Dropper posts enable us to regulate our saddle top with the push of a lever, serving to to boost consolation, effectivity, and, most significantly, management whereas out on the path. Many individuals would argue that dropper posts are one of the crucial necessary improvements in mountain bike know-how — basically reworking the best way we experience.
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 grow to be a staple on almost all new mountain bikes and are working their approach onto gravel bikes lately as nicely. With their meteoric rise to turning into a normal half, we now have extra nice choices to select from than ever earlier than.
Our professional testers rounded up 9 of the highest choices accessible in 2024 and put every mannequin via its paces whereas assessing necessary efficiency traits just like the smoothness of journey, saddle clamps, set up, adjustability, weight, serviceability, and design.
From the ultra-premium wi-fi RockShox Reverb AXS to the value-packed OneUp Elements V3, we’ve discovered a dropper to swimsuit each want and finances. To see the specs of all of the fashions we examined at a look, try our comparability chart. If you wish to be taught extra about dropper posts, you may seek advice from our detailed shopping for recommendation and worth & worth sections.
Editor’s Be aware: We refreshed this information on October 3, 2024, after testing the lately up to date variations of the Bike Yoke Revive, Fox Switch Manufacturing facility, and Wolf Tooth Resolve dropper posts.
The Greatest Dropper Posts of 2024
Greatest General Dropper Submit
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Accessible journey Lengths
125, 160, 200, 242 mm -
General Lengths
373, 443, 523, 607 mm -
Accessible Diameters
30.9, 31.8, 34.9 mm -
Dimension Examined
31.6 x 200 mm journey -
Measured Weight
Submit: 565 g (2.82 g/mm journey), Lever: 39 g
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Comparatively light-weight -
Tremendous easy -
Self-bleeding cartridge – by no means develops sag -
Adjustable journey in 5mm increments to dial in excellent size -
Quick stack top and insertion depths -
Person serviceable – all elements accessible
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Pretty costly -
Extra delicate to seatpost clamp torque and air stress than most
Greatest Worth Dropper Submit
-
Accessible Journey Lengths
90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 mm -
General Lengths
295, 350, 415, 480, 545, 610 mm -
Accessible Diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm (additionally a 27.2 mm choice in 90 mm and 120 mm lengths) -
Dimension Examined
30.9, 210 mm journey -
Measured Weight
Submit: 515 g (2.45 g/mm journey), Lever: 42 g
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Nonetheless moderately priced -
Smoother than earlier model -
Lighter weight – lighter than most “light-weight” posts -
Very low stack top -
Six journey lengths and 4 diameters supplied -
Adjustable journey for perfect match -
Simple upkeep
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Barely costlier than the V2 -
New sealed cartridge has mounted return pace
Greatest Price range Dropper Submit
-
Accessible journey lengths
125, 150, 170, 200 mm -
General lengths
385, 440, 480, 540 mm -
Accessible diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150 mm journey -
Measured weight
Submit: 529 g (3.53 g/mm journey), Lever: 49 g
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Nice efficiency at an reasonably priced worth -
Simple software free journey alter -
Fundamental however practical and ergonomic lever -
Simple to make small changes to saddle top
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Rubber items get soiled very simply -
Taller stack top
Smoothest Dropper Submit
-
Accessible journey Lengths
125, 160, 185, 213 mm -
General Lengths
381, 451, 501, 566 mm -
Accessible Diameters
30.9, 31.6 mm (34.9 mm Revive Max additionally supplied) -
Dimension Examined
31.6 x 213 mm journey -
Measured Weight
Submit: 633 g (3.97 g/mm journey), Lever: 32 g (Triggy Alpha Lengthy)
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Smoothest journey in the marketplace -
A number of notable enhancements over the Revive 2.0 -
Adjustable journey in 5 mm increments -
Triggy Alpha distant is tremendous good -
Eliminate sag shortly and simply with Revive valve
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Costlier -
Not the lightest – however not precisely heavy both -
213 mm is longest model
Greatest Wi-fi Dropper Submit
-
Accessible journey lengths
100, 125, 150, 170 mm -
General lengths
340, 390, 440, 480 mm -
Accessible diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm (Reverb XPLR AXS is available in 27.2 mm) -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150 mm journey -
Measured weight
Submit: 655 g (4.37 g/mm journey), Lever: 54 g
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Nice lever ergonomics and simple actuation -
Precision management -
