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Hello,
I am looking at buying a rockshox reverb dropper post (external 125mm) used and was wondering if anyone has any experience with them or has had any issues?
Thanks.
Loads of people have had issues with them, as they sold loads (more than any other) to begin with, and it’s been around since pretty much the begining. I’ve had a about 8 different ones, not had any issues the couldn’t be resolved with a service. The newer ones have had fewer issues, so depends on which generation it is, and how mich the seller wants
The price would have to be good. They're not terribly unreliable, but they're also not as reliable as they should be, just because of the IFP issues (which they kept saying were fixed, and weren't). They're also generally pretty repairable, if you're handy- not that much harder than a normal fork service, and a basic service fixes most issues since it's not a case of bits breaking, it's just that the stock bits don't quite work right, so you can just reset it to the pre-fail state.
But the cost of getting it done professionally is pretty troublesome when you consider the price of a new dropper with a warranty these days.
I'd agree with the above. There are loads of reported issues, and it may have been actual problems (as well as sheer volume sold), as they were doing warranty replacements fairly widely.
I've had two, same as you're looking at (125mm, external), for at least 5 years with no issues except one "squidgy post" which was sorted with a service over 2 years ago with no subsequent issues.
So it's a yes from me.
New or secondhand?
I wouldn't touch one without a warranty to me.
I also wouldn't buy one as a Reverb service costs pretty much the same a a brand new Brand X Ascend.
Seems expensive that.
I was gonna list my 170mm internal with 1x lever for that.
£140 BNIB with two year warranty and no faff of any hydraulics.
Yep, go BX. 👍
Just my two penneth... I appreciate I may have been unlucky.
Had three warranty replaced over a couple off years. Quickly got bored of that lark, with a two week turnaround during prime riding conditions - Not ideal! One of which died at Ard Rock - 1/2" of play up and down and loads of sideways play, picked a quiet time and went to have a word with the SRAM crew for advice. That WC mechanic dude (the one with the trilby hat) told me that was within normal tolerance, poor do if it is. However, sent back and replaced when I got home!!
Switched to a KS Lev Integra on a new bike, hasn't missed a beat in just over two years, very impressed. Also, OH has a BX in hers. Also hasn't missed a beat in 12 months, also impressed.
In summary, I wouldn't go near one even with a warranty. I reckon BX is the way forward, loads of riding mates run them and all without issue.
I've got them on both of my bikes and I don't think both Reverbs have ever been working properly at the same time.
I decide which bike to ride by which one has the working Reverb. Fed up bleeding, servicing etc so will be replacing them with Brand X.
What North wind said.
I won't touch a cartridge dropper like the Brand X.
If a Reverb starts acting up the day before a race or big ride I can strip it and get it working again for the price of the fluids.
If a cartridge dropper plays up, it has to go back for warranty or its landfill.
I also have an old KS which is fully rebuildable but is a pain to get air into.
As a contrasting experience, I've got two Reverbs at the mo. Both over 3 years old. Not had to service them at all, both ridden at least once a week. No issues at all. The occasional bleed and it is all good. Had an external 125mm like you're looking for on a previous bike. Didn't miss a beat in 4 years of ownership. I'd definitely get another but, then again, I've never owned any other brand of dropper post.
Price is £100, thoughts?
I sold a used one in the same length & external for £60-something this year.
Look at sold prices on eBay for a guide.
But I wouldn't buy one anyway, they were pretty unreliable and there are decent budget new options around now.
Do you have to have external?
Fwiw my son has a brand x dropper on his bike. Its fine, and does what it's supposed to do, but has more play generally than my 2 old-ish reverbs.
@belgianwaffle1- £100 seems on the steep side for a secondhand one, given the new price, as per qwerty's link...
OP.
I've got a 30.9 125mm external Reverb in top condition you can have for £75 if you want it?
IME you’ll Get around 2 years use out of a Reverb, then need a service which costs more than the post is worth. It’s a 2 year (ish) consumable item. Make sure you factor this in.
I wouldn’t touch a second hand one, at any price.
Shame, as they work very well, when working, but it’s wasteful and expensive.
IME you’ll Get around 2 years use out of a Reverb, then need a service which costs more than the post is worth. It’s a 2 year (ish) consumable item.
If you pay someone else to do it then yes. Service it yourself and the costs are minimal.
Just to make sure the OP really gets turned in circles...
I have a 2017 reverb that's not missed a beat since it was fitted.
Seems that some are reliable and some aren't. I've had 4 Reverbs (previously 1 externally routed and currently 3 1X Stealth B1s), all have been reliable. The externally routed one developed some squidge after about 2 years of use, a service fixed that. The 3 B1s are all working fine, all are a couple of years old, no issues (so far).
I had a KS Lev Integra on a bike I bought that had many issues (seat clamp kept slipping, it developed lateral and fore-aft play between the stanchion and the lower tube quite quickly and it would stick in the fully down position). Had it serviced but the play developed quickly again, so I sold it.
I wouldn't say that a Reverb (or any other dropper post) is a consumable item, why would it be? It's a complex mechanical assembly which will gradually wear out from use and thus requires maintenance to keep it working, just like forks and shocks.
I’d mentioned consumable in the context of servicing costs being prohibitive, meaning buying new making more financial sense. I’ve never paid more than £180 new for a Reverb, so with servicing around 100-140 depending on what needs replacing, in my mind that’s too close to new price. I sell my old Reverbs for about £40 when they need a service, then buy a new one.
I could of course service it myself, but time/cost/tools mean I generally don’t.
Having said that, I’ve stopped buying Reverbs now.
In fact, I have a few old reverts needing a service I need to get rid of?
30.9 shorter length versions?
I have two Reverbs. One is an original silver collar model which is over 7 years old and it's just away to have its first service (must be a record), and the other is a second gen post which is around 6 years old and is just about to have its third service. I have a mate who services Reverbs (for riders and for local bike shops) and charges £95.
I also have a 2 year old KS Lev Ci 175mm dropper and a new Bird (TranzX) 170mm V2 dropper. The KS came apart in my hands a few weeks ago but thankfully it can be rebuilt. The service parts cost £110. The Bird dropper is impressive for the price and feels great to use, but my main concern is getting spares for it when it does need a service. I like to keep things going rather than buy new again.