BEN’S VITUS ESCARPE 29 CRS
MONTH 11: Workshop time sees Ben fix one problem, then create a bigger one
£2,699.99 / 29in / vitusbikes.com
WHY IT’S HERE Ben tried going big, then going fast, now he just wants a trail bike
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Last month I mentioned that the Brand-x Ascend dropper post on the Escarpe was feeling a bit sticky and slow to react. So I thought I better give it a service and replace the cable, which was also feeling a bit stiff in use. A quick search on Youtube brought up plenty of videos which I could follow. The post seems to be the same as ones branded by Shimano, PNW, SDG and Giant, hence the volume of content.
It uses a sealed cartridge system, which is a bit like an office chair. It’s a fit-and-forget system which can’t be adjusted for air pressure, so the service is mainly about cleaning up the seals, checking for wear on the bushings and then popping it all back together with some fresh grease.
All pretty straightforward then. Apart from the bit where you need to release the cable actuator from the bottom of the shaft. Mine was a bit stiff and needed a reasonable-sized adjustable wrench with a thin towel covering the internals to protect them. I managed to slip the wrench in the towel and crush the housings which hold the cable end. It was a silly mistake and the rest of the service was completed in about 10 minutes. All the internals were a bit gunked up with dirt and water ingress but nothing ridiculous. Once I reassembled the shaft and lubed everything, it was noticeably smoother without me even sitting on it. I’m still waiting for a replacement actuator for the cable but for the moment I have gone back to riding with a regular seatpost, which has made me realise how much I value a dropper post. Even a sticky one.