enjoy the view, then pull on pads and helmet and a 30 minute or longer descent.

Was out with some lads, each of them had a dropper. It didn’t make the faff any quicker.

I can shift my weight behind the saddle without my gut getting in the way…

It’s not the same. You’re a local, go and ride picnic bench with the saddle up and the saddle down and tell me it’s the same!

Hell, I even use my dropper on upper quarry trail which only has 10m of elevation change!

TBH the best thing about the dropper isn’t necessarily being able to put the saddle down. Its being able to press a button to get it back to the right height and know you have the perfect height for climbing everytime

It’s not the same.

It’s absolutely not the same. The big wins of the dropped saddle are ability to move over the bike exactly as you want, and you can truly get your weight on the pedals, or forward if you want.

A**e hanging off the back just doesn’t do it.

TBH the best thing about the dropper isn’t necessarily being able to put the saddle down. Its being able to press a button to get it back to the right height and know you have the perfect height for climbing everytime

+1000

I ride faster with the saddle in the right place for the trial I am riding. In the end those who sneer a little at those people faffing with saddle height can just do one really and get on with your own riding.

ML8_3638 by Mike Smith 79, on Flickr
Saddle at the correct height having passed heaps who were teetering down on doing the massive exaggerated seat up off the back thing.

Getting the saddle out of the way makes it easier to move your weight around, which is more fun. Not having to stop to do this means you can keep going, which is more fun. Fun is why I ride.

Having said that, I do think that dropper is a bad name. For me, it’s really more about having the saddle at the right height for climbing. Without a “dropper” I’d tend to ride with the saddle a bit lower, which puts more strain on my knees on the climbs. As I lurch towards 50 I find myself becoming quite protective of my knees 🙂

re climbing, I’ve got one on my SS which means lots of climbing out the saddle, so use it to put the saddle out of the way for those too.

It’s not the same. You’re a local, go and ride picnic bench with the saddle up and the saddle down and tell me it’s the same!

I agree that it’s different. But better? I’m not convinced.

Hell, I even use my dropper on upper quarry trail which only has 10m of elevation change!

Because you’re a girl!

Because you’re a girl!

Race you! 😛

Just think, you could kill two birds with one stone, proving droppers and single pivots are a load of shite!

I don’t see the point in one on my SS, stood up on the climbs and stood up going down, so I put the seat 3/4″ below optimum for climbing and then only sit down on the flat.

If I ride my XC bike I tend to leave the seat up as that’s what the bike is all about and if you’re racing you need to ride stuff without pratting about with your seat height.

I do need one on my Jekyll though as it’s got all the adjustment for the suspension on the bars, so it’s annoying to flick various levers and then still have to get off for the seatpost. So I’ll probably get a reverb in the near future.

I have 6 mountain bikes, so there’s no way they’re all getting one!

Race you!

Just think, you could kill two birds with one stone, proving droppers and single pivots are a load of shite!

Ha! The fact that you’d win if we swapped bikes would prove that it’s the workman, not the tools…

If I lived near proper mountains where the regular rides consisted of epic non-stop climbs followed by epic non-stop descents it would of course be a different story.

+1

Dropping your seat is just a phase you go through.

It’s a phase I’ve been going through for over twenty years now…

Ha! The fact that you’d win if we swapped bikes would prove that it’s the workman, not the tools…

Oh, but we could do some proper silly pseudo science and mix the bikes up and do multiple runs and the proclaim something definitive yet outrageous but ignore all the variables!

never in a million years would one think that!

Agreed Its 80% workman, 20% tools.. but nothing wrong in getting the best from your tool.
Doing most of my riding in the SW Pyrenees I use a under-seat lever dropper on an old 5 spot. The XC French all ride solid posts regardless of the impending descent (doom). However its noted they are far slower and more unbalanced on the steep tech and high speed twisty trails, therefore you can normally leave them for dust :).
To compare I did a long weekend with some UK mates and TP’s Ash Smith in the Alps and he was using a remote dropper, so with the the undulating flowing trails I would say its essential, especially when your being timed on your descents.
The long and short of it is, if you can make yourself more centred, balanced and lower on the fun stuff – you will ride better and you will definitely enjoy/survive the ‘OMG where did that come from! section of every big day…
That said I hate a cluttered cockpit with lots of levers and cables… but a small sacrifice for a enhanced ride, at the flick of a switch – in my opinion.

I have, my new build requires a shim for the dropper and i’m not letting myself order one until i’ve pulled the post apart and serviced it.

I must say I haven’t struggled without it, but I do miss it.

I run one on my full susser and my hardtail.

I thought it was a total gimmick when the Reverb came out 2 years ago – but now, in my opinion, its up there with disc brakes and SPDs

I’m 6ft 4″ and have always struggled with stupidly long seatposts getting in the way!

Wouldn’t be without it now on my main bikes. They’re pretty reliable now as well

Also really handy when getting the bike with wheels on in the back of the car and really, really handy when you come to stop waiting for people, and you can put your seat down and wait comfortably on the saddle

I also use a rigid SS a lot, but this does not, nor ever will, get a dropper, as its used to make me refine my riding – although i do miss the dropper!

Well today decided it for me, I’m off shopping for a reverb. I ride reasonable distances which are normally 30mins up followed by very steep descents. I also hate stopping so want to flow into the descents. £200 is a lot for a seat post, but I think the smiles might just be worth it…

Tried a Gravity Dropper on my SIR.9 last summer for a month or so, but wasn’t impressed. I can see they would come in handy on the right type of bike, for the right type of terrain, but not for the jey boy mincing I do. Plus, it seemed to make the ride quite harsh.

I’m 6ft 4″ and have always struggled with stupidly long seatposts getting in the way!

I’m 5’10 and I struggle the same with regularly sized seatposts since the relation between saddle height-inseam is probably very similar to yours. 😉

Spent a year on a cheap dropper (Forca Vario) to see what difference it makes. Even though I did mostly XC type stuff and trail centres I wouldn’t be without one now and upgraded to a Reverb a couple of months ago.

Having been Jedi’d, I still use the droppage even on the flat rides round here – anything vaguely twisty or techy and the saddle goes down.

As a shortarse with short legs, I need an easy way to get the saddle out of the way so I can keep the bike mobile and my weight in the right place on the bike.

IMHO up there with tubeless and bouncy forks that actually work in terms of tech that has transformed MTB over the last decade.

yep, for the weight, cables and extra maintenance.but I’m an xc rider. for trail riding they are a great addition!

Anyone put one on their road bike ?

Erm, why would you?