Why you should have a Dropper Seatpost


Dropper Attack1

Sack Tap
Three (lame) excuses why you don’t have a Dropper Seatpost:

1. “It’s too heavy” This is my favourite; the average dropper post weighs around 500 to 600 grams, and a lightweight seatpost weighs around 200grams. What? Your little chicken legs can’t push an extra 300 to 400 grams up the hill?

2. “My bike doesn’t come with one” Simple; sell your bike and buy a new bike. Most new All Mountain bikes come with dropper post, so buy a new bike.

3. “I don’t need one, I can just put my seat up and down with my quick release” These people are classic, they are usually the same dickheads that don’t bring water, or even have a spare tube when they go riding. If you ride with this type of person the only way you can get through to them is to not stop riding. Up, down, flat, don’t stop for them. They’ll get the idea eventually.

Three (good) reasons why you should get a Dropper Seatpost:

So picture this, you are riding a new track with your mate. He has ridden it once before, and he tells you he doesn’t really remember it because it’s a long track and they rode it a while back. The track is undulating and you can see he is using his dropper post a lot, he is putting his seat up and down all the time depending on the terrain. After a longish up, you see a down and you ask very annoyingly“Should I put my seat down now?”

Reason No. 1 why you should get a Dropper Seatpost.

Your friend doesn’t like you. It is not up to them to think about your ride for you, it’s going to be a long ride and you asking if you should put your seat up and down is going to get old. So you both continue to ride for a while longer; it’s a fun track that is still undulating. Your friend hasn’t used as much energy as you because they have been able to keep the flow and drop their seat on the downhills and then up on those fast flat sections after (also put it down again just because they wanted to do a sweet manual and a wall ride), and then carry more momentum through to the uphills.

Meanwhile you have been getting off your bike and manually putting your seat down for the downs, then leaving your seat down, so you can stand and grind across the flat sections, then sometimes on the uphills if they don’t look too long. But then there is a long steep climb ahead. Your friend doesn’t speed off, you just drop off… many minutes later you finally make it to the top.

Reason No. 2 why you should get a Dropper Seatpost.

Your friend is starting to hate you, not only do they have to think for you, they now have to wait for your tired arse. Then, as you swing your leg off your bike and start to drop your post you start saying “See, you don’t really need one of those dropper seatposts, I have a perfectly good quick release.”

Reason No. 3 why you should get a Dropper Seatpost.

Your friend wants to murder you. They have been thinking for you, waiting for you and now you have the gall to say you don’t need one! The scary part is, they are going to murder you! And they have worked out how they are going to do it. They are going to say in a casual manner “Don’t worry about dropping your seat just yet, it’s only a short down, and you’ll just have to put it straight back up just around the corner.”

But they are lying, you should put it down because that corner they are talking about is really steep, sharp, rocky, rooty and as you go around it, your seat will hit you in the bum and flick you over the handlebars off a large cliff. And just in case you think you’re a better rider than that, they would have ridden it first and be hidden around the corner with a stick in their hand, ready to put it in your front wheel. Then, at your funeral they will be distraught over the loss of their best mate. They are starting to think that killing you may have been a little over the top. Your partner will also be at your funeral and be distraught over your death. Over the following six months they will console each other and help each other through this tough time, until one day they will not only be dating, but will be living in the same house, the house that you used to own.

Shit, that all got out of control fast! If I were you and didn’t have a dropper seatpost, I would be keeping my mate well away from my partner and talking them down any chance I get. Or, do yourself a favour and buy a dropper post; it could save your life.

0 Responses

  3. And too derail the discussion further lets talk about ” Show Rooming ”
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9140819/Retailers-compete-with-internet

    Now I can’t comment about the store mentioned but at least here in Christchurch to actually find an actual store person who has the knowledge and is actually committed to actually helping you is rare. So why wouldn’t I buy my dropper post off the internet if my in-store experience is so bad?

  4. And too derail the discussion further lets talk about ” Show Rooming ”
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9140819/Retailers-compete-with-internet

    Now I can’t comment about the store mentioned but at least here in Christchurch to actually find an actual store person who has the knowledge and is actually committed to actually helping you is rare. So why wouldn’t I buy my dropper post off the internet if my in-store experience is so bad?

