Dropper posts permit us to regulate our saddle peak with the push of a lever, serving to to reinforce consolation, effectivity, and, most significantly, management whereas out on the path. Many individuals would argue that dropper posts are one of the necessary improvements in mountain bike know-how, basically remodeling the way in which we trip.
The flexibility to regulate the peak of your saddle on the fly ensures that it’s all the time positioned completely for the terrain you might be driving, and dropper posts have develop into a staple on practically all new mountain bikes and are working their manner onto gravel bikes nowadays as properly. With their meteoric rise to changing into an ordinary half, we now have extra nice choices to select from than ever earlier than.
Should you’re searching for a brand new dropper submit on your bike, we might help! We rounded up 9 of the highest choices accessible in 2024 to check and evaluate aspect by aspect. Over the course of a number of months, we put every mannequin on this evaluation by way of its paces whereas assessing necessary efficiency traits just like the smoothness of journey, saddle clamps, set up, adjustability, weight, serviceability, and design. When attainable, we additionally examined every submit with its personal model’s distant to see how they work collectively.
Our prime suggestions are listed beneath, adopted by the perfect of the remaining that are additionally nice choices to be thought of. To see the specs of all of the fashions we examined at a look, try our comparability chart. Should you need assistance deciding what you want or learn how to discover a dropper submit that matches you and your bike, you may confer with our detailed shopping for recommendation and FAQ part.
Editor’s Word: This purchaser’s information initially appeared on our sister web site, BikeRumor.com, and was posted on GearJunkie on July 26, 2024.
The Finest Dropper Posts of 2024
Finest General Dropper Publish
-
Out there Journey Lengths
90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240mm -
General Lengths
295, 350, 415, 480, 545, 610mm -
Out there Diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm (additionally a 27.2mm possibility in 90mm and 120mm lengths) -
Dimension Examined
30.9, 210mm journey -
Measured Weight
Publish: 515g (2.45g/mm journey), Lever: 42g
-
Nonetheless moderately priced -
Smoother than earlier model -
Lighter weight – lighter than most “light-weight” posts -
Very low stack peak -
Six journey lengths and 4 diameters provided -
Adjustable journey for perfect match -
Simple upkeep
-
Barely costlier than the V2 -
Distant prices further – however that is fairly commonplace -
New sealed cartridge has fastened return velocity
Finest Funds Dropper Publish
-
Out there journey lengths
125, 150, 170, 200mm -
General lengths
385, 440, 480, 540mm -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 529g (3.53 g/mm journey), Lever: 49g
-
Nice efficiency at an inexpensive worth -
Simple software free journey regulate -
Primary however practical and ergonomic lever -
Simple to make small changes to saddle peak
-
Rubber items get soiled very simply
Runner-Up Finest Dropper Publish
-
Out there journey lengths
125, 160, 200mm -
General lengths
373.2, 443.2, 523.2mm -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6 -
Dimension examined
31.6, 160mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 514g (3.21g/mm journey), Lever: 47g
-
Brief total size and stack peak -
Self-bleeding cartridge ought to promote reliability -
Can order with journey spacers put in -
Distant Professional lever is great -
Simple saddle set up -
Totally consumer serviceable -
Light-weight
-
Preliminary stickiness, resolved with Slick Honey on the stanchion as suggested by Wolf Tooth. -
Increased worth level
Smoothest Dropper Publish
-
Out there journey lengths
125, 160, 185, 213mm -
General lengths
397, 467, 517, 582mm (together with actuator) -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6 (Revive Max 34.9 and Revive 27.2 additionally accessible) -
Dimension examined
31.6, 160mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 536g (3.35 g/mm journey), Lever: 45g
-
Extremely clean -
Very simple to make small changes exactly -
Reset Valve is good to have, significantly should you grasp your bike the wrong way up
-
Comparatively lengthy total size/stack peak -
Costly
Finest Excessive-Finish Dropper Publish
-
Out there journey lengths
100, 125, 150, 170mm -
General lengths