Tremendous-easy publish and seat set up -
Fast return pace -
Digital -
No cable or hose
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Very costly -
Heavier weight -
Digital — want to recollect to cost battery -
Increased stack top with massive collar -
170 mm is longest size
Greatest Up to date Dropper Submit
-
Accessible journey Lengths
120, 150, 180, 210, 240 mm -
General Lengths
374, 439, 504, 569, 639 mm -
Accessible Diameters
30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm -
Dimension Examined
31.6 x 210 mm journey -
Measured Weight
Submit: 667 g (3.18 g/mm journey), Lever: 46 g
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A serious enchancment over the earlier model -
Easy journey -
Adjustable air spring/return charge -
Damped really feel at backside of stroke -
Can scale back journey in 5 mm increments
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Heavier weight -
Lengthy actuator and longer total lengths could restrict fitment for some
Better of the Relaxation
-
Accessible journey lengths
80, 100, 125 mm -
General lengths
400, 420, 445 mm -
Accessible diameters
30.9, 31.6 mm -
Dimension examined
31.6, 125 mm -
Measured weight
Submit: 451 g (3.61 g/mm journey), Lever: 45 g
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Quick return pace -
Easy, managed motion -
Fairly gentle -
“Tech climb” characteristic went unnoticed (in a great way)
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Max journey of 125 mm -
Longer total size and stack top -
Weight is low, however weight per mm/journey is greater than different SL mannequin examined
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Accessible journey lengths
100, 125, 150, 170, 200 mm -
General lengths
364, 414, 465, 504, 577 mm -
Accessible diameters
30.9, 31.6 mm (Highline XC Gravel accessible in 27.2 mm) -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150 mm journey -
Measured weight
Submit: 577 g (3.85 g/mm journey)
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Very easy journey -
Simple to make use of pivoting bolt seat clamp -
Simply person serviceable (all the things however the cartridge) with very commonplace instruments -
Simple set up
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Slower, mounted compression and extension pace -
Longer total size and stack top -
Heavier weight
-
Accessible journey Lengths
50, 70, 75, 100, 125, 150 mm -
General lengths
350, 370, 355, 380, 430, 455, 480 mm -
Accessible diameters
27.2, 30.9, 31.6 mm -
Dimension examined
31.6, 150 mm journey -
Measured weight
Submit: 441 g (2.94 g/mm journey), Lever 46 g
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Lightest publish examined -
Wide selection of shorter journey choices for XC riders -
Drop bar lever accessible -
Very quick return pace -
Extraordinarily gentle motion
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Two positions — you’ll adore it or hate it -
Much less controllable than infinitely adjustable posts as a result of extraordinarily gentle motion -
Longest total size within the take a look at
Dropper Submit Comparability Chart
Dropper Submit | MSRP | Accessible Lengths | Accessible Diameters | Dimension Examined | Measured Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OneUp Elements V3 | $270 | 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 mm | 27.2, 30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm | 30.9 x 210 mm | Submit: 515 g, Lever: 42 g |
PNW Elements Loam | $199-209 | 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm | 31.6 x 150 mm | Submit: 529 g, Lever: 49 g |
Wolf Tooth Resolve rev2 | $350-396 | 125, 160, 200, 242 mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm | 31.6 x 200 mm | Submit: 565 g, Lever: 39 g |
Bike Yoke Revive 3.0 | $350-410 | 125, 160, 185, 213 mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9mm | 31.6 x 213 mm | Submit: 633 g, Lever: 32 g |
RockShox Reverb AXS | $861 | 100, 125, 150, 170 mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm | 31.6 x 150 mm | Submit: 655 g, Lever: 54 g |
Bike Yoke Divine SL | $320 | 80, 100, 125 mm | 30.9, 31.6 mm | 31.6 x 125 mm | Submit 451 g, Lever: 45 g |
Fox Switch Manufacturing facility | $339 | 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 mm | 30.9, 31.6, 34.9 mm | 31.6 x 210 mm | Submit: 667 g, Lever: 46 g |
Crankbrothers Highline 7 | $300 | 100, 125, 150, 170, 200 mm | 30.9, 31.6 mm | 31.6 x 150 mm | Submit: 577 g |
Fox Switch SL | $399 | 50, 70, 75, 100, 125, 150 mm | 27.2, 30.9, 31.6 mm | 31.6 x 150 mm | Submit: 441 g, Lever: 46 g |
How We Examined Dropper Posts
It’s honest to say that the group 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 after they initially got here out, you’ll discover droppers on nearly all of our mountain bikes and even a few of our gravel bikes lately. And we’ve tried lots of them. Whether or not for product launches, particular person critiques, or on take a look at bikes, we’ve had the prospect to attempt almost each mannequin in the marketplace.
