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I think it does depend on... how/when you learnt to ride.
interesting. I have heard that old folk are less open to new ideas.
I think it does depend on terrain, but also how/when you learnt to ride.
I’ve been riding a long time and droppers didn’t exist for the first 20 years of me riding bikes. So now, even though I’ve ridden plenty with one, I just don’t see the value unless you’re on the steeps, as I’m used to moving my bike and my body with the saddle where it is.
And your point is caller?
I've been riding MTBs for over 30 years, and have always embraced technology.
I was an early adopter of dropper posts (2006 Maverick Speedball anyone?) and think they're an ace piece of tech.
I didn't used to drop my seat all the time because it was a hassle with a normal post, now it's second nature, and it makes riding more fun.
When you're used to having one, you really miss them when you don't have one. Nothing like cresting a hill, reaching for that button from instinct, and then the panic hitting when you realize it's not there.
I could understand people who just say they are happy to stop and put their seats down ‘manually’ (a bit inconvenient but whatever). But I’m staggered by the number of people who claim not to need to drop their seat ever. That’s just weird.
It's just old skool xc racers that like to think that having 2 foot of seat post stuck up their arse on descents makes them more of a man!
Having said that, 'all bikes' should not have droppers. Don't see the point on road bikes.
They are good on an MTB but I will never be putting one on my fixed gear bike (which is ridden off road) for obvious reasons so not for all bikes.
Also anyone that says it makes an MTB (29" wheels and all) feel like a big BMX has never ridden a BMX and I would suggest you buy a BMX rather than a dropper...
Plus one for Mtb’s should always have a dropper, massive game changer in terms of enjoying the downhills with one less thing to think about.
Still yet to try it on the gravel bike. there are times when I’ve wanted one but it’s usually when I’m being a bit silly and taking it somewhere it has no business being eg
So I’d like to try it on the gravel bike but feel I should probably just not be on those sort of tracks on it anyway!
Ps See how I’m riding without much body movement because there s it anywhere else to go with the saddle there!
Also anyone that says it makes an MTB (29″ wheels and all) feel like a big BMX has never ridden a BMX and I would suggest you buy a BMX rather than a dropper
Maybe, but I’d rather ride (jump) trails on my enduro bike than on a BMX with a massive seatpost.
titusrider
Still yet to try it on the gravel bike. there are times when I’ve wanted one but it’s usually when I’m being a bit silly and taking it somewhere it has no business being
I got a cheap KS for my gravel bike to see if was a viable idea, & yes it was.
Now I've got a good one & use it a lot in silly places.
All depends for me how high you run your seat anyway. I run mine lower than 'optimal' for performance purely because i like it where i like it, i don't want/need a massively high post. So a dropper isn't as much of an issue to me as it is to some.
I rarely fit mine unless doing somewhere technical.
Maybe, but I’d rather ride (jump) trails on my enduro bike than on a BMX with a massive seatpost.
That is because a BMX is not a good bike for riding trails on. Surprisingly the small wheels don't roll that well and I moved up to a 24" race cruiser for riding trails when I wanted a BMX feel. Having experienced riding 20" BMX, 24" BMX and 29" MTB there is no maybe about them feeling the same.
Hell, I've poked the nest here... To clarify, thread title was a bit tongue in cheek, but I really don't know why you'd choose to ride off-road without a dropper these days.
I've had droppers on my MTB's for 4 or 5 years now, and wouldn't be without one out of choice, they're not just for the steepest descents, there are loads of situations where they enhance the ride.
They just allow you to move around the bike more, get it leant over, lower your centre of gravity, and fear less for the health of your gentleman bits (not for women, obvs, though maybe it helps their regions too). They can make getting on and off and getting the bike in the car easier too.
As for faff, once setup they're less faff than stopping before and after steep descents, dropping and raising the post, adjusting QR tension, getting the height right and making sure the saddle is straight. They're cheap enough too, a reliable, internally routed dropper can be had for not much over £100! A new Thomson fixed post is £80 RRP. Yeah, they're heavier, but I'll bet most people would regain any slight weight disadvantage by being faster in lots of places.
I thought I'd just try this dropper in my gravel bike for a laugh and it might work for more off road biased rides, but I know now that I'll barely take it out, if at all, it's just bloody handy. No faff either as it's an under saddle lever. One trail I ride is just an east bridleway through a wood, slightly downhill, but it's rooty and there are a few tricky bits, I don't see how there can be any disadvantage to getting my arse lower for those bits.
I really don’t know why you’d choose to ride off-road without a dropper these days.
Same reason you might not use gears or suspension - but I know what you're getting at and yes, very few bikes don't benefit from a dropper. TT or track bikes maybe, that's it. (edit, tough to justify on a road bike but that new DT XC inverted dropper and an Alpine decent could be all that's needed)
As the vast majority on this forum are either roady/gravel/CX riders/other similar bollox or old and you can't teach an old dog new tricks and despite this being a MTB forum, I'm not surprised that the vast majority claim to say that dropper posts are pointless.
