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Specialized's Command Post BlackLite offers up to 125mm of drop, along with a 'cruiser' position that sits 35mm down from full extension. The mechanically controlled, air sprung BlackLite weights 543 grams and retails for $275 USD.
Command Post BlackLite details:
- Mechanically controlled dropper post - Air return spring - Three saddle postion: full height, 35mm drop, fully dropped - Three drop options: 75mm (330mm total length), 100mm (380mm), 125mm (405mm) - Single bolt, offset head - Redesigned trigger - Diameters: 30.9 and 31.6mm - Weight: 543 grams (including remote, cable and housing) - MSRP: $275 USD |
The Details The BlackLite is a mechanically operated, air sprung, dropper post that features three height positions: fully dropped (
either 75mm, 100mm, or 125mm depending on the model), a 35mm drop cruiser setting, and full extended. Internally, it employs an expanding collet design that locks it into each position. The remote lever pulls on the spring loaded activation arm on the post's head, which in turn raises an aluminum plunger within the post. A secondary internal cable is attached to the end of the plunger, which itself is clamped in place at the collet mechanism. Hit the lever and the internal cable is pulled, which in turn raises a wedge within the expanding collet, allowing it to relax inwards and move from the groove that it's currently in. Releasing the remote lever allows the spring loaded wedge to return back down into the collet, forcing it to expand out into one of the three grooves machined into the circumference of the post's inner wall and locking the post in place.
Internally, an expanding collet wedges into one of three grooves machined into the post's inner wall, locking it into place.
While the mechanical collet design may sound complicated, Specialized is confident that the layout is more robust than a hydraulic system, saying that the issue with hydraulic posts is that the ''
seatpost shaft is sitting on a slug of oil which is constantly building pressure. Oil is incompressible, so to relieve the pressure o-rings bulge or fail, resulting in inconsistent saddle position, among other problems''. One of the major upsides to the BlackLite's design is that, barring a cataclysmic failure, the post should still be able to be locked in place if there is an issue with the air spring or remote, allowing you to pedal out of the bush with a proper saddle height.
A split bushing is used just above the collet (left), and dual brass keys (right) help to keep the post wiggle free.
Two bushings are employed, with a split, floating bushing at the bottom of the inner tube, and a stationary bushing at the top of the post. Dual brass keys are set into the upper tube, each one following a groove machined into the wall of the outer tube, that keep the post wiggle free. A triple-lip wiper seal is employed to keep mother nature out of the post's inner workings, and the saddle is held in place with a single, opposing bolt rail clamp atop the post's bonded in place head. The BlackLite's remote is thumb operated, and has been designed to replace the inboard lock-on clamp of a Specialized grip (
we discovered that it also slipped onto some others as well, but not ODI lock-on models). It isn't hinged, meaning that you'll have to slide the grip off of the bar to install or remove it, and it pulls on a standard shift cable to activate the post.
Our 125mm drop, 405mm long test model features a minimum insertion to saddle rail clamp height of 325mm, and measures 195mm from maximum insertion (
the bottom of the top cap) to the saddle rail clamp. Both numbers were measured with the post at full height.
The post's head is bonded into the upper tube.
Installation and Setup The BlackLite is relatively straightforward to set up, requiring only 2mm, 3mm and 5mm hex keys for the cable clamp, remote clamp and the saddle rail clamp, as well as a shock pump to set the post's air pressure correctly. Check the seat post's air pressure before running the cable and housing - it makes more sense to do it now, before the cable is clamped in place, even if Specialized has built in a cable quick release. The maximum pressure rating is 40psi, which will result in a very quick rebound speed. Dropping it down to under 30 will slow the return speed, something that many riders will likely end up doing. Be sure to confirm the air pressure with the post at full extension otherwise you'll get an artificially high reading.
Check the post's air pressure at full extension before installation - it should never exceed 40psi (left). A slotted cable stop makes removing the post from the bike quick and easy (right).
