How To Set Up A Dropper Post

The Complete Guide to Dropper Posts

As designers and manufacturers of dropper posts for a growing listing of bicycle companies and brands, nosotros know this component inside and out.

Our unique perspective informs this guide to dropper posts, roofing the principal issues, and giving y'all answers to the most commonly asked questions.

There's as well a section on how to supersede an air cartridge unit of measurement.

QUICK LINKS TO SECTIONS
What is a Dropper Mail For?
Do You NEED a Dropper Post?
History of Dropper Posts
How Does a Dropper Post WORK?
How Practise Y'all SELECT a Dropper Mail
Installation & Setup
How Do You lot MAINTAIN a Dropper Mail service?
How to REPLACE a Dropper Post Hydraulic Cartridge (VIDEO)
MANUFACTURING a Dropper Mail service

WHAT IS A DROPPER POST FOR?

A dropper mail service greatly improves your MTB riding experience as well equally your riding efficiency in the saddle.

As you're virtually to go over the lip of a critical descent, hit the handlebar-mounted lever and push the seat close to the top of the seat tube.

This lowers your center of mass/gravity—the same principle behind a street BMX bike, except that the seat is permanently lowered in that instance.

A lower heart of mass gives yous much greater command in the descent, especially through tight curves.

A lower CoM means you tin can get faster—more safely—of course. But non all of us are racers, so fifty-fifty if speed is non your aim you can, at the very least, make descents that would have been very dicey prior to using a dropper post.

Riding the flat before you lot get into an rising, you'll set your seat height at around the the level it would be if using a standard seat post. As y'all go into the hill you take the pick of raising your seat to gain increased leverage.

In short, a dropper post enables a way-in a higher place-average experience—literally.

Prior to dropper posts you fixed your seat height in position, unless you stopped to adjust seat post superlative of course. At present you can go way beneath and style above on the move. No more boilerplate riding for you.

Do Dropper Posts Have Suspension?

A first glance you lot might think so. But a dropper post, equally we take seen is for adjusting seat tiptop: the mechanism is non for absorbing impacts.

Remember of the seat height adjusting unit of measurement embedded an function chair. Exactly the aforementioned principle. Tap the lever to adjust up or downwardly.

Can You Put a Dropper Post on Any Cycle?

You could. But yous wouldn't . Dropper posts are about useful on mount bikes, particularly in steep terrain.

You might consider installing a dropper post on a gravel bike, if you traverse MTB trails where using a dropper post would improve your ride. There is otherwise no reason you would use one.

A dropper mail on a route wheel, for instance, cannot add value to your ride. Your seat is in exactly the correct position on the rolling descents or on the steepest climbs. The ability to raise or lower your seat in a jiffy is not necessary.

"DO I NEED A DROPPER POST?" yous ask

Yes, if you are fifty-fifty half-serious almost improving your trail mountain bike experience.

Dropper posts were barely around 10 years ago. Nowdays they're non just a desirable accessory merely a vital component—for serious mountain biking.

If you are a casual mount biker and having a functioning border is not important, and so you can do without one. If y'all try one out, though, you'll probably never go back.

If you require enhanced operation, then a dropper mail service will enable you lot to increment speed safely in steep terrain, or if you are not looking to go faster then yous'll nonetheless be able to ride more safely in challenging terrain.

Dropper posts also allow modified frame pattern—a steeper seat tube angle is possible since the saddle can exist "dropped" out of the fashion when necessary but also be right at that place for support when necessary.

For riders who pursue college levels of operation avant-garde frame geometries incorporating dropper posts, so you'd hardly exist without i.

How much WEIGHT Does a Dropper Post Add?

The only legitimate statement confronting having one is the weight penalty, if you could call information technology that.

A dropper post averages 600 grams, give or have. The average weight of aluminum alloy seat posts is around 250-300 grams. Less for almost carbon seat posts.

So you're doubling the weight.

