Pinkbike Poll - How Much Dropper Post Travel Do You Prefer?

Nov 28, 2016 at 13:30
by Mike Kazimer  
Remember what mountain biking was like before dropper posts? Arriving at the top of a technical downhill section meant you either needed to dismount and lower your seat by hand, or try to make it to the bottom with the seat bouncing against your chest, a position that's anything but confidence inspiring. These days it's fair to say that most riders see dropper posts as a necessity, right up there with disc brakes and front suspension. They're still not cheap, and reliability issues remain a little too common, but on the whole they've made riding even more enjoyable, and allow for frame designs that wouldn't have have otherwise been possible.

Now that dropper posts are the norm, the amount of travel they have has begun to increase, a change made possible by new frame designs that lower top tubes and shorter seat tubes. Kona was one of the early adopters of this idea with their Process line of bikes, and the last few seasons we've seen more and more companies alter their geometry to make running a 150mm post possible.


Kona Process 153 review
Kona was one of the first companies to fully commit to the use of a dropper post.
Santa Cruz Bronson
In recent years others have followed suit, including the new Santa Cruz Bronson, which was designed to accommodate a 150mm dropper.


What's next? It doesn't look like the limit has been reached yet, and now that RockShox offers the Reverb (one of the most commonly spec'd posts on the market) with 170mm of drop, expect to see it start appearing on more bikes in the future.

There are also smaller companies offering posts with even more travel – in Canada you have 9Point8 with their Fall Line dropper in 175 and 200mm options, and in Germany there's Vecnum with170 and 200mm versions of their Moveloc post. And don't forget about Eightpins and their integrated dropper post, which makes it possible to have up to 220mm of drop, although you'll need a special frame to go along with it.
Eightpins dropper post
How much drop do you want?

Now, not everyone needs 200mm of drop – a lot of this is height dependent. For smaller riders, 125mm is often plenty, lowering the seat to below knee level, but for the longer-limbed that amount of drop will only move the seat to around mid-thigh at best, which is better than nothing, but still not ideal. That brings us to this week's poll question:


How much drop would your ideal dropper post have?

This poll is closed



Author Info:
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209 Comments
  • 298 4
 The most that will fit?
  • 281 2
 That's what she said.
  • 43 0
 Definitely on the same page here, largest travel that puts full extension at my pedaling height
  • 33 1
 @j12j: exactly. Weird survey.
  • 4 2
 Full leg extension for climbs still has the seat bumpin me arse on the steeps. If i want to boost a jump or bump high up into the air a lower seat position helps. Slamming the seat lets you soak up big bumps like giant boulders when you are pinned.
  • 27 56
flag WAKIdesigns (Dec 15, 2016 at 22:19) (Below Threshold)
 @FireBallDHR - 3 major mistakes of mtbers: not looking far enough, staying too far back and not using enough range of motion. Long droppers solve none of that, they actually e
  • 12 0
 My patrol has a 150mm dropper fitted and is 20mm out of the frame so a 170mm would be perfect to get the seat right out of the way
  • 22 4
 Whats a dropper post? Here with the lions and buck roaming the street I still do the good old manual lowering of the seat to go down a hill.
  • 26 5
 actually I use my seat a lot to steer the bike, so too much travel would be very annoying. Look at some pro's DH bikes, their seats are way up.
  • 5 2
 @fracasnoxteam: What is exactly weird in showing pictures of Kona, Santa and 8Pins on a site which earns money by showing pictures of products?
  • 7 3
 @Gweggy: That's right, but usually the seattubes of DH Bikes are shorter than on other bikes. Due to that the "optical"seatheight can be misleading.
  • 7 2
 @Gondoletta-Watussi: just compare it to the bar height. I run my seat on nearly the same level as my bar on my DH and Enduro rig. I'm 1,83m (6 foot) tall and have longer than usual legs, and I couldn't imagine running more than 150mm of travel or my seat would be somewhere between my knees instead of my thighs.
  • 7 0
 @Gweggy: Totally agree with you. The seat definitely plays more of a part in steering than people think! I used to run my downhill bike with the seat slammed (Or just at a height that 'looks about right') but I raised it 2 or 3 inches and it helped a lot with my steering and positioning on the bike by putting me in the habit of standing with my knees straighter instead of squatting on the bike. This conserves loads of energy on all descents by returning to this position in places where you can, particularly between corners. Another thing is simply having it there to sit on in a controlled position so in those sketchy times when you slip a foot and end up railing the saddle you don't want it fully slammed because it's gonna be difficult to get them feet back on the pedals!
  • 7 1
 Look at Brandon Fairclough seat height to prove your lower better post argument invalid.
  • 10 5
 The only place where I could be interested to have a post longer than 125/150 is a hardtail. With 250 of dropper travel I could ride pumptrack dirt woods and road on one frame.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I gotta say you nailed that one right on the head. I had a 150 on a dually and even though it wasn't as low as I'd like, the suspension dealt with what my legs couldn't. Now that I'm back on a hardtail with a 150 I'm always compromising between low for pump tracks and jumping, which I commute to on this bike. Or high for climbing which I hate, so in other words the dropper is always bottomed into the seat tube and my knees suffer on all the climbs.
  • 3 0
 I totally see the need to have your saddle at a height that it is useable during descents but I don't see being able to lower it beyond that a disadvantage. If I'm dropping into a trail I don't know that's rowdy I'm glad to get it way out the way. I also like to use my 'enduro' bike for freeride (dirt jumps and general dicking about) where the saddle can basically do one. Add to all that I'm a short guy and it's still at a dh friendly height when slammed but only barely high enough when at full height - I'd like 150 over the 125 I'm using. I want a dropper that tilts the saddle as it drops even more pls. If that were available then 125 would be enough for me.
  • 1 5
flag suspended-flesh FL (Dec 16, 2016 at 10:28) (Below Threshold)
 150, Slammed, is the perfect fit for me and my Large. Slammed, buddy. Low as can go. Perfect. Damn I got it good. Transfer w/ Wolf Tooth ReMote. All cable - no fluids!

