DROPPER TEST
They deliver an instant con idence and control upgrade – but which droppers can you trust to stay working?
Fitting a dropper post is a great way to boost control and confidence, but not all are reliable. We test 15 to see which you can rely on –
If you haven’t tried one before, the amount of extra control and confidence you get using a dropper post is a revelation. Being able to drop your saddle with the press of a lever and get your weight lower on the bike provides a far more planted feel on descents. It also lets you shift your body weight around into corners, off drops, over jumps or down steep sections, rather than being perched precariously over a high seatpost. Obviously, you can get the same advantages with a rigid post if you stop riding, undo the seat clamp and lower it manually. Not all bikes have seat tubes that’ll let you drop your saddle the full way down, though, and it’s a real flow killer too.
With a vast range of posts to choose from, how do you choose the right one for your bike, budget and riding style? First, a dropper has to fit your bike. Most come in 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters (and a few in 34.9mm), with 27.2mm posts still rare. The length of lower post that needs to hide in your frame varies, as does overall height. Strokes range from 50 to 200mm, to suit different frames and rider needs. While most saddle clamps hold the seat in line with the post, some setback versions are available.
In terms of function, most posts offer an ‘infinite’ (whatever height you want within the stroke) action, but some have two or three preset stops. The speed at which they compress and return varies, and is sometimes adjustable. Handlebar-mounted remote levers come in different designs, as does the cable attachment at the post end and how easy it is or isn’t to set up. RockShox even use a fully hydraulic system, with a whole different set of pros and cons.
By far the most important thing to consider when buying a dropper post is reliability, though. Because while droppers are brilliant when they’re working, they’re a nightmare when they fail. Unfortunately, a lot of posts are still massively unreliable, and price isn’t a good guide to what’ll last. We’ve been riding as many examples as we can of every post here – as well as lots of other posts – for as long as possible, in filthy UK conditions. If we say a post works, we’ve done our homework, and if it doesn’t, we’re not going to pull our punches.