Set the post to the correct saddle height
before stringing the cable and housing, otherwise you mind find yourself with either a too short or too long of a line after you've set your seat to the right height. Next, we loosened the saddle clamp enough to allow us to rotate the saddle back so it pointed straight up, giving us access to the cable clamp barrel on the activation arm. The post's housing stops, on both the remote and the head, only accept 4mm housing and end caps, and the BlackLite comes from Specialized with a length of stiff, 4mm shift housing in order to limit compression when the remote is pushed. A standard shift cable is used to activate the post, with it also being included in the kit. As with any cable operated system, be it a dropper post or your rear derailleur, you need to take the time to ensure that the housing travels in the smoothest possible route, as well as being long enough to not pull on the cable when turning the bar extremely sharp for a tight turn. Slide the cable through the remote and the supplied metal noodle, as well as the in-line barrel adjuster, and pull it snug before clamping it in place.
The non-hinged remote is shaped to mate directly with Specialized's own grips, but it can be butted up against any grip and function just as well.
You may have to pull slightly more cable through the clamp after pushing on the remote firmly a few times in order to take up the slack from the housing ends settling in. Alternately, you can use the supplied in-line barrel adjuster, although this is best left for smaller cable tension adjustments. We found that the BlackLite is very sensitive to cable tension, meaning that you'll likely have to make a few adjustments after letting the new cable and housing stretch and settle in. Too much cable tension and you'll likely have a hard time locking the post into position, and it could also have a small amount of play, or rattle, when at full extension. Too little cable tension and the post won't drop when you want it to. It only took a few minutes to figure out exactly how much tension was required, with the in-line barrel adjuster making it quite easy to set up correctly. Trim the cable, rotate the saddle back down to the correct angle and torque it to the required 120in/lb, and you're ready to hit the trail.
Performance You may remember from our review of the original Command Post that we had a major gripe with its remote lever - it was flimsy and had lever pivot play from day one. Specialized also knew that the old post's remote was a weak point and, kudos to them as they remedied the issue. The BlackLite's remote is close to being the most ergonomic that we've ever used, whether we mounted it in place of the lock-on clamp on a Specialized grip, or just butted it right up against the grip itself. The thumb paddle has been positioned in a reasonable place, although riders with small hands may find it a bit of a reach, and the lever pivot provides enough leverage to easily overcome the return spring on the remote and the post's head. Equally important, it is much sturdier than the old design, with very little pivot play. The metal noodle that Specialized includes to route the cable out from the remote is nice because it eliminates either a tight bend in the housing or a large housing loop off the front of your bike, but it also may not play nice with some brake lever setups, forcing it into a weird position.
The remote's ergonomics are quite good, although riders with small thumbs may find the lever a bit of a stretch.
Every rider who used the BlackLite was taken aback by just how fast the post rebounded to full height, with the loud top out clang also adding to the scene. A game would often break out of riders trying to catch the small pebbles being launched into the air when placed atop the lowered saddle before hitting the remote. Although the the post's undamped rebound speed does look and sound excessive, we actually never experienced any of the
issues that one might associate with the seat returning to full height at the speed of sound. In fact, we came to like the BlackLite's fast rebound speed that put the saddle back up to full height nearly instantaneously, a useful attribute when on sharply rolling terrain. That same fast rebound made hitting the 35mm drop postion tricky from the fully lowered setting, though. Even after countless miles, we resorted to simply hitting the remote lever and stopping the saddle with our ass, allowing us to lock it into the cruiser position. We had a much easer time finding the 35mm drop position when lowering the saddle from full height. We also grew to prefer the post's somewhat loud top out sound because it let us know, without a doubt, when the saddle was at full height. This was especially appreciated after using a nearly silent dropper post, not to mention one with quite a slow return speed, that left us wondering if it was actually at full height after hitting the remote lever.
The BlackLite at full extension, in the 35mm drop 'cruiser' postion, and fully dropped.
The low air pressure of 40psi, together with the large volume of the air chamber, means that you're not fighting much resistance when using your body weight to lower the saddle. Unlike some other designs, it was easy to get full travel out of the BlackLite. There is also close to zero saddle play, even when trying to move the nose of the seat side to side. This is down to the BlackLite's locking collet mechanism that firmly grips into the machined grooves at each position, as well as tight bushing and key tolerances. The same can be said after a full season of abuse - there is as little play as when the BlackLite came out of the box. Impressive.
