Ok. I’m thinking about a dropper post.
But before I do.
Has anyone bought one and wish they had not?
If so why.

Nope.

Nope.

(Actually, I originally bought a non-remote KS version and thought it was teh orsumz. Then I bought a Reverb with a remote. At that point, I wished I hadn’t bought my first one, so in a way, yes.)

I wish I’d bought a decent one straight away.

I broke my reverb around christmas, really missed it riding with a normal seatpost since then. Cant get used to the high post and cant be bothered to use a QR. Got a new reverb yesterday after quite a faff with Alltricks.fr, last one lasted 18 months and needed more spending on it than a new one would cost.

The best purchase that you technically dont need. Wouldnt be without mine now.

I’ve got a reverb and can’t imagine riding without one now. When it’s there you use it constantly to get the seat exactly where you want it

I didn’t actually buy one, but one came on my new bike. I took it off after two rides. Emperor’s new clothes, IMHO. I really don’t see the point unless you are jumping a lot, in which case you’d probably have the post down all the time anyway. None of my riding buddies have or want them and some of them are pretty good on the technical stuff (I am, at best, adequate!)
Maybe I’m just a dinosaur. Anyone want to buy a Reverb Stealth?

with dropper posts is it either all the way up or all the way down and nothing inbetween? or do some of them do variations?

Had a Hilo, broke it and got a refund.
The only thing I didn’t like about it was not being able to really slam my saddle for jumping etc.

I wouldn’t be without it now 🙂

with dropper posts is it either all the way up or all the way down and nothing inbetween? or do some of them do variations?

not a Reverb, you can set it anywhere you want between the travel.

I really don’t see the point unless you are jumping a lot,

If you like to point your bike downhill, or down any kind of drop, then being able to drop your post at will is big advantage.
Instantly improves your body position/COG

just about as important as wheels or pedals.

well not quite, but i’d be lost without it…

Whilst I managed for 18 years without dropping my saddle for either dh sections, or just little nadgery bits on otherwise flat or swept trails, I love my dropper. It has made those bits even more fun, and tight technical bits are easier too.
Emperors new clothes? No. I don’t miss the gears or rear sus when I’m riding my ss but I’m sure glad it has the dropper on it. What’s not to like about something that makes difficult stuff easier to ride?

How do you ride at the moment?

1. Seat up your arse XC sit down style or
2. Hover off the saddle and pump the terrain?

I have one and like it for flat/smooth bits where I don’t move about on the bike much and when you need to keep up with the XC boys. I don’t see it as essential and most of the time run my seat lower and either taking it easier or pedal standing up. I have just built up a nukeproof mega for mini down hill duties and cannot justify the price of a dropper to save me 10 seconds raising my post when climbing to the top of the hill.

nope but wish they made a 125mm drop in 27.2

Had one for about 18months now. Don’t know how I managed before without one, it has made such a difference.

nope but wish they made a 125mm drop in 27.2

see new thompson.

might be cheaper to buy a new frame though…

I would literally die if I didn’t have a Reverb now…..literally. (not literally)
They are great once you get used to the notion.

I wish I’d bought a decent one straight away

This.

Just out of interest how did all you lot that think droppers are great run your seat post before you got a dropper?

Over the years, qr or bolt. Always used to drop saddle for long descents, but the beauty of the dropper post is those little bits you never bother doing that for. Couple of strop drops or tight bits in an otherwise pedally trail? Riding somewhere you don’t know and being able to drop it on the fly if you want ( note want, not need) to, these are where it comes into its own. If you don’t ride that sort of trail, or you just winch up, drop post and head down, you will probably think they are useless. But it’s useless to you, not in general…

^ Up: an awful lot of the time because I couldn’t be bothered faffing about adjusting the seat height.

Just out of interest how did all you lot that think droppers are great run your seat post before you got a dropper?

Dropping it using qr at start of descents when I could be bothered. Same at bottom before going back up hills.

Now I adjust all the time, prob at least as much as changing gear, even going along trails with only small sections of up and downs.

GEDA, long trail days in the wide open spaces, saddle at ‘optimum’ pedalling height, as it still would be.

For trail centre/uppy downy days, there would be faffing with a QR on a section by section by section basis. This would be fine if you really knew the trail, so a long DH to end the day for example. However, for more unknown areas, often the saddle would be too high/low for the wiggly bits! Being able to slam it away when spotting some unforeseen drops, or raise it for a mid DH climb is a real advantage. A good illustration would be something like R74 at CYB. Plenty of time town, but being able to move it around while riding is just better!

So
99% positive.
Next question
Second hand, older reverb or eBay tmars?

I would be lost with out mine. Before having one I used to stop alot to put the seat up and down. They are brilliant for undulating trails where you want it low for the steep stuff, middle for the flatter tech bits and up for the climbs.
If your trails tend to be a pedal up to then thrash down they are not essential but once you get used to one you will not go back.
My gravity dropper 27.2 with 100mm is not enough travel though.

Bought a Stealth Reverb, had it for a month before it broke. Over a month later i’m still waiting for the replacement / repaired one to turn up, not overly impressed to be fair but I think with more time on it I would find it harder to go without one.

Before my dropper I would have to stop riding, lower post, ride “fun” bit of trail, stop, raise post and carry on riding, then stop because i didnt get post to proper position.

Flippinig spoiled the whole flow, so without one you just didnt drop, or you rode the “fun” bit but not as fast/easy/confident or you just didnt ride parts of the trail.

Now, I look for fun bits, never interupt the flow of the ride.

Go somewhere like Woburn, where its all up/down/twisty/pumpy/rooty/swoopy and you will find its the best thing fitted to a bike.

Oh, and it makes cornering eaiser as well, its not just for techy bits.

I’d avoid TMARS. I bought it, cheap, and I’ve bought twice…

I now have a Gravity Dropper.

You may be buying thrice then 😉

So none of you would think of just running your post lower all the time?

I come from Northumberland but live in Sweden. In Sweden the trails are technical with a lot of steep techy up and down pumpy trails. I did not really like the dropper as most of the time I like to hover off the saddle so you can move your weight around the bike, pumping the trail for example. I find it great in Northumberland as there are more big fire road type ascents where you just sit down and grind up the hill and don’t need to use any body language.

Wouldn’t go back- even my rigid xc bike has a dropper. Riding without suspension is a good laugh, riding without a dropper is just less good.

Mind you I’ve only bought good ones- avoided the early adopter problems with KS and Rockshox, never bought a Crank Bros or a cheapy.

GEDA – Member

Just out of interest how did all you lot that think droppers are great run your seat post before you got a dropper?

Up and down mostly. Though I think back in The Good Old Days we didn’t really think about it much, just one of the many reasons that you could be killed while trying to ride over an acorn.

Given that pretty much all the replys have said how essential this bit of kit is, perhaps you should buy the best you can afford.

Just out of interest how did all you lot that think droppers are great run your seat post before you got a dropper?

Up for the up, dropped for the downs.

see new thompson.

not heard of that, more info?

You cant really pedal up hill with your post down.

Some droppers are capable of being run at any height, so you can drop, hover or sit.

riding without a dropper is just less good.

Awww, crap. I agree with Northwind. 🙁

😉

Thin end of the wedge!

I don’t have a dropper, although I have considered one. I run my seat at a middling sort of height, high enough to get some leg extension when pedalling and low enough to avoid getting it in the balls if I grab some air. It’s on an allen key clamp, so I never move it. Although I could increase my pedalling efficiency with a dropper, I prefer keeping things simple (on a hardtail) and have no problems keeping pace with anybody I’m riding with.