340, 390, 440, 480mm -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm (Reverb XPLR AXS is available in 27.2mm) -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 655g (4.37g/mm journey), Lever: 54g
-
Nice lever ergonomics and simple actuation -
Precision management -
Tremendous-easy submit and seat set up -
Fast return velocity -
Digital -
No cable or hose
-
Very costly -
Heavier weight -
Digital — want to recollect to cost battery -
Increased stack peak with massive collar
Finest ‘SL’ Dropper Publish
-
Out there journey lengths
80, 100, 125mm -
General lengths
400, 420, 445mm -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6 -
Dimension examined
31.6, 125mm -
Measured weight
Publish: 451g (3.61 g/mm journey), Lever: 45g
-
Quick return velocity -
Clean, managed motion -
Fairly mild -
“Tech climb” function went unnoticed (in a great way)
-
Max journey of 125mm -
Longer total size and stack peak -
Weight is low, however weight per mm/journey is increased than different SL mannequin examined
Better of the Relaxation
-
Out there journey lengths
100, 125, 150, 175, 200mm -
General lengths
336.6, 391.5, 446.3, 503, 558.7mm (consists of actuator) -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6 -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 585g (3.9g/mm journey), Lever: 46g
-
Very clean, intuitive efficiency on path -
Cheap total size and really low stack peak -
Tremendous-light actuation -
Nice seat clamp design -
Primary however well-performing lever
-
Not as simply serviceable and little or no adjustability -
Heavier than some -
Expensive
-
Out there journey lengths
100, 125, 150, 170, 200mm -
General lengths
364, 414, 465, 504, 577mm -
Out there diameters
30.9, 31.6mm (Highline XC Gravel accessible in 27.2mm) -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 577g (3.85 g/mm journey)
-
Very clean journey -
Simple to make use of pivoting bolt seat clamp -
Simply consumer serviceable (all the things however the cartridge) with very commonplace instruments -
Simple set up
-
Slower, fastened compression and extension velocity -
Longer total size and stack peak -
Second heaviest cable-actuated submit examined
-
Out there journey Lengths
50, 70, 75, 100, 125, 150mm -
General lengths
350, 370, 355, 380, 430, 455, 480mm -
Out there diameters
27.2, 30.9, 31.6 -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150mm journey -
Measured weight
Publish: 441g (2.94 g/mm journey), Lever 46g
-
Lightest submit examined -
Big selection of shorter journey choices for XC riders -
Drop bar lever accessible -
Very quick return velocity -
Extraordinarily mild motion
-
Two positions — you’ll find it irresistible or hate it -
Much less controllable than infinitely adjustable posts resulting from extraordinarily mild motion -
Longest total size within the take a look at
Dropper Publish Comparability Chart
Dropper Publish | MSRP | Out there Lengths | Out there Diameters | Dimension Examined | Measured Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OneUp Parts V3 | $270 | 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240mm | 27.2, 30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm | 30.9 x 210mm | Publish: 515g, Lever: 42g |
PNW Parts Loam | $199-209 | 100, 125, 150, 175, 200mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm | 31.6 x 150mm | Publish: 529g, Lever: 49g |
Wolf Tooth Resolve | $350-380 | 125, 160, 200mm | 30.9, 31.6mm | 31.6 x 160mm | Publish: 514g, Lever: 47g |
Bike Yoke Revive 2.0 | $350-410 | 125, 160, 185, 213mm | 27.2, 30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm | 31.6 x 160mm | Publish: 536g, Lever: 45g |
RockShox Reverb AXS | $861 | 100, 125, 150, 170mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm | 31.6 x 150mm | Publish: 655g, Lever: 54g |
Bike Yoke Divine SL | $320 | 80, 100, 125mm | 30.9, 31.6mm | 31.6 x 125mm | Publish 451g, Lever: 45g |
Fox Switch Manufacturing unit | $350-380 | 100, 125, 150, 175, 200mm | 30.9, 31.6mm | 31.6 x 150mm | Publish: 585g, Lever: 46g |
Crankbrothers Highline 7 | $300 | 100, 125, 150, 170, 200mm | 30.9, 31.6mm | 31.6 x 150mm | Publish: 577g |
Fox Switch SL | $399 | 50, 70, 75, 100, 125, 150mm | 27.2, 30.9, 31.6mm | 31.6 x 150mm | Publish: 441g, Lever: 46g |
Why You Ought to Belief Us
It’s honest to say that the staff at GearJunkie is obsessive about all issues outdoor-related, and that features mountain biking. That is very true of merchandise like dropper posts that improve our driving expertise and efficiency out on the path.