If you think a dropper is an unessesary do-dad, your got the world up your ass.
  • 5 2
 @Gweggy: They have the saddle high because otherwise the saddle would touch the rear tire when bottoming out, also I know some do it because it gets uncomfortable (I think Mark from GMBN said something like that). On the other hand if it was for another reason they have like 200mm of rear suspension, so that makes things different compared to a hardtail or a full sus with less travel.
  • 7 4
 @passwordpinkbike: so you've never seen a bro on a dh bike in the park with the seat slammed all the way down? Rear tyre clearance, really?! Does Ratboy and Minnaar have a 29" wheel and 350mm of travel? They have it high for rear end control. You put your thigh on the seat if the rear slides a bit too much. 200mm of travel compensating? Those guys move more over a DH bike than you do on pumptrack baby. What is this? A contest at Who's best at rationalizing whatever they chose to believe instead of fixing a decent riding stance?
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: the seat does buzz the tyre on a v10 if its completely slammed though, WTB had to make a saddle with a cut out in the back of it for the Syndicate boys
  • 3 5
 @the-argos: except for the fact that Syndicate boys do not use saddles with any form of cut out and Minnaar runs his saddle at least an inch if not two above the bottom out level

m.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/The-G-Out-Project-MSA-Windham,3956/Minnaars-Santa-Cruz-V10-Carbon,38188/davetrumpore,1982

If he wanted to run his saddle lower, Santa Cruz would design V10 with the steeper effective seat angle... just google sht instead of getting stuck in some silly assumptions that moar is better. Syntace frames do get superlong dropper but please remember that their feedback base is a brave group of men called Vertriders and these guys ride sht so steep at fatal exposures that you'd be scared to slide down it on your shoes and bum.

More options is great but you have to take their necessity for your riding rather carefully. Dropper travel is yet another propaganda to justify a supposedly supreme product. Yes, AM frames are still too tall for length and maybe this will motivate frame designers (or rather their better earning product manager friends) to set some balance here. But it's just sad to see people munch that sht and then throw it at those who preach common sense.

Cheers!
  • 4 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Okay so you're wrong.

www.redbull.com/uk/en/bike/stories/1331816638347/bike-check-josh-bryceland’s-world-champs-bike

"A WTB Hightail saddle features a special rear cutaway to allow maximum tyre clearance on full compression too. Previously, Doug was having to remove a section from the rear of a stock saddle."
  • 2 1
 @the-argos: Instead of looking at pictures on the internet all day, I would recommend to actually speak to a few pros?
  • 2 1
 @the-argos: Also Josh Bryceland doesn't run the biggest frame available to him, so what does he know?

PS: before I'm grilled alive, I'm being ironic!
  • 1 0
 It all depends on the frame. Some long frames have shorter seat tubes than others even though the reach and eTT may still be close to the same.
  • 1 0
 You guys do realize that seat height when descending is totally a personal setup thing right? I for one dont like getting bumped by a seat on steep rock rolls or rock hucks. Allowing the bike to come up into your body is similar to how long travel works on race trucks. Remember that suspension does do a good amount of work but our legs are also our suspension. If you need to suck the bike up to sail through big rocks its nice to have the uptravel for that. Me personally? If a trail isnt very steep I drop 150 from climbing height and I get enough clearance. But when the trail goes from Blue to Black And gets real steep: Im talking high difficulty trails, then I end up getting far back on the steeps and I drop my seat into the frame so I can stay balanced and not have the bike limiting my body suspension. You see its all relative and personal. Hell i might even have shorter than average legs. Minaar for example has longer than average legs and he can have his seat higher up than average because of it.
  • 3 0
 @FireBallDHR: there are personal preferences as to everything. What matters is what they are based on when one tries to argue... by no means I say that it applies to you, but ekhem... good riding stance on steeps and good mobility over the bike often goes well with higher saddle... last sunday my reverb got stuck in the middle due to cold and postponing service and I had no bigger issues in steepest sht available on my home trails and I assure you it was steep in worldwide scale... surprisingly I didn't have that much issues climbing...
  • 58 16
 I dunno about the "seat in your chest" bit. I personally don't have a dropper because I don't feel I need it, and I don't want to have to deal with my seat being a potential failure point....and I also like the idea of saving 2 pounds while not spending $400.

