RockShox Reverb AXS wireless dropper post £700

WE REALLY LIKE THE R EVER BA X S’ S PUSH BUTTON ACTUATION AND RAPID REACTION TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN RIDING TECHNICAL TERRAIN

RockShox introduced their new Reverb AXS post back in February. Like SRAM’s Eagle AXS gearing, it works wirelessly. This means that, with no cable or hose to thread, installation is pain-free. The remote and post communicate using SRAM’s encrypted wireless network and, once bolted in, need to be synced in order to work. This is done by pushing each of the components’ AXS buttons, whose LEDs also allow you to check battery life. SRAM reckon the post will last for around 40 hours of riding before it needs charging – which we found to be pretty accurate (and charging only takes an hour) – while the remote’s battery (a CR2032) should last a couple of years. You can also connect both the post and remote via Bluetooth to the SRAM AXS app, which monitors battery life and logs mileage.

Aside from the wireless treatment, the Reverb has had a significant overhaul, inside and out. The internal floating piston has been redesigned to reduce friction, and the post now uses a lower-friction oil and new grease. The head is totally new and uses a single bolt to clamp the saddle rails in place, along with a Torx T25 bolt at the front to adjust saddle angle. This works really well and we’ve had no issues with our saddle shifting. That said, we couldn’t fit one seat (a carbon-railed Fabric model) because the rails were too tall to sit comfortably in the clamp.

At the base of the post sits the new Vent Valve, used to remove any squish it might develop, should the air and oil inside ever mix. We haven’t needed this yet, but it’s good to know it’s there. In terms of length, it measures up the same as the previous Reverb, so our 150mm-travel version is 440mm long. The post itself weighs a respectable 650g (the remote is 63g).

After a couple of months of hard use, our Reverb AXS is still running smoothly, despite a lot of crappy weather and numerous blasts with the hose. We really like the push-button actuation and rapid reaction time. It may sound lazy, but the lack of effort required to hit the remote is great, especially when riding technical terrain, where the post’s speed allows you to make small adjustments with total ease. This is aided further by the lack of lag after pushing the remote (unlike on the only other wireless post, Magura’s Vyron), which means it’s just as fast and easy to use as a well-set-up mechanical post.

While the price may be hard to swallow, we’re big fans of the Reverb AXS. It can be swapped between bikes in only a couple of minutes, boosting its appeal further. Rob www.zyrofisher.co.uk

Easy to install with seriously impressive performance on the trail, although it doesn’t come cheap