Whereas there have been some reservations about adopting this new-fangled know-how once they initially got here out, you’ll discover droppers on just about all of our mountain bikes and even a few of our gravel bikes nowadays. And we’ve tried numerous them. Whether or not for product launches, particular person critiques, or on take a look at bikes, we’ve had the prospect to attempt practically each mannequin in the marketplace.
For the needs of this purchaser’s information, we rounded up 9 of the perfect dropper posts accessible in 2024 to check and evaluate side-by-side. Overview creator Paul Clauss spent months testing these posts in a variety of climate situations on technical northern Vermont trails that require a number of elevating and reducing of the saddle. A mechanical engineer by commerce and a talented bike mechanic, Paul enjoys scrutinizing completely different designs, tinkering with changes, and is adept at differentiating delicate efficiency variations within the workshop and out on the path.
Every submit was weighed and measured for comparability to producers’ specs and put in on both his Santa Cruz Bronson or Chromag Wideangle hardtail for testing. Paul has an affinity for technical options and rock slabs, and happily, the terrain close to his dwelling in northern Vermont is a perfect testing floor for dropper posts with loads of ups, downs, and rocky, rooty challenges that require frequent modifications to saddle peak.
Along with testing dropper posts, Paul has additionally contributed to our greatest mountain bike flat pedals and mountain bike flat pedal shoe critiques, together with bike restore stands and bike pumps.
GearJunkie editor Jeremy Benson additionally contributed to this information. Benson has been testing and reviewing bikes, equipment, and parts for 8 years and has personally examined greater than ten completely different dropper posts. As an obsessive rider and racer, he’s all the time looking for out the highest-performance merchandise he can discover and appreciates parts that make his bike as mild as attainable.
He’s additionally skilled the evolution of dropper posts firsthand and acknowledges that just about each dropper in the marketplace is a lot better than any choices we had a decade in the past. A few of the different guides that Benson has contributed to incorporate mountain bike sneakers, mountain bike shorts, mountain bike helmets, and hitch bike racks.
Shopping for Information: How you can Select a Dropper Publish
There are quite a few causes to make use of a dropper submit in your mountain bike, however it may be difficult to seek out precisely what you want. Right here we’ll break down among the necessary concerns which will influence your buy resolution.
Why Experience With a Dropper Publish?
Utilizing a dropper submit will can help you elevate and decrease your seat with the contact of a handlebar-mounted lever. When your saddle is on the acceptable peak for pedaling and climbing, it may well get in the way in which when attempting to maneuver your physique and bike whereas descending. However when your saddle peak is about low for descending, it isn’t within the correct pedaling place.
Dropper posts can help you regulate your saddle peak on the fly whereas driving, making certain you’ve got the correct seat peak for the terrain you encounter. With a dropper submit, you’ll expertise:
- Improved maneuverability: A dropper submit permits you to decrease your seat when descending steep or technical terrain, creating extra clearance between you and your saddle, making it simpler to shift your physique and maneuver the bike. That is significantly useful for bike/physique separation when cornering and when leaping.
- Higher effectivity: At full extension, your saddle needs to be within the perfect place for seated pedaling so you may all the time profit from your pedaling effort.
- Extra comfy driving: A dropper submit permits you to regulate your seat peak primarily based on the terrain, making for a extra comfy trip total. Exterior of reducing the submit for descending, this may be necessary on technical climbs – generally having solely 20mm or so of drop might help you set down the facility and push up a troublesome transfer.