Nothing against it. Just not for me....or at least not yet, anyways.
  • 29 2
 I was like you in that I feel like I didn't need a dropper either. I had one a lil bit a while ago and when it broke due to an understandable hard hit, I didn't mind going back to not having one. Now that I have one again, good lord is it awesome and they're not as fragile or subject to more damage than brakes/shifters.

If you have the extra couple hundo to spend or can get an insane deal on one, do it. Its great to have around especially if you like to pedal up to gnarlier/steeper stuff or trails with climbs in the middle of awesome descents.
  • 56 5
 @rory, you are missing out in more ways than you can imagine. They make riding so much more fun. In my opinion, dropper posts are the biggest innovation that happened to mtb in the 2000-2010 decade. Weight penalties are between 1/2 and 3/4 of a pound these days.
  • 17 3
 2 pounds? Try under 1. 300g difference
  • 39 1
 @rory: droppers are one of the greatest inventions in mtb'n imo.
  • 15 17
 You aren't riding hard enough... one day you'll get there.
  • 8 0
 I like the simplicity of a standard Thomson and prefer to just stand and crank on my HT's, yet I'm with the majority here in that I prefer a dropper on FS trail bikes. They needn't be unreliable or expensive either. Can't recommend the Giant branded Contact SL Switch enough.
  • 4 4
 Yeah I could care less about droppers for ordinary riding... I'm not competitive enough on Strava to care about losing that 10 seconds manually raising or lowering my seat! I did race a couple enduros last season though, and if I do so again next season I'll probably break down and get one. Riding flat out with your seat slammed the whole time is exhausting.
  • 8 5
 @ryetoast: I don't have a smartphone. Suck it and Strava too.
  • 5 0
 @kingsx: Yes exactly, mine has been faultless through all sorts of crud and abuse. Totally underrated post - able to be easily set up for external or internal routing. Pick 'em up here boys for less than a dinner out with the missus: www.aliexpress.com/item/GIANT-BICYCLE-bike-adjustable-SEATPOST-CONTACT-SWITCH-REMOTE-SEAT-POST-30-9x400-100mm/32720458884.html?spm=2114.01020208.3.125.CmK6b7&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2_10065_10068_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10060_10061_10062_10056_10055_10054_10059_10099_10078_10079_427_10073_10103_10102_10096_10052_10050_10051,searchweb201603_6&btsid=a4266ee6-12b4-4335-a4ec-2f8e46069560
  • 5 1
 You likely don't need one because you live in Edmonton. I didn't get all the fuss when I lived in Ontario either. Riding out west is a different story. The north shore trails are mostly downs but with enough pedally bits that it'd be a God send to be able to pop the seat back up.
  • 3 4
 Had a dropper on last bike. New bike doesnt have one. Dont need one. Used it at first alot, downhills, rock gardens, tech spots.... slowly uses it less and less.
  • 1 0
 @kiwikonadude: heres one for even less

www.aliexpress.com/item/Giant-liftering-sl-contact-switch-soft-mountain-bike-30-9mm-bicycle-seatpost-REMOTE-SEAT-POST-395x30/32653812590.html?spm=2114.10010108.1000014.8.9Xf6QU&scm=1007.13338.46806.0&pvid=31286444-3caa-43cd-8958-bdfd14ef9ec5&tpp=1
  • 5 0
 Ive ridden with some fast riders that don't have droppers and can ride absolutely any terrain with the seat up. But they dont play around. They dont manual, bunny hop, boost jumps, all that.
  • 6 2
 Thanks for the interest, but don't get me wrong here.... I appreciate that some people love them, but I had one for over a year. Didn't really like it, hardly ever used it. Sold it.

Trust me when I say I can ride downhill will all but the best of them (and the seat on my v10 is pretty up there too!). Granted, after a few big crashes, I'm no longer the biggest jumper, but I can get up there just fine. It's just a personal preference. It doesn't get in my way when things get gnarly, and I don't have any trouble getting forward or back. I don't ride with my seat up as high as a should, but I never did (and it probably hinders my climbing)...but I just don't really care. I have plenty of fun on my bike as is!

Maybe one day, when the weight penalty is negligible, the price is lower, and I don't almost ever have to worry about maintenance (probably the big one). But frankly, it's just not a priority for me in the slightest.
  • 4 0
 after 4 years running dropper, i just went into an XC race of 52km on a HT without dropper, wow it conditions you hahaha its good to ride old school to realize all the benefits of it from time to time...
  • 1 0
 I didn't think I needed one... was just fine... I'm kind of old school though... My son laughed at me, just reach down and flip the lever to drop you post. then I found a deal, and decided to try it... LOVE it. It so awesome. If i drop in and forget the seat post... no problem, can drop it on the fly... also for climbing i can raise it and keep pedaling... in the states we can get them for $250 on a good day.
  • 6 0
 @friendlyfoe: Actually, I'd say in places like Ontario it might be more beneficial using a dropper. Much of the riding out west (in my experience) is a long climb up with a rest at the top, and then a lengthy mostly downhill decent. Much of the riding in Ontario is alot of rolling hills, think steep up, steep down, steep up, steep down, etc. In those cases being able to adjust the post on the fly imo is even more of a god send.
  • 3 3
 @txrider1: nope, it's just good marketing. people just suck at riding nowadays.
  • 2 0
 don't try one, or you'll have to buy one. Thought the same ting until I tried one. Wake up, it will make you're ride complete.
  • 2 0
 @OFF2theGYM: (you arent riding hard enough) says the guy from Little Rock Ar-kansas,,who rides a speciallized,a raligh, and a diamondback,,,im not so sure you know the meaning of ride hard enough just yet as the models you have arent the best for skill building,,soo.....i hope everyone is taking his comment with a grain of salt now,,.....p.s. Thank you for your service
  • 1 0
 @acali: Bet they're fun at parties.
  • 1 0
 @txrider1: True that.
  • 2 0
 @freerider11: I never found much in southern Ontario that was steep enough I needed the seat out of the way.