You need to balance the increased efficiency your dropper post gives you, against the loss of efficiency caused by the added weight.

There's no way to evaluate this differential without an objective measurement. But only from an experiential perspective, a dropper post adds way more than to a ride than y'all lose through carrying an extra 2-300 grams.

Is a Dropper Seat Post Worth It?

Getting through technical obstacles on the trail, especially downhill sections, will take you worshiping this addition to your bike fairly quickly.

Fully extend the seat for climbing. The saddle is right there for support at the touch of a lever.

Fully retract for downhill. A low middle of gravity and being able to position your weight right back means a much more efficient—and safer!—descent.

The ability to go your saddle out of the way or have information technology available for support at the touch of a lever has become central to the MTB experience these days.

Again, it comes down to the level of performance you seek, just if are into whatever sort of trail riding, you lot absolutely volition appreciate the unique dropper post experience ; a dropper mail will become an indispensable part of your kit.

DROPPER Post HISTORY

The dropper post concept has been around from the early days of mountain biking, just taking the market by storm in the last decade or so.

The Breeze and Affections Hite Rite was the get-go attempt to make seat height aligning on the trail easier.

Ok, this gizmo, the Hite Rite, is not a dropper post as such.

The office's the same though, allowing quicker and more nimble saddle meridian adjustment.

The fundamental was the spring clamped to the seatpost and anchored at the tiptop of the seat tube folder-bolt mountain.

A cablevision lever opened the folder-bolt via a quick release cable. Take your weight off, seat and mail service rises.

Plant your barrel firmly down in order to lower the saddle acme. Lock the position.

That jump though: not the most elegant solution and you're likely to damage information technology—and yourself—when you stack. The Hite Rite slowly faded away.

The mod dropper mail comes into view with Wayne Sicz and his CNC auto c.2002.

Originally inspired by the Hite Rite , he put his new idea to Stone Shox. They wanted null less than pause revolution and said "Nahhh…laissez passer".

Larn more near this unique, early phase in dropper mail service development, in Mountain Cycle Deportment's commodity on the subject field .

Whilst non exactly a break revolution in Sicz's view, you could still make the case that it was.

Pause keeps your wheels in contact with the ground in disquisitional situations. Your dropper mail enables you to stay shut to your cycle in those same circumstances.

HOW DOES A DROPPER Post Work?

Think of an role chair, computer chair, a chair with a unproblematic piston and lever at any rate.

Elevator the lever, button down a bit, downward goes the chair. Or push button the lever, make as if to rise out of the chair, up comes the chair as you lot rise.

Dropper mail service mechanics relies on pressurized gas/air or hydraulic oil. You modify position, or lock down an existing position, through changing or stabilizing the pressure level.

Practically speaking, a flick of the remote handlebar-mounted lever gives you lot the position you want.

This capability opens up your riding performance possibilities no terminate.

Using a dropper mail service, you'll find y'all can rapidly adapt to rapidly changing terrain. The faster you tin adapt, the faster you lot can traverse that terrain.

Imagine diggings down the descent. Then, in a jiffy, you lot're attacking the next ascent having finer altered your bikes geometry on the wing!

Spending more time in both a comfy and efficient pedaling position over the duration of a ride means a massive advance in performance possibilities.

Mechanical, Hydraulic or Electronic?

In other words, from the almost simple to the more circuitous. Differences hinge on how the remote lever exerts control on the dropper post unit.

Mechanical models are cheaper, easier to setup and easier to maintain.

Simply keeping things make clean is a keen habit to get into with each variation past the mode. Yous become to to know the equipment as well—staying close and intimate reduces expense and maximzes safety.

If you lot've ever had experience with hydraulic disk brakes, and then you lot'll know what you'll be in for with hydraulic dropper posts, aside from the actress expense at purchase.

The lever acts as a piston pushing fluid through the hose thus activating the dropper mechanism.

