Budget dropper posts

[strawjack]

My Reverb is failing. Had 200lbs when I checked and I pumped it back to 250lbs and it still has a ton of play. Moving a centimeter when fully extended and if dropped it's more like 2 centimeters.

[El Chupacabra]

Price Point has Gravity dropper turbo LP on clearance at $169 - 5" drop only. Worthwhile, or spend a little more and get a more modern design? I don't need internal routing for the remote line.

[Shredhead]

My bike guy told me the worst thing you can do to a DP, is picking your bike up by the seat, when the post is not fully extended.

[HankScorpio]

My Reverb is failing. Had 200lbs when I checked and I pumped it back to 250lbs and it still has a ton of play. Moving a centimeter when fully extended and if dropped it's more like 2 centimeters.

Sounds like it needs new seals and a rebuild. Shops around here charge about $170 for a Reverb rebuild (which is fucking absurd). There's a decent chance a shop will be nice and send it back to SRAM for a warranty replacement. Welcome to the love/hate Reverb relationship.

[Tye 1on]

Price Point has Gravity dropper turbo LP on clearance at $169 - 5" drop only. Worthwhile, or spend a little more and get a more modern design? I don't need internal routing for the remote line.

That one is like my Classic, either fully up or fully down? On yesterday's ride i found myself struggling with my 4" drop. Low height is super low, unless i extend the post, then high feels really high. I'm wondering if the ones that adjust to anywhere in the range are more useful. I'm actually half tempted to put on the 3" drop post that was included to see how that feels.

Of course it could be that i just suck at biking...

[babybear]

I must say I use the range on my post (Lev) and enjoy being able to micro adjust the height. Nice to be able to jack it when riding the road to the trail and then down a teeny bit on rolling/ uphill tech for a little more ROM.
I almost use my dropper as much as my gearing (but that said I'm on a too big frame with only a single ring)

[adrenalated]

Yeah, being able to stop anywhere in the range is a critical feature for a dropper IMO.

[Dee Hubbs]

My Reverb is failing. Had 200lbs when I checked and I pumped it back to 250lbs and it still has a ton of play. Moving a centimeter when fully extended and if dropped it's more like 2 centimeters.

If its within the 2 year warranty, send it back! SRAM will ask the dealer if the fully extended drop is more than 6mm, if so the warranty is accepted.

[El Chupacabra]

From the comments on the Price Point Gravity Dropper, it sounds like the version they have on clearance is the all up/all down version, no intermediate stops.

[jono]

From the comments on the Price Point Gravity Dropper, it sounds like the version they have on clearance is the all up/all down version, no intermediate stops.

My wife bought that version from LBS and 5" was too much so I called GD to ask about buying the ~$40 kit to convert it to 1" & 3". They called me back, took my address and mailed me the 1"/3" inner post and I mailed back the one that came with it. Swap took 1 minute.

I don't know if they'd be stoked about swapping out the parts on all those clearance items for free, but worst case it costs you the ~$40 for the inner post kit, which still makes it a great deal in my book.

I think the reason the GD is different from "modern" ones is because GD has a patent on the coil spring return. Air springs are the wrong answer in a dropper post, they're just necessary to get around the patent. The GD is lighter and more durable. Whether you prefer infinite adjust or knowing right where the seat will go with any given click of the lever seems personal; both has advantages.

[El Chupacabra]

My wife bought that version from LBS and 5" was too much so I called GD to ask about buying the ~$40 kit to convert it to 1" & 3". They called me back, took my address and mailed me the 1"/3" inner post and I mailed back the one that came with it. Swap took 1 minute.

I don't know if they'd be stoked about swapping out the parts on all those clearance items for free, but worst case it costs you the ~$40 for the inner post kit, which still makes it a great deal in my book.

I think the reason the GD is different from "modern" ones is because GD has a patent on the coil spring return. Air springs are the wrong answer in a dropper post, they're just necessary to get around the patent. The GD is lighter and more durable. Whether you prefer infinite adjust or knowing right where the seat will go with any given click of the lever seems personal; both has advantages.

Was the difference on the internal post just more holes? If so... why not just drill more holes?

[jono]

I asked that myself and of course got an immediate "we don't want you drilling holes!" But the only reason I can see for sure is that the new holes wouldn't be anodized, and thus would probably be a little sticky compared to the factory ones. (Assuming you did it right and didn't care about warranty etc) It *looks* like they are all made from the same stock, so the material is probably there. I kind of wanted to make a hole at about 3/4" instead of 1", but the free upgrade ended my curiosity.

[El Chupacabra]

Thanks. Going to think about it some... would be a more-reliable upgrade from the old Joplin 4 I'm still using (which will fail at some point).

[strawjack]

If its within the 2 year warranty, send it back! SRAM will ask the dealer if the fully extended drop is more than 6mm, if so the warranty is accepted.

Yeah, I called my shop and they said essentially the same thing. It's only 2 months old, but I don't want to be without a seat. Guess I need to buy a post for the down time. Doh!

I have been picking it up by the seat not fully extended and it seemed like the wrong thing to be doing...but I keep forgetting since its been a long time habit. Learning curve.