The north shore (fromme specifically) has a number of trails with either pedally bits or hike and bike in the middle where my aching legs would kill for a dropper

YMMV
  • 34 1
 As a dude with ape arms and shorter legs, I run up against many frames having too long a seat tube to be able to run a post much longer than 125mm. I'd prefer a longer travel dropper but frame designers need to adjust accordingly.
  • 7 2
 Couldn't agree more. Im 6ft with a 30 inch inseam and built up a custom 2016 Kona Honzo AL and Process 111 both in an XL with a 35mm stem and 150mm posts and they fit me like a glove just because of how sloped they are. It's good to see companies going with longer top tubes and reach as the benefits of shorter stems are becoming clearer and I hope this trend continues with ability to use 150mm droppers like what Kona has done.
  • 1 1
 And I have long arms and legs and could use a 22inch seat tube length with a 170mm post at its minimum insertion depth
  • 12 2
 Seriously. Companies need to take note. The first ones to jump on this will have quite the edge. The XL sizes have way too tall of a seat tube and one of my top priorities is getting the lowest one possible. Really, there's no risk if the seat post is in all the way. Droppers are getting longer, seat tubes can go shorter. They're only so tall as to raise the minimum insertion length relative to the size of the frame and rider but we can move past that now. Please, as someone that is in the XL frame size, it's my biggest bother. Some makers of great bikes will simply never have my business because of how tall the seat tube is on the XL.
  • 1 0
 Some of them do. Get yourself a badass Ti Reeb!
  • 2 0
 @fr3er1d3r: So if frame manufacturers all start making XL frames with shorter seat tubes where does that leave everyone genuinely tall that does need an XL length seat tube (like me). Even something with a 21" seat tube for me means that I have A LOT of seat post sticking out at full pedaling extension. It sounds to me more like you need to go for large frames that have a very roomy cockpit, like a Mondraker with Forward Geometry, or generally manufacturers need to stretch out the top tube rather than shrink the seat tube, or offer different length as well as height models.
  • 5 0
 @fr3er1d3r: The XL sizes of some manufacturers feature shorter seat tubes than sizes L used to. Kona was mentioned in the article so I took a look at their geometry tables and found the 2016 Process 153 to have a 15 mm shorter seat tube than my current 19" Cotic which is listed as size L. I would need 337 mm of seatpost extension on the Kona in its largest size. That is ridiculous.
  • 2 2
 @fr3er1d3r: I'm glad they don't make bikes for you cause if they did there wouldn't be a seat post long enough for me.
  • 1 0
 @SeaJay: really? Because I'm almost at full leg extension at 6ft 2 with a 150mm dropper on my Norco range, which has a shorter tube than most, second only to the yt capra and nomads by about a centimeter I think. They could take an inch off the seat tube, add 1 or 2 to the dropper for travel and the minimum insert length would still be enough and probably full leg extension up to 6ft 5. So I don't see the issue here. I see more clearance and more pedaling height. Win win only held back by the assumption that seat tubes need to be longer.
  • 1 0
 @fr3er1d3r: leverage on a 31.6 diameter post at 150mm is why seat posts have no reliability. I don't see posts getting larger diameters any time soon (thank God 8pins got it right) so 170mm+ posts are only going to be less reliable. Specialized xl trail bikes come with one of the longer seat tubes at 21.25 inches and a few companies have been following but then you have kona making 18.5 inch seat tubes for an XL bike. I'm 6'8. I'm not the only one that tall on this site and I'm not the tallest.

But I would compromise if seat tubes were 40mm and we could have a sturdy, reliable dropper at 175 or 200mm. Then I think xl seat tubes would be OK where most of them are...19.5 inches.
  • 12 1
 I voted 200mm, because that's the max my frame can take given my fully-raised saddle position. As long as a seatpost can be locked into some intermediate positions and the engineering is done right to prevent slop, I say the more the merrier.

125mm (what I have now) is definitely not enough. I still stop before a good descent to lower the seat a couple extra inches the old-fashioned way.
  • 1 0
 Same boat here. QR clamp & my next dropper will have external routing. Plus it makes it easier to load into the car.
  • 13 1
 I run 150 because that's what my bike came with, but my post is about 50mm out of the tube, and I drop that down if I'm shuttling or riding park so the more the better I say.
  • 6 1
 My Hightower came with a 150mm Reverb, but there is plenty of room to fit a 170mm in there. Just kind hard to justify spending money on a new post when I have a fully functional one already.
  • 25 4
 @seraph: fully functional? but you say you have reverb? Haha
  • 4 0
 @pevensey: it's only a matter of time....
  • 11 3
 I didn't vote because there wasn't an option for having a fixed post, putting it out of the way and leaving it there!
I can't be the only rider who has no interest in sitting down?
I'm bored of reading 'remember when you had to stop to adjust your saddle height'
No I never have, maybe 10 times in 20 years of riding.