A clear advantage is the absence of a cablevision to wear out. The hose can also be shaped to most any bending, providing improved installation options.

The downside is that you'll be replacing the fluid at the end of every season.

Electronic systems are neatly self-contained and function smoothly. But yous'll pay a premium for that.

Dropper Post Lever

You'll either have a remote lever (most common) on the handlebars or the seatpost (most common in the early on days).

They are most usually pollex-operated in the same fashion as a gear shift lever.

If you become agree of a dropper mail without a remote lever, there are plenty of aftermarket options available.

Running a single chainring? 1x gearing allows an ergonomic below-handlebar location for your dropper remote.

HOW DO Yous SELECT A DROPPER POST?

Start with your bike's seat tube. What is the ID or Internal Diameter?

You'll find its either xxx.9mm or 31.6mm.

27.2mm and 34.9mm ID seat tubes are also around though.

With gravel bikes catching on in a big style, expect to see more 27.2mm dropper post offerings.

One upshot is stiffness. 30.ix/31.6mm flex much less. But if gravel or cyclocross is your thing, flex is a minor effect.

Another issue is lack of accommodation for internal cable routing. Again not necessarily a large deal since your detail biking field of study is the key consideration.

All you take to do now is select a dropper postal service with the corresponding OD or Outer Bore to your seat tube'southward ID.

Next for consideration is the dropper post'southward

fit to your bike frame geometry
fit to your physique

Insertion Length

Mensurate how far down you can insert your existing seat post into your seat tube without obstruction.

Does it insert about to the "hilt"? Or does a bend in the seat tube prevent it going all the way downwardly?

For many mount bikes, the seat tube curves at and/or is obstructed by the pause mounting bracket.

Measure the maximum insertion length. Tape information technology.

In common with seat posts, dropper posts have a manufacturer-recommended minimum insertion length.

This ensures the postal service's stability in the frame, vitally important considering the forces applied in full flying on the trail or downhill.

Yous want neither a broken post nor ruptured seat tube precipitating a major crash event , shall we say.

How Much Travel Practise I Need in a Dropper Post?

Most dropper posts have infinite adjustment—the post tin can be stopped and locked in at any point along the travel.

Some posts are available in fixed detents from a simple upward and down to as many as 10 selections.

The benefit is in the improved riding experience that can come one time yous get used to which particular settings work in which riding situations.

The length of travel is the altitude between when it'due south fully lowered and fully extended.

Here's a commonly applied technique for choosing a dropper post in terms of travel.

Movement your seatpost to the highest position possible—your climbing setting.
Measure the distance from the top of seatpost collar to the seat rail ( stack height ) and then decrease 50mm

(Your seat's runway are what the seatpost clamp fastens onto to agree your seat firmly in position.)

Your measurement hither is the maximum travel length for the dropper post that y'all can comfortably install.

Dropper posts are commonly bachelor in 80mm, 100mm, 125mm, and 150mm versions.

Be aware that a dropper post's overall length increases as the length of travel increases.

You desire to avoid a post that's as well long, a fault more oftentimes fabricated than buying one that's too short.

If you are a taller rider, you'll probably be looking at a 150mm.

A shorter rider's wheel volition have a smaller frame. Together with the superlative limitation, 125mm is the maximum post for consideration.

Say your stack height is 170mm. Subtract fifty from 170 =150. Therefore the maximum travel is 150mm allowing you to consider the whole range of dropper post lengths.

At maximum extension, you should be at your perfect climbing height.

DROPPER Mail service INSTALLATION & SETUP

Get your local cycle store to do it, unless you lot are really into DIY.

Placing a seatpost into a seatube is easy enough. Yet your dropper mail service needs to be properly connected to the remote lever via a cable in near cases.

The main consideration is whether you have internal or external cablevision routing .

Internal, or stealth cablevision routing , is almost common, following the tendency to internally rout all cables on mid- to high-cease bikes, mountain bicycle or road.

