Dropper post advice

spikeyjack

Thinking of getting a dropper post for my stumpy. Before I do, thought I'd if anyone had some advice on ones to avoid or go for, how easy they are to maintain and what to look out for? I do not have real knowledge on them so any help/advice will be muchly appreciated!

ilovedirt

Get a reverb. No point getting much else as far as I can gather.

rockmonkeysc

Everyone I know who has a Reverb has had problems with it. I would go for the Specialized Command Post. It works nicer and is mechanical rather than hydraulic.

ThePriory1978

ilovedirt wrote:

Get a reverb. No point getting much else as far as I can gather.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Everyone I know who has a Reverb has had problems with it.

Agreed & agreed.

The Reverb is the best post available. They do fail occasionally but are usually covered by warranty as is the case with mine.

Get a new reverb, not the old one, they've modified the internals and are better now.

Or you could try a FOX Doss post. If you've won the lottery and dont mind a handlebar cluttered with a stupid double lever arrangement.

felix.london

I just went purely on cost and the Reverb was the cheapest (125mm) dropper post available;

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1170/a60542/reverb-125-seat-post-316-x-420mm-mmx-right-black.html

about £165 with free delivery to France

DodgeT

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Everyone I know who has a Reverb has had problems with it. I would go for the Specialized Command Post. It works nicer and is mechanical rather than hydraulic.

I've got both. Not had the reverb long, works nice, have to see how it holds up.

Had the command post for getting on for a year now, had lots of use, mud, etc and very rarely grumbles. Occasionally gets a bit sticky on a mucky ride, just have to give the cable tensioner a twiddle every now and then.
It's a love hate thing though with the preset heights though, as they are good settings, just sometimes don't click into place first time and can be a bit off putting.
Say you blast into a rock garden and quickly want to drop it, the reverb (and KS's etc) you just hit the button, sit down and let go, post stays where it is.
The command, you hit button, sit down, but sometimes it doesn't catch properly, so springs back up on you. Takes a bit of getting used to and still doesn't click in everytime, especially on the quick hits you need it to.

cat_with_no_tail

Out of the Reverb, Gravity Dropper Turbo, The Joplin 3, Joplin 4 and a KS that I've owned, the reverb is *currently* stacking up as the best.

Had it 3 months now and it hasn't put a foot wrong. By this stage, all of the others had developed very slight seat wobble. Not noticable on the bike or anything, but still there. The reverb is still tight as a drum.

The real test will be when it comes to servicing. The GD was always my favourite before, due to the simple design that just worked, and made it very easy to strip down and service. I suspect the reverb may be a bit more faff, but it shouldn't be any harder than bleeding brakes.

I actually find that I use the ability to set the height anywhere in the travel much more than I thought I ever would. I'd previously always been of the opinion you'd only ever need a saddle up, or down.

I also like the position and feel of the button on the Reverb more than the others (possibly because it's very similar to the button on the other side of the bars for the bionicons travel adjust).

It's also good that you can change the return speed of the saddle too. After getting used to the boIIock busting speed of the GD, I like quite a quick return.

an_original_name

I've only ever had a Reverb. Owned it for a bit under a year and didn't put a foot wrong. As CWNT said, I found it nice to be able to put the saddle anywhere in its travel range. Stuff like technical climbing I found my self dropping it about an inch so I have a bit more movement over the bike but can still put power down.

It is probably very complicated to service though, especially compared to a gravity dropper. The locking mechanism is pretty much just a spring loaded pin I think.

nferrar

Got a KS Lev a few weeks ago, seems OK so far but not ridden much due to the weather. The remote is neat + no play in the post which are good signs.

YeehaaMcgee

I don't understand. What exactly makes the Reverb better, since it seems to have the same issues as all the others.

cat_with_no_tail

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

I don't understand. What exactly makes the Reverb better, since it seems to have the same issues as all the others.

That's just it though, in my (albeit fairly limited) experience so far, it dosent have any issues, at all, not even one.

HOWEVER........

I bought mine because I had a new bike and needed a dropper post.

If I already had a bike with a GD (or a joplin that worked) fitted to it. I'd not be rushing out to buy one.

YeehaaMcgee

Well, my Joplin hasn't ever missed a beat either, but I'm aware of people having problems with theirs, just as I'm aware of people having problems with reverbs.
Just because the odd few fail, doesn't mean they will all fail.

cat_with_no_tail

My Joplin never missed a beat either, neither did my GD Turbo.
Which is exactly why I'd not be rushing to replace a working dropper if I already had one.