The post's middle, 35mm drop cruiser position makes a lot of sense on rolling terrain, and even on steep and technical climbs where a slightly lower seat height can help with the confidence, but we sometimes found ourselves wanting it to be just a touch lower. This feeling stems from using an infinitely adjustable post during the same time period, allowing us to choose the exact seat height that we wanted for a given situation. We can see a lot of riders being happy with the BlackLite's three set positions, but those who are coming off an infinitely adjustable post may find it a bit limiting.
Issues We've put over a full year's worth of saddle time on our BlackLite, including everything from cross-country stage races, one day enduro events, and a wet and cold Winter riding season here in B.C., resulting in the BlackLite being one of our most thoroughly tested products. Barring the odd cable replacement, something we view as routine given our wet riding environment, the BlackLite remained trouble free for the large majority of our time on it. Alas, we ultimately did experience a loss of air pressure due to a compromised o-ring at the bottom of the post, rendering the BlackLite unable to return to full mast without manually raising it by hand. The offending .25¢ bit of rubber was easy to replace, but it also brought another issue to light when we disassembled the post for the repair: a section of the locking collet mechanism managed to break itself off its home and was left to rattle around inside the bottom of the post. Keeping in mind that we gave the BlackLite literally zero love during our time on it, which was something of around two hundred rides over more than a full year, and that the collet mechanism is actually a wear item, we can't fault the post too much. It is also important to note that the post functioned just fine on the trail with the damaged collet, working as if it never occurred. We don't recommend riding the post in such a state, obviously, but it highlights the BlackLite's mechanical design that will likely allow you to at least raise the saddle to full height and pedal out of the bush if it does have a mechanical. This was put in focus when we originally lost air pressure and had to manually raise the post before locking it into place, not something that can be done on a post with hydraulic internals.
Specialized went with a full mechanical design because they feel that it is more reliable than what a hydraulic system can offer, and they may be correct on that front - the BlackLite worked fine even with the broken collet - but going mechanical has its own challenges. As with any cable actuated post, which is nearly every option on the market, activation will deteriorate once the cable becomes contaminated. This may not be an issue for those who live in drier climates, but it means that the trigger becomes progressively harder to push if you consistently ride in wet conditions. Replacing the post's activation cable is quick and easy, but the cable itself will always be a weak point in regards to nasty riding conditions.
We also have to question the head's saddle clamp, a single bolt design that has been shown to not hold the saddle firmly enough under hard use. Our saddle rotated multiple times, just as on any other post that uses a similar clamp. Finally, there are certainly riders out there who are always going to be spooked by the BlackLite's fast rebound speed. Lowering the air pressure slightly will slow this down, as will using a thicker grease within the post, but it is likely still going to return to full height faster than some other options on the market. We view this as a plus, but some other riders who used the BlackLite weren't a fan.
Pinkbike's take: | The BlackLite currently tops our list of mechanically operated dropper posts. Why? Given the amount of trail time we have on it, we feel that it is the most reliable dropper post on the market (yes, even with the o-ring and collet issues). We are also comforted by the fact that, barring a catastrophic internal failure, the post can still be locked into position or operated manually if there is an issue with the remote or air spring. Besides the piece of mind that the BlackLite instills, we are a fan of its solid, mechanical feel - there is never any doubt if the saddle is locked into position. The $275 USD price is also quite a bit less than some of the competition, meaning that not only does the BlackLite function better than most, but it also costs less. Hard to beat those facts. - Mike levy |
www.specialized.com
I had the first model for 3 years and am notoriously hard on equipment. I only had to change the cable once every year and change. And I live in NW WA (think MUD). Then I was mesmerized by the Reverb. One year into it I: Had to bleed the hose, rebuild the whole thing (50$ rebuild kit) due to it sagging 1/3 of the travel, then when that didn't work I had to send it back for a new one (over a week off the bike). True story. My vote- Blacklight for durability.
