So I had my heart set on a RS reverb but have heard many bad reports of reliability which is a real shame.

I’m tempted by the xfusion helios which you can get quite cheap from Germany (around £150).

Mbr’s review gave it a 7 out of 10 mainly as it weighed 200g more than the reverb (which seems to break).

Thoughts? Any other contenders out therE?

Ideally I’d like a 27.2 so I could shim it to fit mulitple bikes. Not fussed about remote as want to swap it between bikes.

Haven’t heard of any Reverbs breaking but have heard that some need a bleed to work properly.

I was thinking of a dropper but then questioned why – I’ve been biking for 20 years (admittedly I’m still crap at it), built like a very lanky streak of wee and can move around my bike without dropping the saddle – so I’ve said myself £200.

That has no real bearing on your question though.

Where have you read/heard reports of breakages? What were the breakages and were they fixed? If they just need a bleed then from what I’ve read on here and other forums, it is dead easy to fix – not ideal for a brand new product but an easy fix (the bleed kit comes with the post I believe) that can be done with ease.

The Reverb sounds (on paper) to be the fanciest post with it’s fancy damping system/return position thing…but other than that, I’m not sure what make it any different to other dropper posts.

Gravity dropper, fugly but works

with the saddle lowered you can stay centred on the bike and still have it move around underneath you without the saddle tagging you in the nuts.
Dick, if you haven’t spent time descending fast stuff with the saddle down i’d heartily recommend you give it a go for a day. it genuinely does make a big difference IME.

the gd seems to get the thumbs up every time this question gets asked, which currently is about once or twice a week… 😉

Not arguing the for or against Del, I know loads of folk who drop their saddles…unless I suddenly grow some large plumz, I’m not seeing the benefit for myself…I’m to OCD about my saddle height so if it isn’t right then the whole world knows about it (my legs tell me right away!)…I’ve got full movement with the saddle as it is i.e. I can get my backside to rub off the rear tyre and I can get myself all sideways without much effort.

Seeing the guys descend with dropped saddles, I’m not sure they would be any slower/less skilled if they hadn’t dropped them…they are better than me so I leave them to it.

As I get out more I’ll no doubt start improving and start doing better things…it might become an issue then, but I’m not convinced it will be – as my ability improves then my skillz will improve and I’ll adjust and tweak as needed.

Plus, I’ve a carbon post and read somewhere about stress fractures caused by constant adjusting of the post…so there is that niggle in my mind as well. I read that in a Finite Element Analysis magazine for a company I was building a website for, so I’m figuring it has some truth in it.

I like the look of the Reverb…the Gravity Dropper seems to work well but does it still suffer from the ‘slop’ once it starts getting used? The ‘slop’ being the saddle moves slightly…the Superstar Components version apparently reduces this by having a non-cylindrical post shape so it doesn’t turn as easily (from what I can read).

I did a jump today, hutched the back end up mid air and twanged myself in the nuts.

Can´t help with the OP I´m afraid

The expensive Reverb, desigend by a company that makes shocks, seems to work the best – apart from some people needing to bled it first.

Although that seems to be as difficult as sorting the cable is on some of its competitors.

The GD is cheap and ugly, but if you can live with its looks and slightly lower performance it seems worth it. The others do seem to get a poor review on all the forums Ive look at over the last few months. None seem to last long and several users seem happy to put up with rebuilding it regularly, or sending it back for warranty or upgrade to the latest version.

Im going for the Reverb based on its engineering history and the fact that the only issue Ive seen on forums is it may need a bleed when you get it. I see that as the same as sorting the cables on the others and Im happy to go for that.

I ride much of the time with my saddle dropped, so I’m hoping having a Gravity Dropper will make the quicker group rides less painful on the uphills – if you’re not someone that likes dropping their saddle (and rides better like that) for downhills then it’s a lot of money for something you probably won’t appreciate!

Anyway, I’ve just got a GD Classic based on all the positive reviews (and gloriously simple design and wisely positioned rubber boot) and I even think it looks good (as illustrated here). Will see what I think once it’s done a year of heavy use…

GD Turbo and Classis are still the only 2 that have really been proved reliable so far, Reverb’s getting a fair amount of criticism from buyers but who knows how representative that is… X Fusion too much of an unknown quantity I think.

none of them are perfect…

the remote is well worth the extra money. i like the fact that in “oh ****” moments i can get the saddle out of the way quickly, without taking my hands off the bars.