[Dee Hubbs]

Yeah, I called my shop and they said essentially the same thing. It's only 2 months old, but I don't want to be without a seat. Guess I need to buy a post for the down time. Doh!

I have been picking it up by the seat not fully extended and it seemed like the wrong thing to be doing...but I keep forgetting since its been a long time habit. Learning curve.

Ride it until winter, and pull it off then and send it in. The shop I deal with has a few loaner droppers to get people by while warranty work is getting done.

[Peruvian]

The more I ride with my dropper, the more I realize that it is an absolute game changer. I've started dropping it all the way for downhill and it provides so much more control that I'm riding faster than before.

[adrenalated]

So far, awesome. I think I have somewhere around 120-150mi of riding on it? Only thing I've done since install is clean it and one time turned the barrel adjuster like 2 turns. Function is smooth, lever action easy, nice clunk at top and bottom out to tell you where you're at.

I don't have a ton of time on any post, but I've ridden a bit on a Thompson and overall the Fox functions the same or better, is way cheaper, and the cable routing (for the external version) is better. And it's a big improvement over the Giant in every way.

Update on the Fox Transfer - after about 500mi of riding, the post developed old man syndrome (couldn't get it up without, um, manual stimulation). Emailed the dealer, they forwarded the request to Fox, Fox sent me an RA and a call tag, Fox sent me back the post with a note saying the seals were damaged and they fully rebuilt the post (however, the returned one looks like it could be brand new). Door to door including shipping time was under 2 weeks.

Overall, bummed I had an issue with the post, but couldn't ask for better service from Fox. Hopefully I won't have any issues with it now...

[Danno]

Well, I would not recommend the KS eTen. Everyone seems to say that it is a great budget dropper, that the major tradeoff is just that it weighs more, and I was willing to accept the weight penalty.

Well, last year I was having issues with it, sometimes it would not stay in the up position. I could cycle it up and down a few times and then it would stay. The shop said I should keep riding it and let them know if it got worse (it was still in warranty). Well, I have had a rough non-biking spring, and pulled the bike out this weekend to go ride and it would not stay up or down (ie if you put weight on it, it would sink, but without weight, it would go up, regardless of what you did with the lever).

And, of course, it's now just slightly out of warranty. And the shop I went to says that nothing can be done, these can't be rebuilt, and that KS are bad with warranty stuff like this, and my best bet is to complain to KS, that individuals seem to get better results than shops.

That fucking sucks. Any advice? I guess I'm done with dropper posts, I can't afford an expensive one and the eTen seems to be a POS.

[adrenalated]

Any advice?

Raise hell with KS?

[Dantheman]

Raise hell with KS?

And don't patronize that shop again. Man, that was terrible advice.

[radam]

Well, I would not recommend the KS eTen. Everyone seems to say that it is a great budget dropper, that the major tradeoff is just that it weighs more, and I was willing to accept the weight penalty.

Well, last year I was having issues with it, sometimes it would not stay in the up position. I could cycle it up and down a few times and then it would stay. The shop said I should keep riding it and let them know if it got worse (it was still in warranty). Well, I have had a rough non-biking spring, and pulled the bike out this weekend to go ride and it would not stay up or down (ie if you put weight on it, it would sink, but without weight, it would go up, regardless of what you did with the lever).

And, of course, it's now just slightly out of warranty. And the shop I went to says that nothing can be done, these can't be rebuilt, and that KS are bad with warranty stuff like this, and my best bet is to complain to KS, that individuals seem to get better results than shops.

That fucking sucks. Any advice? I guess I'm done with dropper posts, I can't afford an expensive one and the eTen seems to be a POS.

They're not serviceable the way other posts are, but you can buy a new cartridge if that is the source of your problem.
https://www.modernbike.com/product-2...159hoCCHjw_wcB

I'd call KS and see if they'll help you even though you're out of warranty and if not, just describe the problem as best as possible and see if a new cartridge will fix it.

[Danno]

And don't patronize that shop again. Man, that was terrible advice.

yeah, no shit (and that wasn't the only issue with them). It was a new shop that gave me the info of "the shop I went to" in the earlier post. But they seem to be incorrect too, because they did not say that there was a replacement cartridge for $26 (assuming that is all I need?).

[Dantheman]

That replacement cartridge should be all you need. It sounds like the eTen is basically the same design as the Contact Switch I have, and in the CS the cartridge is the only part that affects the function of the post. Worst-case scenario you return the replacement cartridge. Before you order the cartridge though it would be worth checking that the cable isn't stuck or over-tensioned somehow. An overly tight cable would cause the symptoms you described, sort of like if you never took your thumb off the lever.

[Peruvian]

^^^Dtm had a good point. I found the eTen very twitchy as to cable tension.

[Dantheman]

Anyone know anything about the Brand X Ascend? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/u.../rp-prod149024

I hadn't seen these mentioned here and they look pretty sweet for $150. Cartridge system, 120mm, 550 grams, 2-year warranty, nice looking lever, 2-bolt clamp, 4.6/5 average rating with 184 reviews. Only downside I see is stealth routing only for those of use with older frames.