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So, do you buy a custom frame to make sure the seatpost and frame are the exact match
Na, just buy a dropper that can be set in 10mm increments like a Oneup.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I hadn’t even considered tall people, and it seems that’s a big factor.
Also when folk complained about tall front ends on 29ers, never a problem for me as I've never had a bike where the saddle was anywhere near as low as the bars.
Na, just buy a dropper that can be set in 10mm increments like a Oneup.
But, then you will end up with a 5-10 mm gap between the end of the seat-tube and head of the dropper post and all your mates down the cafe will point and s****. Surely, a custom frame is warranted to avoid this sort of humiliation.
Depends on your hight and leg length. My frame is a small (15.5") and a 125mm dropper only just fits. The new 125mm droppers don't so would have to go for a 100mm one. Still fine for me.
becasue having any exposed post under the collar looks rubbish
I think the opposite. Along with bizarre cable routing and brakes set up in completely unergonomic ways: I think it makes the bike look like it’s been ‘assembled’ but not properly built and certainly not yet ridden properly.
Similar vein - long term bike reviews. If I can’t see some set up quirks and some crash damage or cable/heel rub in the photos I’m gonna assume it’s not actually been subject to a long term review.
Modern longer an slacker bikes allow you to ride in a more central position rather than the older style of hanging off the back so you’re more likely to be on top of the saddle rather than behind it nowadays. That could be a contributing factor.
thols2
Na, just buy a dropper that can be set in 10mm increments like a Oneup.
But, then you will end up with a 5-10 mm gap between the end of the seat-tube and head of the dropper post and all your mates down the cafe will point and s****. Surely, a custom frame is warranted to avoid this sort of humiliation.
Just get a dropper longer than needed and adjust frame to suit with hacksaw....
an opinion on this subject is half way through this article:
https://nsmb.com/articles/cam-mcraes-best-2020/
I’m using a 210mm dropper on my Liteville 301 for no other reason than I can - that’s on a “M” frame, I have a “L” which has a 170mm dropper fitted and, to be honest, I find it just as good, bearing in mind I ride probably steeper, riskier stuff on that.
I’ve also got a Rocky Mountain Altitude which at the minute has a 150mm Raceface (Fox, in other words) post and I reckon I could probably get a 210, shimmed down to 200mm in that.
Although the fact that I’ve not changed it yet should tell me something, I suppose..
[strong]Andy-R[/strong] wrote:
I’m using a 210mm dropper on my Liteville 301 for no other reason than I can – that’s on a “M” frame, I have a “L” which has a 170mm dropper fitted and, to be honest, I find it just as good, bearing in mind I ride probably steeper, riskier stuff on that.
Haha, I have just fitting a 210 to my Large Liteville 301. At just under 6 foot it fits perfect for my legs without needing to shim it down. The 170mm one that I had in there for the past 2 years has gone onto my Scott Spark where it replaces a 125mm post.
On my medium spectral, seat tube is 440mm. I'm short at 5ft 7. With my 125 reverb I needed it out about 2cm from top of seattube so I could get as efficient pedalling extension as possible as the guys I ride with love uphill long slogs and I'm nowhere near as fit as them so need all the help I can get.
but when lowered I would find that it caught on my mid thigh every now and then. So ordered a 180 OneUp that would be as high as I needed (just over 200mm from collar to rail and drop shimmed down to 170mm) slammed into seattube all the way but when dropped wouldn't catch my thighs anymore. But that OneUp (when it turns up, having some issues with courier and can't seem to get any response from OneUp, but that's another story)
The thing I'm very aware of now is that not all seat tubes will allow me to get the dropper in far enough. I should just be able to get the OneUp 180 (267mm full inserted length) into the spectral but a trek remedy for example won't insert as much as the spectral can so I'd have to use a lesser drop post which means it would still catch on my thigh.
So as well as looking at drop, when looking at frames I now have to give a lot of thought to maximum insertion into seat tube.
Because if you’re a man you’re less likely to jam your pecker between your biffin and the back of the saddle, which is best avoided.
My last bike came with a 150mm dropper which although only 25 mm more than my other two bikes has made me start looking for longer posts. Hard to quantify but I find the longer drop gives a much more secure feel on rough downhills and I am certainly no gravity hero.
There is a drop near me where as you roll over the edge you have a bike length of very steep trail (feels and looks vertical from above but obviously isn't) before dropping to a slightly less steep landing. At some point in this move at 125mm my saddle always caught on my shorts which was very disconcerting. 160mm now, problem solved.
And on slower speed, steep, twisty technical terrain the further away my saddle is the smaller and more confidence inspiring my bike feels.