How you can Dimension a Dropper Publish for You and Your Bike
When buying a brand new dropper submit, the match for you and your bike is your first precedence. Not solely does it want to suit your body to be suitable, however you need it to fit your physique dimension and desires as properly.
Seat Tube Diameter
This is among the best steps – simply be sure to choose a submit that matches the seat tube diameter of your body. Most fashionable mountain bikes have 30.9mm or 31.6mm seat tubes, and dropper submit producers typically present choices for much less commonplace choices like 27.2mm (for gravel and a few XC frames) or 34.9mm diameters. If you’re not sure of your seat tube diameter, you may usually discover it printed on the seat submit that’s at present in your bike, or you may look it up on the producer’s web site. Whilst you ought to have the ability to discover a submit that matches your seat tube diameter, you may generally buy a smaller one and shim the seat tube in a pinch.
Dropper Journey Size
Dropper posts are available in a variety of journey lengths to go well with various wants, preferences, our bodies, and bikes. For mountain bikes, they usually vary between 100 and 200mm, with some outliers on both finish. For instance, the OneUp Parts V3 Dropper is available in essentially the most dimension choices, with 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240mm journey lengths accessible. Not surprisingly, as post-travel will increase, so does the general size of the submit.
Whereas many individuals attempt to match essentially the most drop attainable on their bike to extend mobility, some riders might desire a shorter drop size for varied causes. How a lot drop you need often is a matter of non-public choice, but additionally it’s typically a operate of what’s going to match in your body and work on your physique dimension.
Fortuitously, some manufacturers are doing their greatest to attenuate the general lengths and stack heights of their posts, which makes it simpler to suit an extended journey dropper, and a few additionally present the choice to cut back journey with changes to make fitment a lot simpler than it was once. On the identical time, many fashionable bikes are being designed with decrease stand-over heights and shorter/straighter seat tubes that assist make becoming longer journey droppers simpler.
Figuring out If a Dropper Will Match Your Body
Most producer’s web sites have a software that will help you appropriately dimension a submit on your bike to maximise journey (and the OneUp web site will even present you which of them competitor’s posts will match with their Dropper Publish Size Selector). To make use of these instruments, you’ll take two measurements out of your body and contemplate a number of submit measurements:
- X – your Measured Experience Top, from the highest of your seat collar to the middle of your seat rails (not the highest of your saddle). For instance, on the small Santa Cruz Bronson used for testing, that is 260mm.
- Y – the utmost seat tube insertion size on your body. On the small Bronson, that is 210mm.
With these numbers, use the instruments accessible on most producers’ web sites to find out the utmost journey for his or her submit in your body. To double-check if a dropper submit will match by yourself, make it possible for:
- Your Measured Experience Top (X) is GREATER than the Stack Top (prolonged) of the submit, measured from the underside of the collar to the middle of the seat rails of the seat at full extension.
- On the take a look at Bronson, the Measured Seat Top of 260mm is larger than the 150mm Journey PNW Loam submit’s Stack Top of 200mm. This implies the submit may be positioned at the popular peak, assuming the opposite two measurements beneath are true.
- The General Size minus your Measured Experience Top (X) is LESS than the utmost seat tube insertion size on your body (Y).
- For the PNW Loam submit at 150mm journey, the General Size is 440 mm. 440 – 260 = 180 mm, which is the size of the submit I anticipate to be within the seat tube at full seat peak. That is lower than the measured seat tube insertion of 210mm, leaving 30mm of clearance on the backside of my seat tube with the submit on the measured seat peak.
- The Insertion Size (from #2) falls between the minimal and most insertion lengths of the submit. The insertion size have to be between the utmost/minimal insertion lengths for the submit.
- Minimal insertion of 90mm is lower than 180mm (from #2, the anticipated insertion size with the submit), which is lower than 210mm (the utmost insertion depth). On the anticipated insertion on the Bronson body, the insertion size falls between and most and minimal insertion lengths of the submit.
