i'm not looking to start a fight about how much they cost, which one is best, which one has more play in it, seals bursting, air-pressures and import tax blah blah blahhh
what i'm interested in is has it transformed your riding? do you feel the cost was worth it? 
stay classy Singletrack x
and not to open up the "I can ride world cup DH with my seat post right up"
Yes means I can ride faster/harder along more of the trails I ride. Makes me more likely to do a longer ride without stopping etc.
Great invention
I wouldn't say transformed (because i'm not a journalist) but I do use it quite a bit.
I bought a cheap Joplin from CRC and it doesn't have much play and works fine. One problem I have had is that I wanted to swap bars so went to undo the screw holding the lever clamp on and it wouldnt loosen. The nut bit is just press fit in the back of the mount and it has come loose, meaning that when I try to undo it, it just spins. Very annoying and in order to remove it I had to damage the clamp. Even more annoying was when CRC said, without even seeing it, that it was because I'd cross threaded it in the first place. This isn't the case, it's just bad design.
So if you want cheap to try out if it suits you, buy a sale Joplin 3, but if you want good quality workmanship look elsewhere.
+1 mikewsmith, they just need to sort out reliability and servicing issues.
'Transformed' no - but it has made some sections more fun. I was one of the 'never drop' luddites until recently but not any more. Sometimes just dropping an inch is all thats needed and it was'nt the dropping that was a pain but getting it back to the right height after was - the reverb rocks - so much so I have 2 now 
When I was a nipper, I used to take spanners with me so I could drop the sofa on my Grifter.
If I didn't, I would be up-ended and booted up the arse by the seat.
It was also a nightmare pedaling the beast with it down, it weighed as much as me!
Always thought they'd come up with a saddle dropper, like an office chair.
This has stayed with me regardless of various , adjustable geometry this/that on different bikes, and I wouldn't want to keep getting off to adjust saddle height to suit the terrain.
The best inventions are born out of necessity.
My Command post is really good.
I guess so, not stopping at the top of a steep drop is very convenient, keeping a constant flow is more enjoyable, my local trails are very varied so perfect for adjustable post. I'm getting a bit of play and clamp creak on the reverb, I think I've done it up too tight or not used friction paste. My bar setup still doesn't feel 100% right yet - more tweaking at the w/e.
Around here (Dalby) we wouldn't ride without them. Fast flowing trails are much more fun if you are not being pitched forward by your saddle. They are expensive, but we see them as essential. More essential than fancy wheels or expensive groupsets, that's for sure.
It transformed my riding; I don't have to stop at the top and then again at the bottom of every techie bit while other people mess with seat heights.
It's good to see, in the first few posts at least, that people are acknowledging the benefit as being less about being able to move your weight further back and more about being able to lower and centre your weight on the bike.
I always used to drop my post for anything other than climbing, so while it hasn't transformed my riding style (because my routinely dropping the post started a long time ago), it has made life so much easier and riding a lot more enjoyable as a result.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzZkKE9Z35g
Above, high speed mixed with high seatposts. Very entertaining.
Massive difference for me, having long legs and a short body gives me a pretty high centre of gravity, not much fun on steep descents. I like the saddle out of the way for anything technical, it makes riding undulating trails so much more enjoyable.
Gravity dropper with remote for me, has been fine for 18 months so far.
There is some play if you wiggle the seat around with your hand, but I never do that whilst riding. 
Defo go for the remote option!
I certainly wouldn't say they are indispensible, bit like rear suspension, but I much prefer riding with them...if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.
Definitely miss my Joplins given both are currently bust.
I drop my post all the way for anything other then up -
Having never tried one, is there enough range for dropping really low and then having reasonably high, as I ride a small frame where I need quite abit of post sticking out for climbing? but also like my saddle right out the way
IE - is there enough range?
i thought it did - but in hindsight it didnt...
it made things easier ie, quick drop on the remote and awayyyy the lads descending made easier....but i got lazy and ended up using it for everything other than climbing on sections that really didnt require it....almost felt like i was throwing a trials/skills bike down stuff sometimes....i had a few problems with my GD (and the fact it was ugly as hell)....it spoiled two huge rides for me also, when i was in the middle of a 40miler literally half way it packed up....sorted it out and it did the bloody same 3 weeks later on the same ride 
...i lost faith after that and sold it!
ive since gone back to proper seatpost and 9/10ths of the ride up the peaks im not having to drop it on sections i would automatically have done so...there are certain areas where it would be deadly not to drop, so i do still do so for them, but they are not miles and miles of descent, usually tricky techincal super steep bits...it takes a few moments do stop and undo QR and stick back up after...
they are a great idea and in certain areas of the world they would be fantastic from start to finish on rides, but for me its a load extra weight, lack of reliability etc that made me go back to a good old alloy one...
if i had 100% faith in them and money no object then id probably get one and keep it to one side for certain rides...but as a constant ride i dont need one....
i do like the look of the rockshox one but hearing so many bad things now about them, i thought that would be the one that ended all reliability issues but clearly not.....
Never needed one on my full bouncer but moving back to an agressive hardtail... yes... to ride trails fast I think it's brilliant.
Transformed my riding... no. There is always stopping and using the QR.
Reverb - fitted perfectly, no faf, no problems.
Use it all the time (except on the commute to work)
Improves my "flow" on the trail
Improves my ability on techy / jumpy / bermy / nadgery stuff
Improves my speed
Improves my confidence
Yup, that pretty much a transformation then.
I dont have one but but I'm constantly apologizing to my dropper friends about having to stop whilst I put mine back up.
IE - is there enough range?
I had a KS i900 with a 5 inch drop, now I've got a GD which is 4 inch. I like the GD a lot but I do sometimes wish it had the 5 inch drop.
