[Closed] do dropper posts work reliably yet?

Yes

And unless you have stealth routing, you'll be wanting a KS Lev for sensible cable anything

Gravity Droppers have always worked reliably

I've had reverbs on last 2 bikes and riding at least twice a week over last 3 years I've never had an issue. My 2 biking mates have run the same and had no issues either

I've had mine (Reverb) for over a year now and it's still going up and down as it should.

My KS has had to be warrantied once

My mates reverb failed out of warranty - was cheaper to buy a new one discounted CRC than service

My gravity dropper is unrefined and fugly but with the occasional regrease and maybe some 10 quid bushings every couple of years I expect it to outlast several bikes

Reverbs are pretty reliable tbh, though obviously some may go faulty or have even been faulty from new but you can have that issue with most parts.

Gravity Dropper's are supposed to be the most reliable due to their simple proven operation.

You could always get one of those Raleigh mechanical dropper posts that came out a while ago for about £100.

Externally routed KS Lev here, faultless. Lots of people rate Reverbs on here, I know a few people with them, slick when they work, but all have failed at some point. One friend has a reverb sat in his garage rather than eBay it since he'd "rather take the hit than burden some other poor bstard with it".....he has more money than me.

I know of no post that hasn't had issues.......

I've see failed gravity droppers, they are not bullet proof.
However the current generation of Lev's and Reverbs do seem to be reliable to an acceptable standard.

Reverb on my bike is proving reliable.

My point was - unless you have stealth - or opt for a clunky, gopping Gravity Dropper.....

....KS Lev seems the only option to do away with a stupid loop of cable/hose when dropped.

lev seems v expensive for something that might leave me half way up a mountain unable to pedal properly

Looks like ill pass at least until I'm feeling very rich or they keep getting better.

Drop the cash and get a DOSS.. only post we've run with zero failures.
Yes we get them as sponsorship product, but we also had sponsored Joplins and oem spec'd Reverbs... but the doss, whilst not infiniteky adjustable like the joplin/reverb, and heavier, simply continues to work.

I'd sat that they're reliable enough for most folks. Just like a suspension fork needs serviced, so will a dropper.

Nothing is 100% reliable; even a regular seatpost can have a bolt break or something.

If you've never ridden a dropper, then you have no idea what you're missing. Just get one! 🙂

Had 3 reverbs (not the first gen ones though), still got 2, all flawless.

I've had a reverb since the first week it come out and only once has it stuck up at the end of a very wet dirty weekend in Wales.

The best bit about a reverb is they make the enduro collar to limit travel however it can be used to pin the post if it does Does fail.

I've broken more rigid seatposts than droppers. Wouldn't want something that might leave me half way up a mountain unable to pedal properly so I'll stick with a dropper. 😈

I'm increasingly of the view any part of the mtb can fail, brakes, suspension, etc, rigid singlespeed fixies wont go wrong much. Yes a dropper requires more maintenance than a rigid post. Suspension requires more than a hardtail. I dint think they will get more reliable, like sus forks havent for a few years now.

However they are expensive, and once youve got one, you wont want to go back. Ive a reverb, 2 years, needs a service now, but im still riding it. Drops about an inch when its weighted, I think its leaking air slightly.

I've got a reverb and it's been faultless. The top bush is starting to show signs of wear, but it's a normal wear mechanism and will last another year or so. My mate has been running a Thompson dropper for about three or four months now with no issues. The benefits of a decent dropper far outweighs their maintenance needs.

The loop of cable is really not an issue. I'd rather not have a stealth as it makes removing the post, either for maintenance or swapping between bikes, a PITA. I don't understand this internally routed cable obsession, all for aesthetics. Personal choice but I'd rather have external cables for ease of maintenance/repairs.

I had several..they all got issues, mostly some play on the saddle mount..
so I personally stay with gravity droppers...
my oldest one is 6 years old...still faultless...
fugly and reliable !

A GD would have to fail pretty catastrophically, not just a leaky o-ring or hose, for it not to get you home at full, pedalling height. Another nice bonus is that almost all parts between sizes and lengths are interchangable, and don't cost much if you get a new frame with different sized seattube, etc.

Thomson have a two year guarantee and a cheap service option

They do have a big loop of cable tho but I have no problems with it. And cables are easily replaced (more so than bleeding a hydraulic line). Seems very solid so far - seals are meant to be good on em so time will tell over the winter

KS Lev Integra here with zero issues for the 6 months I have had it. It has been ridden in all kinds of filthy conditions and appears to be as smooth as it was on day one. It was much improved after the free upgrade to the new cable attachment at the base of the post and the updated 1X10 compatible lever.

Before that I had the gravity dropper which also just kept working in all kinds of conditions but needed a bit more tlc which was cheap and easy to do yourself.

Personally I like the Lev best as it is very well made, feels really nice but is still cable actuated rather than hydraulic. The big winner for the Lev was the 150mm drop and the fantastic cable routing.

My Thomson was dead on arrival, but Merlin sent me a new one and - touch wood - fine so far. Top marks for Merlin cycles, no quible and very quick turnaround.

