[Closed] Dropper post on hardtail

Lowering your seatpost is...

Really good for steep, technical riding where a lower CoG and ability to move the bike out of your bodies way is great.

Being able to do it at a moment's notice...

if sessioning drops and jumps

makes no difference. In fact I also use the seatclamp to lower it futher for drops & jumps so it's right out of the way - also less likely to bust it in a crash.

There are some weird perceptions about droppers on this thread.

'If it's steep then yes'

But if its steep, wouldn't you drop your non-dropper post anyway?

Paradoxically, I think I could comfortably ride my big big without a dropper. When I use it, it's mostly going up or down, so a qr collar and a regular post would be just as good.

Where I find a dropper must useful is on my hardtail that sees most of my trail riding, and sees lots of small ups and downs and small technical sections. It's invaluable for flow in those types of ride, where it would be a mighty pain in the doodahs to readjust a fixed post every couple of minutes, and therefore wouldn't bother.

I was a massive old skool naysayer before I got one and couldn't see the point, but now I have some experience in use, Id rather have a dropper post than suspension.

It's not that you can't ride without one, but you do spend more time in sub optimal positions if you're riding everything with a fixed height post.

Why bother with a seatpost at all? Costs nothing, weighs nowt... that's where the proper purists are sitting, metaphorically. It's the new singlespeed-style revolution taking on the skill compensating, industry-driven, nonsense that is dropperism, taking the sport back to basics etc. Go seatpost free, you won't regret it... 😉

A dropper has been on and off one of my HTs three times I don't get on with it at all. The bike is kinda small and light and poppy and only very rarely does a dropper seem to add anything to the ride

One thing I did notice with a dropper on my hardtail is that its a lot stiffer when I'm seated and therefore not as comfy as my carbon post...something to consider if you're predominantly doing long seated xc rides but, based on what I ride, I still prefer to have the dropper

Go seatpost free, you won't regret it.

I actually do sometimes 😀

If I’m somewhere I know I won’t sit at all, f’rinstance behind the Nationwide in Swindon, I’ll take the seatpost out and go all weight-weenie-silly 🙂 Does feel odd though.

I bought one because I saw a real bargain -" something you don't need at a price you can't ignore".
I was surprised what a difference it made and went ou t and bought one for the HT as well. Yes of course I can go down big hills with a normal post but I definitely do it better with a dropper and no I can't be bothered to stop and drop a post manually.

Scienceofficer - Member

Paradoxically, I think I could comfortably ride my big big without a dropper. When I use it, it's mostly going up or down, so a qr collar and a regular post would be just as good.

Where I find a dropper must useful is on my hardtail that sees most of my trail riding, and sees lots of small ups and downs and small technical sections.

Exactly! They come into their own for this sort of thing. I think people who've not used them often think they're some sort of trail centre toy, but that sort of clearly defined up or down is where they're less useful. Racing aside I find mine most useful on more natural stuff where you might have 5 seconds of technical stuff every few minutes and you've no idea whether there's a climb or a descent round the next bend.

And anyone who says "need" has completely missed the point but it always comes up.

I don't understand why there would be a difference with using a dropper on a FS or HT? Surely the exact same thing is wanted and achieved, the fact of using on a HT/FS has no bearing on the requirement for a dropper does it?!?

Anyway the OP seemed to bugger off pretty sharpish, troll??

wot scienceofficer (and Northwind) said.

What Rob Hilton said 😀

I think its easy to say its a fad and that you've ridden perfectly fine without it for x amount of years on 'proper mountains' etc but I guess progression can only be a good thing and if it allows you to enjoy your riding more then where's the harm?

That said though, I have been riding the same 26 inch wheeled steel hardtail for years and have never significantly upgraded it in that time. Mostly due to the cost of these 'fads' as stand alone parts.
I am collecting a new bike this week though with 650b, 1x11, dropper etc but I'm under no illusion that in 3 years time I'll still be riding (hopefully)this then dated technology when everyone is raving about their new 28.25 inch wheels and 1x30 gearing. C'est la vie. Just go ride and enjoy it 🙂

I don't understand why there would be a difference with using a dropper on a FS or HT?