Our Knowledgeable Testers
For the needs of this purchaser’s information, we rounded up 9 of the very best dropper posts accessible in 2024 to check and evaluate. Evaluate creator Paul Clauss spent months testing these posts in a variety of climate circumstances on technical northern Vermont trails that require numerous elevating and decreasing 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.
Paul has an affinity for technical options and rock slabs, and fortuitously, the terrain close to his residence 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 top. 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 twelve completely different dropper posts. As an obsessive rider and racer, he’s all the time in search of out the highest-performance merchandise he can discover and appreciates parts that make his bike as gentle as doable.
He’s additionally skilled the evolution of dropper posts firsthand and acknowledges that nearly 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.
Our Testing Course of
After weighing every publish and distant for consistency and comparability to the producer’s specs, Paul and Jeremy put in them on certainly one of their a number of mountain bikes. Putting in every publish ourselves gave us the chance to evaluate the relative issue of doing it by yourself, and offered precious perception into the saddle clamps and distant levers. It additionally gave us the chance to evaluate fitment-related considerations when putting in — and choosing the proper dimension to start with.
As soon as every publish was put in, we carried out quite a few hand assessments within the workshop to check the smoothness of journey and return speeds. We made any needed changes after which took to the paths. On the path, Paul and Jeremy each targeted on key efficiency attributes like actuation pressure on the lever, compression pressure, return pace, and smoothness whereas making frequent changes to saddle top. From the technical trails of Vermont to the tough and dusty trails of the Lake Tahoe area, these posts had been ridden onerous to find out their relative strengths and weaknesses. Paul and Jeremy additionally switched between posts usually for extra direct comparability of their efforts to seek out the very best dropper posts.
Shopping for Information: The best way to Select a Dropper Submit
There are quite a few causes you must use a dropper publish in your mountain bike, however it may be difficult to seek out precisely what you want. Right here, we break down a number of the necessary concerns that will impression your buy determination.
Why Journey With a Dropper Submit?
Utilizing a dropper publish will can help you increase and decrease your seat with the contact of a handlebar-mounted lever or distant. When your saddle is on the acceptable top for pedaling and climbing, it will possibly get in the best way when attempting to maneuver your physique and bike whereas descending. However when your saddle top is ready low for descending, it isn’t within the correct place for pedaling.
Dropper posts can help you alter your saddle top on the fly whereas driving, making certain you will have the correct seat top for the terrain you encounter. With a dropper publish, you’ll expertise:
- Improved maneuverability: A dropper publish lets you decrease your seat when descending steep or technical terrain, creating extra clearance between you and your saddle This makes it simpler to shift your physique and maneuver the bike. It’s notably 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 benefit from your pedaling effort.
- Extra snug driving: A dropper publish lets you alter your seat top based mostly on the terrain, making for a extra snug experience total. Outdoors of decreasing the publish for descending, this may be necessary on technical climbs — generally, having solely 20mm or so of saddle drop will help you set down the facility or maneuver the bike via difficult sections.
The best way to Dimension a Dropper Submit for You and Your Bike
When buying a brand new dropper publish, 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 wishes as nicely.