Here's my review: I've had both the specialized and the reverb. Command's rebound is scary fast. Reverb's height is infinitly adjustable, and super smooth. Rebounds speed is adjustable. You can bleed it at home. Levy makes a strong case for the command based on longevity, but most of us are still rockin' our reverbs w/o issues.
Levy's concluding comment: "Tops our list of mechanical posts" avoids the elephant-in-the-room question. Avoided saying "reverb." Just say it. Say it out loud. Then make the comparison.
Obviously, the Reverb Stealth has taken care of this issue quite handily, but my frame (a 2011 Carbon Remedy) is not routed for the Stealth remote. My next best bet is the KL Lev, and that's currently en route to my doorstep. But, I still find it hard to believe that companies that have new product in the development pipeline (Thompson, Fox, etc) aren't anchoring the remote cable to the fixed portion of the post. It seems like that's the best solution for 100% of frames on the market regardless of size.
It was nice to meet you at BCBR, by the way. How did the Element work out?
-david
a.3 months of trouble free riding
b.instant fail in not holding the rider's weight
c. 10 day service
d. one month of trouble free riding
e. sticky return leading to no return
f. waste of seal rebuild kit
g. broken bleed syringes trying to evacuate all the bubles
h. return to the seller
i. waiting
Did you see the new "full" rebuild videos. It is rediculous in terms of o-rings, glider rings, 9+ zip ties. They place men on the moon in the 60s. Can there be a reliable infinite adjustment MECHANICAL reverb (no, not chronolog)?
Cheaper too.
-1st year I had no issues
-needed a bleed as it was stuck up (10 minute job thanks to a youtube video) at the start of this season
-now after 2 years it needs new seals. 24 hour job at a good shop
I'm REALLY happy with it. I wouldn't expect anything to be completely trouble free or never needing maintenance. I ride 6 days a week and I use the adjustability of the seatpost a lot, parts are bound to wear out, and I never took care of the air pressure once.
40 psi is crazy high. that's an ejection seat button right there. I'm running about 25 psi [170lbs rider] and keep a bit of weight on it during the return so it doesn't slam into the stops with too much force / slam into the boys.
No problems with lever strength either. folks complaining about it should either change/lube their cable, or put down their croissants and get man-hands.
Specialize SUCKS... they will not cover a broken collet under warrantee saying it's a "wear and tear item" (like those holes don't severely weakens the post! bad design you might not find out for years) nor will they sell the shop the $18 replacement part. You have to send it in and pay >$90 for service. LAME on a $300 item. Might have to go back to Gravity Dropper who CS was amazing in replacing a broken shaft no questions asked for me.
Personally I am anxiously awaiting the new KS
eg
www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/31366/USE_Seatpost_SS_309mm_Shims
They do both the same thing - they can be fixed at a given height. Thats what they do. Overhauling for 3 hours every 200 rides totally eats up any perceived advantage over a normal post...I am sure you can follow...
Trade stability and long life with flimsy parts, additional weight and complexity. These things do break on the trail all the time. I am sure this happened to you too.
Less hyperbole on weight, carbon markeneering, gadgets like flimsy posts and marketing gimmicks like big wheels would suit you and pinkbike credibility better. You are catering to the beginner bike-consumer - advanced buyers, like me and many others, just sneer at your company/product advocatism. MBA did this for a long time - look where they are now...sure you dont want to follow in their footsteps.
Sorry for the long post, but when I was looking I saw a lot of vague comments on why they are good, but finding specific uses was really hard, so I thought it might be useful to put it in perspective.
... during short races (XC) it is great to be able to climb seated and then when it comes to the downs I can ride them more aggresively without the seat getting all caught up in my business. And if I'm balled up by the person in front it is easy to cruise behind them, rest, and blast them when the opportunity comes.
On long marathon races at the top of hills I can drop the seat very low and coast down the terrain - conserving energy, riding safer, and using different muscles in my leg and back (change is as good as a holiday).
They are worth the weight.
My point being it simply doesent do the same job near as well.