I didn't fit a dropper post for a while after they first came out, mainly due to the scarecity of decent/cheap 27.2 options.

My thoughts:
1) I only ride hardtails but I think they are doubly important on hardtails as you use your legs as suspension more on a hardtail.
2) Get one with a remote, if you have to Michael Jackson crotch grab you're missing 50% of the benefit.
3) They encourage/make possible correct cornering technique. Stand up on the pedals with saddle full height and try to lean the bike over whilst keeping your body upright. See how the saddle hits your inner thigh? Now try it with the post 100 or 125mm lower. See how much further over the bike will lean before hitting your thigh?
4) They are actually very handy for techy climbs.
5) The longer you have one the more you'll use it. My saddle's default position is down now on any trail that requires a bit of body english.

I think the only acceptable reason for not having a dropper post is not being able to afford one.

I was pretty much with you up til:

I think the only acceptable reason for not having a dropper post is not being able to afford one

Not having one is unacceptable?

This'll be like the guy I work with who proclaimed he doesn't know how anyone can live without a smartphone these days :/

why does this always descend into an argument?

some people like using droppers a lot
some people are ambivalent
some people don't like using them at all

And you know what, they're all right, for them.

The only people who I take issue with are those who've never used one and argue against them. You're arguing from a position of ignorance.

At least try one and see if it matches your preconceptions, if you still find it's not for you that's fine, but that doesn't mean other people are wrong or 'fashion victims' for finding them useful, what works for you might not work for them, and life would be pretty dull if we were all the same anyway.

I think the only acceptable reason for not having a dropper post is not being able to afford one.

Or:

Weight saving
Simplicity
One less thing to maintain
Never really felt the need
Lack of availability in smaller post sizes
Comfort (inherently stiffer)
One less thing to wear out/break

I didn't get one for ages because I knew if I did I'd want one on all my bikes = the price of a new bike! They're massively expensive (for the decent ones) for what they are.

When I was riding around Manchester they weren't all that useful as we were stopping at the top and bottom of climbs anyway to regroup and the climbs were long and continuously up or down.

Where I ride now they're far more useful, lots of short sharp climbs, short gentle climbs and similar descents. If you adjusted height all the time you'd never get anywhere. Yeah you can ride it all with the seat up your arse, or down a bit, or dead low, but why compromise when you don't have to?

They're really useful when riding new trails where you don't know what you're going to get too.

Only thing I don't get is using one on a rigid SS, I'm always stood up going up hill and stood up going down hill. I pretty much have it 1.5" below optimum and leave it there as something to lean on when cornering. On a long flat pedal I might put it up a bit, but it's so infrequent that it's not worth having a dropper for.

The only people who I take issue with are those who've never used one and argue against them. You're arguing from a position of ignorance.

They are easy to spot, they are the ones going really slowly and awkwardly round corners...

Weight saving - do people still do this?
Simplicity - offroad hobby horsing is so big this year.
One less thing to maintain - buy a decent one and you'll barely have to maintain it or it will be so easy/rare that it's a non-issue.
Never really felt the need - try one.
Lack of availability in smaller post sizes - sub 27.2, I'll conceed that one.
Comfort (inherently stiffer) - non-issue on full suss, on a HT drop the saddle a bit when it gets rough and use your legs a bit more.
One less thing to wear out/break - see hobby horse comment.

I have one on my hardtail (it's my only MTB)

I find it really handy, I don't really do trail centres on it, just local stuff, all natural

I'd have thought it was more important on a hardtail as there's no give in the rear end. A bump hits you, on a FS bike the bump is absorbed (to a point)

Besides, wherever you are, getting your weight lower for bumpy/techy stuff is useful irrespective of the bike no?