There seems to only be about 3 people shouting really loudly about how their Reverbs have broken. As usual this is far from representative as it is the ones who a negative who shout the loudest (or even at all).

I’ve had my Reverb for three months and it has been faultless, the other 7 or 8 that we’ve sold through the shop have all behaved themselves fine (apart from one broken remote following a crash which we sorted in a couple of days).

Compared to the others on the market I have no trouble recommending the Reverb as it really is streets ahead of the others in performance. Obviously, three months is not a huge amount of time but I have no worries about it really.

On the bleeding front, yes, they have to be bled but then you want to trim the hose down anyway as it is comes with plenty of spare length. Bleeding takes about 15 mins at most and is a piece of piss. You get the full kit with the post too. Can’t see the problem with that and all the remote lever posts need to have a cable fitted anyway which probably takes a similar length of time but is far less resistant to crap.

love my reverb. The fact that it can be set at any height is good. Speed of return is adjustable and no worries about crap building up in the remote cable. No problems with it to date.

I like my gravity dropper for up here in Scotland because I trust it to keep on working in all conditions in remote mountainous areas. It takes very little maintenance (a routine clean and re-grease and new shims once a year) and what little there is takes minutes to perform.

It is seriously ugly, overpriced and has lateral and vertical play out of the box but until more attractive and complicated designs are proved as reliable I will stick with the GD.

Thanks for the comments, no closer to making my mind up!

I read about the reverb failures on this forum. Can they be used without the remote? I want to swap between bikes and don’t really want the faff of removing the lever each time.

I can’t find anyone who has used the Hilo for a length of time to give a reliability report (though a couple on here seem to have taken a punt on it) £150 might be cheap, but if it breaks not sure it will be easy to get sorted on warrenty like a RS reverb should be.

Don’t fox have one coming out soon?

Why aren’t dropper posts as reliable as fork travel adjust systems? Surely the same system could be used, just scaled down slightly?

Seriously reconsider the remote for any post you get, it’s an integral part to getting the most out of your post, try and have a ride on a remote version then imagine having to reach under your saddle 99% of the time you’d use it

The Reverb can’t be dropped without the remote btw

Well, I was kind of expecting to set the post at the start/end of runs rather than fiddle about with it mid run, if that makes sense?

Is it really that difficult using an underseat lever? I can manage getting a waterbottle out of a cage and back in so thought this would be a doddle.

My local rides there isn’t much gradient so I can’t be bothered to adjust the saddle height for a couple of minutes descent followed by readjusting for the climb back.

Why aren’t dropper posts as reliable as fork travel adjust systems? Surely the same system could be used, just scaled down slightly?

i expect that scaling down is just the issue, and why some posts aren’t available in 27.2. unfortunately as you reduce the diameter the stiffness reduces significantly. between that and squeezing the gubbins in, you’ve got a bit of a challenge on your hands, design wise, i imagine.

There is a review in this months mag…….

I have the KS (Non Remote) failed once (1st go) been rebuilt and touch wood going fine. I am getting tempted by the remote.

I Was sure I could get away with 100mm but very glad I got the 125mm one. The 27.2 KS has a shorter drop and all the gubbins are outside.

I have only heard good things about the reverb tell I saw the price!!

The 2 people I have seen with them love them.

Top tip measure the max drop you want before going for 100mm

If there isn’t much gradient, why are you thinking of buying one? Not having a go, just asking…I suspect I’m not getting all this technology as I may be stuck in 2000!

If there isn’t much gradient, why are you thinking of buying one?

Think that hasn’t come across right. The runs aren’t looooonnng but in places reasonably steep, some nice berms, little jumps/drops and rooty sections. All of which is ridden much better, and safer with your saddle nicely out of the way.

Problem is 2 minutes later it is over and then you are pedalling back uphill for more of the same. I get bored of constantly stopping and changing the height so end up leaving it some where in the middle which isn’t ideal for up or down…hence I’m thinking uppy downy post would be handy.

