Dropper posts... am I missing something?

[bsavery]

All the blogs/reviews are gaga for dropper posts. "Most game changing piece of bike equipment," they say. Having ridden them a bit and tried more than my share, I have to say I don't quite get the hype. In some very rolling terrain, it might be very nice. However, isn't the "enduro" way to climb/shuttle a fire road, then bomb the downhill? In these types of trails I was just as happy lowering my seat with the QR and setting it a few inches down. Then you can set it back for the uphill. If you have a good seat qr and mark your post it takes 5 sec max.

Now admittedly I haven't tried every model out there, but I've used a few dropper posts in my time, back from the original (horrible) crank bros ones to some modern models. They're all fairly heavy and consistently the least reliable piece of equipment on the bike. Am I the only one who feels this way about them?

[rod9301]

yes,i think you are the only one who thinks this way

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TGR Forums

[smmokan]

You're not the only one that thinks that way, but you're definitely in the minority.

For a few extra bucks and minimal weight gain, they're worth it for the riding I do (CO and UT) and everyone I know that's bought one in the last 12-24 months has loved the change too.

[BushwackerinPA]

the thing is you are enduro racing. The timed saved by A. having the right seat height for pedaling, and B. the right seat height for actually going down the hill is nice.

for most other people that actually stop on top of the hill, then just lower yer seat.

[Hugh Conway]

can you provide a resume with days spent cycling, where, who on TGR you've biked with, which important jocks you've sniffed, so I can condense it into a stoke rating and determine if your opinion has merit please?

[bsavery]

the thing is you are enduro racing. The timed saved by A. having the right seat height for pedaling, and B. the right seat height for actually going down the hill is nice.

for most other people that actually stop on top of the hill, then just lower yer seat.

I guess it depends on the terrain. At bunch of the trails here in WA are like this: pedal up fire road, bomb singletrack which is mostly down. 90% of the time you can have the seat height right with a single stop.

Never felt an issue moving back or around on the bike without one. But I can see in certain terrain it would be helpful.

[smmokan]

I think the simplest answer is... If you want one, buy one. If not, don't. That's the beauty with bike builds, you can put whatever you want on the one you own.

[kidwoo]

Man there's just something satisfying about a good, solid, undamped thwack to the taint at the bottom of a descent.

I recommend specialized brand sack whackers. Pure, unbridled crotch violence.

[grinch]

http://youtu.be/yyv_MHxqRX0. Enduro training

[frorider]

Make your own decision, don't worry about it.

I have a Lev on my genl purpose bike. No dropper on my 7 inch bike since that bike usually just gets ridden up to the top of some sort of extended descent. People often ask why I don't have a dropper on that bike, like I'm missing out on something. If they keep 'enlightening' me, I mention that I have a reverb sitting in a drawer & would use it on that bike if I felt it was needed.

[kidwoo]

like I'm missing out on something.

About a pound.

And shipping rates based on about a pound to warranty departments.

[strawjack]

...thwack to the taint at the bottom of a descent.

That taint right! Been there, done that.

That dropper will probably be my next purchase. The new zone we're riding I equate to bouldering. It's pretty mellow chill, then a short techy line, chill, techy, chill. I have to set my seat low for all the tech, but for the chill it's way too low. Stopping to change every time would just be a pia.

[creaky fossil]

can you provide a resume with days spent cycling, where, who on TGR you've biked with, which important jocks you've sniffed, so I can condense it into a stoke rating and determine if your opinion has merit please?

Insufficient detail, but headed in the proper direction

Also needed:

* how much your "rig" cost
* how many "rigs" you own
* photo of your "rig" next to a sofa in a yupscale living room -- hopefully some choice trinkets on display!
* whether you were in that one BMX race in 1996 with all the Bros who are now famous journos/photogs
* your twitter ID so we can "follow" you slavishly
* the handles you use on TGR other than the one you're now posting under
* how much you're able to memorize
* are you able to regurgitate mfr ad copy with the best of them, never diminishing, always enhancing
* are you willing to drill holes in your frame to accommodate a Stealth Dropper
* have you ever run CAD programs
* has anyone ever paid you to write or think about bikes

Answer these in full detail and we may consider your opinion as being perhaps more valuable than Richard Cunningham's.

Finally, remember that you need to be in the post-modern hipster movement: you must be among the very first to disdain a part/idea that you were in favor of 3 seasons ago.

[jetski]

About a pound.

And shipping rates based on about a pound to warranty departments.

