[Closed] Anyone gone from dropper back to normal seatpost?

Occasionally I try it, it's crap though. On my XC bike I'm happy to go without suspension but losing the dropper just feels... daft. Broken almost.

Briefly, when my Reverb was away getting serviced.

I had gotten so used to it that I messed up a few descents that, before the dropper, I had done easily.

I would have gotten used to it again in time, but I only had to go without it for 2 weeks.

I did, briefly. My old KS non-remote post died. It took me a couple of weeks on a fixed post before I'd fitted a nice new remote Reverb.

Can't see myself going back any time soon, but then I'm not that concerned with weight as I don't go racing!

I've fitted a dropper to my rigid singlespeed - I've got it one on my other frames and just found switching to a fixed post made the ride less fun on the SS.

Hell no!

It took me about 2 weeks of wondering if I had added too much complexity and fiddliness to the bike and I kept shifting the front mech instead of the post and vice versa for about a week, but after that I've adopted mine wholeheartedly. I don't even think about using it now - its as seamless as gear shifting now and I seem to have forgotten how to ride without one, but who cares!

my elderly Gravity dropper gave up the ghost.

i'm skint, so i'm back on an old fashioned seatpost - it's rubbish.

When I got a Reverb I put it on the FS thinking I would probably swap it between that and the HT but of course I can't be bothered so the net result is that I hardly ever ride the HT! I was a bit of a sceptic until I got one for Xmas, am now a total convert.

Mmmm, as I suspected, I'll have to try it for a few weeks whilst I get my Hilo serviced, not sure the 200g weight saving is worth it though. Cheers

Nope.

Although I don't have one on my Stanton and it's a pain having to keep stopping to drop the post for the fun bits and then stopping again to put it back up.

I've taken my dropper off for winter. They definitely are a Very Good Thing.

(Although if they had not been invented I'd still be perfectly happy with the QR seat-clamp, obviously.)

yes, don't like it. shopping for another dropper (or really a different HT frame

Well I'm loving the carbon seatpost, quite nice not to worry about dropper, smoother ride too. Only one ride in so far though.

Yeah why mine needed servicing, having a bolt up clamp makes it a truly shite riding experience for steep techy stuff. Normal XC inc racing it's fine

I have one shared between a few bikes so often ride without it. Its almost always annoying.

My hardtail doesn't have one and mainly gets used for riding in the muck. Finally took the droppered up FS out today and anything with a downhill gradient was waaaay more fun.

Yeah. My Giant contact switch died about 6 months ago so as it was winter I just stuck my old post back on. I've honestly just got used to not dropping my post unless I know I'm hitting a long descent. I demoed a couple of bikes at weekend with reverbs on and it felt a bit strange but has made me consider one again.

Is "steep techy stuff" really a "truly shite riding experience" without a dropper sest post?

I rode some steep techy stuff yesterday on my non-dropper post FS Kona, and had a great time! In fact l would say it was a "truly non-shite riding experience"

Anyone gone from dropper back to normal seatpost?

Can't answer that as I've never had a dropper post in the first place. Quite happy with a rigid post on all my bikes.

i've sold my dropper.
had one on the FS, it was good, but i still had wait for non dropper mates to alter their saddles.
I built a 29ht last year and never dropped the post rode all the same trails.
One of my worst rides? Dyfi with a dropper that wouldn't stay up.

In the Peaks you dont need it that much- a convenience.

In undulating trails (Surrey hills) = essential

It can't be 'essential' otherwise people would have never ridden bikes there at all...

he may be trying to suggest that sureey riders overstate the Gnar down there
IIRC he has done extensive car park test to prove this 😈

On my statistical analysis from last night. I was one of 5? With a normal post. We stopped at the top or pushed back up so a dropper was pointless.

I would like one for my longer commute route tho. I can see benefits.

yep due to weight and clutter - xc riding only though

lightning - Member
Is "steep techy stuff" really a "truly shite riding experience" without a dropper sest post?
I rode some steep techy stuff yesterday on my non-dropper post FS Kona, and had a great time! In fact l would say it was a "truly non-shite riding experience"

In my mind yes, I was slower descending than with the dropper in place having my saddle right up my ricker courtesy of the non-dropper post, by steep techy I'm on about -15 to -20% loose rocky & rooty descents.