Seat Tube Diameter
This is among the best steps — simply ensure you choose a publish that matches the seat tube diameter of your body. Most trendy mountain bikes have 30.9 mm or 31.6 mm seat tubes, and dropper publish producers usually present choices for much less commonplace choices like 27.2 mm (for gravel and a few XC frames) or 34.9 mm diameters. In case you are not sure of your seat tube diameter, you may sometimes discover it printed on the seat publish that’s at the moment in your bike, or you may look it up on the producer’s web site. When you ought to be capable of discover a publish 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 spread of journey lengths to swimsuit various wants, preferences, our bodies, and bikes. For mountain bikes, they sometimes vary between 100 and 200 mm, with some outliers on both finish. For instance, the OneUp Elements V3 Dropper is available in essentially the most dimension choices, with 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 mm journey lengths accessible. Not surprisingly, as post-travel will increase, so does the general size of the publish.
Whereas many individuals attempt to match essentially the most drop doable on their bike to extend mobility, some riders could choose a shorter drop size for varied causes. How a lot drop you need is often a matter of private choice, but additionally it could be a operate of what is going to match in your body and work in your physique dimension.
Fortuitously, some manufacturers are doing their greatest to reduce the general lengths and stack heights of their posts, which makes it simpler to suit an extended journey dropper. Some manufacturers/fashions additionally present the choice to cut back journey with changes to make fitment a lot simpler than it was. On the identical time, many trendy bikes are being designed with decrease stand-over heights and shorter, straighter seat tubes that assist make it simpler to suit longer journey dropper posts.
Figuring out If a Dropper Will Match Your Body
Most producer’s web sites have a software that can assist you appropriately dimension a publish in your bike to maximise journey (and the OneUp web site will even present you which ones rivals’ posts will match with their Dropper Submit Size Selector). To make use of these instruments, you’ll take two measurements out of your body and contemplate a couple of publish measurements:
- X – your Measured Journey Peak: 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 260 mm.
- Y – the utmost seat tube insertion size in your body. On the small Bronson, that is 210 mm.
With these numbers, use the instruments accessible on most producers’ web sites to find out the utmost journey for his or her publish in your body. To double-check if a dropper publish will match by yourself, guarantee that:
- Your Measured Journey Peak (X) is GREATER than the Stack Peak (prolonged) of the publish, 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 Peak of 260 mm is larger than the 150 mm Journey PNW Loam publish’s Stack Peak of 200 mm. This implies the publish will be positioned at the popular top, assuming the opposite two measurements beneath are true.
- The General Size minus your Measured Journey Peak (X) is LESS than the utmost seat tube insertion size in your body (Y).
- For the PNW Loam publish at 150 mm journey, the General Size is 440 mm. 440 – 260 = 180 mm, which is the size of the publish I anticipate to be within the seat tube at full seat top. That is lower than the measured seat tube insertion of 210 mm, leaving 30 mm of clearance on the backside of my seat tube with the publish on the measured seat top.
- The Insertion Size (from #2) falls between the minimal and most insertion lengths of the publish. The insertion size have to be between the utmost/minimal insertion lengths for the publish.
- The minimal insertion of 90 mm is lower than 180 mm (from #2, the anticipated insertion size with the publish), which is lower than 210 mm (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 publish.
Varieties of Dropper Posts
Most dropper posts accessible right now use a cable to actuate an inside floating piston (IFP) to launch a pressurized chamber, sometimes an adjustable air spring or a sealed hydraulic cartridge, to lift and decrease the seat. Whereas all of them carry out the identical process of elevating and decreasing your seat on the fly, dropper posts are available in a wide range of completely different designs.
Adjustable vs. Fastened Fee of Return
Many dropper posts have an adjustable charge of return. Sometimes, this includes an air spring, the stress of which will be raised or lowered (inside a beneficial vary) to hurry up or decelerate the speed at which the publish compresses and extends. This provides the person higher management over the publish and the power to dial in its efficiency to fulfill their wants or preferences. The Bike Yoke Revive 3.0, Fox Switch Manufacturing facility, Wolf Tooth Resolve rev2, Bike Yoke Divine SL, and the PNW Loam all characteristic adjustable air springs.
Some posts use sealed cartridges which have a set charge of compression and extension. These posts have a predetermined spring charge chosen by the producer that often goals to hit the joyful center floor of compression pressure/return pace. The OneUp Elements V3 and Crankbrothers Highline 7 are two examples of droppers that don’t have adjustable air springs.