All I'm saying is that of all the dropper posts I've tried, this is my favourite so far, for the reasons stated above.

spikeyjack

Thanks for all the replies. Think I'll give the Reverb ago.

ilovedirt

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Well, my Joplin hasn't ever missed a beat either, but I'm aware of people having problems with theirs, just as I'm aware of people having problems with reverbs.
Just because the odd few fail, doesn't mean they will all fail.

Aside from the fact that you can drop the reverb to anywhere in it's travel (I quite like lowering the post only an inch or so sometimes), supposedly they're less trouble than others... That said, I've never tried any dropper post, but if I were to buy one (which I may be in the position to do in a couple of months, if I'm lucky), I'd go for a Reverb, partly due to brand loyalty. Rockshox products have given me much less trouble than a lot of others, and I certainly won't be buying anything Crank Bros make in the near future, if ever.

YeehaaMcgee

the Reverb certainly isn't the only infinitely adjustable post. In fact, I was under the impression that most of them did that.

DodgeT

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

the Reverb certainly isn't the only infinitely adjustable post. In fact, I was under the impression that most of them did that.

This.
Have RS patented the word "infinite" or something, cause most people go on about the reverb being able to be "infinitely" adjusted.

So do joplins

and KS's, and those are the only ones I've used so there are prob more.

The only advantage I can see really for the reverb is that of it being a closed operating system. That has been the only source of MINOR niggles for cable operated ones i've owned, where sh1t gets in the cable housing / top of the post and stiffens it a little.

Anonymous

They all have issues, but I just hear of more issues with anything other than Reverb than Reverb.

Also Reverb is mature, tried and tested and we know what the problems and fixes are.

YeehaaMcgee

You mean like, bleed it, arbitrarily change the air pressure, or send it back?
I see no evidence that any of them are "better" than the others, except rampant fanboyism.

cat_with_no_tail

deadkenny wrote:

They all have issues, but I just hear of more issues with anything other than Reverb than Reverb.

Also Reverb is mature, tried and tested and we know what the problems and fixes are.

Eh? :?

The Jop, KS and GD have all been around MUCH longer than the Reverb.

The simple fact is that dropper post these days choice is similar to groupset choice, fork choice or wheelset choice. People will just go for whatever feels best to them.

Personally, I prefer SRAM, Rockshox (Bionicon actually), Superstar / Stans and Reverb.

So there.

Anonymous

A lot more people have used it though, so tried and tested in that way.

Not saying it's better myself as I've yet to get a dropper but every time I look into it I'm falling back to Reverb as the issues with others seem more dramatic or more hassle to resolve, or there are annoyances in the way they work. That's both from what I read and from friends who've got or used a variety of posts.

And yeah there's the SRAM factor. All my kit is SRAM and there's the matchmaker compatibility thing too, but not a key reason to buy the post really. Also not sure if that's any good if mounted under the bars as many advise.

YeehaaMcgee

See, whilst I've had nothing but grievance with SRAM - I wouldn't dissuade anyone else from trying SRAM. But the pointless "REVERB!!!!!111oneoneone!!!" echochamber pi**es me off.
Here's Deadkenny with another groundless echo...

the issues with others seem more dramatic or more hassle to resolve, or there are annoyances in the way they work. That's both from what I read and from friends who've got or used a variety of posts.

Explain why or how those issues are any different, or worse.
Frankly, they all seem to have the same issues to me - a little post play, and sealing.
Sure the reverb has the added issue of adjusting air pressure, but the others may need the cable adjusting occasionally, so that's even.

Rather than repeat the same flowery crap that everyone else repeats, because they read it here, or "heard it from a friend of a friend, of your dog's best friend's owner's friend's second wife", give some solid opinions on what you know.

Anonymous

Well, that's the way it goes though. You have reviews, opinions and anecdotes to go on. Short of buying each one and trying them all out, it's all I have to go on. When the majority of the opinion favours the Reverb and many stating "replaced my shitty Joplin" or such statements, it makes me wonder why I'd buy a Joplin.

I'm not being swayed by the "REVERB!!!!!111oneoneone!!!" factor, but just the opinions on the problems and resolving them. That's how I decide on a lot of products I want to buy. I look for the problems I'm going to get in the future. That's why I bought a Honda

lawman

From my experiences the newer reverbs, 2012 and after, are much, much more reliable than previously, and normally you'll find any problems are due to completely ham-fisted monkeys that clamp it wrong it a work stand. I love the remote shape of the reverb, its far better than the ones on the joplin and GD, the head on joplin and even the new Kronolog are just a single bolt, which puts me off, and its the same old thing with the cables too, I managed to snap my old joplin cable on a ride.

