I put enough time on Magura's Vyron eLECT dropper post to assess its mechanical performance and its potential attributes, but I won't speculate on its long-term reliability. The only aspect of its performance that I did not completely come to terms with was establishing a mid-stroke saddle position, which required hovering over the saddle at my preferred height, waiting for the eLECT valve to close while the bike was bouncing down the trail. More time on the bike may have mitigated that process, but that was the recurring Vyron moment that had me wishing for the instant locking action of a mechanically-actuated dropper post. Riders who never use an intermediate saddle position, however, will never experience that issue, which brings me back to the positive attributes of Magura's wireless dropper. Magura's $500 asking price is offset by the fact that you only need one dropper post for all of your bikes, so long as they share the same seat tube diameter. The control console is fixed with an elastic O-ring, so it can be quickly transferred to another handlebar, and a hex key is all you need to switch out the seatpost. Divide $500 by how many bikes you own and that represents a substantial discount. Pedally DH race? Pop the Vyron on your downhill bike and be the boss. Taking your cross-country race bike out for a trail ride? Slide the Vyron dropper into that carbon hardtail and hit the hard lines on the downs. Travelling to another country? Bring your Vyron dropper and pop it into your rental. Magura's wireless eLECT dropper post provides much more than a cleaner looking mountain bike, and while the Vyron would not be my first choice for my all-mountain style of riding, it offers useful options that a mechanical post simply cannot match - attributes which should earn a lot of fans for Magura. - RC |
About Us
Contacts FAQ Terms of Use Privacy Policy Sign Up! SitemapAdvertise
AdvertisingCool Features
Submit a Story Product Photos Videos Privacy RequestRSS
Pinkbike RSS Pinkbike Twitter Pinkbike Facebook Pinkbike Youtube
I think this is slick. As someone who does not have internal cable routing, I see the value in having one less cable. I really like the looks of the remote, also.
I do think, however, I would need something more instant. If any product managers are listening, why wasn't a FC solenoid or something fast actuating considered in the design? Reliability? Power consumption?
Also, does anyone have any experience with NiMH in colder weather?
Will have to wait a while and see where this goes.
Sure the delay between pressing the button and beeing able to push the saddle down is quite weird at the beginning but you get used to it.
Another thing is that you cannot keep the valve open by holding the button. Reason behind is the ANT+ wireless Standard. Good thing about it...theoretically you will be able to use it with your Garmin or any other ANT+ device which gives you plenty of additional options. Just imagine you will be able to program your ant+ devices (fork, shock, seatpost) prior your race and do the setup of your suspension from home via garmin maps.
thanks!
Anyway, dropper post are massively overpriced this is for sure.
Well now the seatpost , in my case would be worth more than the car.
...pretty sure the manufacturers of dropper posts could sell 10x the number they sell right now if the markup was something reasonable.... that would actually mean MORE profit....
1. The remote rotates around the bar end and sometimes falls off
2. The dropper button is very small and often difficult to locate when you're riding hard and looking ahead.
3. The delay is very frustrating even after 3 months and actually makes me ride more carefully and therefore slower as a result because I've been tipped off the bike a few times
4. After only two months, the actual seat post itself has significant stiction and after pressing the button, it won't come up, or perhaps will come up a little way. It has good pressure and I now have to spray it with fork lube to get it working in a trustworthy manner, something I have never had to do with any other posts.
Do I like it? I don't really know because it is a clean solution for bikes that have no internal routing but it takes some getting used to.
Version 2 change is to get a large single button for the remote and allow the remote to secure better to the bar
I love bikes because of their mechanics, I can see it and understand it and repair it. Even design it. But I'd actually like to be able to code my bike as well because the bike then is a closer representation of what we are as people; bio-electro-mechanical.
Few decades ago people were saying the same things about cars...
...maybe we just need "self-riding" bikes...?
By the time we get to Mk3 or 4 it'll probably be quite good, so I'll wait until then,
Thanks
Also, why NiMH? You buying out old stock at an discount from consumer electronics manufacturers or something Magura? Li Pol would most likely be lighter and would have better service life if charged "randomly" (totally worth it even at the cost of shorter battery life).
I also noticed that if I added pressure to the post and didn't use it for several days (tested up to full week) it would still go up and down without problems in the garage. As soon as I hit the trail and hit a few bumps or rocks the air pressure was gone and the drop and stay feature was back. I'm so glad i carry a multi-tool so that I could raise the post to the min-insert position to make the bike semi-ridable.
Love the concept, but still probably a version or two away from being ready for prime time.
This one just happens to be wireless and blu-tooth enabled. I'm pretty sure the cost of the dropper is to make up for all the R&D and advertising. So to be honest the price is the same as most other high-end droppers.No big surprise here at all.
My opinion on this dropper is this:
There's a reason why they show the remote on a handle bar with no left hand shifter or brakes...That damn remote is HUGE and for a lot of riders it will be kind of a nightmare to get everything set up comfortable. Different bar lengths and different size hands will make this wireless set up a pain in the ass.
