Brand X dropper decent enough or spend extra?

I’ve got a Fox and a Brand X - very much doubt I’d tell them apart in a blind test

Perfectly fine. Bit of wobble at top, but most posts do

Love my 200mm Brand X dropper. It goes up, it goes down, never had a problem with it and I’m more that happy with the lever that came with it.

I’d only spend more if I needed the reduced stack height of a One Up seatpost to be able to fit 200mm travel.

The ony reason I can think to spend mpre is the control wire in mine froze. It happened to a mate as well. Bt whether that is work hundreds extra i'm not sure

I had a Reverb , bought another bike which came with a BrandX. I replaced the Reverb with a BrandX and now have two bikes with BrandX
They're absolutely fine

I’ve got a Fox and a Brand X – very much doubt I’d tell them apart in a blind test

Same here

Excellent. Don’t need the smaller insert length and only want 150 so will get one ordered.

The One Up Components and Brand-X droppers both feel rough and have a heavier lever feel compared to the BikeYoke Revive that I used to own.
Now that the likes of One Up and Brand-X sell droppers that are reliable and cheap I wouldn’t pay the extra for the BikeYoke, even though it was lovely to use. I only bought the BikeYoke because I was tired of Reverbs failing.

Recommend brand x also. Ps I’ve a used once then taken off an Orbea rise dropper. Orbeas own brand. 31.6 and 150 drop. £45 plus post.

I've had one for 2 or 3 years, almost totally unmaintained and it's still going

I'll never bother buying anything more expensive

Brand X are excellent. Not much to go wrong, easy to service etc.

Brand-X are the best dropper you'll find for under £140. People often get put off cheaper products and assume they're inferior. Brand-X are manufactured by Trans-X who make the vast majority of all cable operated droppers.
And I'll let you into a secret, The Brand-X Ascend droppers are identical to the Raceface Aeffect dropper which retails at £240!

Quite surprised at the prices of so many droppers, when the Brand x just does what a dropper needs to do.

Can you squeeze in a 170mm post? Because you can get the Trans X +rad post for £60ish (was £50 a few weeks ago).
Identical to the Brand X but also has travel adjust from 170-200mm.
Proper bargain!

As everyone else has said, Brand x is the sensible choice even if you're not looking for the absolute cheapest dropper available. OneUp are worthy of a mention for the low stack height and length of drop available and the Bikeyoke revive feels much smoother than any other dropper I've used but it's not really worth buying unless it's a case of money no object.

I’ve had a BrandX post for years now. I think I’ve replaced the cable and home-serviced it once in that time. It’s due for a new bushing/key kit when I get around to fitting it but otherwise a great bit of kit.
I also have a Reverb which is utter shite - pointless to spend that much when the BrandX is so good.

I use the PNW loam, it's a little more but the travel can be reduced in 5mm increments up to 25mm and without tools!

It means you can have as much up down as possible as you don't need static seat post sticking out the frame.

I use the PNW loam, it’s a little more but the travel can be reduced in 5mm increments up to 25mm and without tools!

The Trans X post does that too 😉 in fact I'm pretty sure that Trans X make the PNW dropper!

Yes the Loam is a TransX adjustable at £55 but more expensive. Or a Brand X.

All the exact same posts coming from the same factory at different price points.

I've been on a Brand X 170mm dropper for a while now. Did get snow to return but an absolute doddle to strip and lube. Coming for a couple of (almost) fault free Reverbs I'd struggle to tell them apart. Except the Brand X don't shit themselves when you lift accidentally the bike by the saddle.

shit themselves when you lift accidentally the bike by the saddle.

Really??? Jesus, I knew they were bad but that's ridiculous.

I would say the Brand X dropped is where STW has reached a consensus. It is a unique position and thus I propose it goes into some sort of ‘book of accepted facts’ or registration of accepted knowledge, that all new visitors to the site are asked (forced?) to read.
The STW book of truth and wisdom.
Is that too grandiose? (I find the word grandiose too grandiose).

I would say the Brand X dropped is where STW has reached a consensus.

To me it's like Deore brakes. They aren't the outright best, but they're good enough for most people and you'll pay a lot more to get a small improvement.

I have a brand X on two of our bikes and a Reverb on mine. The reverb is getting replaced with a brand X soon; the reverb is by far the newest and by far the worst.

Brand x works fine for me.

The brand X will work better and be more durable than the more expensive Bontrager post that you are replacing. I have both.

I have Brand X and Reverb and also prefer the Brand X and find it more reliable despite lots of winter abuse.

Hey Brand-xers - my post has an air valve under the saddle… my son’s was a bit slow to return so I took the saddle off and there’s just a 10mm nut in there… how do I speed that one up then? Thanks!

like this I guess 😬

Ordered Brand X. By what I am reading the post is sealed so can’t adjust air pressure?

Depends which post it is. I thought mine were all the same, but my son's has no air adjustment, mine do (x2)
Ascend XL has air valve at the top maybe?

Might be able to fit in a 170. Interesting that some seem to have air valves and some not.

Newer vs old models maybe?

If I have the £ I'd pay the extra for One Up- lower stack, travel adjustable, air valve, better remote. I have a 3 year old one that still works fine, as against 2 Brand X that have lost air and a X Fusion Manic that shat oil everywhere.

I own both the Brand X and One Up

One Up 170mm v1 with the One Up remote - just under 3.5 years old - no issues in that time & it hasn't been serviced. Needs a top up of air via a shock pump about every 6-9 months, which is pretty straightforward

Brand X 170mm with the Brand X remote - bought April this year - bought as a "used" one from Wiggles ebay store (it had seen no use) - no issues in that time & it hasn't been serviced.

If I was buying again tomorrow it would be another one of those.

I also have a brand x on one bike and a v2 one up on the other. Both absolutely fine. The stock remote on the brand x is pretty crap but it’s useable, I swapped mine out for a pnw loam lever after a few months though. I only went for a one up on my other bike for the lower stack as it has a kink in the seat tube and I wanted the 210mm of adjustment.

Another voice in support of the Brand X. As mentioned, the lever is the weak link. The key is not to over-tighten the tiny grub screw that holds in the cable. It is made of cheese and easily rounds.

However, when set up it all works flawlessly. An unreserved recommendation; no need to pay more.

I have upgraded the Brand X remote with a Shimano MT500 at £22. Sold it for £15 net on ebay so a massive upgrade for £7.

@jayx2a

"Interesting that some seem to have air valves and some not.

Newer vs old models maybe?"

No they do 20 or so different models at different price points with different features.

http://www.tranzx.com/index.html#link_BIKE_COMPONENTS

@jayx2a "Interesting that some seem to have air valves and some not"

The models from 2020 to present do not have adjustable pressure regardless of cable routing or travel. They all have sealed non-adjustable cartridges. When the cartridges fail then can be replaced for £25-30
The speed at which they return is more than adequate.
When a post begins to return slowly it's always due to poor cable adjustment and/or dirt and moisture in the telescope rather than an issue with the cartridge.
Hope this helps 🙂

I’ve had a Brand X on for ages with no issues. It replaced a considerably more expensive X-Fusion job that shat itself after 3 weeks use, was replaced under warranty, shat itself again after a couple of months and was promptly thrown in a pond