Ride it like a bmx!
  • 18 8
 120mm is enough. Don't need my seat slammed like a slope bike on my trail bike to get rad.
  • 4 2
 If you are a small guy 120 is all you need, but for the bigger guys 120 feels like nothing
  • 14 0
 I'm 6 ft 5 with a 34" inside leg.
120mm droppers are like some kind of cruel joke.
  • 1 0
 @iian: amen to that
  • 3 1
 I'm 5 ft 7. 150 feels to long. Went back to 125. Big guys need more. It all depends on leg length.
  • 3 0
 120 is brutal at 6'3...170mm all day long for me.. Love the seat slammed... Just completely out of the way.
  • 1 0
 @iian: 6ft 6 and my suit trousers are a 39" inside leg. Even 170mm is a joke for me haha.
  • 1 0
 @thestigmk1: wow sounds like u need the 9.8 fall line 200mm ...That's about as good as your going to find I think
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: ye man. Waiting for them to land this side of the pond.
  • 6 0
 what size stem do you like? ...on what frame? on what size bars? how big is your inseam? how long are your arms? how wide do you like your bars? what trail are you riding? what is your riding style? do you come from an XC or a gravity background? do you send jumps or go B-line? tooooooo many variables!!!!! this poll is silly.
  • 4 0
 If I'm gonna put a dropper post on my bike, it sure as eggnog better be able to cover the fulI range I could ever need. Top of the seat tube all the way until it's threatening my future children. Anything less is a pain the the butt. So however much that is, that's what I want.
  • 7 0
 Where is the option: "None. I keep my seat low and stand up while going uphill"? I'd click that.
  • 3 2
 That's real mtb'ing, stand up and hammer. Sitting is lazy
  • 4 0
 @turbohippy: I wouldn't go as far as to say anything is lazy. You can be lazy standing or sitting and the opposite goes as well. I do not care much about that but I do think it is odd. In PB product reviews they always claim that their climbs (if applicable) are steep and tech yet at the same time they find it most important to be able to have the saddle high. So important even that they included the option in the poll to leave the saddle high on the descends but couldn't think of the possibility to leave the saddle low.

So yeah you, me and quite a few other visitors simply can't answer the poll. What they end up is a beautiful result sheet with numbers and graphs which simply isn't valid as it doesn't represent all visitors on this page. Then what's the point of even creating a poll?
  • 5 1
 I recently got a 200mm post for my hardtail, and it is the best thing ever, no fiddling with the QR anymore. Have to mess with my 150mm post all the time on my other bike. For reference I am 6'
  • 6 2
 Ya anyone 6ft+ with 150 needs to use qr too much if ur riding anything steep both ways.
  • 3 2
 @jrocksdh: I am 6'6" and I have a 150mm post. I typically run my post near the minimum insertion point and never adjust it. This has included a season of racing and a Whistler trip. Idk where this urge for droppers with more travel than your fork came from. I'm with @norcaljedi on this one.
  • 2 1
 @Jimmy0: racing and riding park is completely differnet than riding areas like my local trails(laguna beach). Long-steep-seated climbs. Most set up seat height with heel on pedal, knee slight bend.
Now add some serious climbing and now thats not nearly adequate....not too mention if ur bike has slacker seat angle than say 73...the higher the seat, the slacker angle.
Most of my friends double drop that are over 6ft. Its just a fact.
  • 1 1
 @Jimmy0: additionally, the bike makes a difference. Esp bikes like the kona with low standover, short seattubes. Friends are on evils, nomads mostly.
  • 1 0
 @jrocksdh: hmm interesting. Next time you see a 6'6" guy on a Process on silver surfer say hi
  • 5 0
 Surprise, perfect bell curve.
Droppers out to 175 accommodate most people in the 6'3" or above category. I could use a 200mm but I'd be happy with 175mm
  • 2 0
 As a 6'5" person I couldn't agree more
  • 2 0
 @therev34: Same here. 6'4" with a 36" inseam on a Kona Process 153 DL. 150mm just doesn't quite cut it.
  • 2 0
 Running a 100 mm in my medium Bronson. 31 inseam. Any lower than that and the saddle will be below my knee at full drop. Not much point dropping the saddle below that point. Plus I have buzzed my ass more than once on steep AF trails on my home trails in Whistler. A poll on dropper travel is like a pole on shoe size. Whatever fits brother.
  • 1 0
 Agree. I am 5 foot 1 inch and ride a frame with an interrupted seat tube (Transition Suppressor). I use a 100mm drop post because i cant use anything else and it works great for me. The post is bottomed out on the rocker pivot inside the seat tube, if the post were 10mm longer, i would not be able to pedal at max extension, at max drop i have loads of clearance. Its all about height and body shape, hence 6 foot plus riders wanting 200mm.
  • 2 0
 Slow news day. I never think about it and wouldn't have a bloody clue how much 'drop' my rockshox seatpost has. I lower it as far as I can go and hang my arse over the back wheel and go. Then I work out how steep the trail is by the number of time the rear tyre catches my butt-cheeks.
  • 2 0
 I don't really care what length a post has to be. What i want is a saddle height that is tall enough to pedal efficiently and can slam low enough on a frame that it feels like a dj bike when descending and jumping. is that so hard?
  • 2 0
 that said, if this is a poll placed as market research for the industry's benefit...just come out with travel adjustable posts that don't break (fat chance of that haha) and/or spec the posts according to frame size (eg: 100 xs/s, 125 m, 150 l, 175 xl) and discipline (shorter for xc/trail, longer for AM/enduro) with matching frame design. any outlier body types will probably already be thinking about swapping the OEM bits anyway. really this ain't rocket surgery.
  • 2 0
 I'm 184cm / 6'1" and 125mm drop is enough, even though at max height it's set up the same as my road bike. I don't ever feel like the seat height is getting in the way of me putting my weight where it needs to be. I could probably live with 150mm happily as well, but any more than that would be too much.
  • 2 0
 Long ape arms and average/slightly long legs has me on a 19" frame, so the longest dropper I can run is a 150mm. This poll is almost irrelevant as dropper length is now part of fitting a bike to a rider, the same as stem length, crank arm length, etc.

