Dropper posts: yes, you should use one, here's why, and what to ride in.
Robbe Smith
September 04, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
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In today’s send I’m going to talk about dropper posts, and why you should have one. I will also cover what gear I like to ride in all year round.
I'll also be sharing
Dropper seatposts, yes they are all that
In my not so humble opinion on this matter, dropper posts are the biggest innovation in mountain bikes in the last 15 years. There have been some other great ones, but I don’t think anything else was impactful as the dropper post.
Dropper posts are seatposts that will drop down and raise back up with the push of a bar mounted lever. The post has two main parts. The body that clamps into your frame, and the telescoping inner tube that will disappear into the body of the post. You hit the lever, put your weight on the saddle, and it lowers. With your weight off the saddle, hit the lever again, and it will go back to it’s original position. Most posts are infinitely adjustable, and the amount it will drop can range from 100mm to 220mm. The posts are by the diameter of the post, and the length of drop.
Back in the covered wagon days of mountain biking(in the 1990’s when I started riding), seatposts weren’t much of a thought assuming it was the right size and length. Most people put more thought into whether to use a quick release or bolt-on seatpost collar.
That all changed for me in 2010 when I got my first dropper post. It was from a now dead brand Gravity Dropper. It was a game changer for me. It allowed me to get my center of gravity lower when descending hills or riding something steep without having to get my butt behind my saddle. Sliding your butt behind the saddle and post worked OK at best. Your body position would be off, and sometimes I would catch myself on the saddle when trying to come back up. It would also put your butt over the back wheel which can lead to some unpleasant interactions between you and the back tire.
Back in the early days they were a pain in the side to deal with, but I dealt with the issues because I saw the benefits. Droppers have changed a little since then. They are now mostly internally routed, and air sprung. They still can be a pain, but I won’t ride a mountain bike without one. Some companies still haven’t figured out how to make one that doesn’t suck(Reverb, I’m looking in your direction), and others that are simple, effective and easily serviced by the home mechanic with basic tools.
When the saddle is down you can get your center of gravity lower while keeping the majority of your weight over the center of the bike as opposed to the back wheel. This helps keep the wheels planted to the ground. It also allows you to lean the bike under you without altering your position. All of these factors lead you to having more control of the bike which leads to more confidence. When it comes time to pedal up the next hill, and saddle is at the correct height for the most pedaling efficacy. You get the best of both in confidence in descending, and pedaling efficacy on flats and up hill.
Bike I’m Eyeing: Btchn Geo Shift
Here’s why…..this bike is interesting to say the least. It’s a hardtail with geometry that can be adjusted on the fly. Adjustable geometry has been around for a long time on full suspension bikes. Most, if not all, of those designs require tools to adjust, and it’s not something you would do trail side. Check out the Pinkbike write up on it.
Apogee One
What I wear when I ride all year.
What I wear when I’m riding depends on what type of riding I am doing. If I am riding downhill, i.e. I’m not pedaling a lot, I wear something different than I do when I’m trail riding.
When I am riding downhill, I wear pants or shorts depending on temps and somewhat where I am riding. If I am more likely to get torn up if I go down, I’ll wear pants. I love the Endura Single Track Cycling Pants II. They fit great, and they have three pockets that actually hold stuff. I even occasionally will wear these in the winter for really cold rides. For shorts I usually ride Patagonia Dirt Craft Shorts. They are really expensive, but so far they are worth it. I have also been digging the Specialized Trail Shorts recently. They are also on crazy discount right now too. I will pair these with a basic t-shirt, or flannel or hoodie if the weather is colder.
When riding downhill or on rocky trails I will wear POC VPD 2.0 Knee pads. I went through a lot of knee pads before I found these. Simply put, they are amazing. They stay in place, and the protect you very well. They are also very comfortable to pedal all day in. I have have mine going on 5 years which means they have been worn hundreds of times. They are finally about due for replacement. On the rare occasion that I wear elbow pads, it’s the 100% Teratec pads. They are light, comfortable, and they stay in place. For a full face helmet I have been using the 100% Aircraft 2. It’s carbon fiber, so it’s light and tough. My one complaint is that the visor breaks off easily. They are replaceable. I use the 100% Strata 2 goggles. They look good, and they aren’t very expensive. The final bit of protection I use when riding downhill is the Leatt GPX 5.5 neck brace. Simply put, it can prevent me from breaking my neck. When it comes to things like this and helmets, I will spend more if it means better protection.
When I am riding trail, it’s a different setup. I alway start with a quality pair of bibs like the Sugoi RS Pro bibs. I prefer bibs over standard chamois shorts because they stay in place. When you are hot and sweaty the standard short can move around causing chaffing, and waistband can bunch up. I discovered these when I was training for a 100 mile mountain bike race. I have been wearing them ever since. In the winter I will wear a long thermal pair on cold rides. I will always put baggie shorts over these. All the ones I mentioned above are in the rotation. I usually wear a Primal ¾ zip jersey. They breath really well, and you can unzip a bit when it’s hot. If I’m not wearing a zip up jersey I will usually wear a Fox Ranger jersey. These are not as versatile as a ¾ zip jersey, but they do fit and feel much more like a t-shirt if that’s important to you.
For cold weather rides I will wear bibs, and base layer, and windbreaker like the Specialized SL Pro. It knocks down the wind and cold just enough to be comfortable without over heating. I used to use a thicker and warmer jacket for winter riding, but I always ended up sweaty and cold by the end of the ride. I have a similar vest for those shoulder season rides where it’s chilly but not cold. A good rule for any cold weather riding is that if you are warm in the parking lot before the ride you will be way too hot during the ride.
For either type of riding I do I will use the 510 Kestral BOA shoe for warm weather. They are comfortable, and I love the adjustability of the BOA closure. They have been really durable too. I can get two years out of a pair. Most other shoes I have used will last six months to a year. For cold weather rides I use a Shimano SH-MW702 waterproof cycling boot. I hate cold wet feet in the winter, and these shoe help me avoid that issue. I use these shoes because I ride clipped in. There are flat pedal versions of both of these too.
When it comes to gloves I will wear the same ones for either type of riding. I really like the Hand Up Most Days Full Finger gloves. They fit great, and feel great on the grips. They also last forever. I can get a year or more out of a single pair. That said, I usually have a few pairs I rotate through because I can never decide which pattern I like more. They always have so many awesome ones. They also have a Summer Light Weight option too that’s great. For the colder days I really like the Hand Up Colder weather gloves. When it’s really cold I will layer them with a Smartwool Liner. It’s nice to layer, so I can drop the liner if my hands get too warm.
The most important thing to remember is that you need to figure out what works for you. Just because something works for me, it might not work for you. My hands and feet get cold easily during the winter, so I tend to go for something a little warmer than some others. The climate where you live will also play a factor. I dressed warmer when I lived in New England where the average temps are about 10-15 degrees colder then where I live now. It will take some trial and error, but being able to ride comfortably year round is really nice.
What I’m reading this week
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Downhill rated convertible helmet.  | A great little burst of energy  | I have used these to clear deadfall on the trail  |