I can see wireless everything in the future and this is just the beginning before we start to see it evolve into something we all will desire.
...it was a joke...but I guess it doesn't make too much sense if you believe that $500 for a seat post is "fair value".
The reality is that the manufacturers are gouging people because they can - people will pay pretty much what ever they ask because it's the latest and greatest thing. I bet this thing rolls out of the manufacturing plant at well under $50.
"Another mans trash is another mans treasure"
Again, they may seem outrageous in price but you have to realize there's more to making a product than you think. It has to go through R&D and then has to be marketed and packaged. Not every company is making dropper posts the same way or with the same exact formula. These droppers may seem unfair to you but eventually they will lower in price. In fact there are cheaper dropper posts available to you now.
Businesses are in it to make money. Profit is what keeps companies and their employees happy. Profit is also used to further improve upon existing products. No company goes into business in the mindset not to make some amount of profit. Unless they're a non-profit organization.
The iPhone sells for $700 retail yet it only costs Apple close to $150 I believe to make. Why? to cover overhead costs, adverts etc etc etc. Oh and also to make money.
So yeah, that dropper does costs less to manufacture in bulk. Try starting your own business and see if you can understand where they are coming from.
Again, you are missing the point - $500 (or $650 CDN) is a massive amount to pay for a seat post that moves up and down without having to use a quick release. In this case, they've added some different technology to get the same result. The industry has recognized that more than a few people involved in this hobby (sorry "lifestyle") will pay what ever it takes to have the newest thing, so they price it accordingly. This isn't a critique of them but of us - the would be consumers of massively overpriced products.
As for the rest of your comments, I will let it slide and assume you didn't intend to make it sound as condescending as it appears. FWIW I know a thing or two about business and profitability.
Or most of it can go into their already fat wallets.
But this is business and how it works regardless of industry we're talking about. Eventually dropper posts will become more and more affordable but keep in mind if they continue to produce something better than the old they will always be priced more.
(This rule doesn't apply to things made in China by the way)
If my post came off harsh I do apologize I was just trying to make/explain my point.
And the dead NiMH battery must be sent back to Magura for replacement. So what is the time and cost for such service?
The remote is hella ugly though...
fork
seat post
shifters
glasses
garmin
gopro
I've been riding over 30 years now and I've adjusted my seat height less than 10 times whilst on a ride.
I set my height by the logo on the post, leave it there, then stand up to pedal.
Sitting down is lazy, stand up and hammer
Have you ridden with a dropper post?
I have adjusted my seat height 10 times in a section of a ride.
Then you have people racing the Trans Provence or at least regularly ride similar terrain. Even the Megavalanche Alpe d'Huez has longer sections of non-technical climbing or traversing. It helps with recovery if you can give your legs a break and raise the saddle. And when you're racing it matters that those dropper posts are quicker to adjust than a qr seatpost clamp (despite the name).
But that's racing. Probably more people run a dropper than makes sense. But then again more people run XTR stuff than makes sense. It is their free choice and they support the companies putting money into the sport. Another great thing is that probably the only interface where the number of standards (or dimensions) are actually dropping is the seatpost diameter. So finally you can invest in a fancy Thomson (rigid) seatpost with a fair chance that you can eventually transfer it onto your next bike. No way you're going to do that with your forks, hubs, rims, cranks etc (unless you frequently "upgrade").
So nothing to moan, rigid seatposts and qr seatpost clamps are here to stay .
@turbohippy Yeah one hour should be very doable. I did a two hour ride this evening, had the saddle down all the time. But this is XC. Remember the top section of the Megavalanche is pretty rough, especially when you're just below the snow and the rocks are big and loose. By the time you reach Alpe d'Huez you'll be pretty knackered and saving some energy sitting down on these smoother sections is definitely going to give you an advantage for when you'll be standing again on those steeper switchbacks with the roots and all. I have no experience riding the Trans Provence but surely they'll also want to preserve energy wherever they can during such a long multi-day race.
I kinda sorta remember magura made some awesome hydraulic cantis back in the 90s? I kinda sorta had some respect for them though wasn't keen about the kustom brake pads. Pshhh... that's gone now.
I just don't see why this travesty is for sale. Don't you need to start a project with a belief you're not done until its awesome? You're not going to upset your customers? I could see this project being chalked up to experience: "well, no one expected V1 to be any good but we develop engineering experience from the project." This is just such a stupid POS! Look at the little cheap membrane control buttons!
When someone comes up with a Solar or Kinetically charged bicycle power system I will interested.
Let's recover braking power to supply the juice to our electronic shifters/lights/suspension/seat posts.
Yeah, I'll pass.
(Each time I use it, it looks like I'm wiping my ass or touching myself...)
Totally hate having 2 hands on the bars myself. Only had good things happen when hitting trails with only one hand
Spend your hard earned cash on these kinds of "advancements" and you'll be a better rider for it! And next year you can buy the next big marketing thing - on the fly electronic bar width adjusting maybe - $2500!!!!
Not bad, but could last a bit longer.
Sorry, 18 cycles in a regular 20 mile ride.