I'm under 5'8" and am a little confused why its often suggested that shorter riders need less drop, more the merrier for me, when I'm not sat on it I want it gone.
“ I’m under 5’8″ and am a little confused why its often suggested that shorter riders need less drop, more the merrier for me, when I’m not sat on it I want it gone.”
It’s not shorter riders really, it’s shorter legged riders. If you’re a long legged 5’8 you could have legs as long as a short-legged 6’2” person.
Depends on the steepness of the terrain as to how much I'm moving my body around and therefore whether the seat gets in the way.
Fundulating stuff needing the occasional sit down? Drop a smidge, maybe 25-50mm.
Descending with steep bits? Use the lot, 150mm.
Descending where I'm scared and throw my weight all the way back, grazing my arse on the rear tyre? Double drop, get 170mm.
Of course you may just be too much of a roadie 😉
Fundulating stuff needing the occasional sit down? Drop a smidge, maybe 25-50mm.
I'm in the "its either up or down" camp. For fundulating (great word) I'm stood up, therefore my saddle is down. Twisty woodland trails with corners and whatnot, I love having the room to maneuver by torso around to the maximum practical amount.
The occasional sit down - say a bit of fire road or a little climb? its only a small movement of the thumb thats as easy as changing gear and my seat returns to pedalling height.
I don't understand why TdF etc. riders don't use them on mountain stages. When you see them coming down the mountain sitting on the crossbar, in front of the saddle, pedalling at over 50mph, it looks a bit scary to me.
Also, one of the benefits of a dropper post to the more mature rider is that it helps when swinging your leg across the saddle.
I’m in the “its either up or down” camp.
Typically yes but occasionally I run it just a little down. Maybe I meant like a pedally but fun bit of trail. Net uphill but techy. Proper flat swoopy stuff needs it more down than that.
What was the dropper that had two settings: a little-down and all-the-way-down? Was that the Fox DOSS or the early Specialized post?
“ What was the dropper that had two settings: a little-down and all-the-way-down? Was that the Fox DOSS or the early Specialized post?”
Gravity Dropper and Specialized definitely did.
I use a partial drop on techy climbs nowadays (with a Reverb and then BikeYoke) but I never did when I had a Gravity Dropper because the 1” drop position was too hard to find.
Reading this with interest. My original CB Joplin 3 (90mm travel?) finally died last week and service kits don't seem to be available (assuming it was even repairable). So my new cheap RSP 125mm post is now awaiting fitting. The Joplin always felt 'enough' so I'm interested to see what the new one is like (the older I get the more I drop my post😁). I just need a reasonably priced 27.2 for the gravel bike now, that riding position makes for 'interesting' steep descents 😂
More travel isn’t better if the post doesn’t fit in your frame with the collar slammed to the seat clamp/sear tube.
How weird, just this second an email arrived from Silverfish saying the Fox Transfer is available in 200mm!
Well, that’s a case in point, no way that would fit in my frame.
depends on the height of the saddle compared to the standover seattube height.
ie a rider with longer legs you'll likely have a saddle further away from the frame so can fit a longer dropper, shorter leg riders may not be able to fit a longer dropper and be able to touch the pedals whilst seated.
my latest bike i wouldn't personally be able to fit more than a 150mm dropper
BigJohn
Full MemberI don’t understand why TdF etc. riders don’t use them on mountain stages. When you see them coming down the mountain sitting on the crossbar, in front of the saddle, pedalling at over 50mph, it looks a bit scary to me.
I doubt it'd make any sense if it weren't for minimum weights but it does seem like you could make one that really had no disadvantages. Especially if you can throw it away after one mountain stage. So I guess the demand's just not there.
(though, there's an effect where the top guys who mostly dictate where the money and development goes, generally are very good at riding with the existing tech, whereas lower level riders who'd maybe have more to gain and would be more amenable to change, may not have the clout. And there's always the UCI there to screw everything up...)
When I got my 125mm dropper I thought it was all I'd need. But as I got used to low top tubes and short seat tube I ended up having 35-40mm sticking out.
I've just bought a 150mm and still have around 10mm of the post out (I put the 125 on my wife's bike as she had a rigid post) and it feels great.
I have to say that the extra travel didn't change my world, but it is nice just to have it that little bit lower on the steep stuff.
I figured that if I was going to have a dropper on my XC bike I might as well go for the longest I could possibly fit:
(210mm OneUp shimmed down to 190mm). Absolutely perfect.
Steepness is the thing for me, steep switchbacks in particular,the extra drop makes a big differece love the one-up but there are compromises, when mine is slammed i've noticed a couple of times where the combination of large volume rear tyre and lower saddle clamp have caused the tyre to catch the back of the saddle on bigger drops