Dropper Posts – Straight up and down

I have a 150mm Reverb. It’s been fine; it goes up and it goes down. I’ve only needed to bleed it once.

The thing is, I only ever have it all the way up, or all the way down. I either want it at the optimum position for pedaling/climbing, or right down completely out of my way. Which got me thinking, how much extra engineering, weight and cost goes into making it “fully adjustable”?

Also, is there anything out there that’s hydraulic and as smooth as the Reverb but only has two positions? I’ve used a Gravity Dropper, which was also fine, but a bit unrefined and not long enough.
Cheers

I doubt there would be a difference – you would still need all the components for a smooth and reliable action…spring, damper, keyed slider, locking mechanism. Probably slightly harder to create one that isn’t infinitely adjustable. Even if it only has 2 positions it still has to travel smoothly through the infinity of other positions while remaining in the same rotational plane.

I use the ‘inbetween’ more than I thought I would, depends on the terrain as sometimes I only want the saddle a little out of the way for the odd rough bit but the rest of the time the singletrack needs my bum on the seat pedalling.

I never use the full travel on mine – it feels too far down 😳

I have wondered whether an option to have one that automatically goes down to a set point or back to the top would be a good idea.

get a shorter one? or use an enduro collar to limit the travel.

I’ve used a Gravity Dropper, which was also fine, but a bit unrefined

Funny!

Surely this problem can be addressed with rubber bands or cable ties. This is mountain biking after all.

It’s only a 100mm one… Don’t really need the collar as I can set it right but I do think a 75mm one would suit me.

It’s only a 100mm one… Don’t really need the collar as I can set it right but I do think a 75mm one would suit me.

My new 170mm Reverb would feel really strange to you then! Are you of quite compact stature?

Fox DOSS?

get a shorter one? or use an enduro collar to limit the travel.

As there’s no disadvantage to having one that goes down further than you use, why would you bother ?

Not hydraulic, but Specialized Command Post. Fully up for climbing, 35mm down for flowy stuff, fully down for steeps. Can disassemble, clean and re-grease, and reassemble in ten minutes.

so it always goes to the same position.

The Fox DOSS and the Spesh are not cheap.

Droppers are not cheap. Although, I know there are cheap ones. But they look breaky. I had one – a TMARS thing? It stopped working rather quickly. And kind of exploded a bit shortly afterwards.

Maybe I’ll just stick with Reverbs.. I’d fancy a 170mm drop one and put the 150mm in the hardtail I think I’m about to buy, but I think my frame would be too small for the 170.

I do like the 40mm drop on my DOSS for flowing trails where you want to sit down & pedal but don’t want it all the way up.
I don’t like infinitely variable, I like the same thing every time.

Are you of quite compact stature?

Quite the opposite. I just don’t really like riding with the saddle really far down. Probably a technical failing of mine somehow…

It would be nice to have a post that is not pushed down by your bum and have a lever than you just click between up, trail and dh. I guess that is the fox or do you still need to apply buttock power?

That would be a real development. Can sometimes throw you off as you do the bum shuffle moments before a steep section. Motorised/powered posts can’t be far off surely….

Different from the other posts mentioned and not hydraulic, but I have an RSP Plummet. Got it June last year and I’ve not done a single bit of maintenance to it. Not even so much as lubing the remote cable.

Still works faultlessly. Obviously not as refined as fancier posts, but it has positions at full up, full down, and halfway. I tend to use halfway as it’s out the way enough, but still allows some support and you can pedal ok ish if you sit down a bit. I only use full down for really steep / technical stuff.

I’ve got the newer RSP 2017 Plummet – it has “infinate” (sp) adjust.

only used once, seems good so far.

there’s a thread about it here http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/who-makes-the-new-rsp-plummet-dropper

Motorised/powered posts can’t be far off surely….

Looks like Giant are already trying this….link

But I really cant think of a more pointless use of technology. Not to mention heavy! To overcome the force of the return spring you need quite a powerful motor, a whacking great battery, some method of transferring that power to the post…and then somehow cram all of that into a seat post along with all the other internals.

Or alternatively you could use the potential energy stored in your arse by simply relaxing your leg muscles and let gravity do the work instead.

Let me think…

I suspect infinite adjust might actually be simpler than even 2-point, because you’re basically using a single engagement mechanism rather than 2 or more. Depends how you do it.

Looks like Giant are already trying this….link

They need to fix their current dropper rather than worrying about further complexity.

I’ve just sent my 2nd Contact back under warranty in less than 5 months of having the bike. I’ve asked for something other than that worthless excuse for a dropper.

What’s the new 2017 Plummet like Canopy?

ndthorton makes a fair point…..

And even if it did exist and was a reasonable weight, I’m the type of person who will be last in line to attach anything electrical to my bike….

But a means of dropping the post (any post) without a bum tap really would be interesting to me.

What’s the new 2017 Plummet like Canopy?

I’m pleased so far 🙂 check the post I linked above. I tried to relay a much info as possible, there’s a link off there to sites with pictures too.

To overcome the force of the return spring you need quite a powerful motor,

Why have a return spring? Just need a screw and a relatively small motor.Could all be self contained inside the post, with batteries. Wireless switch, and you’re onto a winner.

Motorised up and down is easy, but motorised up and down FAST isn’t.

You wouldn’t want it too fast – it’d smack you in the nuts if you weren’t careful.