But kudos to you for bringing the awsum

I ride in the Peaks quite happily w/o a dropper post. Could I ride better being able to drop my saddle height easily? ... Possibly, but I don't "need" a dropper post.

I am Scottish and live in Yorkshire so may be true to the penny pinching stereotype, but does a decent dropper post really have to cost upwards from £175?

I took mine off but it was a shitty joplin and was broken more than it worked. dont miss it hugely but the trails i ride are generally long ups, pause for a bit and then all down.

not been riding much lately but will probably get a proper one once the cash starts flowing and the trails dry out

"In my mind yes, I was slower descending than with the dropper in place having my saddle right up my ricker courtesy of the non-dropper post, by steep techy I'm on about -15 to -20% loose rocky & rooty descents"

so you are slower with a normal post up, than with a dropper post down?

Swoosh 😀

yeah, I had two of the early ones, Maverick then a crank bros? I took them off as they kept seizing and needed stripping down and regreasing after every wet ride..

never bought another

you absolutely don't need one but if you like to ride with your saddle at the right height for non-techy sections (road link up etc) but get it out of the way for something technical, and not keep stopping all the time, then they're great. If they didn't exist I wouldn't miss mine but now I have it it's great. Weight difference is not significant if you're not racing (in my case the rider could stand to lose more weight than the heaviest post) but they aren't cheap.

I much prefer minimum fuss in my ht so gone without the dropper. Don't miss it at all, just do what I did before the dropper and hang off behind the saddle to lower my centre of gravity. I run a pretty high post and apart from very long techy Lake District descents I don't drop my saddle

Speshpaul - Member
so you are slower with a normal post up, than with a dropper post down?
Swoosh
POSTED 13 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Certainly am 😳 But I'm not exactly gifted in the technical riding side of things unlike some of the riding Gods that frequent this place

If I was just riding BIG UP then BIG DOWN rides I might take mine off and replace with a QR.

But for riding where that is more undulating then it's now a must for me.

 Don't miss it at all, just do what I did before the dropper and hang off behind the saddle to lower my centre of gravity.

And put all your weight in totally the wrong position, your arms stretched and your ability to shift your weight/position severely compromised?

Hanging right off the back is not a good position, regardless of whether you think you can descend ok that way.

On my statistical analysis from last night. I was one of 5? With a normal post. We stopped at the top or pushed back up so a dropper was pointless.

But afterwards two of the 5? did go on a ride that involved pedalling uphill and didn't stop much! 😉

Just ride a reverb for long enough it'll revert to a standard post all on its own.

Cant afford a dropper, so I stop, drop and take in the view. Cheaper, allows me to adjust my full face and body armour for the knarly descent and being nearly 50, I need to get my breath back having burned off the whippersnappers on the way up.
Seat up, with the hills we have up our way is just plain daft anyway.

And put all your weight in totally the wrong position, your arms stretched and your ability to shift your weight/position severely compromised?
Hanging right off the back is not a good position, regardless of whether you think you can descend ok that way.

I think [i]totally[/i] the wrong position is a bit of a exaggeration! Being a lanky ****er I still have plenty of room to bend my arms and shift position while hanging off the back seat on steep descents.

In undulating trails (Surrey hills) = essential

Errr bollocks.

It's a 'nice to have' for sure, and I'd absolutely put one on any sort of non-racey trail type bike, but far from essential, particularly as the majority of stuff on the SH isn't at all technical either!

I bought a bike with one on but never used it, well maybe a couple of times but didn't see the point.
I was never one to stop and change seat height anyway so it made no difference to me.
Now back to a normal post so a few grams saved, but less to go wrong.
If you use it then keep it, if not then ditch it. Each to their own.

I had one on my nukeproof mega for a while, but for the kind of riding we do up here in the north lakes its either a slight pedal uphill, or a carry, so i can get away without.

On my commencal the reverb is great though and thats the bike i use for day rides mainly

I had one, got rid, missed it, so got another.