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It wasn't that long ago that I could have summed up most dropper posts by using just a few words: expensive, unreliable, and really unreliable. But this one component has added so much fun to mountain biking that a lot of us couldn't live without one, regardless of the costs and sometimes inconstant performance. There are still some issues in 2017, sure, but dropper post prices have come down (a bit) and, at least in my experience, reliability has gone up. X-Fusion is aiming to hit both of those targets with their new Manic, a $199 USD dropper that the company is saying won't break down, is easy to service and, if it comes down to it, costs just $25 USD to replace the hydraulic cartridge.
Manic Details
• Travel: 125mm, non-indexed (150mm avail. this July)
• Replaceable sealed cartridge
• Adjustable remote position
• Actuation linkage to reduce lever force
• Reduced overall length compared to Hilo
• Internal cable routing only
• Sizes: 30.9 and 31.6mm
• Length: 421mm
• Weight: 667-grams (incl. remote)
• MSRP: $199 USD
• www.xfusionshox.com
• Travel: 125mm, non-indexed (150mm avail. this July)
• Replaceable sealed cartridge
• Adjustable remote position
• Actuation linkage to reduce lever force
• Reduced overall length compared to Hilo
• Internal cable routing only
• Sizes: 30.9 and 31.6mm
• Length: 421mm
• Weight: 667-grams (incl. remote)
• MSRP: $199 USD
• www.xfusionshox.com
Weighing 621-grams (plus another 46-grams for the remote), the Manic isn't a lightweight, but I doubt that will matter to a lot of riders if X-Fusion's new $199 USD dropper proves to be trustworthy. So let's find out if it is.
Design
The Hilo dropper post, which is the Manic's predecessor, employed an emulsion-style cartridge that allowed the air and oil within it to mix. This meant that it could sag slightly at times and that a rider could pull the seat up without pushing the lever. Thankfully, the Manic sees an entirely different sealed cartridge that uses an internal floating piston to separate the air and oil—this means that there shouldn't ever be any sagging when the post is at full extension, and the cartridge removes any internal pressure from the post's main seal head, a known issue with the Hilo.
Design
The Hilo dropper post, which is the Manic's predecessor, employed an emulsion-style cartridge that allowed the air and oil within it to mix. This meant that it could sag slightly at times and that a rider could pull the seat up without pushing the lever. Thankfully, the Manic sees an entirely different sealed cartridge that uses an internal floating piston to separate the air and oil—this means that there shouldn't ever be any sagging when the post is at full extension, and the cartridge removes any internal pressure from the post's main seal head, a known issue with the Hilo.
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 The Manic features very different internals than the Hilo, and also a lower profile seat clamp and seal head. |
X-Fusion wasn't trying to come up with a groundbreaking design with the Manic's internals—its cartridge is actually sourced from the same manufacturer that builds internals for a lot of other droppers on the market—but they were aiming to employ a simple and easy to service post. And when someone does need a new cartridge, they retail for a pretty reasonable $25 USD.
Activating the Manic's cartridge is a compact linkage assembly at the bottom of the post, X-Fusion's secret weapon that they've used to create incredibly light thumb pressure required at the lever. This linkage multiplies the lever force being applied, while a small spring at the linkage helps the lever snap back firmly. The design does mean that the Manic will only ever be offered with internal cable routing, however.
This small linkage multiplies the force applied at the lever to make for very light actuation.
A short spring in the linkage helps the lever to snap back with a positive feel.The rest of the Manic is pretty straightforward: a two-bolt, low profile head is the best way to hold a seat, so that's what X-Fusion has gone with. Its seal head is also 25mm lower compared to the Hilo, which means that shorter riders who could otherwise be stuck using a 100mm dropper might be able to get away with the Manic's 125mm of travel.
As neat as the Manic's cheater linkage may be, the real pièce de résistance is the post's remote. It's a thumb paddle-style remote, much like a front shifter, with a split clamp to make installation and removal a no-brainer. The neat bit is how the remote's paddle can be adjusted every which way thanks to a ball joint-type connection between it and the perch. Simply back off the aluminum nut that's under the barrel adjuster to loosen the paddle and tweak its position, then snug it back up to lock in in place.
You can angle the Manic's thumb paddle to best suit you.
A ball joint-type mount at the thumb paddle allows it to be adjusted to sit where the rider wants it.Performance
Much like the majority of cable operated droppers, getting the Manic installed and setup is pretty straightforward. The supplied gear shift cable is run through the remote and housing, and it's clamped in an aluminum barrel with a tiny set screw (a micro-sized 2mm hex key is required) that sits in the actuation linkage. A turn or two at the barrel adjuster was all it took to get the cable tension set correctly, and it has required exactly zero tinkering since that initial installation. The same can be said of the two-bolt head that's been creak-free.
The remote's split perch makes life easy at the other end, and while the ability to tweak the angle of the paddle thanks to the ball-joint-style clamp is neat, the remote ended up feeling best when clamped straight relative to the handlebar.
The Manic's remote was installed next to a SRAM Guide brake, and the ergo's are spot-on, too, with the paddle sitting exactly where it should. More impressive is the ridiculously light touch that the paddle requires to active the Manic; it's almost as if you could blow on the thumb paddle to get the seat to move up or down.