Kinds of Dropper Posts
Most dropper posts accessible immediately use a cable to actuate an inside floating piston (IFP) to launch a pressurized chamber, usually an adjustable air spring or a sealed hydraulic cartridge, to boost and decrease the seat. Whereas all of them carry out the identical job of elevating and reducing your seat on the fly, dropper posts are available in quite a lot of completely different designs.
Adjustable vs. Fastened Price of Return
Many dropper posts have an adjustable price of return. Sometimes, this includes an air spring, the stress of which may be raised or lowered (inside a really helpful vary) to hurry up or decelerate the speed at which the submit compresses and extends. This provides the consumer larger management over their submit and the power to dial in its efficiency to fulfill their wants or preferences. The Bike Yoke Revive 2.0, Divine SL, Wolf Tooth Resolve, and the PNW Loam all function adjustable air springs.
Some posts use sealed cartridges which have a hard and fast price of compression and extension. These posts have a predetermined spring price chosen by the producer that often goals to hit the completely satisfied center floor of compression power/return velocity. The Fox Switch Manufacturing unit, OneUp V3, and Crankbrothers Highline 7 are two examples of droppers that do not need adjustable air springs.
Infinitely Adjustable vs. Fastened Interval Journey
The overwhelming majority of dropper posts function what known as infinitely adjustable journey, which means they are often adjusted wherever throughout the accessible journey vary between full compression and full extension. Whereas it’s most typical to trip with the submit all the way in which up or all the way in which down, there are many circumstances the place dropping the submit just a bit bit is right, and infinitely adjustable posts permit you to take action.
A couple of posts in the marketplace have fastened interval journey, which means they cease solely at sure spots inside their journey vary. Sometimes, this fashion of submit makes use of a less complicated mechanical spring to manage the journey. The one submit we examined that adjusts at fastened intervals is the light-weight Fox Switch SL, which stops in solely two positions, totally compressed and totally prolonged.
Inner vs Exterior Routing
Most fashionable mountain bikes are designed for use with dropper posts and often function inside cable routing. Consequently, most droppers are additionally designed for use with bikes which have inside cable routing, and the actuator the place the cable connects is on the backside of the submit contained in the body. All the droppers we examined are made for inside cable routing, aside from the RockShox Reverb AXS, which is wi-fi.
Many older bike frames and a few gravel bikes do not need ports for inside cable routing. Fortunately, there are some externally routed droppers in the marketplace, although they’re much less frequent. PNW parts make a number of fashions of externally routed droppers, and you’ll typically discover comparable choices from Model-X and PRO should you go searching.
Actuation Kinds
Cable-Actuated
Nearly all of fashionable dropper posts are cable-actuated, which means {that a} cable connects between the distant lever and an actuator on the backside of the submit. Once you press the distant lever, it pulls on the cable, which in flip actuates the submit and permits it to maneuver up or down. Cables are comparatively simple to cope with and cheap to exchange.
Hydraulically Actuated
This fashion of actuation is far much less frequent than cable-actuated posts, however it works in an analogous manner utilizing hydraulic fluid. The RockShox Reverb (not AXS) is the one submit in the marketplace that makes use of this method, and it really works pretty properly. The principle disadvantage is that it’s harder to put in and take away your submit, given the presence of hydraulic fluid within the hose and distant lever, and it may be fairly messy. Older fashions have been additionally fairly delicate to chilly temperatures.
Wi-fi/Electrical
Given the fast tempo of technological improvement, it comes as little shock that increasingly merchandise are digital. Wi-fi or digital posts forego the cable or hose altogether and as an alternative use a small management unit on the handlebar that pairs through Bluetooth to a small motor on the submit to boost and decrease it. The RockShox Reverb AXS is the one electrical submit to actually achieve a foothold available in the market to date, though there are different manufacturers engaged on bringing extra choices to market.
Dropper Options
Journey Discount
Some posts can help you lower the utmost submit journey, making certain you will get the utmost drop accessible on your bike. For instance, on the bike used for testing with a stack peak of 260mm and most seat tube insertion of 210mm, the OneUp dimension calculator reveals the utmost drop for my setup as 170mm, achieved by lowering the journey of their 180mm submit by 10mm.