The correct answer is "whatever puts my seat at proper leg extension height for my body while dropping it to the low height that I prefer for technical sections".
  • 1 0
 to have a revised offer in respect of a product so bound to three variables such as physical structure of the rider, the frame size and type of final use of the product I think is in the interest of the companies on the market make it possible for users to find the one most suited to their needs by expanding the range of available measures.
  • 1 0
 With so much emphasis on on geometry and low center of gravity why has no one addressed putting a pound of weight at the highest most central point switch to a thomsom or raceface next with a quick release seat clamp and your bike will handle 100xbetter and still have the ability to adjust for long climbs or downhills most people who brag about how much they love their dropper post I have found dont have basic skills to handle varied terrain so practice more dropper less!
  • 2 1
 Not going to pay a premium for anything over 150, but if they have the same performance and price there is no downside till you reach the point where you get full extension for climbing and all the way down to the frame when dropped which depends on bike and rider size.
  • 1 0
 On my Nomad, and the Tracer before it, I liked having the post out of the frame an inch or so. I like dropping the post down and having it just a bit higher than the minimum because I think it helps me control the bike on the trail, while having it as far down as possible would not give me quite as much. I have a medium Nomad with a 125 Transfer and it is fantastic.
  • 1 0
 Depends on the riding. For general riding and mucking about I'm loving the 150mm that came on my latest bike. My previous bike had a 125mm and I actually used the clamp that comes with Reverbs to limit it to about 90mm, which was ideal for Enduro in my area. I think the trick is learning techniques to adjust your post at the ideal height for what you're riding and not just riding at either full height or slammed.
  • 1 0
 its more just about what will fit on the bike, my large frame only allows me to have a 125mm post, a 150 might just fit but would be tight for my seat height. i'm happy enough with 125 but do think lower stand overs and shorter seatposts with a longer dropper is the way to go. you don't have to drop the seat all the way but is nice to have the option to slam it to jump bike or bmx standards Smile
  • 1 0
 I find dropping my post 125 is a bit too low. I like having the seat high enough to feel but not so high as too interfere with steep descents.
I;m 6 foot with long legs and a somewhat short torso.
I have used dropper posts since the Joplin and think 4 inches is enough. I used a two different Gravity Droppers at 4 inches How ever these days I;m using 125mm lev and reverb
  • 1 0
 my 100 mm transfer is a touch to long and im 6ft 1 with a 31" inseam but the bike the transfer is fitted to is a large commencal meta sl1. It sits a touch to high but I cant fit the seat any lower in the frame. On my freeride bike I have a 125mm dropper and this is perfect but then the seat tube Is shorter on this bike by a fair bit so I have the dropper out of the frame by a few inches. So to make a 150mm dropper work on my commencal meta I would need to be around 6ft 5 so a lot of this depends on the bike.
  • 1 0
 I was a hold out full of hubris until last year when I got one for my wife to help her progress and be comfortable going downhill. She raved about it and used it so much, I started getting jealous and bought a 125mm dropper to try out. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, you are so limited with a seat in your way. It's right where you need to be to throw that bike around and the confidence I get from knowing I can bail without a seat getting in the way or impaling me in a crash is priceless. It's the biggest performance upgrade you can do. I was basically holding my skills way back for years and years because I was cocky enough to think that I could overcome a seat being in the way. Never again!
  • 1 0
 Since my 2016 Intense Tracer XL frame has a seat tube that extends so far past the top tube, I can only fit 150mm seat post on it with the post slammed all the way to the collar, what I want is seat tubes that aren't so high so I can get a 170 post!
  • 1 0
 Run a 100mm on my XC hardtail, don't really feel the need for more on that bike. My fat bike doesn't have one, but probably 125mm would be fine. Whatever the full squish all mountain / enduro bike I end up buying will most likely be 150mm, although 170mm would probably fit (I'm 6'3 but prefer sizing down on most bikes).
  • 1 0
 I like to ride frames with low seat post heights for maneuverability(like 15" or even less seems pretty ideal), so the big plan for me was to run a long dropper post for traveling places, and getting proper full pedaling leg extension, then lower it out of the way when I get there.
  • 1 0
 Getting to that point requires basically the longest dropper post available. Full pedaling position for me is ~27" from the bottom bracket, so basically since my frame is only 12", a 12" 300mm dropper would be optimal, but probably not possible. Should have bought a 15" frame if I was thinking...........
  • 1 0
 A 125 reverb slammed is perfect for my pedaling height on most frames. Unfortunately since the redesign and subsequent offering of only two post lengths, I have to remove the connectamajig and direct wire the post with old style barb and fittings. Even with that, I usually end up with a severe bend in the hydraulic line that over time makes the lever feel like garbage. I'm pretty much 5'7, and comfortably ride medium bikes, but lately rigging up my dropper has turned into a little bit of an undertaking.
  • 1 0
 Surprising reading the comments... As someone who is 'only' 6'3" I have to ride most XL frames with the seat post at max. From a visual perspective I hate to see bikes with the seatpost at max height. Looks horrible. I ruled out a Kona Process as a new bike for that reason. And I doubted very much it would even fit at all anyway. But some people are seeming to want this super short seat post for some reason. Stack heights on bikes are already way too low. The dorp to bars on my bike is close to 8cm, thats more than some roadies use! And yet there are XC racers trying to get their bars as low as possible on a Medium size that still have a positive 'drop'! Makes no sense. I digress..

