The sport has evolved since the 90s. Or have you never bothered to take a look at whats going on in MBUK?

Top trollage

I lower my saddle for the same reason I don’t use a spiked metal ball as a saddle

Jeez is this still going on ….. , my mate has marin high clearance bb its like climbing aboard the deadwood stage, you f***wits are missing the point completely -dropper posts make it easier to mount and dismount without spoiling your holiday money.

committed saddle dropper here and stuff I normally speed along with the saddle down is taken slower and in less control with saddle up. With that in mind there’s stuff I wouldn’t even attempt with my saddle up, the kind of trail/line that’s on the limits of my abilities. So yeah it does affect my riding a bit.

Even stuff that’s not that technical I can ride faster without the saddle in the way, I can hunker down, lower CoG, more space to move, better weight shifting, hopping and cornering.

Currently manage with QR, really should fit a dropper post.

First decent answer for a while, thanks! So there’s someone who won’t attempt something without adjusting the saddle, obvious benefits in doing it for them. In riding, confidence is a big thing and if something can help that confidence that can only be a good thing.

I admit if I was doing an uplift type of thing where the focus was solely on a big technical downhill, I no doubt WOULD put the seat down a bit. My point is that I am trying my hardest to hone my skills and be able to ride steadily without doing it so will try to leave it alone at all times. This still means I wouldn’t use a dropper post as I rarely do that type of riding. I keep it where it is for trail centre stuff, if DH became something I did then that’s another story.

D0NK – Member
committed saddle dropper here and stuff I normally speed along with the saddle down is taken slower and in less control with saddle up. With that in mind there’s stuff I wouldn’t even attempt with my saddle up, the kind of trail/line that’s on the limits of my abilities. So yeah it does affect my riding a bit.

Even stuff that’s not that technical I can ride faster without the saddle in the way, I can hunker down, lower CoG, more space to move, better weight shifting, hopping and cornering.

Currently manage with QR, really should fit a dropper post.

First decent answer for a while, thanks! So there’s someone who won’t attempt something without adjusting the saddle, obvious benefits in doing it for them. In riding, confidence is a big thing and if something can help that confidence that can only be a good thing.

Confidence is all well and good but it won’t magically keep you on your bike once your CoG is heading past the front wheel axle – as I gather you’ve frequently found!

Caveat first of all – I have virtually non-existent technical skills.

26″
Presta
Turn bike upside down
SPDs

I would like to try a dropper but my bike has a 27.2mm seat tube and 1. I’m not changing it and 2. I’m not aware that anyone makes a reliable and affordable dropper in that size (happy to be corrected of course).

Without a dropper I just cannot get on with dropping my seatpost as I find I cannot get my feet in the clips for some reason owing to feet / brain interface malfunction, and then cannot pedal through anything so just end up flailing hopelessly before stopping on the first large obstacle.

I have nothing more to add.

I’m not changing it and 2. I’m not aware that anyone makes a reliable and affordable dropper in that size (happy to be corrected of course).

Gravity dropper.

This thread is dull dull dull dull. At least back in the days the XC vs Gnarcore use to be funny

I think we have to salute Glasgowdan for carrying on regardless here!

ononeorange – Member

2. I’m not aware that anyone makes a reliable and affordable dropper in that size (happy to be corrected of course).

The original and still the best, Gravity Dropper. Highly reliable, but because it looks like a dalek’s knob everyone buys unreliable pretty ones instead then complains when they break 😉 Juan is spot on.

Just thought I would add to the argument further by saying I have just fitted a Specialized Command Post to my bike. I used to have a ks but it went wrong a couple of years ago.

This is on a 160mm FS
26″ wheels
Flip to remove wheels
9 gears and
big discs.

I haven’t even bothered with a quick release seat clamp on my last 3 bikes, just Allen bolts.

I can’t work out if that makes me very right, or very, very wrong.

I got a dropper post and hated it. Most of my rides I have my saddle low anyway and pedal standing up a lot. Took the dropper post back to the UK and fitted it to my Patriot and thought it was great. But I don’t need one here in Sweden as I ride mostly steep technical ups and downs, rocks, roots and Sweedshore where having a seat way up high does not really help most of the time.

So I have come to the opposite conclusion to everyone else that dropper posts are for mincers who do long fire road ascents followed by techy downhills (Like I was doing in the UK, trail centres and my own creations). I only like my saddle high when going on stuff that is rather like a road otherwise both up and down it tends to get in the way.

http://www.stirlingbikeclub.org.uk/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=33&topic=8323.0

fill yer boots