[Closed] moved away from a dropper post?

Yep I did, Bought it, spent a lot of time adjusting cables keeping levers etc clean- relubing etc. general faffage, only to find that on most rides I maybe used it once at the most. So decided to unburden myself from an extra maintenance commitment, and sold it. Since then I have discovered more times that I'd probably use it during my general riding, and rather wish I'd kept it. Hey ho you live and learn

Has anyone gone back to a standard seatpost from a dropper?

Yes, but only because i broke it.

I am not sure whether it is worth the expense given i ride mainly at trail centers

eh? what's that got to do with anything?

anyhoo, i want another one sharpish.

You bought something your not using ?

Why did you buy it then ?

Yep, it was an early Crank Bros one that needed stripping and lubing after every ride in anything other than perfectly dry weather.

Loved the concept though.

yep.

put the dropper post on my hardtail to make it easier with the child seat.

put the straight thompson back on my five and not really missing the dropper.

Nope, I find it really good for dropping the saddle for short technical bit in the middle of more mundane sections.

e.g. I could ride tank traps at Swinley saddle up in the air, but that makes the (small) drop offs a bit less fun, so I drop the saddle for that small section. On the XC bike with a fixed post I ride round them.

Sort of. There isn't one on my hard tail which is 27.2. I'm considering changing frame so I can fit a 30.9 ks or rs post.

Can't imagine not having one

broke the remote on mine recently in a crash. Been using my standard Thomson post for a few weeks now so should have had enough time to get used to it but can't wait to get my dropper back.

yep mainly for weight and all the wires.

I have due to a broken reverb - its shit!

Been without my Reverb for the last 2 weeks having sent it off to SRAM to be serviced

I miss it so much !!!!

Admittedly I only dropped my saddle once on my ride yesterday, but would have done about 3 or 4 times had I had my reverb on

I have one but only use it when riding away from my usual (Bristol) trails. Here, I don't find I really need it. Elsewhere, I find it makes me ride better so I think it's well worth having. YMMV of course.

Depends on the terrain, the bike and how fit you are. I pedal a lot out of the saddle so I run the saddle low anyway. I don't really care about "road biking" position though I do suffer on flat none technical fire road type situations. I put one on my bike here in Sweden and found that the trails did not suit running too much post anyway as you could not pump and move about as much and there is not much fire road. Back in the UK though there is a lot more fireroad and smooth stuff that suits an "upper" post and I like it a lot. To me it is not a must have as I do not enjoy the none techy bits where I need an upper post so I do not mind sacrificing a bit of speed on those bits by running my seat post a bit lower.

I am not sure whether it is worth the expense given i ride mainly at trail centers

That's the best reason to buy one. If I only rode local, I wouldn't even contemplate one personally.

I've got one on my Five, but not other bikes. Can't decide what to make of it, heavy, clunky, fragile, expensive thing that I only use once per ride.

Curiously I like it most for just lowering the saddle an inch or so, to make it feel more roomy on the downhill stuff, rather than slamming it totally.

Very occasionally, but I almost always miss it. I'd sooner go without suspension than my dropper these days, riding rigid is fun but riding without a dropper is generally irritating.

As for trailcentres- I use mine least at trailcentres, natural or non-bike-specific trails tend to go up and down much more, or have long sections with just occasional fun techy moments, and generally not so easy to predict. Trailcentres are more often up or down, and generally have a sign at the start of the sections to tell you so.

TBF a lot of these comments really amount to "my dropper is rubbish", doesn't have to be so. I wouldn't use mine if it wasn't reliable and dependable.

Can't decide what to make of it, heavy, clunky, fragile, expensive thing that I only use once per ride.

Enough about your Five,what's the dropper like? 😆

They are only any good if you like sitting on your arse a lot. Hence "upper" post as that is the exception but I suppose calling it an upper post would reinforce the view that they are for fat bloaters that like sitting down a lot and occasionally ride techy trails that need the post dropping a bit.

They are only any good if you like sitting on your arse a lot. Hence "upper" post as that is the exception but I suppose calling it an upper post would reinforce the view that they are for fat bloaters that like sitting down a lot and occasionally ride techy trails that need the post dropping a bit.

