Do You Need a Dropper Post for Mountain Biking
Do you really need a dropper post?
Despite the extra weight, price, and complexity, dropper posts provide more pedal efficiency, increased safety and makes riding more fun.
Height-adjustable seatposts are commonly called dropper posts or dropper seatposts.
- The dropper-post is a seatpost that is height adjustable and allows the rider to quickly lower or raise the seat while riding.
- These have been around since the 1980s and are currently becoming a standard MTB feature.
dropper post pros
Pedal efficiency - Proper seat height for optimal efficiency/optimal power generation and knee health. Many saddle’s are set too low, which reduces leverage = loss of power and efficiency and puts undue stress on the knee
Drop seat quickly = getting the seat out of the way while riding the MTB
Lower center of gravity - Allows rider to dynamically alter their center of gravity as they navigate varying natural obstacles/terrain and allows for faster stopping
Increased stability - Resulting from dynamic center of gravity
Improved cornering - Riding centered and above the bottom bracket allows for proper weight distribution, which makes cornering easier and faster
More speed on descents - Improved cornering and more stability from dynamic center of gravity allows for increased speeds on fast singletrack descents
Hitting jump/drops - To hit any sizable jump or drop it’s super important to have the seat out of the way. Downhill bikes don’t have dropper posts because the bike seat is always set super low
Raise seat quickly
Instantly able to get weight on the rear tire and power on the pedals in a seated position after having seat down for fast descents and tight cornering
Enhanced confidence while riding technical or steep terrain - Able to ride low and centered over the bike
Improved riding = more fun
Improve flow of ride - If you are presently adjusting your seat height….then it’s time
Dropper post cons
Not cheap - $300 - $600 (depending on brand, model, quality, etc.)
More components to maintain
Depending on where you live and what MTB trails you ride it might be hard to justify the cost if used infrequently
Added weight - Appox 8-14+ extra ounces (250 - 400 grams)
Another lever on your handlebars (usually) - Shifters, brake levers, damping controls, and now a dropper post lever. Cable and lines require maintenance and can potentially get caught on trail obstacles
A wireless dropper post has been developed - However, these are even heavier, more expensive, require batteries, and have increased lag time
Complex installation and maintaining - Installation typically requires:
Running a cable and a cable housing through the bicycle frame
Mounting the lever or switch
Attaching the cable
Adjusting the cable pull
Reliability issues - The technology isn’t perfected yet. Mechanical and reliability issues happen at a greater frequency than any other MTB component (technology is improving though)
Currently, all dropper seatposts are relatively unreliable and prone to failing
Increased maintenance bill, making the $300-$600 dropper post even more expensive
How does a dropper seatpost work?
My MTB with dropper post enjoying a nice river view
A traditional dropper post includes an upper tube and a lower tube.
The upper tube has a smaller diameter, which is small enough to telescopically slide within the larger lower tube. The upper tube moves telescopically with respect to the lower tube
The lower tube is typically fastened in the frame seat tube of the MTB with a post clamp
At the top of the upper tube is a saddle clamp - This saddle clamp attaches the saddle to the upper tube.
When the upper tubes slides within the lower tube the saddle slides with it, which is the defining role of the dropper post.
Most Dropper Posts are either mechanical or hydraulic:
Mechanical - Mechanical lever attaches a gear cable to the dropper post with the cable running through the bike frame
Hydraulic - Uses a hydraulic pressure differential within the post
Why are dropper posts so expensive?
Dropper posts are basically a complex adjustable office chair.
Think of your favorite adjustable-height office chair and now make that lighter, faster, smaller, and made to be used while being jumped, landed, bumped, vibrated and turned all while the rider is bouncing around outdoors in the mud, sun, rain, and snow.
This takes some technical engineering, and that, of course, costs money.
It’s easier to ride down a rock garden with the seat down, like this rider is doing.
should you get a dropper post?
The benefits of a dropper post are more advantageous to riders of technical singletrack, free-ride or any recreational rider wanting to be able to adjust their seat on the fly.
Will you benefit from a height-adjustable seatpost?
Do you alternate between short climbs and short steep descents, while riding single-track?
Do you ride trails with technical features and natural obstacles (such as fallen logs)?
Do you ride trails with tight turns?
Do you jump your MTB or ride significant drops?
Are you constantly adjusting the height of your seat or wish you could?
Are you a recreational MTBer looking for enhanced confidence and fun?
Do you have the extra money to invest in your MTB, and future maintenance costs?
If you answered YES to ANY of these QUESTIONS then chances are, it will be one of your favorite upgrades and MTB features.
However, people have been shredding huge lines for years without dropper posts, and this isn’t some cure-all that many bike shops and riders make it out to be. Many mountain bikers don’t bike challenging enough terrain or frequently enough to justify the upgrade and subsequent mechanical failures.
Final Thought
The dropper post allows the rider to fully raise or lower the saddle while riding on a mountain bike.
Seat raised = optimal pedal efficiency and power while riding on flat terrain
Fully lowered = no seat in the way = great maneuverable from lower center of gravity
Middle position = allows for better pedaling power and traction while on variable singletrack terrain
However, the main drawbacks presently: the cost, reliability, extra maintenance and added weight.
I personally enjoy the dropper post and couldn’t imagine riding technical singletrack without one.
Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile (most of the year). Jesse has a Master of Science - Health and Human Performance and is a fitness & nutrition consultant. Hobbies: MTBer & snowboarder and an avid reader of nonfiction and academic articles.
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