I’m totally out of touch with new MTB tech so tell me what’s good and what’s best avoided in mid range dropper posts.

I’ve got a bike with a lot of standover height which came fitted with a 150mm Tranz-X post. It works perfectly but it’s never fully out of the way and it’s pulled right up to the minimum insertion mark for pedalling around. I’d like to get the most possible drop for the money from something which won’t blow up and incur service charges or warranty delays. Ideally something which can be fixed on a bench at home.

I need a 34.9 and I’m happy with my current lever. Not bothered about brands or logos.

Is there anything better than this for less than £200? http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/parts/seatposts/oneup-dropper-seatpost-v21-black__325682

One-Up is the correct answer

trans-x/brand-x are great vfm, tho you may have to cost in an aftermarket lever (bontrager ones are nice & cheap too)

I’d add x-fusion to Kimber’s suggestions.
One-up was too spendy for me..

I bought a Limotec from CRC at the start of the year for £70, had zero issues so far (other than the supplied cable being far to short) it’s now on sale for £55….! God, brandx is less than £90 these days

Can’t see any point in spending more than £100 unless you have a specific frame / drop requirements or are willing to spend significantly more for the benefits of wireless.

I’ve owned a fair few Brand X posts across the family bikes. I think we’re at 5 in total over the years. They have never, ever skipped a beat, and when I stripped down one I used fairly heavily to sell it, it looked pretty clean and was absolutely wear free. The sealing is excellent. I do own a OneUp and it’s great (as a shortarse I need as long a drop as possible, and OneUp was a clear winner in this department) but I have found it has needed semi-regular maintenance and can be a little finicky. I generally service it just before winter, but factor in a couple of services a year. I’ll usually have to top up the air every now and then, which involves removing the saddle and then having to readjust it.
If you don’t mind a 150mm drop again, the Command Post on my second hand Specialized Fuse has been excellent and not skipped a beat so far. You get used to the energetic return thunk, honest!

Either Brand-X or if feeling flush OneUp.
Have both across various bikes and both have performed faultlessly.
The OneUp generally has shorter overall length and stack height – which means I can fit a 170 in my medium Nukeproof Mega frame instead of the 150 Brand-X it came with.
So if you don’t have a straight seat tube you might want to consider the OneUp due to the shorter overall length.

This TranzX post seems good value for an adjustable post. Has no lever, but many upgrade the levers on these BrandX clone posts anyway…

TranzX +RAD Adjustable Travel Dropper Post – 30.9mm – 170 – 200mm Travel

Edit – misread the 34.9 dia you need!

I can’t see any Brand-X or Tranz-X in 34.9 and the One Up is the only one which is +200mm drop.

The one Up V2 seems to get good reviews and doesn’t have any glaring design faults. I’ll double check tonight that I’m looking for the right size and I might get one. £170 in the sale isn’t too outrageous.

I can’t see any Brand-X or Tranz-X in 34.9

This why you buy a shim. I found the USE one is the longest available, for an much support as possible (100mm iirc) within the setapost. My latest bike has a requirement of 80mm of seatpost, so can’t see the shim being an issue.

reverb, yes i know the hate, but they are alright when its not too cold

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/rockshox/reverb-stealth-150mm-dropper-seatpost-911976#colcode=91197693

£100 delivered 34.9mm / 150mm

reverb, yes i know the hate, but they are alright when its not too cold

Never again for me, but I see a lot of people on them. Son 1’s new (to him) bike has one and it’s been fine since April, so they can’t be all bad.

OP – see if there’s any second hand Command Posts about, too. Might fit the budget.

Also – I’ve had a look on the oneup site, and it looks like you can get any length of 34.9 post up to 240mm drop. Have a rummage.

X Fusion Manic can be had in 34.9, 150mm 170mm and 190mm
Pinkbike usually have a few new and used for sale at reasonable prices.
We got a new 170mm complete with saddle for £95.

Can’t go wrong with oneup. I’ve got two and they’re great.