Infinitely Adjustable vs. Fastened Interval Journey
The overwhelming majority of dropper posts characteristic what is named infinitely adjustable journey, that means they are often adjusted wherever inside the accessible journey vary between full compression and full extension. Whereas it’s commonest to experience with the publish all the best way up or all the best way down, there are many circumstances the place dropping the publish just a bit bit is good, and infinitely adjustable posts enable you to take action.
Just a few posts in the marketplace have mounted interval journey, that means they cease solely at sure spots inside their journey vary. Sometimes, this model of publish makes use of an easier mechanical spring to regulate the journey. The one publish we examined that adjusts at mounted intervals is the light-weight Fox Switch SL, which stops in solely two positions, totally compressed and totally prolonged.
Inside vs Exterior Routing
Most trendy mountain bikes are designed for use with dropper posts and often characteristic inside cable routing. Consequently, most droppers are additionally designed for use with bikes which have inside cable routing. The actuator the place the cable connects is on the backside of the publish contained in the body. The entire droppers we examined are made for inside cable routing, apart from the RockShox Reverb AXS, which is wi-fi.
Many older bike frames and a few gravel bikes don’t have ports for inside cable routing. Fortunately, there are some externally routed droppers in the marketplace, although they’re much less widespread. PNW parts make a number of fashions of externally routed droppers, and you’ll usually discover related choices from Model-X and PRO should you go searching.
Actuation Kinds
Cable-Actuated
Nearly all of trendy dropper posts are cable-actuated, that means {that a} cable connects between the distant lever and the actuator on the backside of the publish. Whenever you press the distant lever, it pulls on the cable, which in flip actuates the publish and permits it to maneuver up or down. Cables are comparatively straightforward to take care of and cheap to interchange.
Hydraulically Actuated
This model of actuation is way much less widespread than cable-actuated posts, but it surely works in an analogous approach utilizing hydraulic fluid. The RockShox Reverb (not AXS) is the one publish in the marketplace that makes use of this technique, and it really works pretty nicely. The primary downside is that it’s harder to put in and take away your publish, given the presence of hydraulic fluid within the hose and distant lever, and it may be fairly messy. Older fashions had been additionally fairly delicate to chilly temperatures, though the most recent Reverb posts work higher in that regard.
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 publish to lift and decrease it. The RockShox Reverb AXS was the primary electrical publish to actually acquire a foothold available in the market. Extra manufacturers are making wi-fi parts, and Fox lately launched the Switch Neo (which we will probably be testing quickly).
Dropper Options
Journey Discount
Some posts can help you lower the utmost publish journey, making certain you may get the utmost drop accessible in your bike. For instance, on the bike used for testing with a stack top of 260 mm and most seat tube insertion of 210 mm, the OneUp dimension calculator exhibits the utmost drop for my setup as 170 mm, achieved by decreasing the journey of their 180 mm publish by 10 mm.
The PNW Loam Dropper makes use of a tool-free system to lower the utmost journey by as much as -25 mm (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 20 mm and makes use of pins and information slots slightly than a nylon shim. The Bike Yoke Revive 3.0 additionally permits as much as 20 mm of journey adjustment, however the set up course of is a bit more concerned.
Equally, the Wolf Tooth Resolve rev2 can have most journey diminished, and they’re going to set up spacers for you once you order the publish, or you should buy journey discount shims after the actual fact and set up them your self or convey your publish to a store to have it performed 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 publish, the Bike Yoke Revive 3.0 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 yr, this can be a good characteristic to make sure constant efficiency of the publish without having to tug it out of your body.
Different posts, just like the Wolf Tooth Resolve rev2 and the Bike Yoke Divine SL, have “self-bleeding” cartridges designed to purge any air from the system each time the publish 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/removing moderately straightforward. A lot of the posts on this take a look at used a normal two-bolt head design to regulate saddle angle and fore/aft place. Just a few fashions have clamp designs that assist make the set up and removing course of barely simpler.
