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Only steep downhills. I'm clearly missing out, though "I’ll even put mine down for road corners"? Can't see me doing that.
Only steep downhills. I’m clearly missing out, though “I’ll even put mine down for road corners”? Can’t see me doing that.
I put one on my gravel bike and promptly PR'd a couple of road descents.
I use mine for downs and nearly always just when I stop. Have started lowering it halfway-ish for singletrack after seeing that my son, who is a much better rider than me! lowers his for everything but climbs. Soon as he hits singletrack *jonk* (thats the noise they make) and he's pedaling stood up. He's had a dropper for most of his offroading life, so it's a natural thing.
For jumps as well, so much easier to control the bike under you if the seat is out of the way (so he tells me 😀 )
Correct dropper post Zen is only achieved when you realise the question is - 'Do I need my seat UP now?'
I’m clearly missing out, though “I’ll even put mine down for road corners”? Can’t see me doing that.
better lean, more control and as a flat pedal rider, far far better braking if required.
And then there is this:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/dropper-post-used-to-win-one-of-road-cyclings-biggest-races.html
The idea of gripping the saddle with your thighs on a descent sounds unnatural and potentially painful.
I have a Vyron which I’ve never really used for XC as it’s pretty flat around my locale. Not much racing going on currently so I might give it a try for a bit and see if it helps in any way.
Intheborders-I’ve been tubeless for years but my last bike was a 26” Superlight so just a tad old skool. My bike now is a 29’er trail bike so am getting used to a huge lot of changes in new fangled gadgets and how a bike feels now!
I use mine all the time.
It's dropped pretty much when ever not seated & pedalling.
The big question is - up or down for photos??
The big question is – up or down for photos??
Either, just not at half mast - which just makes it look like you have a short drop post, on a bike that is drastically out of proportion.
As a long term thigh gripper, it's taking quite a while to get used to a dropper. Would people recommend wider bars to compensate and add a bit more control in the corners?
Installed my first dropper post, a KS Lev, one week before riding the Sierra Nevada for a week with Ciclo Montana in 2013. At the end of that week I had fully acclimatised to its use!
I use it all time time. More so in undulating terrain than winch up, plummet down terrain.
As a long term thigh gripper, it’s taking quite a while to get used to a dropper. Would people recommend wider bars to compensate and add a bit more control in the corners?
I never got "thigh gripping" the saddle. Pre-dropper it was always thigh banging as it stopped me putting the bike where I wanted it and left me with less control. On my old 26" 456 or 2007 Heckler it was less of a problem but as geometry has evolved it is more of an issue to the point now where riding my Sherpa Gen3 or Prime is almost impossible without one! I supect that steeper seat angles and longer reaches mean that you and the saddle are now in the same place for steep stuff, etc. so droppers are now "essential".
I drop mine for 70 seconds on my local route.
I’m very glad I have it for that 70 seconds though!
My brain couldn’t get on with a dropper and spds. Surely if you’ve got the dropper down you are more likely to dab.
I switched to flats and all is good in the world.
yer i remember getting in some weird situation with SPD's and dropper posts.. cant remember what it was... think i felt i needed the seat up to be able to unclip the foot with all the weight on...
yer i remember getting in some weird situation with SPD’s and dropper posts.. cant remember what it was… think i felt i needed the seat up to be able to unclip the foot with all the weight on…
interesting - I cant unclip with the pedal in the 12 oclock position, or at least it isnt easy. emergency yank and it comes out - I cant move/rotate my heel out enough. to do any other postion, requires either the unclipping foot to be weighted, or you to be sat down to take the weight off. obviously you can unclip while weighted, but what happens next, especially on non caged pedals and plastic shoes...
Is this 2010?
Is this 2010?
not quite, because
a) they actually work reliably
b) (many) bikes have them as standard now, so you get the situation where people are forced into having them, rather than making a conscious descision to part with hundreds of pounds for one.
MTB is a broad spectrum.
I (and most other riders too) don't claim to be good at, or enjoy, all it's various facets.
For my particular riding, skills, bike etc they are a necessity, if only for enjoyment.
The only way I'll ever buy a flat barred bike without one is if it is a bike designed exclusively for seat down riding - downhill, dirt jumper etc.
that's a long reply for a tongue in cheek comment.
I know some people dont use them or have experience of them. It just reminds me of conversations from a decade ago.
Both my MTB's have them. Dont need one on the steel XC HT really but without it i'd never be able to swing a leg over that gate!
To OP. you'll get used to quick enough and will use it without thinking.
maybe it was that, inside foot up high and wanted to get it out... while the seat was down and it not being happy..
May as well be 2010 for me, I’ve taken too long to upgrade and missed a lot of new tech, the old bike always seemed good enough-all those wasted years☹️
the old bike always seemed good enough
it probably was, if you are still doing the same riding. If you're going faster, further, more technical then an upgrade could well be worth it.
of course if you are comparing yourself to others, with mates, strava, or racing, they will have got faster while you remained the same.
if you were riding a 2010 bike with 2010 technique, thats perfectly fine. Riding a 2022 bike with 2010 technique though, may be a problem.
Love my dropper but the first manufacturer to make a (durable) post that goes down without me having to sit my arse on it just when the trail gets lairy will get my money.
This, though maybe it's as a still see "up" as the default position and not "down".
2 paddles, 1 drops the post, 1 raises it.
As with many here and after finding it really strange to have it - within a few weeks I got to "when do I need my seat up" - and all the rest of the time down.
They're great. Best invention since wheels.
chevychase
They’re great. Best invention since wheels.
Agreed and same as others I'd lose suspension before dropper on a modern bike.
Who-ever came up with the "Upper"... I think is spot on. Describes exactly how I use it like most comments it's down or partly down on anything but long seated climbs.
Yep, gradually found that I seemed to be losing fitness over the years despite riding just as much. Then the penny dropped and accepted that I was one of the few in our group still on a 26’er. Those 29 wheels just roll over ground so much faster.
By coincidence I've just sold and this morning posted off a nos Breeze and Angel 'Hite Rite' over on retrobike. Perhaps i should have offered it here 😆
Joe Breeze- The original inventor of the 1984 dropper post.
Surely if you’ve got the dropper down you are more likely to dab.
No, I put mine down for any descent, even fire roads - I'm not going to dab there. But I want SPDs for other reasons, and given I'm using them then the dropper also makes it less likely that I'll fall off.
Early adopter here...Maverick Speedball in 2006(?) Loved em since the outset.
I drop it on most things, even the occasional techy uphill.
I've been MTBing since 1990, so been using a dropper for half of my MTB life 😎
Personally I think they're the best cycling invention of the 21st C. (Top 3 at least, along with disc brakes and offroad mudguards that work!)
I ride a rigid SS, but it has a dropper.