2/10 for trolling

Don't have one, not contemplating getting one. I've tried every now and then dropping my post on stuff but then I'm wondering where my saddles gone and not concentrating in what I'm doing. On the few sections I've ridden where you absolutely have to have the saddle out if the way, I quite like stopping and having a looksie first anyway!!

No trolling. They are sit down posts. If the trail is techy or you want to have fun it is better to have your seat down. If the trail is smooth/flat it is going to be road/XC territory anyway so who cares if your are a bit more inefficient riding with a lower seat. It is perfectly possible to ride standing up unless you are not that fit but it is not really possible (ok possible but not that much fun) to ride a techy trail well with your seat up your arse.

They are only any good if you like sitting on your arse a lot. Hence "upper" post as that is the exception but I suppose calling it an upper post would reinforce the view that they are for fat bloaters that like sitting down a lot and occasionally ride techy trails that need the post dropping a bit

I kind of agree. They certainly aren't "Droppers" as the button makes them go up!
I want a dropper post that drops when you press one button. And I guess, one that goes up when you press another 🙂

I haven't learnt to love mine yet on a recent trail bike purchase. They've only just put in some local'ish downhill trails techy enough to really warrant one, but it feels weird to me, especially jumping, but rear wheel steering and overall lean are improved.

The biggest obstacle though is too many years riding XC and managing easier jumps and drops clipped in with my seat post at the 90% high compromise point. Really the dropper let's me use the 100% height and maybe 75%.

Personally I tend to sit down most of the time I'm peddling and I'm somewhat bemused by everyone seemingly suddenly claiming they ride out of the saddle most of the time. I did that to a degree years ago when I was fit, strong, and rode the highest gear I could manage, but these days, well, I bought full suss bikes so as not to stress my back. Of course I also regularly ride in the attack position.

I serialyl drop my saddle 1-3" for steeps but actually it's all good with saddle right up if you have the skills. Seems to be a lost art these days. Loose up hills much easier and efficient when you can feel the nose if the saddle with your thighs and perch. The weight shifts are more subtle and rear wheel traction more constant. I do struggle climbing over steps though so maybe GEDA has a point.

I'll keep a dropper on the tracer 275 while the weather holds, but stick with a qr on the sovereign

I would not want to be without the reverb on the Five.
It just makes it so much easier for mixed riding up and down big hills interspersed with techy bits.

Having said that, I didn't bother putting one on the Patriot for three reasons:
1. They don't drop far enough.
2. That bike is hopefully heading downhill for a much longer time at any one go.
3. Too easy to damage in an off.

brant - Member
I want a dropper post that drops when you press one button. And I guess, one that goes up when you press another

Don't know why no-one has come up with one of these yet as it would be a great idea. Sometimes when out in the wild and drop or summit will suddely appear while riding at max-attack-gnar speed and you've got to sit donw to get the post out of the way.

Back to the OP, I change between my dropper and normal post depending on where I'm riding. If it's a long XC route or racing, no dropper. If it's a thrash-gnarcore trail centre session, or a natural rocky etc type ride, dropper.

Ecky-Thump ironically the dropper post is happily on my Patriot in the UK. Difference in the UK is that my rides are usually long none techy fireroad climbs that are just a pain to ride like a monkey with the seat down and then techy downhills.

I've had a few and ALWAYS go back to a standard seatpost.

I don't like the faff.
The inevitable sticking in one setting.
JRA I start playing with 'oo just abit high, oo just abit lower'.
I don't like remote fork lockout etc etc.

A bike should be minimum detrius on it.

If I lived somewhere seriously swoopy with quick height/drops on the trail allover I may consider but for the Peaks or other local stuff its just something else to fettle pre-post rides.

So Brandt does that mean that you have ruled out the four on the front page of your website?!? 😉

Where I ride in Sweden has serious swoopiness and a lot of up down. Upper post is no good on the ups or downs as the trails are full of roots and rocks where you really need to push the bike around to get the most out of the trail. To me the Peaks would be a better place for a dropper as you honk up the not so techy ups and then follow with a rock trail on the way down.