The PNW Loam Dropper makes use of a tool-free system to lower the utmost journey by as much as -25mm (in 5 mm increments) with a built-in nylon shim. The OneUp V3 Dropper makes use of an analogous system however limits journey adjustment to 10 or 20mm and makes use of pins and information slots slightly than the nylon shim. The Bike Yoke Revive 2.0 additionally permits as much as 20mm of journey adjustment, however the set of 4 5mm shims should be bought individually, and the submit have to be faraway from the bike for set up.
Equally, the Wolf Tooth Resolve can have most journey diminished, and they’ll set up spacers for you if you order the submit, or you should purchase journey discount shims after the actual fact and set up them your self or carry your submit to a store to have it finished for you.
Reset Valves
All hydraulic dropper posts can expertise air ingestion into the interior tubes over time, which may end up in a saggy or spongy really feel when sitting on the saddle. To fight this with out requiring a full rebuild of the submit, the Bike Yoke Revive 2.0 makes use of a reset valve, and the RockShox Reverb AXS makes use of the “Vent Valve” to reset the hydraulic circuit. Whereas Bike Yoke solely expects Revive customers to make use of the reset valve a few times a 12 months, it is a good function to make sure constant efficiency of the submit with no need to drag it out of your body.
Different posts, just like the Wolf Tooth Resolve and the Bike Yoke Divine SL, have “self-bleeding” cartridges designed to purge any air from the system each time the submit is totally dropped.
Saddle Clamp
The saddle clamp on the seatpost head is the place your saddle rails connect to the seatpost. Good saddle clamps are quiet, keep on the acceptable torque, and make saddle set up/elimination simple. Many of the posts on this take a look at used an ordinary two-bolt head design to regulate saddle angle and fore/aft place. A couple of fashions have clamp designs that assist make the set up and elimination course of barely simpler.
Each the Fox Switch and the Crankbrothers Highline 7 have {hardware} that swivels, whereas the OneUp V3 dropper has slotted plates. Although we don’t usually set up/take away our saddles ceaselessly, these seemingly trivial design options are actually fairly useful when testing dropper posts again to again.
Distant Levers
Each dropper submit makes use of a distant to actuate the journey up and down. Whereas many posts used to return with a lever, most posts are bought with out one nowadays, which means you may often select no matter distant you want. Most levers for cable-actuated dropper posts (that clamp the free cable finish on the lever) are suitable with any submit, permitting you to decide on the lever that works greatest together with your ergonomics and cockpit setup.
The exception to this rule is the RockShox Reverb AXS, which comes with its personal digital management unit. For many of those posts on this evaluation, we examined them with their model’s respective distant levers to get a really feel for the way they work collectively.
The arrival and proliferation of 1x drivetrains freed up some area on the left aspect of the handlebar the place the entrance derailleur shifter was once, so nearly all of dropper remotes are 1x levers that resemble a shifter paddle that you just press together with your left thumb. Examples of 1x distant levers embody the Wolf Tooth Distant Professional, Fox Switch 1x Distant, Bike Yoke Triggy Alpha, PNW Loam Lever, and OneUp V3 Lever.
Many have textured metallic surfaces to offer traction for the thumb, whereas some now use replaceable rubber pads for grip. Some manufacturers nonetheless make distant levers which can be designed for use with 2x drivetrains and/or suspension lockout levers, and drop-bar levers have gotten extra frequent as droppers achieve recognition on gravel bikes.
Like every other handlebar-mounted management, you will need to contemplate ergonomics, lever really feel, and actuation power when deciding on a dropper submit lever. Whereas most lever producers do present choices for Shimano i-Spec or SRAM MMX shifter/brake mount connections, additionally they supply primary 22.2 and 31.8mm handlebar clamps. Typically you’ll find adaptors for different brake configurations like Magura, Hayes, Hope, and many others, in order that’s one thing you’ll seemingly need to contemplate relying on the brakes you employ.
As a result of most levers have a number of attachment factors to regulate the horizontal place of the lever, it’s often pretty simple to place the distant in a great spot in order that reaching it together with your thumb feels pure and intuitive. Some levers have further changes that permit ergonomics to be personalized even additional.