I don't like SRAM or Rockshox, very much shimano/fox fan, having not tried the Fox DOSS, which is too expensive and the remote is stupid probably the only fox product thats just not worth it, the reverb is the best post on the market imo by a long way.

YeehaaMcgee

deadkenny wrote:

Well, that's the way it goes though. You have reviews, opinions and anecdotes to go on. Short of buying each one and trying them all out, it's all I have to go on. When the majority of the opinion favours the Reverb and many stating "replaced my shitty Joplin" or such statements, it makes me wonder why I'd buy a Joplin.

I'm not being swayed by the "REVERB!!!!!111oneoneone!!!" factor, but just the opinions on the problems and resolving them. That's how I decide on a lot of products I want to buy. I look for the problems I'm going to get in the future. That's why I bought a Honda

But the majority of "opinion" is by people who've never even had one.
If you don't actually have first hand experience of one, then you have no valid input. You're just repeating someone else's story - then someone else repeats what you wrote, and so on and so on. It becomes a pointless game of Chinese whispers.
The ONLY thing you can ascertain by trawling forums is that all dropper posts have had issues. People will always readily share their stories of failures, but rarely bother mentioning just how reliable their gear has been.

cat_with_no_tail

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

But the majority of "opinion" is by people who've never even had one.
If you don't actually have first hand experience of one, then you have no valid input. You're just repeating someone else's story - then someone else repeats what you wrote, and so on and so on. It becomes a pointless game of Chinese whispers.

Very much agreed, it's the same for everything though. That's why all crank bros stuff is poorly made, Shimano shouldn't be using C&C as it's outdated, hope stuff is amazing and reverbs are the first dropper posts to work properly and all others wobble about like they're made of noodles. Not forgetting the "side-to-side play".

Anonymous

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

But the majority of "opinion" is by people who've never even had one.
If you don't actually have first hand experience of one, then you have no valid input.

The only opinion on them I've been paying attention to are from people who have actually had one, mostly from people I know. Useful to me, but not to anyone else.

I'll shut up now as I have no valid input.

apreading

Before I say this, i should make clear that I know nothing about the technology and have never used one.

But I can see a possibly explanation as to why Reverb is the way to go, apart from fanboism. If there are as many people having problems with Reverbs as with any other dropper post, then the percentage of posts having problems must be alot better for Reverbs as they seem to have outsold the other makes by 10:1. So if the actual number of problems is about the same, then you are statistically 10 times less likely to have a problem than it appears with other brands.

All the maths above is made up, but the point still stands. If they have sold tons more and have a similar number of problems then they must be more reliable.

cat_with_no_tail

apreading wrote:

Before I say this, i should make clear that I know nothing about the technology and have never used one.

But I can see a possibly explanation as to why Reverb is the way to go, apart from fanboism. If there are as many people having problems with Reverbs as with any other dropper post, then the percentage of posts having problems must be alot better for Reverbs as they seem to have outsold the other makes by 10:1. So if the actual number of problems is about the same, then you are statistically 10 times less likely to have a problem than it appears with other brands.

All the maths above is made up, but the point still stands. If they have sold tons more and have a similar number of problems then they must be more reliable.

This is the key thing to take from your post, it's just made up.

They might be selling 10 to 1 NOW. But the others were around for YEARS before RS even considered making a droppy post. Now the mags and people who bought one seem to be hailing it as the bestest thing ever.

In the last 12 months, I must have seen at least a dozen seperate threads on here about issues with the Reverbs of one kind or another. And not a single one about issues with Gravity-dropper, KS or Joplin.

The problem is that people are combining all the problems they've ever heard of (including double counting the ones from people just regurgitating what they've heard) over the last 7 or 8 years of the other companies manufacturing their posts, and comparing that with around 18months of Reverb sales.

The key reason to buy a reverb imho is that at the moment, they are about the cheapest option out of those 4 brands. It's also newish so it's less likely to be superceded by a new model (like the joplin is about to be with Crank Bros new one).

DodgeT

Re price, I got mine for 170 notes, no way I'd of paid over 200 for one, they're ridiculous at the 299 rrp.
I was surprised by the fact that 3 shops told me that they had even had to recall 2012 stock as there have still been issues with the latest batches.
That's why I bought mine new with a warranty. Hopefully I won't need to use it.

ilovedirt

In all honesty, the only one that I would really stay away from would be the Joplin, as it's made by Crank Bros. And probably the Gravity Dropper, as it's not infinitely adjustable.

Pretty much just leaves the Reverb and the KS from the big players, but then you've got new ones from Spesh, X-fusion etc that are less tested... I think the key is to buy the one with the best warranty tbh!