I have droppers on three out of four bikes.

Before I had them I used to run the saddle much lower than ideal pedalling height. Now, I can keep the saddle high enough to pedal efficiently and be able to drop it the couple of inches necessary to move the bike around when needed.

I use the dropper tens of times on every ride - not just on steep stuff but on all the twisty, bermy, undulating, rocky bits. I wouldn't be without it.

The bike I don't have a dropper on is a rigid SS. I'm out of the saddle a lot on this bike so I leave it a little low and it's less of an issue. Still tempted to get dropper no. 4 though ...

Can't afford a new dropper for my fs build so will have to rob the one off my hardtail.
Gutted really as I use it all the time and my confidence in being able to ride certain situations has grown 10 fold since fitting it.
I will have to replace it ASAP as I love clattering down hill on my HT, and I know I would not drop the saddle half as often without it, Possibly resulting in a few hairy moments.

like mine dont always use it - dont always sawp between bikes but might I prefer it for unfamiliar areas/trails

Never use for a trail centre as that is up then down then up again so no real need and not worth risking breaking it

Would not be without it but I could if I had to

So Brandt does that mean that you have ruled out the four on the front page of your website?!?

(Brant)

I'm running a reverb.

Dropper for the gravity bike
Normal one for the lightweight hardtail. I still get off and drop the saddle for techy DH on the hardtail but dont want to fit a droppper as I sometimes use it for racing and dont want to add weight. Im doing Mayhem this weekend so I was practicing riding tech with the saddle up yesterday. I found that I can cope with steep techy stuff if I drop my ass behind the rear wheel - but I nearly came a cropper as I cant get back up again due to baggy shorts.
So Im going shopping for some tighter shorts - nobody say lycra - thats not allowed!

ndthornton - Member

dont want to fit a droppper as I sometimes use it for racing and dont want to add weight.

I'm a terrible endurance racer to be fair but still I find it well worth the extra 300g or so but it's a big energy saver on descents... Carry more speed, ride techy bits more gracefully and smoothly. Means you can rest more on the descents.

buzz-lightyear - Member

I serialyl drop my saddle 1-3" for steeps but actually it's all good with saddle right up if you have the skills. Seems to be a lost art these days.

Even if you can ride a section with the seatpost up it's still better with it down.

Even if you can ride a section with the seatpost up it's still better with it down.

Depends. If its steep, then yes. But we've got some pretty fast, flowy DH singletrack round here that I'm fastest down with my saddle up.

well worth the extra 300g or so but it's a big energy saver on descents...

That said - Iv found Mayhem to be fine fine with the seat up the last few years, Im only a little concerned as its a new course. I find steep = fine, techy = fine. Steep + techy = fine but ucomfortable - as long as you can get behind the saddle.

Super techy stuff is downright trecherous though.

[i]Never use for a trail centre as that is up then down then up again so no real need and not worth risking breaking it[/i]

I must admit I thought that was the whole point, that you could go up and down all the time...? Are you saying that if you use it loads you run the risk of it breaking?

Dies anyone ride in Chilterns who uses a dropper post regularly? Be interested to learn where you think it has advantages.

jam bo - Member

Depends. If its steep, then yes. But we've got some pretty fast, flowy DH singletrack round here that I'm fastest down with my saddle up.

Could you expand on that a bit? Doesn't make any sense to me, dropper seatpost down doesn't take away any options so hard to see how it'll ever be slower.

not worth risking breaking it

After mine broke (2012 reverb) 4 month from new... I sent it back to fisher, who in fairness fixed everything that was wrong with it... But also sent back a shirt letter saying I should service it more. Bearing in mind it was 4 months old and hardly used..l I kindly asked them to advise me of the service and preventative maintenance regime required to keep it top top... And they never replied.

So I went back to a fixed post, and never miss the dropper, even on steep stuff riding blind.

With out a dropper and my seat at prefered riding height i can just get my rear over the seat and low above the back wheel, but a couple of times the twins have taken a hit which can effect concentration not to mention trying to see where your going with tears in your eyes..