I think if you like to ride reasonably aggressively they are a fantastic invention. Probably the best thing I've bought fort bike, despite the cost/reliability issues.
It means my legs don't hurt so much and I'm a bit quicker uphill because I can put the saddle up for those bits.
grum - thats my worry, I think I need about 6 inches 
also not made in 27.2 which would fit my Kobe.
Can't see me needing one on the Remedy as only ride that on big mountain days out when its a long climb then a long descent.
it was'nt the dropping that was a pain but getting it back to the right height after wa
Just what I was going to say.
The most useful function for me is raising the seat for a climb - when I might have just done it with saddle uncomfortably low instead.
Especially good on undulating terrain then, probably got the best use out of it at CyB actually.
Definitely going to get one again - just not sure when or which.
No. Definitely not. I have no problems with the uppy downy x-hilo post I have, it has a remote and works very well it is just that I don't sit down that much so can run my seat lower anyway. The only time I sit down for a long time is long boring smooth bits. (Say road or forest track). Other than that I run my post low enough to not be in the way for descents but not so low that it is impossible to pedal.
I do stand and pedal alot and its not the most efficient way to go but I don't do biking to be effiecient but to have fun. And an uppy downy post is not fun for three reasons. 1. Heavy, 3. Expensive, 3. Another thing to break.
I would rather be out of the saddle when it gets technical up or down so the saddle can be lower anyway. Uppy downy posts are only useful for me on the boring bits and who cares about them?
Don't bother buying one without a remote (if they still exist). Mine came with the remote kit not installed, and it took me a few months to get round to fitting it.
Without the remote, they're nearly as much faff as a qr, imo, if only because dropping them on the go is a bit of a nusiance.
I don't sit down that much so can run my seat lower anyway. The only time I sit down for a long time is long boring smooth bits. (Say road or forest track). Other than that I run my post low enough to not be in the way for descents but not so low that it is impossible to pedal.
I do wonder whether a hite rite would still be the best solution for most people, if somebody had the willingness to put it back in production? Low weight, cost, and durability. Does the seatpost need to be going up and down like a yo-yo?
+1reverb Worked straight out of the box. Allows me to find that sweet spot along the trail and helps on the ups. Weight not really an issue.
Got one on my bigger bike but not on my hardtail… yet
Only had it a month and am very impressed (Reverb). I wasn't planning to buy just yet but entry for the Macavalanche twisted my arm. My local forest is very up and down, if I ride like a mincer I can get away with saddle at full height for everything but don't expect to manage or enjoy the gnarly bits. Drop the saddle an inch and it becomes rideable but the gnar can still be difficult and the climbs are an extra biatch… or stop at least 10 times to mess with saddle height to enjoy the gnar and power the climbs. You can imagine the joys of the "Reverb" for this… it works, saddle glides up to full height for the climbs and drops for the gnar… awesome. I really missed it last night when I had my hardtail out. I dropped the saddle completely for one section of gnar and rode the rest with my saddle dropped an inch… had I had the Reverb on I would have used it plenty (damn the 27.2 on my hardtail).
Big days in the hills it's not so important as they tend to be big climbs followed by big descents… but it's nice to raise the saddle on the flatter smooth parts of the big descents to get a wee rest before the next section of gnar… so I think they are still useful here.
For trail centre riding with your buddies or enduro racing they are ace, brilliant for keeping momentum up and maximising pedalling efficiency when you can.
Raising and lowering with a quick release feels so much more random now… did I get the height right, is my saddle squint, will my post slide down because I didn't get the QR quite tight enough?
I wouldn't say transformed my riding, but I think they do improve the experience and are worth the weight if they suit where and how you ride.
Not transformed but it just means I don't have to stop, lower the seat, ride, stop, raise the seat anymore.
I maybe do drop it for fast flowy stuff whereas before I'd have just left it.
Transformed, no. Made it a bit less faff, yes. Worth it? Considering I picked up the Joplin on here for £35, paid a fiver for some new oil, 2Pure sent me some new seals for nowt... yes, well worth it.
I've had my Reverb for 5 months now and pretty much agree with Messiah. I think they are really very useful and well worth the money and weight. Their value does seem to depend on where and what you ride though.
The only negative I've found with mine is that I seem to have lost some standing-up pedaling stamina as on bits that I would have been out of the saddle grunting up before I now jut pop the seat up and twiddle.
transform it no as you could always drop your seat manually
Do you drop your seat on rides?If yes get one if not dont get one.
I can ride downhill with my seat up if required but to me it is as pointless as riding uphill with my seat down low.
yes I could do either but it is not optimal so why would I?
Ride changing No
Handy and useful Yes
The weight penalty is about 200g over say a Thopson post which is hardly massive on overall bike weight tbh
Can you drop the saddle a bit for normal DHs with the lever, but then drop it all the way using the QR for some jumps where you want the saddle completely down? Seems that the gubbins would prevent the saddle going as low as it would on a normal post.
Seems that the gubbins would prevent the saddle going as low as it would on a normal post.
ahhh i saw your thread title yesterday and avoided it thinking it was going to be lots of people arguing over which bike parts are better.. knowing everyone enjoys different things and values different aspects of the bikes performance.
i'm fully expecting this thread to descend into people fighting, as with anything on STW. but i'm happy to see some balanced opinions and people staying pretty on topic so far
G.R.F - you asked a different question, no?
Now tell me 'where your username comes from'!
Or is this the more serious 'proper' rider cult that allegedly exists here amongst the nob ends?
Um, probably that this thread title would attract those that had actually used uppy-downy seatposts - and most of those people seem to get on well with them. You've got an enormous chip on your shoulder haven't you.......
This topic has been closed to new replies.
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