Wondering if anyone has dropper post recommendations.
Really hoping to keep it as cheap as possible… many of the options out there are worth as much as my bike.
I’m willing to look used too, but wondered if anyone had luck with some of the more inexpensive models out there.
Thanks!
I have the Brand-X Ascend XL Stealth Dropper 150mm. The lever acctuation is a little hard, but other than that, it just works. Just remember to pump up the air, which i forgot when i first got it.
I’v had it for 1 year now, and zero problems.
I’ve only ever used Rockshox Reverbs, had two, both have been flawless, one I had for 3 years and the current one is over a year old, both regular, very muddy use.
If I were in the market for a new budget dropper, the OneUp Dropper would be at the top of my list.
For the used market, I would very highly recommend the Fox Transfer. I’ve had a Transfer on every bike for the last 3 years and every one of them has performed flawlessly. I’ve completely neglected them, ignored service intervals, etc and they continue to work without any issues. Most of my friends have them too, and I haven’t heard of a single one failing or needing an unexpected service.
As for models I would stay far away from when buying used:
KS: I bought a secondhand KS LEV and had to pay for a replacement cartridge 3 times in a year. My friend ordered a 2018 LEV and it was dead on arrival and had to warranty it with 0 hours.
Rockshox Reverb: I’ve heard the newer versions are better and more reliable, but since we are talking about used posts, I would stay away. Almost everyone I know with a Reverb has had the post fail on them at some point. The older models have serious issues with the cold, which causes them to freeze and refuse to move. They are also notorious for breaking if you lift the bike by the seat while the post is in the “dropped” position.
I hope this helps!
+1 for the brand x ascend. It’s well priced and reliable.
My current bike has a reverb but I’m going to run it until it dies then swap for a brand x rather than spending money on it
Brand X for the price, but lever reflects where they have saved the money.
If you have a bit more in your budget, like the look of the Fox Transfer but can’t quite squeeze that far, then look at the Marzocchi Transfer post. Same post but cheaper.
Lots of positive reviews on the PNW droppers. I personally don’t have one, I’m still using the ol’ quick release dropper.
If I were in the market for one though, I’d be looking at OneUp components and PNW. Price and reliability have been applauded for both.
The KS Eten doesn’t use the same cartridge as the LEV, and while heavy it’s extremely cheap. You can even get one without a cable actuated remote.
There’s also a DNM Dropper that seems to get decent reviews.
Another offbrand post is the RSP Plummet, which looks similar to the early Giant Connect posts.
Thompson Elite - I’ve got 3 of them on different bikes. All have been very good.
Rockshox Reverb. I had this on one of my bikes but took it off as it was problematic. Same issues outlined above.
I recently purchased a BikeYoke Revive that I plan to install this season on an XC bike. It’s reviewed well and has some unique features.
Finally - Fox’s droppers have reviewed very well.
None of these are “cheap” options, but a reliable dropper may save you some $$ in the long run.
Hey, I see this thread is old but are you still happy with the OneUp dropper? A reliable post for $200 sounds amazing.
I actually don’t own the OneUp dropper myself, just from what I’ve read and what I’ve heard it is a solid post for a great price.
Check out this review for the full run-down:
I have been using the oneup dropper for about 6 months now, it’s fantastic. No issues so far. I had a fox transfer on my last bike but had read good things about the OneUp. It is heavier than some of the others mentioned but you can’t beat the price and performance (at least so far).
+1 for the BrandX Ascend. I have had no problems with mine and it was cheap.
I have the KS Lev carbon and it’s fine. I don’t really have a complaint about it but I had a Fox transfer on another whip and liked it better. Mostly subjective but the KS seems to wiggle a bit whereas the Fox was just solid. I prefer the Fox but won’t get rid of my current dropper to upgrade.
I put the wireless Rockshox AXS Reverb on one of my bikes this past season. If you can get by the price, it is very good. It’s also really makes it easy to switch between dropper and non dropper, or switching between bikes that use the same size seatpost.
I have the BikeYoke and it’s, without a doubt, the best dropper post.
It’s pricey but can often be bought with a Jenson/Competitive Cyclist 20% off coupon and the post can be swapped for different diameters if you were to upgrade bikes down the road.
Fox is the best on the market right now in terms of reliability, by a lot.
I don’t run one though because I race xc.
Very happy with my Thomson. I’d grab one used if I needed another. I typically spend for quality on contact points and suspension and go cheap on consumables (drivetrain). GX works just fine for me…
For the OP this is the post that I’ve had recommended to me to purchase and once Christmas is out of the way I will be. It was also recommended to buy the Wolf Tooth lever to go with it, but I haven’t looked into that.
I’ve had a bunch of droppers and can confirm with what others have been saying.
Reverbs have been junk. Especially when the temp drops.
KS Lev also froze up on me.
The KS Lev carbon on my XC bike had issues after a few months. They fixed it but actually had the nerve to send back a snooty letter saying it wasn’t a warranty issue and they fixed it because they’re nice. Mind you this was a $550 dropper used less than a season. I’ll never but another KS product.
The Fox that came on my pivot has been so awesome I’ll definitely buy another when it’s time.