Long story short, I’d like a 27.2mm dropper for my hardtail. Actually need a 30.8mm (yes 30.8mm) as it’s for a Giant XTC SX from way back when, but as no-one does them, and a 30.9mm really does not fit it, needs to be 27.2mm with a shim.

I would love a KS Lev 272 but even at trade or buying from EU) I can’t justify the price.

I won’t get a TMars as they are pants (read loads of reviews), so somewhere in between would be good.

Looking for experience of the X-Fusion Hi-Lo and any others people can tell me about.

Cheers.

I have a Satori/RSP one which had a lot of fore/aft play from new, but works fine if you can put up with that. Very easy to service too.

I’d be looking at getting it reamed out to 30.9mm – 0.1mm on diameter is nothing, you’d be reducing the wall thickness of the tube by half the thickness of a Coke can.
If you don’t want to do that then Gravity Dropper.

I started off with the X-Fusion one. I used it for about 2 months and swapped it for the RSP one.

The X-fusion one quickly developed lateral and vertical play. The lever was also a bit pants. The requirements for servicing were ridiculous; you needed like 50 tools.

The RSP has been great so far. It comes with a little play, but it hasn’t changed in my use. It’s far sturdier than the X-Fusion and on par with my Reverb on my other bikes. The mechanical nature of it makes it super simple to service, too; you can disassemble it without tools.

I’d have some wet and dry paper wrapped round an old seat post (obviuosly smaller that 30.8) and carefully remove the extra 0.1mm. Have to you ever tried a 30.9 in the frame?

I once had a frame reamed from 30.0 to 30.9 to fit a dropper
0.1mm is in the noise – If it doesn’t already fit Im sure you could DIY as has suggested with a bit of wet n dry

I’ve owned by X-Fusion Hi-Lo for 18 months now, apart from coming underinflated it’s be utterly reliable.

There’s a little bit of movement left-right but that’s not changed since I had it.

It’s a bit slower now than it used to be, I suspect it needs a service. If you lift the bike by the saddle without it being at full height it causes a vacuum somewhere in the guts of it which pulls oil from the damper and finally out of the seal at the top.

Service kit is about £30 from TFT and it takes about 30 mins.

After killing an RSP Plummet and a TMARS I have just bought a KS Eten with an underseat lever as I didn’t want to splash out on the remote version for the bike in question.

80 quid from Bike-discount.de

Flex hone and a reverb. Sorted.

Gravity dropper, not much to go wrong and easy to service

About four decent rides into ownership of a Thomson 27.2 dropper.

Love it although I’ve had a little bit of faff with the cable but now it’s super sweet.

I’ll be probably trying one of these new KS Crux ones. Cheaper than KS Lev but still quality.
Look in the Fresh Goods Friday 270

No droppers are without potential issues IME…

Four years with my HiLo and while I am still happy enough with it (it has needed some looking after in that time), given the choice and a similar budget now; I would probably opt for a GD instead, purely on the grounds of mechanical simplicity, and of course fitting in a 27.2mm seat tube…

Thank you lovely people, first chance I’ve had to check this post.

Yes I have tried a 30.9mm, no it did not fit, not by quite a way.

I have considered wet and dry inside the seat tube but wondered if there was a cheaper 27.2 option out there.

It would appear I am a snob though as I really don’t want a post with a gaiter, and running it without seems a bad idea stw rsp discussion, cheers anyway.

Can’t afford a Thomson either, sigh, looking like wet and dry and a 30.9 or hope for an eBay special.

I’d see if a bike shop near you has a 30.9mm reamer first and, if not, then go the flex hone route (use it with paraffin to stop the abrasive from become loaded with aluminum) – I wouldn’t be getting a 27.2mm post and faffing with shimming for the sake of 0.1mm.

And I’m back in the room!

Just done a quick search on flex hone and that looks just the job. Anyone have experience using one to ream out a seat tube, and if so which did you go for as there seems to be a fair few different types.

It is just for 0.1mm but I’d like to get it right.