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The title basically sums it up, I like the fact that you can get an iSpec II lever which will mount nicely on my brakes.
Same as the Brand X/Tranz-X ones, and the ones supplied on several new bikes. They're really dependable.
I've noticed the cable goes the other way round on the Brand X one, so are they the same post mechanically?
I've been running mine for a year now.
The short answer is they're good, but not great and there's no point in buying one IMHO.
The longer answer:
I ride year-around, I only have one bike, I live in Wales - if something can be destroyed by grit and grime, I will destroy it. I destroyed my Stealth reverb in less than a year, but the Pro is still like new.
I've compared them side by side and they're identical apart from the top of the head, a plastic cover for the release mech on the bottom of the dropper and I-Spec for the release lever - it's 3 USPs.
I don't about anyone else who has one, but I ditched my cover - it made it almost impossible to make the release cable work well unless you got the routing absolutely spot on - without it, it's fit and forget bar changing the cable once in a blue moon (I'm on my 2nd in 12 months). So that's one of it's three USPs gone.
I bought it largely like the OP because the release is I-Spec but it's probably the worse thing about it - it's flimsy, it's position can't be adjusted to any great amount. it works just fine, but it doesn't have a good feel to it - not even close to say an M6000 Deore shifter.. I'm going to get the Bonty one instead, So that's two of it's USPs gone. I would say however than it's still indefinitely better for me than the Reverb button, that's really appalling.
The final USP is the one-dolt head. It's as good as it's bad, on the plus side it's the easiest head to mount a saddle and adjust I've ever used (I've never tried one of those I-Beam ones) but even if you tighten to insane levels it will still slip and when it does it makes a sound like your bike has sheared in half. I really shocks me, even though I've heard it before - which means you have to readjust it, I simply cannot get it tight enough with a mini tool. So whilst it's easy to do at home, it's a pain on the trail, and unlike almost any other seat post i've used you will have to occationally adjust it - so it's kind of rubbish really - USP 3 gone.
If you buy one - DON'T lose the instructions - the cable is fiddly to replace, you have to insert the end in a tiny hole in a tiny bolt with an even tinier grub screw (I'm getting fitted for glasses next week though) and you have to have a specific amount of inner sticking out of the outter - this information (I think it's 5mm but I could be wrong) is only available on the paper instructions, as of a few months ago the manual you can download from the Pro website doesn't include this vital bit of info - or indeed any info in regards to fitment - fun times. The 'silly' mech does make it very smooth, when it's clean anyway.
No, the real problem is that a) it's costs almost twice as much as the Brand X and the bits that make it different from the Brand X are either worse, or equally bad (the lever) and it only comes in 125mm drop. So why not just buy a Brand X?
Oh, I nearly forgot, when Pro first released it, they made a bit of a fuss about how it was basically maintenance free, in the grand tradition of Shimano you don't really service their stuff, if something breaks you can cheaply buy a replacement part - I believe the dropper only has 4 of these parts - shaft, body, and two internal units. But I've never been able to find any of these parts for sale online, but equally I haven't needed to - it's been bombproof up to now - I don't know if these internal parts are shared with the other droppers that look the same externally - I suspect they are.
It's just a Trans X clone.....that costs more.
And it's 120mm drop only.
Great review P-Jay.
I have no experience myself.
But I’ve never been able to find any of these parts for sale online
I've just had a quick look and you appear to be able to get the following bits...
Seal & bushing set £14.99
Assembly grease £19.99
Shift lever £29.99
Replacement spring cartridge £49.99
All in stock with Madison so dead easy for your local shop to get hold of.
I'd be getting a brand X with wolftooth remote for less money and longer drop.
Or Bonty remote for even less money...
@simondbarnes are they wholesale prices? Do Maddison sell direct to the public?
£30 for the remote! It’s really not worth that.
I’d be getting a brand X with wolftooth remote for less money and longer drop.
Or Bonty remote for even less money…
Can’t argue with that - it’s fundamentally a great dropper, it’s better than the X Fusion and Reverb droppers I’ve had before even considering the big price difference.
Yep, the Brand X with a Bonty lever (if you wish) is about as good as it gets even against droppers that are vastly more expensive.
I've bought 2 now, they are one of the best value upgrades I've ever bought for a bike.
I’ve got a Bontrager 1x remote for my brand x (as I smashed the brand x one off with my knee in a crash). As I was fitting it I had my doubts it would work as the standard brand x one has a return spring in the remote lever but the bonty one doesn’t.
As it happens it seems to work perfectly, I assume the return spring in the standard one doesn’t do a huge amount. The bonty one looks and feels nicer in use and it’s cheaper to buy than the standard remote too. Think it was under £20 from Triton Cycles.
are they wholesale prices?
Retail.
Good review, it's for an XC bike so the 120mm drop is more than enough for me if I'm honest.
As for price, they can be had for £144 from Tredz and cheaper abroad, so not bad value.
I'll consider things, thanks