Weight
Dropper posts will all the time weigh greater than an ordinary seatpost, however most riders (and more and more, even aggressive cross-country racers) are keen to take a weight penalty for the elevated dealing with advantages of utilizing a dropper submit. After all, all different issues being equal, lighter is usually thought of higher, assuming efficiency isn’t compromised within the title of weight financial savings.
For this take a look at, we weighed the submit solely, figuring out that the burden of the cable housing will range barely relying on the size required on your body, and that may even typically be constant on your bike no matter which cable-actuated submit you select. It’s also price noting that longer journey posts weigh greater than shorter journey variations of the identical submit because of the further supplies wanted to make them longer.
Whereas a heavier dropper submit received’t be as noticeable on the path as a heavy set of tires or wheelset, it would add to the general weight of your bike and could also be a consideration for you. All of the posts on this take a look at weighed between 441 grams (Fox Switch SL) and 655 grams (Rockshox Reverb AXS). For the common droppers, the OneUp V3 is persistently one of many lightest weight choices, weighing in at 515 grams within the 210mm journey size (433 for the 150mm model).
The Wolf Tooth Resolve is shut behind at simply 514 grams at 160mm of journey (with 10mm extra journey). For these tremendous aware about weight, like XC racers, there are some “superlight” choices in the marketplace these days, just like the Fox Switch SL and the Bike Yoke Divine SL. These light-weight fashions do save a good quantity of weight, coming in at 441 grams and 451 grams, respectively, however they’re provided in a narrower vary of drop lengths. To not be outdone, the OneUp V3 droppers are actually lighter than the SL variations.
Set up
If you are going to buy a brand new dropper from a motorcycle store, it’s common that they are going to set up it for you. If you are going to buy a dropper from a web-based retailer, you may carry it to a neighborhood store and pay to have it put in, or should you like wrenching by yourself bike, doing it your self is comparatively simple, assuming you’ve got cable/housing cutters and cheap mechanic abilities. A high quality restore stand doesn’t damage, both.
The set up course of is essentially the identical whatever the actuation technique:
- Run a piece of cable housing (or hydraulic line) from the seat tube to the exit port close to the top tube. Which manner you pull the housing by way of can rely in your body, and it’s all the time a good suggestion to make use of current housing to drag by way of new housing at any time when attainable — this helps information the brand new housing by way of tight curves within the inside routing.
- Connect the cable to the actuator on the backside of the submit and run it by way of the housing. Place the housing within the housing cease on the base of the submit
- Push the submit into the body whereas concurrently pulling the cable/housing (or hydraulic line) out of the exit port close to the top tube.
- Connect the cable/housing to the lever after mounting it to the handlebars.
- For posts with hydraulic actuation, bleed the system. For cable-actuated posts, clamp the cable to the lever, trim the cable, add a cable finish, and use the barrel adjuster to realize correct cable pressure.
Upkeep
Much like transferring suspension elements, most dropper submit producers advocate cleansing, inspecting, and lubricating your submit after each trip and performing their model of a full service between 100 and 200 hours of driving.
Droppers for Gravel Bikes
Because the gravel bike market continues to develop and mature, some fashions are coming geared up with dropper posts, and/or the frames function inside cable routing to accommodate one. After all, not everybody wants or needs a dropper on their gravel bike, however those that trip steeper, rougher roads or prefer to enterprise onto singletrack trails might discover that the advantages outweigh the slight weight penalty.
Most, however not all, gravel bikes have smaller 27.2mm seat tube diameters, and happily, many manufacturers now make droppers on this dimension to fulfill the rising demand. Normally, dropper posts made for gravel bikes have much less journey, starting from round 50mm to 125mm. On the extra inexpensive finish of the spectrum, OneUp Parts makes the V3 27.2 in 90 and 120mm drop lengths.