The Manic's remote was installed next to a SRAM Guide brake, and the ergo's are spot-on, too, with the paddle sitting exactly where it should. More impressive is the ridiculously light touch that the paddle requires to active the Manic; it's almost as if you could blow on the thumb paddle to get the seat to move up or down.
Now, it's not like other droppers require two hands to get them to move or anything, but the difference between them and the Manic's remote is night and day. This might be especially important if your bike has convoluted internal cable routing that can add friction into the system.
Aside from the remote's impressively light touch, the Manic functions a lot like a dropper post should. It doesn't require a ton of weight on the seat to get it moving, and the post's non-adjustable return speed is quick enough that it feels near instant but not so fast that you'd need to be concerned about getting tagged where it can hurt. And, just as important, there's a slight 'clunk' at top-out that lets you know your seat is back up to full mast—there's no guessing here.
It doesn't matter how good the action is or how much cheaper the Manic is than the competition if it isn't reliable, but X-Fusion seems to have nailed that as well. There's still just the slightest amount of lateral free play at the nose of the seat—far less than other droppers when they're new - and that play hasn't increased at all during testing. The Manic was smooth right out of the box, and it's still just as trouble-free, too, with zero sag or perceptible change in action.
Pinkbike's Take:
Aside from the remote's impressively light touch, the Manic functions a lot like a dropper post should. It doesn't require a ton of weight on the seat to get it moving, and the post's non-adjustable return speed is quick enough that it feels near instant but not so fast that you'd need to be concerned about getting tagged where it can hurt. And, just as important, there's a slight 'clunk' at top-out that lets you know your seat is back up to full mast—there's no guessing here.
It doesn't matter how good the action is or how much cheaper the Manic is than the competition if it isn't reliable, but X-Fusion seems to have nailed that as well. There's still just the slightest amount of lateral free play at the nose of the seat—far less than other droppers when they're new - and that play hasn't increased at all during testing. The Manic was smooth right out of the box, and it's still just as trouble-free, too, with zero sag or perceptible change in action.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | X-Fusion has a winner with the Manic. While the 150mm travel version won't be available until July, the shorter stroke Manic displayed zero issues during testing, and it offers a great feel at the lever. No, it's not the lightest option out there, but at $199 USD and a reliable design, the Manic is easy to recommend. |
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165 Comments
I recently bought one of these, and the finish and performance when new is up there with all the expensive models. Time will tell how it fares.
Having said that, I am really pleased to see the Manic getting a good review and that the 150 is on the near horizon.
For me the biggest downside of the reverb is the tall collar meaning I can't get the saddle even close to what the frame should allow - the Manic beats it in this regard as well as price. Trouble is I doubt I'll find any knackered ones on eBay I can fix for £40 but that's a complement I guess!
I've been running them for years, and so have most of my riding buddies. It's a rare reverb that isn't squishing or on the verge of needing a (potentially) expensive service. Service that typically runs $130+, and has to be done every 1 to 1.5 years.
On the other hand, I've ridden an el-cheapo KS DropZone, that thing was solid, and the Specialize IRcc is bombproof. Now I'm on the 9Point8, and while I don't have a ton of time on it, it feels super solid, is easy to service, and parts are readily available and not crazy expensive like the reverb.
That said I am still willing to pay the bigger pricepoint.
Seriously though, I couldn't get any of my local shops to even look at my reverb for under $50 cdn (I guess that is only $20usd)
I have owned several Reverbs and they have all done pretty well over time, but each has developed a few mm of sag after a season and require an annual service. None have failed catastrophically on the trail. I think it's reasonable to expect that a moving part would need an annual service, but at $100+ to do so, it adds up.
I don't ride much. Maybe service forks every few years (yeah, the anal guys will roll their eyes, but I'm not banging 1000s of kms a year) but yet the Reverb doesn't even make it through a season without developing noticeable play. If I can't find enough time to ride as much as I like, the last thing I want to do is burn precious time servicing something that should really last much longer.
Amazing value! And most of it is identical to Shimano dropper www.pinkbike.com/news/shimano-koryak-dropper-seatpost-first-look-2016.html
Got one for 140 EUR. And I am completly satisfied.
If you're looking for a product developed and produced by Shimano, look for their logo on the product.
How'd the cable cradle break? In shipping or when it was on the bike?
ill be waiting
www.chainreactioncycles.com/de/de/x-fusion-manic-dropper-sattelstutze/rp-prod159057
200USD is 178EUR, still a big difference USD-EUR.
Thinking about a 2008 Covert that would appreciate a dropper
I'm sick of the shop telling me "all posts have a little rotational play in them" I'm pretty sure mine didn't when it was new...
The Manic is user serviceable in that it can be stripped down to be cleaned and rebuilt.
It's too bad, because I don't want to gamble on another one (out of stock soon anyway), don't want to pay $500 for a Thompson, and I haven't heard anything good about the KS 27.2.
I was really hoping that Xfusion would come through with their promise of a 27.2 Manic (stated in the initial release), but I'm not holding my breath. I've got a steel hardtail that I don't really want to ride without a dropper (1st world problems).
*takes the click bait*
Sees that the dropper is only available in 125mm (with 150 in the fall)
Ahhh makes perfect sense. Company is trying to sell a 125mm dropper in a time when 170-200mm is what the market demands.
Good luck sirs.
I have ALLLLLLL the insight. I am the oracle.
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