I have just fitted one of these and wanted some feedback from other users on here. It was bought new not second hand. First observation is that the slickness of the operation varies when tightening the seatclamp. I have had to slacken the clamp in order to get a fast action on return. Second, the post doesn't go all the way down. It stops about 5mm from fully dropped - is this normal? Also when fully up and I sit on the bike I can feel the post drop about 3mm without activating it. Do they all do this?
I have tried different air pressures but higher pressures make it too stiff to fully drop and lower pressure drop easily but don't return so well and sink when I sit. I am now running at 35psi and I weigh 73kg which seems to be the best setting so far. What pressures are other riders using?
No hilo users on here? Are they that bad?
From new, I had the same problem of it dropping just slightly when fully extended . I bunged the pressure up to about the same as you're now running , and I've not had a problem with it since (2 years).
Mine does go all the way down (fnarr fnarr). I'm a tad more than 73kg though. Perhaps try some more pies? 😉
Don't know about the HiLo specifically but the seat clamp pressure affects a lot, if not all, dropper posts.
RockShox recommend fitting their Reverb using carbon assembly paste and a max torque of 6.3Nm (IIRC) on the bolt clamp to reduce the risk of over tightening and affecting the dropper functionality.
At the end of the day it's a tin metal tube with another thin metal tube sliding up & down inside it. clamping the outer tube too tightly will restrict the space the inner one has to move in*.
*This isn't meant to sound as patronising as it may do, it's just something a lot of people don't realise/think about.
i have just returned my second Hilo SLS (internally routed one) after a grand total of 26 miles (over 3 gentle ride) for a full refund. First one was broken from new (saddle clamp didn't fit properly and was rough to the point you could hear it graunching as you cycled it up and down.
the second was smoother, but after the 2nd ride, it only returned 110mm not 125 and had a load of rotational play.
Utter crap in my opinion. i'll never believe the gushing reviews they get stateside again.
You really do get what you pay for, apart from my old Giant contact switch it would seem, that thing was the single best dropper i have ever owned. Totally reliable, barely any rotational play, cheap as chips, just a shame it only had 100mm travel and a layback head..
Whack up pressure, bit of paste, bingo.
Seatclamp pressure tends to affect 27.2 droppers quite significantly - it certainly did on my hilo. I ended us using a coke can shim to have a really tight fit of the post in the frame so I didn't need to tighten the clamp much.
Mine never did the slight drop you mention - check the pressure as suggested.
Generally though it was great - it did what it was supposed to without fuss (except it'd squeal when dropping if not lubed). I only sold it because I sold the frame.
Thanks for the replies, some good info'. It sounds like just carry on fettling with air pressure and seat clamp tension until I get it right for me. Or more Greggs as suggested by binners. 😉
Also when fully up and I sit on the bike I can feel the post drop about 3mm without activating it. Do they all do this?
yep
Its normal apparently. to stop it you have to let the seat up slowly. If you do this you'll hear a squelch as the oil goes into the right places. Its something to do with the release valve apparently.
I'm running my HIlo SL at the recommended 22psi (i think.. its in the twenties anyway) its never the fastest to return, and i always have some stantion showing when its dropped.
I had no end of bother with the 3 posts I had from xfusion. I've said before and I'll say again.. avoid.
Its a shame as the forks get such a good writeup but I wouldn't touch an xfusion product now.