They changed the game more than anything else that has been developed recently, for MTBers that is not pootlers.
I do not have one on any of my bikes.have always run saddles low on gnar bikes and quite low on xc bikes.dont think I would use one even if I had one on my bike
I tried droppers on my bike about 7 or 8 years ago and didn't use it so I took it off.
When I built up the Solaris I decided to try a dropper again. I used it for the first few rides as it was a novelty, since then I just forget it's there so ride with it up. Needless to say it'll be coming off and going in the classifieds, so if anyone's interested in a low-use AXS Reverb then give me a shout!
Best invention for bikes in the last ten years. I’d have one on all my bikes, but I only have one bike. I use it all the time, not just on the steep stuff. Never had one fail either and I’ve owned a reverb, KS Lev and Fox.
As the vast majority on this forum are either roady/gravel/CX riders/other similar bollox or old and you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and despite this being a MTB forum, I’m not surprised that the vast majority claim to say that dropper posts are pointless.
Some truth in saying that riders who can't bunny hop properly or don't jump/drop are more likely to see droppers as unecessary or just an aid on steep descents. Lower saddle = more space to move your body weight = better flow and speed even on XC singletrack. Might not need 150mm of drop though, even just 50mm is a big advantage imo. But whether you want/need/use that advantage is another thing, nothing wrong with some old school high-postin' XC.
"simplify then add lightness"
One place where I ride that needs saddle down is GT. Seat up - climb from the bottom. If i do Pennals vennal seat down then up again for the climb all the way to the top. Then down all the way to the bottom.
So in a 2 to 3 hr ride its twice put down once put up. Easily done with a QR which unlike one of the posters above is simple. quick and easy. No issues getting the seat back to the right height or straight
Conversely not all off-road needs a dropper.
High burn side - large parts of scolty - mastermind - Golfie. Yes dropper adds something to the experience (but not essential)
Heartbreak ridge , glentress marked trails /inners red, dalbeatie , laggan. Lairig au laiogh never felt the need.
But as you rightly assess I was brought up riding DH where the saddle was not slammed but the knees were used to push into the saddle for control purposes And subsequently XC where bums up saddles down with inverted headangles. - so you learn how to move around a whole bike even with saddle up. - but yes it has its limitations when the going gets really steep....but to say you need it for every trail on every bike is just blinkered. Horses for courses.
You'll be shocked to learn you don't even need suspension for all trails next.
To add to my post above - with a QR I can put the seat down without even stopping. I am not racing so to stop for 30 seconds is no hardship anyway.
A I said - I get it if yo are on undulating terrain that is steep and tricky - but thats not where I ride
I’ve started riding a new area and now need a dropper.
Problem is that at the bottom of the mega massive dropper hill (that took me 1.51 to descend On a 2 hour ride)is a massively boring gravel ride to the top.
If I don’t go down the hill I can spend more time with my seatpost up riding lovely flowy single track.
The dropper however does make getting my bike in the car a doddle and with a blanket over it , it no longer looks like a bike.
I could certainly live without one and just have a QR seatpost.
but I really don’t know why you’d choose to ride off-road without a dropper these days.
because this is off road riding
And this is also off road riding:
The irony is that the lad in the first picture hasn't dropped his saddle 🙂
If droppers are such a huge advantage why did they not get used on the olympic XC course which had some fairly large features on it that certainly riders of my sort of standard would find tricky?
do any XC racers use them? - I mean at the top level
Lots do..and still make descending look tough.. But taking nino Schurter for example. He does not habitually run one.
But will fit when he deems necessary.....
He can make his bike fly.
They are starting to.
do any XC racers use them? – I mean at the top level
Yeah. Short travel ones, but yeah.
I can see an application for them for most bikes, inc road.
To add more fuel to the fire...
You’ll be shocked to learn you don’t even need suspension for all trails next.
I'd rather have a dropper than suspension. In fact I do on my Stooge.
Interesting read this. I was a sceptic for for years in "Not needed, I'll use the qr" camp. Eventually gave in and tried one and bought one straight away. Would rather ride a fully rigid single speed with a dropper on rough terrain than a full suss without. Would never have an mtb or bike that rides off road without one. For me they are up there as one of the most important tech innovations in mtb's. Just look at how they now come stock on most mid to high end bikes now and how many posts there are on the market now - that's because the demand is there not marketing bollocks. They genuinely do make riding off road a better experience, heck even most xc pro's use them now for most races.
Would never criticise anyone for their choice of bike or gear, and of course nothing is ever 'needed', but dropper posts are 100% undoubtedly a beneficial advancement. I learnt my lesson about being closed minded to new tech with dropper posts so am now much more open and non judgemental about new bike kit until I've tried it.
Anyway, as has been said, I thought we had this debate years ago? 😉
To add to my post above – with a QR I can put the seat down without even stopping. I am not racing so to stop for 30 seconds is no hardship anyway.
What you describe is a primitive shitey dropper, ironically.
