[Closed] Reverb dropper repair cost worth it?

Buy a cheap brand x or one up. I had mine serviced by sram - took a month - went again a month later.

I now have a one up. Brilliant!!

What spec is it?

That depends on your ability to service it and how much you value your time. Also how long have you had the post before you needed a service.

I think special tools are involved and lots of 'O' rings.

For me I had an issue within 2 years and it was fixed for free. If my post lasted 2 years or more Id probably just buy a new one, they are cheaper online from Europe.

Last time I did get one serviced they actually suggested buying a replacement one online as the service cost and cost of replacement worn out bits was pretty close to a new one.

My Reverb was gubbed a few weeks back and had a similar dilemma.

Full rebuild and fix last time was £80.

BrandX Ascend II was £120 from CRC, minus a £10 BC voucher (topped the purchase up to £150 with other consumables)

Sold the broken post for £20 on ebay for spares & repairs.

So cost of new post was £20 with a warranty. Every dropper I've had has needed warranty support so seems like a bargain!

My take (looking after 3 of them):-

I've never needed a "full" rebuild kit - just the £15 seal kit from ebay. Never needed to replace the keys.

There was a guy on here doing new IFPs for a decent price

I've started making up my own bushings for the top cap, again as per thread on here.

Takes me about an hour and a half a post now. Obviously you have to buy/make all the tools (none of which are especially expensive). The first time was obviously much longer and getting into them initially is quite difficult.

Anything you have to send away for warranty is going to take at least a week, so you're into missing rides territory.

Last time I did get one serviced they actually suggested buying a replacement one online as the service cost and cost of replacement worn out bits was pretty close to a new one.

This is the crux of the issue for me (with any post to be fair) is the cost of service/repair isn't worth it, given the supposed regularity of needing them Vs the cost of replacing.

Using a pain free TF Tuned is going to cost me £90 + postage (so maybe £110 all in) a year. I had a 2 year old Reverb that's now dead (and not cost effective to repair), which I was going to replace with another OneUp post (but none in stock). I found new Reverb 170 with a 1x lever which cost me £141 delivered.

It goes against my mindset of being a throwaway waste creater, but it's not even close to making sense financially. Run it until it dies, then replace. They seem to last ~2 years in my experience.

It's not really an issue unique to a Reverb either. Just a lot going on in a very small space.

Personally, as a former Reverb owner, I'd just buy a Brand X.

Pro, who make a version of them sell service kits for £15, including the keys, they're on eBay, Amazon et al.

The video to service them is about 6 mins long without any time lapse, okay they're working on a brand new one that isn't full of crap, but I can do mine in about 30 mins. You need a hex key and a pair of long nose pliers to remove the keys.

The air canister bit is sealed, but you can buy new ones for about £30, they take about as long to fit as doing a service, but I don't know anyone who has, because they don't seem to go wrong.

The last two times my Reverb died it was replaced under warranty free. Each time Id had it for a year or two. So I'm positive at the moment. But I budget on 2 years of use - that's pretty much 3-5 rides a week all year, so for me its an expense I can live with.

If that became too much money Id look at a cheaper replacement like the Brand X.

I reckon the cheapest you can fix an A2 reverb for is about a fiver if you source parts yourself - I think nylon bushings cost me £3 to make for topcap and lower ones,bit of lube, fluid and maybe a couple of O rings in IFP if it's sagging.I've never felt need to replace slider keys but they can be ordered separately and would surely only be an additional £5 or so?

I've repaired reverbs with varying degrees of swearing. Mostly successfully, but including one scratched air shaft and one that did not go well because I hadn't done a seal head up tight enough- it let go of all the air very suddenly a few rides later.

Got fed up with the time and faff it took- these days my aim is the eke out the most life I can of the two I have with only bleeds from the outside and 'lowers' servicing, then replace with Brand X or similar when they give up. If I had less other things taking up my time I'd probably be more inclined to keep going with them.

Onzadog, it's a 2014 A2 150mm dropper which is in good nick but I have eeked out the last few rides by pulling it up manually and just about pushing it back down again.
There is a few mm of play I think through the keys but that is normal. If it's fully serviced up would that small amount of play disappear?

Hob Nob, where did you find that deal? Ebay or brand new? Thinking of setting a 170 for another bike. Do they wear out more being longer and skinny?

Is there much difference in reliability between all the models? A2 B1 etc? Are some more reliable or are they much of a muchness?

One if the main differences between versions is the ifp although they're all interchangeable.

Might be best sold as spares to someone with the tools to do a cheap home repair.

I just had a 10 month old reverb replaced, I was told on receiving the new replacement only my original 2 year warranty would apply, therefore if it breaks in the next 14 months I’ll take a refund over exchange, unless they can fix it

I was told on receiving the new replacement only my original 2 year warranty would apply

As is standard in any warranty, not just SRAM, it's from date of purchase, and doesn't reset when replaced.

Though tbh, SRAM have replaced 2 reverbs for me out of warranty in the past, great service that.

I actually prefer the feel of a brand X to reverb (apart from the lever). Don't miss having to bleed it every couple of months and certainly won't miss it freezing when It eventually gets cold enough this year. So I would say no, unless you are a dab hand at fixing them and can get parts cheap.

We’ve got 4 reverbs, so I bought the tools. It’s not that bad to do.

+1 for buy a brand x. I've had a number of reverb and a ks lev.

Bar being maybe a touch heavier the brand x seems as good really at 1/3 of the price.

Won't be paying £300 for a dropper again in the future

Rebound Suspension on ebay service reverbs for £39. Sent mine yesterday in the post had a message back today saying it has been serviced and will be back with me tomorrow

Its a pain to pull apart when most of the time it's just the ifp that needs changing. But can be done, the seal costs £6 from a challenge on here. I often find they've never had the 40hrs service and riders can expect too much, similarly with suspension.