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I've decided to give up on my Thomson Covert. It's about to go back for the fourth time in less than two year. At around £90 a service every six months which it will be once it's out of warranty, it doesn't make any sense to keep it. I could just buy a new one every two years.
So, having come to realise that there is no such thing as a reliable dropper, I might as well get a serviceable one.
I'm now looking at the stealth reverb with the 1x lever for £240. I already have the tools and experience to fix one. Downside is that some spares, like the top cap sub assembly can be expensive.
The other option is the bike yoke revive, about £390. It costs more, but looks more straightforward to repair and small parts should be reasonably cheap.
Which would you go for?
Internally router Spesh command post is easy to look after with very few tools
Maybe not serviceable.. But has anyone had a transfer fail on them yet?
Not many threads on Internet about them breaking.
I have 2..although not used either much.
Isn't the Stealth still cheap at CRC?
I have a KS i900 which must be 6 years old, in that time it's failed once and been serviced twice, I haven't touched for three years and it still works. I'm frightened servicing it will break it!
I'm sticking with my Reverbs,I feel like we've been through a lot together over the years-it's been a voyage of seatpost servicing discovery that's for sure.
Someone in here kindly posted some bushing sizes for them so that sure helps as a DIY topcap and lower solid plastic bush only costs around £3 for me to make now. They work well ,although there seems to be some initial stiction/binding that may well be down to me over doing it with lube/oils as these I think are 'dry' self lubing bushings.
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I know there are examples of each post that have been really reliable, but there are just as many examples of them failing.
I'm not interested in reliable, it's now all about serviceability and availability of parts.
The reverb and the revive seem to have the best availability on spares.
The Pro/Shimano dropper isn’t so much serviceable as easy to fix, there’s only 2 parts internally (made or lots of parts themselves of course) and they’re cheap and easy to replace.
[whisper]Gravity Dropper[/whisper]
Otherwise, Reverb. Bit of a pain to service, but parts are easy to get hold of.
I am going for a BikeYoke next time round. That bleed function looks a good idea.
Just noticed that the service kit for the Revive is €20 and includes both bushes, wiper seal and guide pins.
On the one hand, I like that my Revive looks to be inexpensive to service. On the other, it cost almost exactly as much as 2 Reverbs, so it's a bit like agonising how much an oil filter costs on a £30000 car
It's a shame the parts are a little pricey for reverbs as they're actually not bad to service- very obviously designed with it in mind and rockshox have good user videos. The saggy post thing is dead easy to sort frinstance, anyone that can service a fork can do it.
The reverb does look promising now people are finding alternatives to those crappy bushings.
The saggy post thing is dead easy to sort frinstance, anyone that can service a fork can do it.
you don't happen to have a link to a guide or video of this do you?
Just noticed that the service kit for the Revive is €20 and includes both bushes, wiper seal and guide pins.
Do you have a link for this puleez? 😀
gwurk - Memberyou don't happen to have a link to a guide or video of this do you?
Rockshox website has good service videos, I just followed that. It varies a little from model to model but it's all basically the same thing. I have the tools for the current models if you need a borrow (you don't absolutely need the tools, for hte current version, but it makes it miles easier)
Just noticed that the service kit for the Revive is €20 and includes both bushes, wiper seal and guide pins.
Do you have a link for this puleez?
[url= https://www.bikeyoke.de/en/revive-service-kit.html ]bike yoke revive service kit[/url]
So, having come to realise that there is no such thing as a reliable dropper, I might as well get a serviceable one.
Well my Gravitydropper bought in 2005 has been serviced twice in its life. A full service requires a gear cable and some grease. I only changed the cable because I was putting it on a frame which was a bit longer.
Fox Doss bought 4+ years ago. Used constantly. Never serviced. Still like new. Bomb proof.
My Transfer went back as it had developed a click at the base of the post when the lever was actuated. They replaced some parts. It is now doing it again, 3 months later. Doesn’t affect the operation so may just live with it for a bit.
My transfer has been reliable so far. A few crashes have knocked the poste out of the guides and I’ve had to knock it back in. Last time some very black grease appeared
They were meant to be user serviceable = has anyone seen a guide on how to do it or a service kit for sale?
Command Post takes all of half an hour to service, and a full seal and bushing kit is about £20 iirc. Very overlooked in the easy-to-service stakes, but it does only come with a setback head if that's an issue.