The Crankbrothers Highline 7 has {hardware} that swivels, whereas the OneUp V3 dropper has slotted plates. Although we don’t sometimes set up/take away our saddles continuously, these seemingly trivial design options are actually fairly useful when testing dropper posts again to again.
Distant Levers
Each dropper publish 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 lately, that 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 publish, permitting you to decide on the lever that works greatest together with your ergonomics and cockpit setup.
The arrival and proliferation of 1x drivetrains freed up some house on the left facet of the handlebar the place the entrance derailleur shifter was, so the vast majority 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 embrace 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 supply thumb traction, whereas some use replaceable rubber pads for grip. Moreover, some manufacturers offer you colour choices to customise your experience. For instance, Wolf Tooth sells its machined aluminum distant levers in a spread of anodized colours. Equally, PNW and OneUp Elements promote their rubber thumb traction pads in varied colours, too.
Some manufacturers nonetheless make distant levers designed for use with 2x drivetrains and/or suspension lockout levers, and drop-bar levers have gotten extra widespread as droppers acquire reputation on gravel bikes.
Like another handlebar-mounted management, you will need to contemplate ergonomics, lever really feel, and actuation pressure when deciding on a dropper publish lever. Moreover, you’ll need to contemplate how your lever will mount to your handlebar. Whereas most lever producers do present choices for Shimano i-Spec or SRAM MMX shifter/brake mount connections, in addition they supply primary 22.2 and 31.8mm handlebar clamps. Typically yow will discover adaptors for different brake configurations like Magura, Hayes, Hope, and many others.
As a result of most levers have a number of attachment factors to regulate the horizontal place of the lever, it’s often pretty straightforward to place the distant in a great spot in order that reaching it together with your thumb feels pure and intuitive. Some levers have extra changes that enable ergonomics to be custom-made even additional.
The exception to the cable-actuation rule is the RockShox Reverb AXS, which comes with its personal digital management unit. This distant runs off battery energy and connects to the publish through Bluetooth.
Weight
Dropper posts will all the time weigh greater than a normal seatpost, however most riders (and more and more, even aggressive cross-country racers) are prepared to take a weight penalty for the improved dealing with and management advantages of utilizing a dropper publish. After all, all different issues being equal, lighter is usually thought-about higher, assuming efficiency isn’t compromised within the title of weight financial savings.
For this take a look at, we weighed the publish solely, realizing that the load of the cable housing will fluctuate barely relying on the size required in your body, and that may also usually be constant in your bike no matter which cable-actuated publish you select. It is usually price noting that longer journey posts weigh greater than shorter journey variations of the identical publish as a result of extra supplies wanted to make them longer. And, since our testers used completely different lengths of posts, it’s difficult to get an ideal weight comparability.
Whereas a heavier dropper publish gained’t be as noticeable on the path as a heavy set of tires or wheelset, it is going to 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 cable-actuated droppers, the OneUp V3 is persistently one of many lightest weight choices, weighing in at 515 grams within the 210 mm journey size (433 grams for the 150 mm model).
The Wolf Tooth Resolve is shut behind at simply 514 grams at 160mm of journey (with 10mm extra journey). For these tremendous acutely 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 supplied in a narrower vary of drop lengths. To not be outdone, the OneUp V3 droppers are actually lighter than the SL fashions we examined (in the identical drop lengths).
Set up
If you are going to buy a brand new dropper from a motorbike store, it is not uncommon that they may set up it for you. If you are going to buy a dropper from an internet retailer, you may convey it to an area store and pay to have it put in. When you like wrenching by yourself bike, doing it your self is comparatively simple, assuming you will have cable/housing cutters and affordable mechanic abilities. A high quality restore stand doesn’t harm, both.
The set up course of is basically the identical whatever the actuation methodology. Most manufacturers have detailed directions and/or educational movies to information you thru the method.
- Run a bit of cable housing (or hydraulic line) from the seat tube to the exit port close to the top tube. Which approach you pull the housing via can rely in your body, and it’s all the time a good suggestion to make use of present housing to tug via new housing at any time when doable — this helps information the brand new housing via tight curves within the inside routing.