Anyway on my XL recently got my 125mm reverb warrantied and I got a 170mm in replacement and it's just way too much. I never need to lower my seat that much.. I always slam my seat then end up pressing the button trying to get the right height of about 150mm. This also brings me to the fact that I don't like these infinte adjust posts.There is no benefit I see. Basically I want 3 heights. Full, Tech, and DH. I spend ages trying to get the right Tech height (or even DH with the 170mm). I can't just press the button at the top of a decent or trail, I have to fiddle for what feels like ages to get a good height, For me, I think and after market upgrade for a reverb would be a 3 position controller.
  • 1 0
 What's next? Suspension grips to make your hands comfortable? Rear suspension is only warranted on a DH bike. If you need or want suspension under your butt, you need to grow a pair. Nicholi Rogatkin does the biggest tricks on the biggest slopestyle courses with only 100 mm of front suspension.
  • 4 1
 I have my seat slammed, regardless of how this affects my climbing position. More drop would be good.
  • 6 5
 If we are talking about something long and hard under my ass that pumps up and down. Ill take all the inches you got. BTW My bike came with a QUICK release. weighs about 25 grams never fails.
  • 3 1
 QRs4LIFE!!!!
  • 2 0
 My god that is the best comment
  • 1 1
 As much as posible on the bike I have, I'm runing a 125mm and have about 10cms of seatpost I could use if I had a longer dropper, so as much as the frame allows is the right travel for me, if you only need 50 or 100mm for your regular riding just drop the post 50 or 100mm but if you need more and don't have it its either stop to use the qr and drop the post a litlle more or simply not having enough room to move.
  • 1 0
 A related question. The Giant OEM seat post on my bike has way too much travel and there is no way change it. I am tempted to put a cable tie on the post to limit the travel. Is this going to cause any damage or problems?
  • 2 0
 What? Are you serious? Or have I been sucked in by PB sarcasm?
  • 2 1
 @kiwikonadude: No Serious. When I push the button to drop the seat, it goes down too far. Then its up, down, up, down until I get it where I want it. So if I could just stop it at the down position where I want it to stop - I would be happy.
  • 1 0
 @StackingItSince1991: Can you not just move the post up until the bottom is where you want it? every post is going to stop at (around) the same height on the bottom
  • 1 0
 @src248: The problem then is if I am standing and push the button the seat ends up too high.
  • 1 0
 Maybe you can use this
ebay.to/2hGMDCL
  • 1 0
 I never tried one and my budget is small, so I ordered KS eTen Remote with 100 mm and will see for myself on the trail. I think, I´ll be very happy with the comfort added.
  • 4 1
 Just get off and put your seat down, it's not fucking hard
  • 2 0
 I'm with you, on my last 30mile ride In the Peak District i needed to change my seat height for just 2 descents took up all of 60 seconds and that's without a QR seat post. Can't see why I need to shell out £300+ to save 30mins over a full year that's £10 a minute!!
  • 1 0
 @pimpedupmonkey: too f*ckin right, I put my seat up and down more than that but still, I'm not exactly in a rush to go down straight away after spending 10 minutes pedalling up a hill! Plus I've usually got to wait for a mate or two, have a drink, take a piss or chat shit for 5 minutes... No idea why adding putting your seat down is such a problem on top of that...
  • 3 1
 Why not custom? Or the highest as it needs to be and lowest the wheel/frame/suspension will allow?
  • 5 3
 I run a 150mm because the bike design trends made me. But as far as bike handling, I think 125 or even 100 is enough.
  • 5 4
 So many post come in 125mm and 150mm but I think I might like something a little different. A "tweener" size, if you will. Is 136.75mm too much to ask for?
  • 3 1
 A dropper post is like sex once you've experienced it your done there aint no going back you whant more...
  • 7 1
 Unless it's forced butt sex.
  • 11 0
 @kubaner: you mean riding an older command post?
  • 1 2
 Sort of a related issue but do you guys find the seat angle to be not optimal when you go up/down? It's like i point it down to go up and it feels good, but when going down it feels like crap!