Another option is pnw https://www.biketart.com/products/pnw-components-loam-dropper-seatpost?variant=40809571975347

PNW get my vote closely followed by One Up

Very happy with 2x pnw here

Right, I didn’t want to sleep on it so I’ve gone for the OneUp V2. The PNW also looks like a fine choice but nothing can match the 240mm drop. That will make a huge difference to my comfort on the bike.

It seems to be unanimously well reviewed and easy to service at home so there shouldn’t be too many problems.

I was scared of getting a lemon but it looks like there’s a lot less crap out there since I first bought one over 10 years ago.

Can’t go wrong with oneup. I’ve got two and they’re great.

Oh you can. I had two warranty replacements in two years on mine and one year later the top cap is effed again.
In contrast, my Brand X has been faultless.

OneUp owners, some observations…

My post arrived and I was in such a hurry to fit it that I ignored a couple of things.

Firstly there was no cable stopper in the box to sit in the bottom of the post. It’s unlikely that they’re supposed to be sold without one but my current one fitted so I used that. Unfortunately that leaves my old post useless when it was destined for Facey Marketplace.

Then I realised that it’s very unusual to have no paperwork at all in the box. No instruction manual, warranty info or anything.

I wonder if I received a post which had been opened and returned or something but I had it fitted so quickly I couldn’t really query it.

The only fitting issue is that the recess for the cable stop in the bottom of the post is very shallow. It took a few attempts to get the post into position while yanking on the lever end without dislodging it and starting again.

Anyway, I’m happy. I got very lucky with the sizing as I didn’t really measure up. It bottoms out in my bent seat tube then extends to perfect pedalling height. Any taller and I’d be opening it up to reduce the travel.

I don’t think mine came with the cable barrel or any instructions, so i think it’s normal.

@dirkpitt74 Do the OneUp’s have more/same/less slop than Brand X?

@twotonpredator less – although the last 2 Brand-X ones have been pretty good.

I got a OneUp y for my wife’s bike – it arrived today and came with a black nugget in the bag with the brass travel reducers. I’ve had really good customer service from them before so if it’s not there, drop them a line and see. At least you’ll get one to sell on with your post.

The V3 lever is really good too, with comfy rubber grip and reduced effort. It also comes with an inner, outer and nugget, which I didn’t realise when I ordered. Which was nice.

Brand X are great. If you need a really really really long one or have a short set tube then OneUp are also good but a little more expensive.

I just tried a Brand X with e13 lever and it was really good (better than my Brand X lever which is fine)

I’m not sure who makes my Tranz-X or if it’s the same as a Brand X but there’s very little movement in it and none of the noise that can happen rocking it side to side.

OneUp has almost zero slop in any direction. That might change after I ride it.

No idea what the lever is but I’ve got no complaints about it. Maybe a posh one would be easier to push or something.

Oneup is just a really good product that also happens to be well priced. I reckon the only better product on the market is Bikeyoke, which is real Rolls Royce stuff but it’s so much more expensive that it’s pretty much impossible to recommend now.

The BrandX/etc are really good value especially if your frame can only take a shorter post, but if you can fit the longer travel of the Oneup, I think it’s pretty much a no-brainer. Dropper posts have one job and longerer ones are just betterer.

I have both a OneUp and Brand X one

The OneUp one is about 3 years old (v1 170mm) – still working well and never serviced – it occasionally needs a bit more air adding via shock pump, but that’s the only very minor issue

The Brand X (170mm) is about 6 months old – works very well – no issues as yet

Both were easy to fit and setup myself

Main reason to go for the OneUp is the short stack height – if you have a kinked seat tube that may well be the best choice

If I were buying one tomorrow it would be one of the above again

Hard to see past Brand X given the prices.

I was an early adopter and don’t PSA or recommend many things but the Brand X posts are up there as no nonsense VFM kit, I have no problem recommending on the forum.

Still got one of the original posts, obviously I replaced the awful lever straight away. The original levers were really shoddy. Subsequent posts have revised internals a better shaped lever that is still a bit cheap feeling but functional!