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I think I set a new personal record.


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1 hour ago, RidingAgain said:

I've never ridden with a dropper. Been seriously thinking about it because of the length of my legs I ride with a pretty high seatpost level and can see how being able to adjust the seat height might make things a bit easier.

Thing is, I learned to mountain bike — including racing — using this high seatpost level with a bike frame that was somewhat short for me in the top tube; which meant I had to learn to make body adjustments really quickly to avoid OTB falls. But another thing that I learned was how to quickly transition back in order to get leg power. I guess in Florida we didn't have any kind of extended downhills, just short stuff with maybe punchy uphills right after. So it was kind of a get your butt off the back of the seat then back up deal.

With a dropper post I wonder how quickly all of the required movement can take place along with the trigger fiddling that's needed. I can see if you know you're coming to an extended downhil section, but what do folks do when short down/up sections are encountered... Do you just keep the dropper at its high setting?

Kind of like at Walnut Creek... Do folks make use of their dropper on WC type trails?

I think the biggest misconception with droppers is that they are only useful on extended downs. There is no "fiddling". The lever is just a thumb swipe away and intuitive to use (if mounted under the bar). You can raise or lower the post way faster than a shift, and how often do you grab a fistfull of gears per ride without a second thought. In g-out whoop sections, I'll lower the post for the down hill part and pop it back up right a the bottom so I can immediately get back on the pedals. And not just downhills. Swoopy corners, jumps, drops, and even just getting on and off the bike. I basically drop the post anytime I'm not actively climbing.

A lot of dropper deniers will say "I have no problem getting back behind the seat", but that is really not good form. It was just the only technique available at the time they learned. Think about it as getting your weight low, not back. 

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I didn't like my dropper at first. Just like any new drivetrain, type of pedal or suspension, or new geometry feature, it takes a few rides. I used it constantly at first, dropping for every twist and every root in Walnut. The result was a sore back and a sore ego. You learn when to use it, like a derailleur, and when to ignore it. When it's useful, it adds a dimension to riding that you didn't have before.

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1 hour ago, notyal said:

I think the biggest misconception with droppers is that they are only useful on extended downs. There is no "fiddling". The lever is just a thumb swipe away and intuitive to use (if mounted under the bar). You can raise or lower the post way faster than a shift, and how often do you grab a fistfull of gears per ride without a second thought. In g-out whoop sections, I'll lower the post for the down hill part and pop it back up right a the bottom so I can immediately get back on the pedals. And not just downhills. Swoopy corners, jumps, drops, and even just getting on and off the bike. I basically drop the post anytime I'm not actively climbing.

A lot of dropper deniers will say "I have no problem getting back behind the seat", but that is really not good form. It was just the only technique available at the time they learned. Think about it as getting your weight low, not back. 

MTB 10 years from now:

 

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I rode out at Big Bend this past weekend where the trail is not nearly as technical as around here. To conserve energy, I purposely descended some of the jeep roads seated with the post fully-extended. Inevitably, when I got to the bottom of the hill, I would still stand up and hit the dropper lever to raise the seat (even though it was extended the whole time). Just sayin', old dogs can learn new tricks. Congrats on the new bike and new dropper. Drop it on a fast, flowy section and pretend you are kid again. 

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2 hours ago, notyal said:

A lot of dropper deniers will say "I have no problem getting back behind the seat", but that is really not good form.

I agree with this.  I recently had to really think hard about how I descend so that I can teach that to my son who started riding trails with me.  What I realized is that it wasn't so much about getting your weight back behind the saddle, but letting the bike move underneath you as your body (and therefore the weight) stays balanced/centered relative to the terrain.  Sometimes the effect of this is that my body is behind the saddle.  However, I am thinking this is just a byproduct of the terrain and the bike's movement rather than any conscious decision on my part to move my body that way.  I think many of us ride this way and have done so for long time before droppers came on the scene (perhaps without even realizing it as was the case for me).  Think about some of descents at City Park where your are rolling multiple small ledges and roots before dropping that last big ledge.  I just think droppers make things so much more natural and fun for that type of riding because the saddle is out of the way and not constraining your bike's movement relative to your body and vice versa.     

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4 hours ago, Ridenfool said:

Most importantly, just because it wasn't for them in no way means it wouldn't be appreciated by another rider.

Which is why I have the dropper that came on my Trek Stache for sale.  Hopefully it can be used and appreciated by another rider.  Three months of riding, I don't think it got used more than half a dozen times.

KS Integra Lev 100mm 31.6mm

$90

-CJB

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Well said loop_out!

You can't put the body where the seat is due to some silly rule of physics. Dropping the seat offers more options for keeping the CG exactly where wanted, rather than compromising. A static seatpost makes a rider work around the seat in any given situation with fewer options regarding where their CG can be.

Then, there is how those pesky baggy shorts can sometimes hang up on a fixed seat when trying to get back over it ... this is yet another problem for me that a dropper addressed nicely.

Even off the bike a dropper can be pretty handy while loading bikes when there is handlebar-seat interference or any similar fit issue involving the seat height. Rather than adjust/remove the seat and post, just press the magic button and lower the seat. 

Granted, it's not for everyone. Still, there is no denying how useful it can be for a rider who appreciates the multitude of options a dropper offers.

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1 hour ago, CBaron said:

Which is why I have the dropper that came on my Trek Stache for sale.  Hopefully it can be used and appreciated by another rider.  Three months of riding, I don't think it got used more than half a dozen times.

KS Integra Lev 100mm 31.6mm

$90

-CJB

cody, Ill take it.

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If you take away the argument surrounding terrain and what's safe with or without a dropper, then it really comes down to riding style. If you wish to emulate Nino Schurter,  you don't need a dropper. If you wish to emulate Bernard Kerr,  you need a dropper. Really just comes down to how you want to ride. 

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Rode City Park on my hardtail with no dropper. Was able to ride the features but it would have much easier with a dropper. The seat kept getting in the way of my GUNT and getting back into a seated position is a bitch with my shorts getting hung up on the back of the seat. I find a dropper really useful in trails with berms like Peddlers just by lowering your saddle an inch or so really brings your center of gravity down helping the bike track truer at speed.

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2 hours ago, throet said:

If you take away the argument surrounding terrain and what's safe with or without a dropper, then it really comes down to riding style. If you wish to emulate Nino Schurter,  you don't need a dropper. If you wish to emulate Bernard Kerr,  you need a dropper. Really just comes down to how you want to ride. 

If you want to ride like the greatest XC racer to ever live, you don't need a dropper. For us humans, super helpful. 

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9 hours ago, ATXZJ said:

Nino dropper pron

 

Well … I never said dude couldn't shred! It actually looks like he's riding without a dropper but with his seat lowered. His brother clearly is sporting a dropper. 

Great story and vid BTW. When you're as accomplished as Nino, I suppose the whole family get's outfitted with sponsored gear. 

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