  7. After 15 years of riding everything i can get under my wheels, on a 5″ travel hard tail I refuse to adjaust my seat height and don’t need to. Learn to ride and leave your poxy techno gimmicks in the bike store. Loser weeny people

  8. After 15 years of riding everything i can get under my wheels, on a 5″ travel hard tail I refuse to adjaust my seat height and don’t need to. Learn to ride and leave your poxy techno gimmicks in the bike store. Loser weeny people

  9. I thought mountainbiking was about getting out there and having a blast? I have a dropper post, wouldn’t be without one but if I didn’t…”but a new bike”? I say enjoy what ya have! With attitudes like this maybe Spoke should start reviewing road bikes

  10. I thought mountainbiking was about getting out there and having a blast? I have a dropper post, wouldn’t be without one but if I didn’t…”but a new bike”? I say enjoy what ya have! With attitudes like this maybe Spoke should start reviewing road bikes

  11. Yeah, I’ve got one, a Rockshox Reverb, $450ish brand new. It’s great!Then after 18 months it needed a rebuild…$320 in parts and labour…
    So I bought a quick release and now the Reverb lies in repose, like the precious jewel that it is, in the top drawer of my Fancy Bits (Retired) chest in the garage.
    I got rid of the loser friend, too, it’s far better to ride alone than put up with people like that.

  12. Yeah, I’ve got one, a Rockshox Reverb, $450ish brand new. It’s great!Then after 18 months it needed a rebuild…$320 in parts and labour…
    So I bought a quick release and now the Reverb lies in repose, like the precious jewel that it is, in the top drawer of my Fancy Bits (Retired) chest in the garage.
    I got rid of the loser friend, too, it’s far better to ride alone than put up with people like that.

  13. i have killed 3 of my mates and are still sleeping with 2 girlfriends and the other does my housework. i now have a holiday house in Petone. I love funny stories that are so true. Almost as much as i love 650b, XX1 and other cool things that totally wind non-humourous people up.

  14. i have killed 3 of my mates and are still sleeping with 2 girlfriends and the other does my housework. i now have a holiday house in Petone. I love funny stories that are so true. Almost as much as i love 650b, XX1 and other cool things that totally wind non-humourous people up.

  15. There is photographic evidence of Richie manually using his quick release to adjust his seat height while riding (maybe even while doing a jump?) during the brake burner at coronet peak a few years ago. So it is not essential to get off your bike and annoy your friends. On the other hand even Richie has been riding with a dropper seat for years. They are too good!

  16. There is photographic evidence of Richie manually using his quick release to adjust his seat height while riding (maybe even while doing a jump?) during the brake burner at coronet peak a few years ago. So it is not essential to get off your bike and annoy your friends. On the other hand even Richie has been riding with a dropper seat for years. They are too good!

    1. Lifes better with lots of things, especially Bourbon, but you don’t need them (all the time). You can have lots of fun with out a Dropper Post and just use a QR. But I think you got that. Glad you liked the Story.Cheers

    1. Lifes better with lots of things, especially Bourbon, but you don’t need them (all the time). You can have lots of fun with out a Dropper Post and just use a QR. But I think you got that. Glad you liked the Story.Cheers

  21. Seriously? I just got a dropper post, and I KNOW I’m going to love it, however I started riding in the 90’s when we rode hardtails, and we’re STOKED to have 2&1/2 inches of travel in our RockShox, and nobody, I mean NOBODY dropped there seat down to descend. If it was technical, we just got way back behind our seat post. I got out of mountain biking for a few years after having a baby, and this whole, “Stop and drop” before a steep techie downhill thing was a new one on me when I first started riding again! Learn to ride your bike without a lot of technology FIRST.
    That said, I LOVE MY NEW DROPPER POST.

  22. Seriously? I just got a dropper post, and I KNOW I’m going to love it, however I started riding in the 90’s when we rode hardtails, and we’re STOKED to have 2&1/2 inches of travel in our RockShox, and nobody, I mean NOBODY dropped there seat down to descend. If it was technical, we just got way back behind our seat post. I got out of mountain biking for a few years after having a baby, and this whole, “Stop and drop” before a steep techie downhill thing was a new one on me when I first started riding again! Learn to ride your bike without a lot of technology FIRST.
    That said, I LOVE MY NEW DROPPER POST.