- Connect the cable to the actuator on the backside of the publish and run it via the housing. Place the housing within the housing cease on the base of the publish
- Push the publish 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 rigidity.
Upkeep
Just like transferring suspension elements, most dropper publish producers advocate cleansing, inspecting, and lubricating your publish after each experience and performing their model of a full service between 100 and 200 hours of driving. Many posts are designed to be user-serviceable, and they are often taken aside, cleaned, and relubricated with commonplace instruments and a bit of time. Elements for a lot of posts can be found for buy, and this may prevent cash whereas preserving your dropper working nicely in the long run.
Droppers for Gravel Bikes
Because the gravel bike market continues to develop and mature, some fashions are coming outfitted with dropper posts, and/or the frames characteristic inside cable routing to accommodate one. After all, not everybody wants or desires a dropper on their gravel bike, however those that experience steeper, rougher roads or prefer to enterprise onto singletrack trails could discover that the advantages outweigh the slight weight penalty.
Most, however not all, gravel bikes have smaller 27.2 mm seat tube diameters, and fortuitously, 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 50 mm to 125 mm. On the extra reasonably priced finish of the spectrum, OneUp Elements makes the V3 27.2 in 90 and 120 mm drop lengths.
Crankbrothers gives one of many largest ranges of drop lengths with 60, 80, 100, and 125 mm choices for his or her Highline XC Gravel publish. Fox makes a 27.2 mm model of its light-weight Tranfer SL in each Manufacturing facility and Efficiency Elite in each 50 mm and 70 mm drop lengths. On the excessive finish of the worth spectrum, the RockShox Reverb XPLR AXS brings wi-fi dropper know-how to your gravel rig.
Worth & 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 have now fairly a couple of choices, and so they come at a reasonably big selection of costs. Fortunately, most trendy mountain bikes include dropper posts, however many individuals select to improve to one thing that works or matches higher than the inventory choice. So, how a lot do you have to spend, and what’s the distinction?
Be aware: Most aftermarket dropper posts don’t include a distant lever. Most dropper posts will work with most dropper levers, so if you have already got one, you may be capable of use it with no matter publish you select. That stated, not all dropper publish remotes are created equal, and a few merely work, really feel, and look higher than others. When buying a brand new publish, you might also must consider the price of a brand new distant lever into the equation. They sometimes value between $40 and $70, relying on the model/mannequin.
Price range
As of late, you may get a practical dropper for round $150, however we expect most individuals including an aftermarket publish to their bike ought to anticipate to spend about $200. It’s not that cheaper droppers don’t work, however based mostly on our expertise, we expect you get a better stage of efficiency and sturdiness by spending just a bit bit extra.
For these working on a finances, the least costly mannequin on this information, 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 publish doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it surely performs very nicely and is an distinctive worth for anybody who doesn’t have extra to spend.
Mid-Tier
Shifting only a bit greater within the worth vary, we expect most individuals will discover the very best ratio of worth and efficiency within the $270 to $400 vary. We notice that’s a fairly large unfold, however that’s additionally the place many of the greatest dropper posts in the marketplace land on the worth spectrum. Right here we regularly discover smoother journey, lighter weights, and particular options that set some fashions aside.
On the decrease finish of this vary, the $270 OneUp V3 Dropper is tremendous easy, has a brief stack top and brief total size, is available in essentially the most drop size choices, and is among the lightest fashions in the marketplace. The OneUp V3’s mixture of efficiency attributes makes it certainly one of our absolute favorites and arguably the very best worth yow will discover.
As costs climb, we begin to see options like the flamboyant Kashima-coated stanchion on the Fox Switch Manufacturing facility ($339), the bleed valve on the Bike Yoke Revive 3.0 ($350 – $400), or the self-bleeding cartridge on the Wolf Tooth Resolve rev2 ($350 – $396). Typically talking, we additionally see a rise in smoothness and high quality, and these posts are supposed to be user-serviceable and supply a few years of devoted service. Most manufacturers additionally promote small elements so at-home mechanics can preserve them operating easily without having to shell out more money to get it repaired at a store.
