What dropper seat?
Discussion
I am unfamiliar with the models and options... So would appreciate advice :-)
I have a 2007 Stumpjumper fsr and whilst I am looking at new bikes thought I might throw a dropper seat at the old workhorse (its already had new XT brakes, shifters, dérailleur etc recently). I dont know anything about them though!
I see there is a model by specialized called the command. It comes in 3 different travel sizes. Is that the 'range' of movement when you drop/raise the seat? thanks
I have a 2007 Stumpjumper fsr and whilst I am looking at new bikes thought I might throw a dropper seat at the old workhorse (its already had new XT brakes, shifters, dérailleur etc recently). I dont know anything about them though!
I see there is a model by specialized called the command. It comes in 3 different travel sizes. Is that the 'range' of movement when you drop/raise the seat? thanks
No point spending money on a dropper post if your are going to sell it. If you are going to have one then it's got to be a reverb. Can get one of eBay for about 100 quid or 170 new from Interweb.
Reverb and I am sure the command post have an infinite range of movement. Depending on the amount of travel you get. It will stop when it touches your arse. Just make sure you have the right amount of travel and the width of the seat post is the same.
Biggest single change in my riding since owning one. Wouldn't be without it!
Reverb and I am sure the command post have an infinite range of movement. Depending on the amount of travel you get. It will stop when it touches your arse. Just make sure you have the right amount of travel and the width of the seat post is the same.
Biggest single change in my riding since owning one. Wouldn't be without it!
I only have experience with the KS Lev Integra. Works really nicely but you need to be very careful not to over tighten the seat post clamp and to avoid any tight angles in the cable.
I'm about to buy one (the lev is my girlfriends) and I'll probably go for a Reverb based on ubiquity / reviews / price.
I'm about to buy one (the lev is my girlfriends) and I'll probably go for a Reverb based on ubiquity / reviews / price.
Second best mtb thing ever, after hydro brakes.
Reverb, choose a left or right switch. Many people run a right hand switch upside down on the left, or vice versa. Works better that way. Choose 100 or 125mm travel taking into account your max saddle height and available seat tube to get the collar as low as poss.
Get one with the bleed kit too, many sellers flog OE packages without this. And pref from a UK seller and keep the receipt just in case of warranty returns.
Reverb, choose a left or right switch. Many people run a right hand switch upside down on the left, or vice versa. Works better that way. Choose 100 or 125mm travel taking into account your max saddle height and available seat tube to get the collar as low as poss.
Get one with the bleed kit too, many sellers flog OE packages without this. And pref from a UK seller and keep the receipt just in case of warranty returns.
Silvs said:
No point spending money on a dropper post if your are going to sell it. If you are going to have one then it's got to be a reverb. Can get one of eBay for about 100 quid or 170 new from Interweb.
Reverb and I am sure the command post have an infinite range of movement. Depending on the amount of travel you get. It will stop when it touches your arse. Just make sure you have the right amount of travel and the width of the seat post is the same.
Biggest single change in my riding since owning one. Wouldn't be without it!
The Command post doesn't have infinite movement. It has up, down an inch and down all the way.Reverb and I am sure the command post have an infinite range of movement. Depending on the amount of travel you get. It will stop when it touches your arse. Just make sure you have the right amount of travel and the width of the seat post is the same.
Biggest single change in my riding since owning one. Wouldn't be without it!
I tried a Stumpjumper FSR 650b last autumn. I loved it, and therefore bought one, but had a major issue with the dropper post in that it kept dropping from fully up to an inch down of its own accord at seemingly random but actually the most annoying possible times when climbing.
Based on this, and on the fact that I was wrapping it into a cycle to work scheme and got a good deal from the bike shop, I got them to upgrade it to a Thomson Elite instead. It would be bloody expensive bought on its own and without getting the tax back, but it really is absolutely wonderful!
When the bike turned up, though, the Thomson was on back order, so I took it with the Command post to start with. Despite being a different actual bike, I had the same problem with the seatpost. I'm sure my 18 stone doesn't help it, and it was probably a simple case of adjusting cable tension or something, but I still felt it shouldn't have happened on two separate factory-fresh bikes (I was the first person to ride the demo bike) at that price.
With regards to infinite position or not, I've also got a very old (in so far as these things can be old!
) Gravity Dropper seatpost on another bike. That was originally just up or down, with two or three inches between the two, and whilst it was OK, it was still a little bit compromised. When I snapped the seatpost and sent it back to them for repair (their customer service was staggering, btw. Despite being 5+ years old and well out of warranty, they instantly said they're repair it for free as they'd rather a happy customer than get hung up on the terms of the warranty!), things had moved on, and they now came with interim positions, so I asked if hey could change the innards to give me a four inch drop with a one inch interim drop. They said no problem, and for the princely sum of $18, they did all the changes and also completely refurbished the post.
The difference was pretty significant. With just up and down, you can drop the saddle out of the way going downhill, but you've still got a bit of a compromise between maximum climbing efficiency and flowing singletrack where you want to be out of the saddle for cornering or hopping roots. By adding the interim inch drop, I find I ride it probably 40% of the time fully down, 40% at the interim drop, and 20% fully up. I reckon with the Thomson, I'm doing pretty much the same thing, even though I could leave it anywhere in the range.
richardxjr said:
get the collar as low as poss.
In theory, you're right, but before you do that, I'd suggest checking - if applicable - that you've got somewhere else on the bike you can mount a back light.On my old bike, the magnetic actuator took up all the space between the top of the seat tube and the start of the dropper, and being a full susser, there was really nowhere else I could mount a rear light for use when nightriding. My new post, however, has about 20mm between the seat clamp and the start of the dropper, which is perfect for wrapping a small light on.
Max_Torque said:
2007 bike? Check the seat post diameter before getting too excited!
It'll be 30.9 on a Spesh, he'll be fine. It doesn't really matter which if the higher end posts you buy, we all swear by different products. 2x people up there have recommended the reverb, and of the 4 or so of my regular riding friends that use Reverb's, they've all given up on them for various other posts.
I've used a Command post and a Command Blacklight, a Fox DOSS and a Cranbrothers Joplin in recent years, they were all fine.
I've no need for infinite adjustment, I'm happy to know that it will be at 3 regular heights, which makes perfect sense to me.
I think the Fox DOSS was the best, the lever setup was great, and reassuringly solid. Worked brilliantly.
So yeah, buy a good one (i.e. not a coil sprung one with a pin fired in and out of it, RPM or whatever they are) and it'll be fine, but they all have problems, and whilst the industry fashion seems to make you get a reverb, they have plenty of problems with them so don't just assume you'll be golden.
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