The cable connects to the remote lever at the shaft of the postal service.

Internal cable routing is the best mode to go. It's a much nicer await. Or rather the absenteeism of cables is the nicer look.

The cable is as well protected from harm, dirt and debris. The action becomes stiffer over fourth dimension every bit dirt enters and accumulates.

If y'all're installing a dropper mail service to an older mountain bike, external cablevision routing allows y'all to get up and running speedily. A few zippo ties and you're good to get. Attaching the cable (housing) to a rear brake hose works well.

And should the cable sustain damage, repair is piece of cake. Ongoing maintenance is also piece of cake.

For internal cable routing getting the cable routed internally is the tricky scrap.

Yous could use a magnetic pickup tool. Learning how to manipulate information technology and become the cable threaded and linked upwardly would involve a flake of trial and mistake.

Threading a cord, sucking it out with a vacuum, and then drawing the cablevision through is another proffer.

Many bike assemblers thread lengths of 2mm tubing through bike frame tubes to carry brake and derailleur cables to their destinations.

This type of tubing is stiff so it can be straightened or shaped into the correct curve.

There is a learning procedure with these methods. Again, ameliorate to have your local bike technician install the mail service for accurate and smooth operation out on the trail.

Is it OK to Drill a Pigsty in the Lower Seat Tube?

No. Never do this!

The potential for a pigsty to interfere with your bike frame'due south integrity is too high. For safety'due south sake in that location are other means.

You demand a frame that has been designed for internal cablevision routing, particularly for dropper posts.

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A DROPPER Post?

The constant forces applied to a dropper post's components, particularly the lever-cablevision/hose-post system, across the mountain biking flavour means you lot demand to be vigilant to ensure your postal service keeps working as designed.

You'll already be in the habit of cleaning your bicycle . . . right? You know regular cleaning lengthens the life of all components, including the frame; cleaning your dropper post so is a mandatory part of your cleaning routine.

Rinse off heavier crud and dirt from your bicycle, paying special attending to the seat mail service tube itself. The wiper seal is an specially sensitive component. Periodically add a smear of suspension grease to the seal to prolong its life.

You may have added lube in the past which has attracted crud. Never use any type of degreaser (let alone WD40) on any part of your dropper postal service for cleaning this type of clay. You'll dissolve the factory grease in, and nether, the seal, which will significantly reduce dropper post life.

Apply a soft cloth such every bit Scott workshop towels for any cleaning.

Special Attention for the Actuator

The dropper mail actuator sits within your seat tube, low down. Since h2o enters a bike frame during use and from bike washing, the actuator will be exposed to that water.

Remove your dropper post at flavour'southward finish (at the least); clean the actuator and give it skilful lube job. The grease seals out the water and lubricates the machinery.

Signs Y'all Need a Service

Your dropper mail service is subject to an intense workout beyond the mount biking flavor.

The constant forces practical to the lever-cable/hose-post system ways yous need to exist vigilant to ensure your post keeps working exactly as it'southward designed to.

The main unit of measurement uses gas or hydraulic fluid, or a combination. Having a skilled professional person service information technology is best.

Lookout man for the following:

sagging nether your weight (not beingness able to support you as when it was new)
leaking seals
more play than normal
slow, lagging extension
unusual noises (the sounds of un-silence)

A normal service involves (among other things and where necessary)

replacing seals
haemorrhage off and replenishing hydraulic fluids
pressurization of gas or fluids

Some simple steps you can take to prolong the time between maintenance sessions and reduce the likelihood of failure out on the track include avoiding wrong cable tension or poor hydraulic bleed. This tin can lead to poor travel extension and thus overtightening the seatpost binder bolt.

As well avoid grabbing and lifting your bike by the saddle with the dropper at the everyman position. You may notice air will become sucked into the unit of measurement that will probably necessitate professional person attention.