Mike – does the ST review cover reliability or is it ‘initial feel’ like the recent mbr one was? Thanks for the tip on travel, hadn’t thought about that

Well, I was kind of expecting to set the post at the start/end of runs rather than fiddle about with it mid run, if that makes sense?

Absolutly, and everyones different, but if you have a blast round a route on a post with remote I think you’ll be surprised at how much you end up using it.

I wouldnt go back to a normal post for love nor money, likewise I wouldn’t entertain using my adjustable post without a remote, it might just be me, but the remote is half the package. Maybe others will chip in and offer their views, hopefully they will have used both lever and remote

Why aren’t dropper posts as reliable as fork travel adjust systems? Surely the same system could be used, just scaled down slightly?

Most are about as reliable as fox Talas internals ;), for the record my gravity dropper still works and my Talas are converted into working floats. I don’t think gd look too bad either

Well, I was kind of expecting to set the post at the start/end of runs rather than fiddle about with it mid run, if that makes sense?

If you’re riding trail centre ish trails where it’s a very defined ‘down’ then a very defined ‘up’ then you’re right – it’s just a less faffy way of reaching for the QR.

However the thing that makes them awesome (in my opinion) is maintaining flow on undulating trails – e.g. 30 seconds down and 30 seconds up. With a lever by your thumb you can sort the saddle out as much as you like – feels soooo much nicer to be able to go 100% up a climb and then hurl yourself at 100% down the other side.

I find I use mine more at trail centers on the traversing trails and at mabie/kirrochtree when the mix up the ups and downs. Used it at Ae to pop it down for a specific feature then straight back up.

At Kirrochtree a mate was following fairly close but got the run on him when i could pop it up and down for the fun bits.

The best bit so far is really that the seat always comes back up to the right hight 🙂

I’d probably use it more when the gradient change is small to just keep riding at the optimum height.

Downside was yesterday I was out by myself and barley got off the bike as I just kept going and now my legs hurt!

Fair enough…makes sense.

I got a GD when they came out. They look like tractor part and have some rotational play but are very reliable and easy to service. Lasted about 3 years then snapped at the pin-hole leaving a jagged apple coring device (half way around a lap of SITS). Other than that it was great.

I tried a Joplin 3. That wouldn’t come up under it’s own power when the temp dropped below zero. It developed a rotational wobble very quickly (which was no worse than the GD had from new).

For no good reason, other than it was a bargain, I upgraded to a Joplin 4. This is just like the Joplin 3 but wobble free.

5th – that sounds horrendous, I’ve had a snapped steerer before and was lucky to not skewer myself…

Don’t suppose anyone is near southampton, has a adjustable post they rate and has been reliable, and doesn’t mind letting me have a test?

Happy to guide you round LW for the day as payment? Or buy you a beer

5th – that sounds horrendous, I’ve had a snapped steerer before and was lucky to not skewer myself…

4 miles standing was horrendous 😆
A mate’s conventional post snapped in a similar fashion a month later, so I I’m not going to hold it against the GD. The Joplin 4 does seem to have the reliability and doesn’t look agricultural, so it gets my vote.

I’ve got one of the German OEM Hilos. I’ve only had it for a couple of rides but so far it’s been pretty flawless. It seems to cope with the mud well.

(Mr MC posting)

having had a Joplin and only losing it as it wont fit new frame, I wouldnt touch an uppydowny without a remote, and without “infinite” adjustment. Fully up and fully down might be okay for DH level stuff, but for undulating trails its the little drop that makes the difference. I have converted to flatties where you tend to run the seat a little lower, and keep heels down knees bent more than with SPDs, so its great to fine tune uphill/flat pedal efficiency, then drop it maybe an inch for gently rolling, or pumpy flowing terrain, then more again as it gets steeper.

Sadly there’s not many that fit 27.2 (obvious really its difficult to fit all the tech in) which is the only reason I got rid of my (30.9mm) joplin. MC has a joplin on a HT and loves it (and her 31.6 has NO play, my 30.9 had a little-opened them up and the 31.6 has 2 keys running in 2 grooves, the 30.9 1 in 1).