Hi all, looking at getting a dropper post (internal cable routing) for my 2017 Boardman team fs. I know that the Rock shox reverb seems to be highly recommended but looking for something a little bit cheaper if possible. Any recommendations? I am finding it a bit of a minefield looking at them!
Brand-X from chain reaction?
I've no personal experience, happy Reverb user here, but I hear good things and the price is good.
Go Brand X.
Costs as much as a Reverb service.
I know that the Rock shox reverb seems to be highly recommended
If you've read that you'll have also heard about the reliability problems. I'd avoid reverb unless you like not riding while it's being fixed under warranty for weeks on end. Lots of excellent cable operated posts to choose instead that work properly without the faff of having to bleed the thing.
The reverb is far too complex for its own good in my opinion. Hydraulic activation for a start, why? A cable is far less hassle almost all the time.
Anyway, the Brand X isn't serviceable as such but they are good droppers with a 2 year warranty I believe. I have the 125mm one.
The XFusion seems well rated too.
Thanks everyone, advice taken. Brand x it is! Doing it for 79.99 at the moment with the remote. Seems a great deal.
Another thing, i am 6 foot 3 and have a large bike. Is a 120mm dropper enough??
That all depends on how much seatposts you have sticking out of the frame at the moment with the seat in your normal riding position.
120 is better than nothing, but I prefer 150/170 (on reverbs, funnily enough) I’m 6’1” riding large bikes
Ok cheers. Seems the brand x only goes up to 125mm.
Brand X do the Ascend in a 150, it's the Ascend XL & costs a bit more.
Cheaper here:
https://www.ubyk.co.uk/brand-x-ascend-xl-dropper-seatpost-150mm/70403
Lots of excellent cable operated posts to choose instead that work properly without the faff of having to bleed the thing.
It's not the bleeding that's been the problem for me, it's the squish that develops in the post when you sit on it. Was up to about 50mm on my last ride, so another £100 service needed to fix it.
The reverb is certainly common but not sure I've seen it actually recommended. There are loads of threads about them, and not in a good way.
Get a Fox. Because...Kashima 🙂
Brand X Ascend XL - big recommend - easy to fit, works great, remote is decent and cheaper than a service on most of the others. Downsides are its slightly heavier and ......er thats it. Son has one and been going a bout 10 months. Still going strong despite abuse, lack of cleaning and being ignored! Reverb is a reliability nightmare - whichever version it is.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Going to go for the brand x 125mm version. Its my first dropper so I think there will be a big benefit no matter what I get!
I'd always say go longer if you can, the difference between 125mm and 150mm is pretty big imo
"bails
It’s not the bleeding that’s been the problem for me, it’s the squish that develops in the post when you sit on it. Was up to about 50mm on my last ride, so another £100 service needed to fix it."
It doesn't need a full service, really it just needs a reset- it's not that hard to do yourself but if you can find a mechanic that'll do you what amounts to a service but with new parts that'll sort it. Nothing's usually broken when a reverb goes saggy, it's just air where it needs fluid.
My Transition I had came with a KS Integra and I didn’t have any issues with that it was a great post!!!
It’s pretty easy to work out how much drop length you need, just lower your saddle 125mm and see if it’s low enough to be useful or if it still gets in the way.
As with any seatpost you need to be sure that there’s nothing in the way in the seat tube like butting, suspension mounts or bottle bolts. If you can fully insert a standard 410mm post you can mount pretty well anything. If there’s much less than 300mm clear then some options are going to start running into trouble. By 200mm you’re pretty much borked.
If you can fully insert a standard 410mm post you can mount pretty well anything. If there’s much less than 300mm clear then some options are going to start running into trouble. By 200mm you’re pretty much borked.
I assume you don't mean "fully insert"
? I just suggested it as an easy way to check there’s no obstruction in the tube that would pose a problem for a dropper, or if there is how far down it is? Not really seeing the problem tbh.
A full size Reverb with the collar on the clamp is going to need c 300mm plus whatever your hose arrangements take up if stealth (not full width by this point but clearance still needed) and there are options with longer bodies although admittedly they’re probably off the menu here. Most of my HTs would let me insert a full length Thomson all the way, but if there are obstructions in the seat tube, the OP could do with knowing about it before buying something that might not fit?
Ah I kind of see what you mean with the stealth hose. I guess you're inserting it as far as it goes, where I thought you were implying that you might have problems - I think for the Reverbs you can look up the lower tube length in the tech documents somewhere to check FWIW, it does vary with the drop length these days.
It's always worth being a bit careful about how big the seal heads are when you choose what drop to go for, too. 100mm and 125mm is about the most I can get away with on my bikes.
It doesn’t need a full service, really it just needs a reset- it’s not that hard to do yourself but if you can find a mechanic that’ll do you what amounts to a service but with new parts that’ll sort it. Nothing’s usually broken when a reverb goes saggy, it’s just air where it needs fluid.
Do you mean new as in updated, not just 'new to the post'? I had one that went saggy within a year that was replaced under warranty, and the current one's had two or three services now, each time ending up the same.
I'll probably try it myself next time, but think I need the special tools to be able to take it apart and rebuild it right. It's annoying paying so much when there's so little wrong with it. I get the report back saying that they've spent my £100 well by fitting new brass keys to remove play, changed all the seals etc, when it's hardly had any use and none of things really needed doing, it just needed taking apart and putting back together.