Having a read around the reviews on the internet, the E13 post seems to be made with this in mind and have heard the x fusion manic post internal cartridge can be replaced for £25 should it go wrong.
Another vote for Spesh.
Don't even need to remove it from frame to service it.
My Bikeyoke Revive is getting a service with the above kit as soon as the Bikeyoke team get back from Finale Ligure and send it to me.... 😀
Martinhutch, how in need of the service is it and how long has it taken to get that far?
[whisper]Gravity Dropper[/whisper]
I had one of these for a couple of years but managed to strip the allen key hole in the middle whilst servicing it. I'd buy another one if I could find one but none of the usual outlets seem to sell them these days. I got my one from CRC. I guess its direct sales only these days...
I did like my gravity dropper, but it was 100mm. Not sure what the longest is but I'd never take ease of service over the extra length of the revive
My Revive was top of the waiting list at TFTuned when they were pre-released. Its as good as it was on day 1.
However, my mate is having all sorts of issues after TFTuned repaired it. Keeps going back to them after 1 ride. The top of the post where it joins the saddle went loose, sent back. Now the return keeps pausing. He's asking for a replacement instead of a repair this time.
Rockshox website has good service videos
Ah... Cheers. I'll take a swatch at somepoint. maybe while GT7 is on to save *£50 😛
* plus not spoiling it obvz.
My main reason for buying a revive was the stack height. I could fit a 160 drop where previously I had a 125 reverb.
And it’s way more reliable than the reverb ever was.
Martinhutch, how in need of the service is it and how long has it taken to get that far?
Sorry, didn't see this.
7 months, about 2,200 miles in all kinds of Dales slop.
It's slow returning, so basically needs a strip and clean, I'm hoping. Also losing height occasionally despite the revive feature, so we'll see if a service sorts that.
They do suggest that slow return can be a dirty foam ring at the bottom of the post.
I ordered a 160 revive last night direct from bike yoke. No idea why, but TFT works out £25 more expensive.
Sacki is really helpful and quick over email which helps convince me it's the right choice.
He is, unless his emails go straight to your junk folder.... 😳
Bikeyoke were pretty cool for me- I got one nicked in a break-in before I'd even fitted the bastard, I ordered a replacement straight off and emailed them a sob story and said "can you get it to me fast, I'm going to the alps in a week", they were off at eurobike so they pulled one from their show stock and expressed it to me from Germany the same afternoon, no extra charge or anything. pretty nice of them!
gwurk - MemberAh... Cheers. I'll take a swatch at somepoint. maybe while GT7 is on to save *£50
Moray's got to learn how to do it too, you could do it together
I service my GD about every five years
Nothing will beat it for reliability but they arr fugy - as if you can see it whilst riding
e13 appeals to me. However, so does the Brand X Ascend XL for £100ish – if it lasts the 2yr warranty period without drama then happy days. Not much positive or negative comments online I can find.
Specialized Command IRCC on wife’s bike is brilliant – like an updated GD.
9point8 might be within your abilities...
I watched the Reverb service video, I swear that is more effort than any suspension fork I've ever had..
My command post is peasy, service kit is £25, I do it once every 18 months as it starts losing air around then.
Update on this, the Revive service is pretty straightforward, couple of tricky little circlips the only issue. Lovely and smooth now.
However, take care when releasing the air from the post (and putting it in). Make sure the valve is pulled out fully (pushing it down is how the Revive feature operates) before you activate the shraeder valve. Don't overtighten the little adapter/extender or try to reinflate it just after 'reviving'.
If not, it will spit a load of oil out which means the post will not stay fully extended under weight, so you'll have to remove the valve core and add more oil to replace it, which is a total PITA, as my valve core remover didn't fit in the recess with the valve...ended up having to saw bits off it to get it to engage.
Just looked at a full service kit for my Reverb - it's north of £50!! Plus the tools to do it, the oil and probably a fair bit of stress the st attempt and a Brand X dropped for 90 quid looks bloody good value!!
Looks like you can buy an A1 reverb top cap bush from these people
http://airnshox.com/product.php?id=618
At seal head kit with bush
http://airnshox.com/product.php?id=727
Reverb IFP seal from SKF
http://airnshox.com/product.php?id=516
Good to know the spares can be had.
If now fitted the bikeyoke revive. Not ridden in anger yet but it feels lovely. The lever action is incredibly light and the service kit I ordered with it was only €20.