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My new gravel bike has routing for a dropper, and is more on the mtb side of gravel so I’m tempted.
Running grx 1 x gearing so no option for the left brifter. Levers for mtb I’m familiar with but there’s a smaller number of options on drops and they all seem compromised to an extent according to reviews. Any real life experience worth sharing before I just pick one and hope for the best?
I faced this a short while ago and just caved and bought the GRX LA shifter.
The ones that clamp near the shifter don't seem that ergonomic. I think wolftooth do one that fits the end of the bars.
Actually, the GRX620 shifters I took off were 1x12. The left hand lever did feel as though it would pivot apart from a block cast onto the lever. I did wonder if removing this might turn it into a dropper lever.
I looked at various options for my brand x and ended up with the POS brand x one. Works but it’s not ergo but was cheap. The PNW one looks the best of the mechanical ones.
Agree a spare lever dropper one is the best option
Not a Shimano solution, but reverb axs with SRAM Rival 1x12 is quite brilliant
Fox Transfer Drop-bar lever... have this on two of my drop-bar bikes. Spend time getting it in the correct position and it works excellently. Easily operated from hoods or drops.
Grx gives the option of a dropper operated from the left hand shifter at 800 level. Be aware that it needs a nipple in the shifter. With my external dropper that’s a nipple at both ends. Not impossible but something to be aware of.
i use the Fox remote.
On the previous bike it was a pain with a 2x setup. The left hand shifter can hit the remote. It’s way better on the 1x setup.
pros
it’s really easy to use from the drops. Its just the perfect spot like a remote on flat bars. Maybe better
Operation from the drops is good but not quite as intuitive. You need to lift your thumb to it. Not difficult but not quite as easy as from the drops
cons
Its quite hard to tape the clamp
It’s expenive
With my large hands it slightly reduces space on the drops. I’ve only done a few rides with it on this build. It’s the first time I’ve got the bars so i can ride sat in drops comfortably so I’m still getting my head round this. With position tweak the issue might go. I don’t notice the lever stood up descending in the drops
I found this helped
https://theradavist.com/gravel-dropper-post-remote-review-crankbrothers-pro-enve-easton-fox/
I've got the Fox one, and find it pretty decent. I would prefer the left hand shifter option, but I'm on 2x GRX.
. The PNW one looks the best of the mechanical ones.
Funnily enough I was just gonna say that I have one of these for my PNW dropper.
It works well enough as a lever, but I really don't like the position and ergonomics. But I'll tolerate it rather than change my GRX600 1x11 brifters.
I'd much prefer an under saddle lever TBH, which would also allow a quick swap to a normal seatpost.
Just as a footnote, I did find that adding a dropper made my bike a little less comfy - as it's stiffer than the alloy 27.2 post it replaced. I'm used to it now, but thought it was worth flagging up in case that's a priority for you.
My gravel bike came with the GRX 1x left hand lever that's intended to operate the dropper (but no dropper).
I bought a BikeYoke Divine SL and set it up, but it required some bodging as neither end is intended to clamp the cable (both are meant to have the alloy nipple). Had to use a knarp and modify the dropper internals slightly.
Now it's working it's awesome though!
Thanks for all the replies, appreciated