I bought one straight after my skills course!

I think the only acceptable reason for not having a dropper post is not being able to afford one.

🙂

They sees me etc.

1x30 gearing

Ha. Like your thinking - internal [i]and[/i] external rear hub all-in-one hefty piece of crap...

benp1 - Member

Besides, wherever you are, getting your weight lower for bumpy/techy stuff is useful irrespective of the bike no?

Some people have invested a lot of effort into getting good at riding a bike badly. I think they struggle to see the benefit of better ways to ride a bike, and don't want to invest the effort in relearning, or lose what they see as the benefit of their obsolete skillset.

Also, there's an obvious pride involved in having learned to ride around the limitations of outdated bike design; which is fair but this leads some people into snobbery I think- "I've learned how to ride a bike with its seat in the wrong place- you have merely avoided the problem entirely and lack that skill, therefore I am better at bikes"

I haven't got a dropper but its on my shopping list. When I started riding again 14 years ago I would never have dreamed of dropping my saddle. I'm not sure when I started but now I'll drop my saddle on any trail that is predominantly downhill regardless of difficulty as its just more fun. Now most times a quick release does the job just fine but I have found myself wanting to drop the saddle without stopping to do it. I was recently riding at Pitmedden on a very wet ride. A lot of the time I was pedalling and sat down but every so often we'd come up a short slippery climb and be at the top of a steep slippery descent and it would have been great to have dropped the saddle without stopping and popped it back up without stopping.

I've stopped using one, they just cause arguments.

Also, there's an obvious pride involved in having learned to ride around the limitations of outdated bike design; which is fair but this leads some people into snobbery I think- "I've learned how to ride a bike with its seat in the wrong place- you have merely avoided the problem entirely and lack that skill, therefore I am better at bikes"

This!

Also, there's an obvious pride involved in having learned to ride around the limitations of outdated bike design; which is fair but this leads some people into snobbery I think- "I've learned how to ride a bike with its seat in the wrong place- you have merely avoided the problem entirely and lack that skill, therefore I am better at bikes"

Yeah, of course that's the only reason folk don't ride with one. That and the fact they're skint, obviously.

I ride with loads of different people. There is only one who doesn't use a dropper post that isn't shit at going round corners - he's a great rider full stop. Everyone else has either converted or prefers mincing / getting in everyone else's way downhill. Our hills are small though and our mud fairly friendly - I can understand not using one if you pedal uphill for an hour before each descent and have gritty mud that destroys their workings.

For natural trails on less than huge hills I think they're better than suspension and disc brakes.

teasel - Member

Yeah, of course that's the only reason folk don't ride with one

Never said it was the only reason.

You're quite right, you didn't. But this...

Some people have invested a lot of effort into getting good at riding a bike badly. I think they struggle to see the benefit of better ways to ride a bike, and don't want to invest the effort in relearning, or lose what they see as the benefit of their obsolete skillset.

...is quite a weird yet intriguing thing to write. Exactly what skills would be made obsolete by a dropper?

I've used one but really didn't benefit on the stuff I ride 90% of the time so didn't stick with it. I don't really see myself as a mincer but hey, it's entirely subjective, I guess.

teasel - Member

...is quite a weird yet intriguing thing to write

It took me [i]ages[/i]. But I think it might have been a bit too plausible.

But it's not entirely a joke... This:

Exactly what skills would be made obsolete by a dropper?

The skills of riding difficult/steep/techy stuff with the seat up, obviously. A formerly very useful and valuable skill that put a big gap between an average and skilled rider, then you fit a dropper and poof- it's got no value when the seat's down.

One less thing to maintain - buy a decent one and you'll barely have to maintain it or it will be so easy/rare that it's a non-issue

Hmm. Not sure about that. I ride with 3 people who have Reverbs and they have all been back for warranty issues.

I have a specialized command post which has been ok however, although I find I don't use it as much as I thought I might.