Premium
Above the mid-tier worth vary, the price of dropper posts jumps approach as much as greater than $800. There are solely a small handful of fashions approach up right here within the worth stratosphere, with a lot greater prices related to wi-fi know-how. RockShox was the primary to market with the wi-fi Reverb AXS ($861) dropper, and it made a really massive splash each by way of worth and a significant development in wi-fi know-how on mountain bikes. It additionally occurs to work very, very nicely, albeit a tad heavier than wired choices.
Fox arrived a bit later to the wi-fi dropper publish occasion however has developed its personal wi-fi protocol in an try to realize the higher hand. Launched in the summertime of 2024, the Fox Switch Neo ($839) was the model’s first wi-fi element — and a positive signal they’re creating many extra — and it capabilities equally to the Reverb AXS. We haven’t examined Fox’s wi-fi publish but, however we hope to get our palms on one within the close to future.
Does anybody really want a wi-fi dropper on their bike? Completely not. Is it cool that we have now the choice? We predict so. Nonetheless, until you’re swimming in disposable revenue, we expect the added value of upgrading to wi-fi is difficult to justify when cheaper choices carry out simply as nicely (however with cables).
Regularly Requested Questions
Mountain bikes can actually be ridden with no dropper publish, and for a few years we didn’t even have the choice. Whereas many riders had been gradual to undertake this new know-how as a result of weight and reliability considerations with early fashions, they’ve since grow to be ubiquitous on most bikes for a lot of causes.
Over the previous decade, dropper posts have grow to be lighter, extra dependable, and extra sturdy. The flexibility to lift and decrease your seat for the terrain in entrance of you lets you all the time have the suitable saddle top, whether or not you might be driving up or downhill. Adjusting saddle top on the fly makes it simpler to maneuver concerning the bike and transfer the bike beneath you, leading to higher management.
Whereas some posts are fairly costly, there are additionally extra reasonably priced choices that work very nicely. Worth is much less of a limiting issue than it as soon as was.
So, sure, until you might be an elite-level XC racer who’s attempting to have the lightest bike doable — and will go for a lighter inflexible publish — you must completely be driving with a dropper publish in your mountain bike. The efficiency advantages far outweigh the load penalty of including one to your bike.
Leaving your bike’s dropper publish compressed for an prolonged time period shouldn’t be beneficial. When the dropper publish is compressed, the inner air stress is elevated, which may put extra stress on the inner parts of the dropper publish, doubtlessly resulting in untimely put on and failure.
Moreover, leaving your dropper publish compressed could cause the hydraulic fluid to grow to be trapped on one facet of the publish, which may have an effect on its efficiency the subsequent time you utilize it. This might result in injury to the seals and different inside parts over time.
To maximise the lifespan and efficiency of your publish, it’s greatest to retailer it within the totally prolonged place when not in use. This may assist to make sure that the inner parts aren’t subjected to pointless stress or stress and that the hydraulic fluid is distributed evenly all through the publish.
That’s to not say you shoudn’t go away your dropper publish compressed for shorter intervals of time. For instance, we regularly journey with our bikes on hitch bike racks for a lot of hours at a time with our droppers compressed to maintain the bikes from interfering with one another. We’ve by no means had any points.
It’s usually not beneficial to hold your bike by the dropper publish for prolonged intervals of time, as this may put extreme stress on the inner parts of the publish and doubtlessly trigger injury.
Whereas clamping to the dropper publish stanchion in a bike restore stand shouldn’t be perfect, and a few producers advocate in opposition to it as a result of it’s doable to crush the stanchion tube with clamping stress, we’ve had no points doing so persistently for brief intervals of time with any publish.
You’ll, nonetheless, need to clamp frivolously and wrap the publish in a rag or use rubber jaws to keep away from scratching the dropper publish stanchion. Like with suspension parts, scratches on the dropper publish 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 publish cable routing is not beneficial and will certainly void any warranties in your body. It might additionally compromise the structural integrity of the body, which may trigger critical damage. When you have a body with out inside routing, buy a publish with exterior cable routing.
Externally routed droppers are much less widespread, however there are a number of fashions in the marketplace to suit bikes with out inside dropper routing. On some hardtail frames, you MAY be capable of route cable housing via the seat tube water bottle mounts, however this may be fairly difficult.