The working life? You'll get around three years—assuming consequent use across the riding season—so yous probably wont notice performance lags inside of ii years at to the lowest degree. Merely the time will come when performance decreases and you'll need to replace the unit.

Changing A DROPPER POST HYDRAULIC CARTRIDGE

In this section, I'll item how to change a Scada dropper post hydraulic cartridge which is easily replaced in this type of dropper post—literally a five minute job that anybody with basic home tools can complete.

Although we've got a formidable range of tools at our disposal on the work bench, we only need an:

Allen wrench
 flat screwdriver
 crescent wrench/adjustable spanner

The new cartridge comes with a new cushion and thimble. We'll remove the old cartridge, so install the new. Installation is the contrary of removal.

Removing the Dropper Post Hydraulic Cartridge

The actuator screws into the base of the post. Removing it enables you lot to slide the cartridge out once you've released the screw within the saddle subclass.

You'll observe the actuator tightened to 2-iii Nm, or a little more than finger-tight; the crescent wrench aids in gently breaking information technology free of the dropper post body threads.

Merely slide the crescent wrench on and requite it a turn. No need to worry about scratching upwardly the surface of course since this part is concealed, then y'all could use pliers. Merely the wrench is still the easiest way to loosen the actuator.

Once loose, keep to remove it by hand to the point where you can freely extract the piston from the dropper post torso.

Slide the piston a picayune way out to where you can get a firm grip on the cartridge, since you still have to remove the cable bracket nut from the cartridge.

A few turns volition split the actuator from the threaded dominate which contains the air cartridge pressure pivot. Y'all tin put information technology aside prepare to be assembled back onto the new cartridge—the penultimate installation step.

Rotate the dropper post 180° giving you admission to the cartridge release spiral within the height just beneath the seat mail clench bracket.

Using a flat screwdriver, a half plow of the screw clears the way to remove the cartridge from the seat post body.

Flipping the mail service back to the other end, turn the cartridge counter-clockwise. When information technology releases from the threaded socket at the rebound rod's opposite end, you slide it out.

Normally the cushion at the end catches on the shaft threads. If not, and information technology becomes lodged inside the pedal body, a few light taps dislodges it.

Installing the Dropper Post Hydraulic Cartridge

To install the new cartridge simply reverse the steps taken to remove it. The new cartridge comes with a new cushion and thimble.

Be extra careful with these. The pin is especially piece of cake to lose.

Note the flattened merely indented end of the pivot. This is the stop to insert into the air cartridge body.

As with almost every cycle office, requite it a coat of grease before inserting into the cartridge body.

The flattened end is the i to insert.

All beingness well, this is what you should see.

Flip the new cartridge to the opposite end, then slip the cushion over the end and downward to the base of operations.

Slide the assemblage into the dropper post trunk.

In one case the rod reaches the cease of the dropper mail service body, spiral information technology into position. Non tightly. Just enough to agree information technology.

Plough the spiral counter-clockwise to secure the rod.

Spiral the actuator back onto the terminate.

Then push button the assembly back into the dropper mail body. One time the actuator threads appoint the dropper post body threads, screw information technology all the way in.

Then tighten the actuator firmly into the the dropper post trunk.

MANUFACTURING A DROPPER POST

A dropper post is made out of mostly CNC machined parts. In this video we show how we machine the dropper post torso.

One of the near important part of the procedure is continually checking samples for consistency. At that place'south usually never a problem, since CNC machines are precise with trivial variation in tolerances.

If you are into trail riding, and your trails traverse varied terrain, become yourself a dropper post. No question.

Maintenance is piece of cake and you can easily supercede the hydraulic cartridge in your post if y'all have i. Although dropper posts vary in design and construction between brands, the section above gives you a good thought of the simple principles backside their manufacturing. Bookmark the page for reference.

Make it touch with u.s.a. if you are a brand looking to create your own dropper post design—the form is right beneath.

Source: https://www.scadatw.com/dropper-post/