The fact XC racers don't use them means nothing. Sports people can be slow to adopt new wacky things. They like the way they've always done things...they're creatures of habit and maybe a bit superstitious and don't like being laughed at by competitors unless they're sure they're going to get enough of an advantage to beat them and have the last laugh. I mean look at road racers and gear ratio's - alot still look at a 32t cassette with scorn even though Froome and a few other riders have schooled them in the high mountains on the benefit of having the right ratio's. Maybe a case of what percentage of the time will the dropper help vs. the additional weight of it...is there a net gain? Maybe on an XC course there isn't a net gain so being a bit slower on the few short technical descents where a dropper would be beneficial it's not worth it for the rest of the course. A few of these chaps would have benefited from a dropper though:-
I think one of the big bike brands was experimenting with some form of simplified dropper on road bikes instead of that ungainly thing where they sit on the top tube on descents. Dropping the saddle on a descent would be safer and enable you to get the rider into an even more aero position. But I guess weight reigns supreme at the top end of the sport.
I can imaging a dropper being useful sometimes on a gravel bike if you're on a more wild trail with a few gnarly steep sections. But depends on the routes you ride. If you think you'd benefit from one on your gravel rides then go for it. You don't need the approval of the STW massive.
What you describe is a primitive shitey dropper, ironically.
Nah doesn't sound like a reverb to me.
I'm just waiting for you to get a T6 reference in, we've had reverb and nino schurter now! 🤣🤣🤣
the 3 bikes i have owned over the past year, i wouldn't be bale to mount or dismount with the seat at the correct height
same for my 9 year old lad, was able to fit a cheap mechanical and that allows him to use hte full range of movement when pedalling, but without falling off when stopping
where i ride, id be over the bars without fail, or constantly dropping my seat, or id be hanging off my bike and unable to get back on the seat
even just riding along on my hardtail, gets a little bumpy? lose a few inches of seat height..
Is Nino Schurter a common reference ? I only picked him as he's a household name in bike handling 🙂
Tbh although the reverb ref is tongue in cheek. As far as troublesome bike parts go - we have had much less dropper related mechanical issues since everyone in our group stopped using them... *My saddles dropping * *my saddle won't go up * *my seats posts ****ed again*
Seems like they overly complicated the issue.
Is Nino Schurter a common reference
Christ aye, every time a dropper thread comes up, the curmudgeons cite that fella, ditto 29ers, ditto wearing lycra.
I had reverb on a few bikes, no real issues with it other than the odd bleed. The main issues were folk that thought they were fit and forget. You wouldn't not maintain your brakes, suspension or gearing, dropper is in the same boat.
Edit - household name? Steady now! Come to think of it, I haven't ever knowingly seen the guy riding a bike, watching XC is up there with formula 1 and horse racing in the dullness games.
Cable actuated droppers are even less faff than a reverb...
To the people saying they ride with the saddle quite low anyway to enable a bit more flexibility, what you're actually saying is you ride with the saddle at a compromised height?! Too low for maximum pedalling efficiency on the uphill and easy stuff, and probably still a bit in the way on the descents.
With a dropper there is no compromise, you can have your saddle in the best position for each bit of trail without having to stop and without compromise.
I put off getting a dropper for a long time, seen them as expensive and pointless.
Now the bikes I have that don't have one feel like they are hampered.
On my Arkose first ride I was heading over Whinlatter Pass and decided to duck in and try the blue trail, shit that was scary at speed being that high up. Still no dropper on that bike but I can see why gravel bikes would benefit if you're linking up various trails with road.
Funny that folk would think their seatpost is fit and forget such as it has been for decades bar the yearly scrape and grease.
As for xc racing being dull.... It's certainly more engaging than a downhill time trials.
But tbh watching downhill is ruined for me. It just makes me want to buy a dh bike again.
It's all about making the riding experience better along with wider bars, wider rims , bigger tyres , shorter stems , slacker head angles etc etc . They are not essential but they just make the bike more capable . There are a lot of trails now that are being ridden today that were unrideable 15 years ago and that is mostly because of improvements to bike design .
There are a lot of trails now that are being ridden today that were unrideable 15 years ago and that is mostly because of improvements to bike design
Does that also mean that a lot of trails that were rideable 15 years ago are more dull because of improvements to bike design?
Possibly , or perhaps you can just ride those trails faster and have more fun on them . You could always get a 26" rigid with canti brakes and semi slick 1.9 tyres pumped up to 40psi if you wanted a bit less dullness or alternatively get a gravel bike .
Why? NOt something I have ever felt a need for and I don’t have one on any of my bikes
TJ, as such an expert in all things automotive you will surely be aware of the aim to keep centre of gravity low to improve handling. Droppers do that on MTBs.
I didn't buy one for years, never thought them important. But now I have two I have got used to being able to move around much more, so not being able to do so is limiting.
If you've never used one you won't see the benefit as you'll be used to not using them. But now I hate cornering with my weight miles up in the air to the point that I sometimes drop mine for a single sharp corner on a road.