Crankbrothers provides one of many largest ranges of drop lengths with 60, 80, 100, and 125mm choices for his or her Highline XC Gravel submit. Fox makes a 27.2mm model of its light-weight Tranfer SL in each Manufacturing unit and Efficiency Elite in each 50mm and 70mm drop lengths. On the excessive finish of the value spectrum, the RockShox Reverb XPLR AXS brings wi-fi dropper know-how to your gravel rig.
Worth
Dropper posts are virtually all the time costlier than inflexible posts, however contemplating the efficiency advantages they supply, we really feel they’re price their weight in gold. Like something in mountain biking, we now have fairly a number of choices, they usually come at a reasonably wide selection of worth factors. Most droppers value between $200 and $400, with the exception being the wi-fi RockShox Reverb AXS at $861. Whereas we completely love the Reverb AXS, the value is actually powerful to justify when cheaper choices carry out simply as properly (however with cables). That mentioned, should you’re keen and in a position to spend that a lot, it’s an unbelievable dropper submit.
For these with much less disposable earnings, the least costly mannequin we examined, the PNW Loam, will set you again round or simply over $200 (plus a bit extra for a distant should you don’t have already got one). This submit performs very properly and undoubtedly hits the candy spot of worth and efficiency. For only a bit extra, the $270 OneUp V3 Dropper is tremendous mild and clean and is available in essentially the most drop lengths.
FAQ
Mountain bikes can actually be ridden with no dropper submit, and for a few years we didn’t even have the choice. Whereas many riders have been sluggish to undertake this new know-how resulting from weight and reliability issues with early fashions, they’ve since develop into ubiquitous on most bikes for a lot of causes.
Over the previous decade, dropper posts have come down in weight and have develop into extra dependable and sturdy. Being able to boost and decrease your seat for the terrain in entrance of you permits you to all the time have the suitable saddle peak whether or not you might be driving up or downhill. With the ability to regulate saddle peak on the fly makes it simpler to maneuver in regards to the bike and transfer the bike beneath you, leading to larger management.
Whereas some posts are fairly costly, there are additionally many extra inexpensive choices that work very properly. So, sure, except you might be an elite-level XC racer who’s attempting to have the lightest bike attainable, it’s best to completely be driving with a dropper submit in your mountain bike.
Leaving your MTB dropper submit compressed for an prolonged time frame shouldn’t be really helpful. When the dropper submit is compressed, the inner air stress is elevated, which might put further stress on the inner parts of the dropper submit, doubtlessly resulting in untimely put on and failure.
Moreover, leaving your dropper submit compressed could cause the hydraulic fluid to develop into trapped on one aspect of the submit, which might have an effect on its efficiency if you subsequent use it. This might result in harm to the seals and different inside parts over time.
To maximise the lifespan and efficiency of your submit, it’s greatest to retailer it within the totally prolonged place when not in use. It will assist to make sure that the inner parts will not be subjected to pointless stress or stress and that the hydraulic fluid is distributed evenly all through the submit.
It’s typically not really helpful to hold your bike by the dropper submit for prolonged intervals of time, as this could put extreme stress on the inner parts of the submit and doubtlessly harm it.
Whereas clamping to the dropper submit stanchion whereas working in your bike shouldn’t be perfect, and a few producers advocate in opposition to it as a result of it’s attainable to crush the stanchion tube with clamping stress, we’ve had no points doing so persistently for brief intervals of time with any submit.
You’ll, nevertheless, need to clamp calmly and wrap the submit in a rag or use rubber jaws to keep away from scratching the submit stanchion. Like with suspension parts, scratches on the submit stanchion could cause untimely put on on seals and introduce grime and dirt into the dropper internals.
Drilling a gap in a body with out inside dropper submit cable routing is not really helpful and will certainly void any warranties in your body. It might additionally compromise the structural integrity of the body, which may trigger severe damage. When you’ve got a body with out inside routing, buy a submit with exterior cable routing.
Externally routed droppers are much less frequent, however there are a number of fashions in the marketplace to suit bikes with out inside dropper routing. On some hardtail frames, you MAY have the ability to route cable housing by way of the seat tube water bottle mounts, however this may be fairly difficult.
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