My Rick Shox stealth has died and TF Tuned can revive it, well not economically, and it’s over 3years so Sram won’t do anything about it. So, is Brand X the go to in terms of performance, value, reliability?

Yes, although expect loadsa play in all directions.

Plus you can choose a decent aftermarket lever like the PNW Loam lever on mine 😉

Well, Brand-X is cheap, simple and works well. Also a bit heavy and develops play. However, CRC very good IME sending you a new one when the play gets too annoying.

You can buy a ZTTO lever off eBay for about £15 if you don’t like the standard lever.

I keep reading about RS droppers failing in threads here and people looking at alternatives. Yet others claim they are reliable and don’t fail any more often than others. Strange.

I’m running two brand X droppers, both work well without much play (certainly not enough to worry about). One has the standard remote and I’ve put a Ztto one on the other, I have to say the Ztto lever makes it work better than any reverb I’ve ever had.

I suspect the new REverbs will be more reliable long-term. That said, servicing is still nearly the same price as a Brand X.

Can someone link me to ZTTO lever please?

Also, I’d like the LBS to take my order for it, can they do it via Hotlines, anyone know?
Ta.

I have a Brand X with wolftooth lever on one bike & a reverb with wolftooth sustain conversion on the other. The reverb is defiantly the better dropper now it’s been converted to cable operation it also has the light action wolftooth lever in gold which is a better lever having a longer lever arm. The wolftooth conversion makes the reverb the dropper is should of always been.

Fair play Transition 1, but I just need a plug and play, no faff, other than changing the lever, and keep it simple.

I keep reading about RS droppers failing in threads here and people looking at alternatives. Yet others claim they are reliable and don’t fail any more often than others. Strange.

I would be one of those who apparently can’t kill a dropper.

I’ve had a selection of Reverbs from an A2 onwards and never yet killed one apart from ripping a hose off on a passing tree which is hardly the post’s fault and was easily repaired. I still have my first Lev (an old gold stanchion one) which has as still never been serviced and is still faultless apart from KS stiction if it’s not been ridden for a week or two.

Whether it’s cleaning behaviour/poor mechanics (including shops) or they’re actually hit and miss is moot I think, but it is certain I think is that there’s a very large serving on ‘man shouting on the Internet’ about dropper reliability.

IME reverbs work very well for about 2 yrs, then develop sag/lever weeps/ or keying goes. They’re too expensive to repair, being only slightly less than a whole new post.

So, great post, poor durability and expensive servicing.

It’s a shame, as I hate the waste involved in this process, but don’t want to ditch the dropper completely.

Across my three bikeS, I’ve got 4 reverbs laying in a spares box, with a variety of issues in The last 4 years.

ZTTO lever.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZTTO-ADJUSTABLE-METAL-MECHANICAL-MTB-SEATPOST-DROPPER-REMOTE-LEVER-SHIFTER-STRIC/133007098951

We have 3 Reverbs, a KS Lev and Brand X dropper in the house hold and I personally still like the reverbs the best. Had one need bleeding in after 6 months but the others are faultless, with one being the first generation external cable.

KS keeps loosening the top cap which creates a bit of play and the BX is only one ride old so no feedback yet – seems solid enough though, and the return is very solid.

I thought the Reverb was ace until it was written-off. I don’t want to be in that position again so rather than shell-out £200+ on a new one, plus servicing costs, I’ll go for a slightly less good but significantly better value option instead.

My Decathlon mechanical on my hardtail still works fairly well 5yrs on.

Just moved to a brand x as its was cheaper than a service (£90 delivered from start) it goes up and down, less sag or side to side than any other post I’ve had before. Ztto lever has just arrived to swop over.

BTW anyone know what the weight difference is between a reverb and a brand x?

but it is certain I think is that there’s a very large serving on ‘man shouting on the Internet’ about dropper reliability.

You should hear the real world version of people who I ride with. The number of failing Reverbs (even new ones) is a multiple of the total failures from all other brands. While perhaps not statistically relevant, it’s very hard to conclude they have very poor reliability, at best, and at least compared to other brands.

I have two brand X droppers, one internally routed and the other external. I’ve had them a about a year and both have served me well so far though the externally routed one needs pumping up I think as it’s a bit slow. Given the price they seem like a no brainer to me.

Reliability isn’t the issue per se for me, it’s running cost and ease of service.

None of them have serviceable pistons AFAICT, but some you can service the sliding parts at home and some you can’t.

I have 2 brand-Xs to replace 2 fox transfers. It’s clear that the brand X posts are not as good as the Fox, but they’re certainly not poor quality and an entire replacement bush, keys and seal set for the ascend is £15 and can be done at home. The fox isn’t user serviceable at all because of specialist tool requirements and costs nearly as much as a fork to service. In fact, you can almost buy an Ascend for the service cost of a fox transfer. Same with the reverb. Expensive parts, expensive to service.

It’s tube that has to go up and down. It’s not like a fork that has to operate with buttery smoothness and peak performance at all times. As long it goes up and down without hassle and complaint and I can service it easily, or part service it (bush re-lube is super easy too), it’s an area where having the ‘best’ can be compromised on.

One up components for me.