^^This for the money...Dropper posts are going to be even more of a massive headache for shops and consumers in the next few years.
Bring back the Hite-Rite! (I'm sure a few old ballz remember those...)

[Pegleg]

I'm in the "game changer" camp. In Colorado/Utah riding, there's a lot of variable terrain with short climbs followed by short descents and vice versa, and techy bits followed by smooth flow. Being able to quickly drop the seat for a sketchy bit and then immediately pop it back up for the climb afterwards means that I can charge the tech downhills without having to stop and reset at the top or bottom of each section. That translates into more fun riding for me, since i hate having to stop a lot. In the past, I'd end up doing a short rocky drop section right after a climb with my seat at full-mast because I didn't want to bother stopping to reset it for 20 feet of trail, but it meant that I wasn't as comfortable riding those sections and endo'd a few times as a result.

If I was riding mostly fire road (or lift) up, then descend to the bottom, I probably wouldn't bother with a dropper either.

[Bunion 2020]

Different strokes.

Just tried a Gravity Dropper a friend had for sale cheap.

For the weight and extra cable I can justify taking a second to adjust my seat manually.

But I ride in MT where the game is usually up-up-up followed by down.

[DirkaDirkaJack]

I guess it depends on the terrain. At bunch of the trails here in WA are like this: pedal up fire road, bomb singletrack which is mostly down. 90% of the time you can have the seat height right with a single stop.

Never felt an issue moving back or around on the bike without one. But I can see in certain terrain it would be helpful.

i live in wa too, and could not imagine riding without a dropper anymore. but i guess i am not a hack

[D(C)]

If you can get away without one, all the better. As you said, it's lighter not to run one and there is one less moving part to break.

For me, where I ride, it adds significant flow to my experience and having one is worth the (minor) drawbacks of added weight, more bar clutter and potential reliability issues (which I have had none after a year and a half on a Reverb and 6 months on a KS ETen).

Any equipment decision is a compromise in one way or another.

[Shredhead]

Bring back the Hite-Rite! (I'm sure a few old ballz remember those...)

Mine worked for about a month.

[donkeykong]

I have found the problem with most "downhill" trails is that most of them in my area, outside of a proper DH course, have at least some sort of uphill section. For me, if I had my seat lowered and a short punchy climb looks like more than anything over 30 seconds to the top, I'm going to want the seat up. And having to get off the bike to do this 3-4 times per "downhill run" is a significant negative compared to the ease of a properly working dropper post. (But I don't like to stand and mash, if I did, maybe I wouldn't care so much for the short uphills)

[grskier]

I love mine, but loved riding with out it as well

I have a pig of a 'rig', so what's an extra lb.

[bsavery]

I have found the problem with most "downhill" trails is that most of them in my area, outside of a proper DH course, have at least some sort of uphill section. For me, if I had my seat lowered and a short punchy climb looks like more than anything over 30 seconds to the top, I'm going to want the seat up. And having to get off the bike to do this 3-4 times per "downhill run" is a significant negative compared to the ease of a properly working dropper post. (But I don't like to stand and mash, if I did, maybe I wouldn't care so much for the short uphills)

Good point. I usually put my seat in what would be the middle position for dropper posts for these type trails that aren't "proper DH". Don't mind standing for the uphill bits. Could see depending on the uphill sections and their frequency it would be more useful though.

[WaistDeepGroomers]

I'm such a PITA about my own seat height that knowing that shit will return to the exact spot I need it to be in gives me enough piece of mind to make the money worth it. But being able to make the most of a quick DH section on a trail ride and dropping the post so you can lean the bike over/jump/manual is way awesome. Fixing them is 100% PITA territory, though.

[Lindahl]

Good point. I usually put my seat in what would be the middle position for dropper posts for these type trails that aren't "proper DH". Don't mind standing for the uphill bits. Could see depending on the uphill sections and their frequency it would be more useful though.

Yeah, I did this a lot before a dropper post. I much prefer having a dropper post and being in the perfect position the entire time - both for down and the quick ups.

[xyz]

For me, a dropper is a game changer and worth the weight penalty. I love having the ability to custom tune my seat height mid ride. In technical climbing terrain, I don't want my seat at full road height, its nice to have it about 1/2 inch lower. Having the ability to adjust that on the fly is awesome. Its also nice for when the down trail climbs for a short section, I can raise my seat for it so I don't have to stand and hammer.

But if you live in a place that's strictly fire road climbs to 100% down trails or areas that have no technical features then yeah, you could live without it i guess.