We need a remote seat angle adjuster / thumb switch haha
  • 2 0
 I've thought about it a few times, like "There needs to be a mechanism that changes the seat angle when you drop the post."
Imagine the amount of shit to go wrong though!
  • 1 1
 your seat angle shouldn't need to change. Level +/- 1-2 degrees should fine for just about everyone in every situation.
  • 1 0
 @j12j: Don't spoil our fun.
  • 3 0
 I just want one that works for more than a few years
  • 1 0
 I have short legs and typically ride a large. Depending on the frame and dropper, a 150mm post will just barely fit. So it depends.
  • 1 0
 6'2" and my 150 is slightly too short. Have the top set at my max climbing height but the lowest is slightly higher than I'd like it for DH
  • 2 1
 Isn't it depends on riders height, I'm really short so anything longer than 100 mils will bring me so high that a can't feel the pedals Big Grin
  • 1 0
 I've ridden bikes with dropper posts but never felt they were worth the money. I save $400 and hours of maintenance by getting my lazy arse off the bike and working my QR.
  • 1 1
 I think 150mm is good for me at 6ft, when I had 125mm it was not enough, but 150mm I don't think about it, and like waki said too low doesn't help. More would be fine but not needed for me and I do ride steeps.
  • 2 0
 Where's the option for "I've never used one as even the cheapest model costs more then any bike I've ever owned"??
  • 5 3
 Pick your favorite dropper post travel and be a dick about it!
  • 2 0
 Guess I must not get rad enough, but im 6'3 and 125mm is enough for me..
  • 1 0
 Partial hijack: anyone had any luck w 3rd party replacement for Reverb Remote?
  • 4 1
 low as possible
  • 7 5
 Waste of time, money. Just harden up.
  • 2 1
 94% of nearly 12,000 people disagree with you
  • 1 1
 @Vastusaurus: yeah, its amazing what snake oil salesmen can sell people. Droppers, 29rs all the good stuff that everybody was asking for( when told they needed it )
  • 1 0
 I love my 125mm Transfer but feel like I only ever use 50-70% travel. Having a seat to use as leverage is vital for me.
  • 1 0
 Ive been riding 150s but I still adjust 20mm going from road climbs to full dh. I would live a 170 post!
  • 3 0
 None, because big bikes.
  • 3 0
 ALL OF IT
  • 2 0
 Depends if we want to use the dropper post with or without a saddle...
  • 1 0
 Even better
  • 2 0
 One that tilts the saddle as it drops.
  • 2 0
 Or you could just learn how to ride.maybe.
  • 1 0
 Ha, well said
  • 1 0
 5" is perfectly adequate for some people, tho some prefer 8" doesn't make ether wrong
  • 1 0
 It's not really how much drop you want - it's how much do you want it coming up your ass!
  • 1 1
 Mountain biking is getting waayyy to technical and "pick a size and be a dick about it" cliché. Just f*cking ride you're bicycle!
  • 1 0
 I only need the lenght from paddling position to full in. It depends on frame and legs lenght...
  • 1 0
 None! I'm like the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie of mountain biking. Set it and forget it bitches.
  • 1 0
 Like the idea, too much of a tramp to buy one though..
  • 1 0
 Stop being a tramp and buck up! It's only cash flow yo!
  • 1 0
 I just throw my bike in the bushes and walk down the hill.................
  • 1 0
 i must be consider old school now i only run a 100mm
  • 3 1
 1200mm
  • 6 1
 So last year. 1220mm is future
  • 4 1
 @bman33: Might as well go 1219 and make it a true 4'
  • 1 0
 @rubbertoe: Dammit rubbertoe.....F'ing genius! You and me together can make millions!
  • 1 1
 I'm super tall so I'm all for 200m or longer droppers with all these super short seat tubes nowadays.
  • 2 1
 160 would likely be perfect
  • 2 1
 4" max and I have short legs
  • 1 0
 I think you could fit a 225 on my Process 134
  • 1 0
 that makes a nice bell curve, more or less like the bell curve for height
  • 1 0
 The new fox post looks like a winner and it is not so $$$$
  • 1 0
 I want a dropper that moves down and back not down and forward ?
  • 1 0
 Justin................................
  • 1 0
 Until I can drop lower than my bottom bracket, nothing is good enough...
  • 2 2
 If your post aint all the way down you's a clown.
  • 1 0
 So if it always down why have a dropper?
  • 1 0
 160 mm
  • 3 3
 Size isn't everything (or do I've been told).
  • 7 1
 lies
  • 14 1
 Sure you're not just telling yourself that to feel better? Do you have a lifted truck?
  • 2 0
 Lot of people here seem to like 6-8 inches round the butt ( and droppers )
  • 1 0
 You deserve more upvotes for that!
  • 1 1
 How low You go should be based on how steep (terrain)You ride .
  • 1 1
 my 170 reverb is on the mail. hope it fits!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 hope it works,past warranty.
  • 1 0
 saddle or no saddle
  • 2 0
 @muddysocks
@Funkylicious
@redman733
  • 1 0
 That's what she said
  • 1 2
 Dont really care, wish i had the option to choose!
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