I have found myself wanting to drop the saddle without stopping to do it

What could possibly go worng?

The skills of riding difficult/steep/techy stuff with the seat up, obviously. A formerly very useful and valuable skill that put a big gap between an average and skilled rider, then you fit a dropper and poof- it's got no value when the seat's down.

Of course it still has value. It saves you the cost of a dropper that everyone without your (mine or anyone else you wanna drag into the mix) mad skillz has to rely on to tackle steep stuff.

🙂

Thanks guys
Off to buy one tomorrow

For natural trails on less than huge hills I think they're better than suspension and disc brakes.

The natural trails you ride must be a million miles away from most i've ridden on. Sounds like you don't really need a mountain bike at all tbh.

OP, i was anti dropper for a while. I could see how they would be useful to me, but couldn't see past the price (still think most are way overpriced). But then i bought a second-hand bike that came with a dropper and changed my mind. It's not a game changer - it's a seatpost that goes up and down a bit and is handy in some situations.

I'm in the 27.2 can't even afford a cheap one but would quite like a decent one camp..
I only ride hardtail or rigid and some of the steep technical stuff at Lustleigh Cleave is verging on trialsy as a result.. Riding trials with your seat up is only for those of us with circus aspirations, you might as well try juggling at the same time if you're that intent on making life hard for yourself..

I'm still waiting for a post that allows you to drop the seat properly out of the way as opposed to just a gesture though

The natural trails you ride must be a million miles away from most i've ridden on. Sounds like you don't really need a mountain bike at all tbh.

"Less than huge hills" refers to the chalk download that makes up all the hills in the South East of England - very few rocks and it's all about riding corners well. And because descents are either short or not that steep then it flows more with a dropper than with the saddle fixed up or down.

Even if I could live without suspension if I had to, I wouldn't give up really good tyres with sticky compounds and tough casings run tubeless at low pressure.

fish wife - Member
kid you not it happened - i nearly rear ended them and they were still slow on the down hill so dropping really improved things for them
POSTED 1 DAY AGO # REPORT-POST

Cool story bro...

On a serious note, I don't see why having a hardtail influences having a dropper or not. I have a Reverb on both bikes and really missed it when I had a hardtail without a dropper. I've spent too long on silly bikes so hathaving the saddle up for anything fun. I think they're brilliant and up these with discs.

 

I'd love one for my road bike, alpine road descents would be much quicker with the saddle out of the way to get a better aero position

Rob Hilton - Member
Lowering your seatpost is...
Really good for steep, technical riding where a lower CoG and ability to move the bike out of your bodies way is great.
Being able to do it at a moment's notice...
if sessioning drops and jumps
makes no difference. In fact I also use the seatclamp to lower it futher for drops & jumps so it's right out of the way - also less likely to bust it in a crash.
POSTED 4 DAYS AGO # REPORT-POST

This may come as a surprise but we might ride with different priorities, for different reasons and enjoy different things. We may also have widely varying styles and skill levels. I like is using them a lot and you seem not so much. Not sure what you are getting at here Rob...?

Really?

You were describing what is good about lowering your saddle, not what is good about droppers

Really. I like lowering my saddle with the minimal of fuss, speedily and often without stopping. That's why a dropper works for me. You don't feel the same need in the same way. That's why we have differing points of view. My point is that you don't seem to recognise that people are not the same as you. I may not be as skilled or confident so might use the feature more readily or I might just be lazier. Either of those things is fine - as is the way you ride.

You're now discussing a different subject.

How much did you used to fuss when lowering your saddle back in the dark ages?

Only 2 things stop me having a dropper.

1) The cost
2) The fact that your saddle cannot drop as much as manually dropping it with a normal seat post. For hitting jumps and steep descents I like it properly out of the way. Then I like it quite high for climbing. No dropper I know gives me that flexibility.

If 2 could be solved it might justify 1.

Rase Black Mamba is 9 inches - gonad crushing return speed amongst other negatives