Stock bonty dropper on the Trek Fuel Ex.
It’s been fine since new this spring but today starting playing up.
It won’t go down unless I push on the very middle of the seat. Too far back or too far forward and it won’t budge. Like any slight moment arm is causing a jam. Cable is fine and tight, it releases with the slightest push on the lever.
Is this a thing with these (I guess) cheap in house droppers?
Any easy fix?
Actually it might be a warranty thing as it’s less than a year old.
I’ve got OneUps on all the other bikes, they’ve been faultless. Can’t afford to replace this at the mo.
They're not cheap!
I swapped for a Brand X ascend, although I bought a rebuild kit for it for my LBS to fit, I think he's forgotten as I left it with him in June
No experience of these but it sounds like the post is pivoting when weight is fore/aft and jamming inside the tube. Could be there is (was) an internal sleeve of some kind that has slipped or broken. Warranty it if you are still within warranty period.
Looks pretty easy to strip, clean, and re grease. Could be a good starting point.
Less than a year old - just warranty it. Doesn't seem like a normal 'requires service' fault.
Sounds exactly like a lack of maintenance fault, the bushings are binding so it only moves if pushed directly down.
Bontrager Line Dropper service manual says strip clean and grease every 6 months/50 hours.
Had the same issue on my 3 year old Brand X dropper a few months ago (never been serviced)
Quick strip down to find its dirty and could do with a re grease
Quick wipe clean, then realised im out of Sram butter, ohh well some bearing grease will do for now
Put it all back together with the intention of stripping it back down once the Sram butter arrived around a week later, that was 2 & half months ago and ive still not stripped it back down as it working fine with the normal grease
Had the same with my Bonty dropper.
Followed the video on how to service and worked like new afterwards.
I’m a mechanical clutz and managed to do it….was quietly very impressed with myself!
Thanks all.
I’ve opened it up, cleaned and regreased.
Seems smoother but pretty sure it will be play that leads to binding so I can’t see grease making much difference long term. I’ll see how long it stays ok.
Had that issue with mine from new (fuel ex5) luckily they exchanged it for the line elite which retail around £300, it's no better than a brand x in all reality.