Reckon it's one of those things that "people that break shit all the time" will add to their list of things that they break; and the rest of us will just get on with riding them and realising that we've just added something else to the maintenance routine

I have narrowed the choice down to the KS Lev and the Thomson
Anyone with any real experiences
Cheerrs

I've had a KS Lev (current dropper) and a Reverb, never had any issues with the Reverb, the Lev has been back for a warranty repair once. Also every so often it gets stuck in the up position.

My Reverb is nearly 18 months old and had been faultless despite being used in some grim conditions. It's just another thng that nosy need TLC like forks, shocks bearings etc. for me the positives outweigh any risk.

Reverbs on both my bikes, oldest is 3 years and has been faultless with zero maintenance. Used 2-3 times a week inc through the wet muddy and gritty welsh winters. Wouldnt be without one now

I had a KS i950 for years - worked faultlessly, just serviced when needed. Still going strong on a mates bike though it has developed a bit of play.

I now have a KS Lev on my hardtail and Reverb Stealth on my Enduro. The Lev failed after a handful or rides, rebuilt it, was ok for a couple of rides before failing again. I'm pretty sure I've found what seal is blowing and have rebuilt the thing again - though I've not bothered putting it back on the bike yet.

The Reverb has been faultless so far and is a much tidier option (if you've internal routing or brave enough to drill the frame).

That being said I did see 2 Reverbs fail at the last round of the UKGE...

I've run most versions over the years, except a doss or a lev. All have failed except 2 gravity droppers. Currently also run a Thomson, seems good, but only been a few months so time will tell!

I'm on my second reverb, the first (an original mark 1) didnt actually fail , but became so worn that it made more sense to just buy a new one on discount from a shop in europe, and bin the old one.

I kept the remote from the old one as a spare.

The first reverb lasted 2.5 years with no servicing, hoping the new one will last a bit longer, but it probably wont.

KS Lev came as standard on my new bike. Got bike on Wed, just about to head on my irst ride, it's taken 3 days to get it to work due to minor incompatability between the actuation method and the cable in routing on my frame. Joy, I've got to run the saddle 1 cm too high or it just won't work.

Onto my second reverb now, only the second because I changed bike and the new bike is internally routed. Both have worked without needing a single service and i ride 2-4 times a week in local mud fest trails and in all weather conditions, no fair weather rider here. The OH has a specialised blacklite V2 which he has to service about once a month, easy enough because he's bought the bits to strip it fully down, and the head is pathetic on it so he needs to use carbon paste to get it to hold without rounding the bolt off. Friend of my runs a KS lev integra on her Lapierre and its pathetic, we spent half a day or more trying to get it to run right and failed in the end telling her to basically roll her thumb in order to get it to hold without it dipping again at the top end. Part of the mechanism was basically stretched so it didnt have the power to hold itself totally up and meant she needs to return it to the shop.

Once a month... LoL and they say men exaggerate...

I have to clean and lube my blacklite post every 4-6 months.
It's the lightest out there and I like the three stage drop.

The internal lev have a crap design. When you pull the lever it compresses the cable outer. Ffs what a crap design the outer is not designed for this purpose. The cable inner is locked into a ring in the underside of the post and compression of the outer cable forces a arm which allows the post to drop. So so bad.

Despite my blacklite needed regular service I'll be getting the v3 version.

Lev for 12 months, working fine. Cable adjust/cutting is precise but when it's done it's been fine. No issues with that at all. Slight play in rotation but checking on bushing/service/warranty (2 years I think). Happy customer with 150mm of drop.

I've got a Thomson and love it. Not had it long enough to comment on reliability but it really is another level build and quality wise to other droppers I've seen/used imo.

LoL and they say men exaggerate...

If people were buying again, what would you get? I'm torn between the reverb and Thomson.

I've had 4, because I'm a magpie.

Gravity Dropper- bought this already well used, used it nonstop for a couple of years, never had a problem with it that couldn't be fixed in 2 minutes with basic tools. It had a few replacement parts- bushings and seals- but trivial really. More reliable, on average, than non-dropper seatposts I've had 😉

KS i900- got this not so long after, it needs a little more TLC than the GD but it's been just as reliable. Original cable was crap though. Still using this, it's ace and continues to be ace.

KS i950- didn't work out of the box, went back on warranty and got fixed (though Superstar blamed me for it- they told me how to fix the problem, I did what they suggested, they said I'd caused the problem while fixing it, and then sent it back the first time still broken). This one's also had a new oil shaft, which funnilly enough just broke again so that was replaced on warranty. But not expensive to service. Not perfect but more than good enough- as reliable as forks.

Reverb Stealth- haven't had this long. Feels better made but the lever's the worst of the lot and it's just overcomplicated. I'll cry actual mantears if I ever have to buy a replacement lever at £1000000 each. Wish I'd bought a Lev tbh but it was pretty cheap.

Lev for about 2 years now. I've given it less attention than my shock and its working perfectly. Think I've lubed it twice, both after a solid week of wet claggy riding when I felt mechanical sympathy for my entire bike. Mrs has a blacklite - its a bit more agricultural in operation and more sensitive to cable layout but works fine once set up.

Fettling both is about as demanding as an air can service or tweaking a cup & cone hub.

LoL and they say men exaggerate...

my dropper post is 12 inches and rock solid.