  23. I see your trying to prove a point but your argument dosent take into account the cost. Is it really worth around £200 to get a dropper seat post because your too lazy to get off and use the quick release? I could understand if you ride competitive enduro and time is an issue but for the average recreational rider, money is probably the deciding factor.

  24. I see your trying to prove a point but your argument dosent take into account the cost. Is it really worth around £200 to get a dropper seat post because your too lazy to get off and use the quick release? I could understand if you ride competitive enduro and time is an issue but for the average recreational rider, money is probably the deciding factor.

  31. This article is amazingly idiotic. First of all, a dropper post is a mostly un-needed add-on. You will get along great without it. It’s nothing more than a little luxury. If something is a fairly useless luxury, your reasons for not wanting it are not “excuses”. If you don’t have brakes on your bike or tires with no treads, then you have to make excuses as to why those are missing. A dropper post is an 100% non-essential component. It’s not even a terribly helpful non-essential component. It won’t make you a better rider, and does very little to make the ride itself any more enjoyable.
    There are many perfectly good reasons to not buy a dropper post. Any decent dropper post is at least $300 plus installation if you have a bike shop put it on for you. I’d say that’s usually not worth the money, even for an avid 6-days-a-week rider. I’ve ridden with and without them. It makes very little difference.

    The other drawback is the weight. You spend $300-500 and add almost 1 pound to your bike. You’re definitely going to feel that on the uphills. I know a lot of people that spend several hundred to a thousand dollars to shave off a pound. Not too many want to spend $300+ to add a pound.

    I laughed at the suggestion that you should buy a new bike just to get a dropper post. That was supposed to be a joke, right? Spend $4,000 for a heavier bike just because it has a dropper post. That’s supposed to be funny, right?

    And then you decide to insult people who don’t have a dropper post. That’s real classy for an online magazine. In fact, you insult them many, many times. Not having a dropper post is like not having water or a spare tire? Again, is this whole article supposed to be a joke? Water keeps your body functioning and a tire keeps your bike rolling. A dropper post adds extra weight to the bike and takes $300 from your wallet.

    1. The whole article IS supposed to be a joke, and we are not an online magazine. We are a real magazine… thanks for your input, we may take it on board.

  32. This article is amazingly idiotic. First of all, a dropper post is a mostly un-needed add-on. You will get along great without it. It’s nothing more than a little luxury. If something is a fairly useless luxury, your reasons for not wanting it are not “excuses”. If you don’t have brakes on your bike or tires with no treads, then you have to make excuses as to why those are missing. A dropper post is an 100% non-essential component. It’s not even a terribly helpful non-essential component. It won’t make you a better rider, and does very little to make the ride itself any more enjoyable.
    There are many perfectly good reasons to not buy a dropper post. Any decent dropper post is at least $300 plus installation if you have a bike shop put it on for you. I’d say that’s usually not worth the money, even for an avid 6-days-a-week rider. I’ve ridden with and without them. It makes very little difference.

    The other drawback is the weight. You spend $300-500 and add almost 1 pound to your bike. You’re definitely going to feel that on the uphills. I know a lot of people that spend several hundred to a thousand dollars to shave off a pound. Not too many want to spend $300+ to add a pound.

    I laughed at the suggestion that you should buy a new bike just to get a dropper post. That was supposed to be a joke, right? Spend $4,000 for a heavier bike just because it has a dropper post. That’s supposed to be funny, right?

    And then you decide to insult people who don’t have a dropper post. That’s real classy for an online magazine. In fact, you insult them many, many times. Not having a dropper post is like not having water or a spare tire? Again, is this whole article supposed to be a joke? Water keeps your body functioning and a tire keeps your bike rolling. A dropper post adds extra weight to the bike and takes $300 from your wallet.

    1. The whole article IS supposed to be a joke, and we are not an online magazine. We are a real magazine… thanks for your input, we may take it on board.

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