[Closed] Service Reverb, or buy Brand X dropper?

Without a doubt go the brand X route.

Don't bother with a new lever until you break the standard one or really feel the need to change it. The standard one is ok to be honest.

In my opinion, droppers aren't a performance item like say, suspension is. I think the Reverb is over complicated & fickle for what it is, I swapped out my troublesome Reverb for a Brand X in Feb 2018, it's been faultless ever since, except for today when it couldn't hold my weight and dropped 40mm, I've sent it back & am hoping for a new one as it's within the 2yr warranty. You can buy a Brand X for pretty much the price Inc P&P of a Reverb service, plus a 2yr warranty. It's a no brainer in my book. (I modified my Brand X with the Bontrager lever in order to have the grub screw at the lever, not the post).

Just an fyi, the new brand x lever has the grub screw at the lever too.👍

One up dropper, you won’t be disappointed

My first dropper was a reverb, I ended up disappointed

Both my reverbs now replaced with brand x droppers.

Thanks all - sounds like Brand X post might be a go-er.

oreetmon - the One Up looks good, but its a bit more expensive.

Is the 170mm version of the Brand X post much different from the 120/150mm ones? Anything to be aware of (other than whether the post will fit in the bike..)?

Thanks,
Duane.

Much the same mate, just be sure the stack height isn't an issue.

The one-up has the edge in this regard I believe. Only important if space is an issue mind.

Sounds like your reverb just needs basic lube service which is a doddle to do and can cost Pennie if you get aftermarket bushings,I'd share a link to the thread buried in this forum somewhere but I'm not too good at it on the mobile.

If you already have the reverb the Wolftooth sustain conversion makes the reverb an awesome & very reliable dropper & the trigger is way better than the brand X one as I have both

I was in the same predicament last week. My reverb was playing up so decided rather than a service went for a 170 Brand X.
Really impressed so far and lever feels so much sweeter to use than the reverb. £120 with 2 year warranty, surely worth a try

In the interest of balance....my reverb is 20 months old and has nearly 2000 off road miles on it and I haven't even bled it or had a full service. They are very easy to basic service, clean out and regrease. If they go sticky then this is the easiest thing to do.

Basic reverb rules are, don't pick the bike up by the saddle when the post is down (I see people do this all the time and you can see the post lift), don't depress the button unless the bike is upright and store the bike with the post up. Basically all problems are caused by air and oil mixing and this is easily avoided in my experience.

I'll be servicing mine when the time comes.

Depending on how mechanically minded you are you could try and fix it. The manuals are online and easy to follow. I fixed my old reverb and replaced the bushings, IFP and critical O rings for around £9 and a few hours of my time. It's been good as new since (about 15 rides). You can make your own tools for oil height and IFP depth for next to nothing. They really are not that complicated.

Option C:- Learn to service the Reverb and get a few more years use out of it for pennies.

Also it's all very well sending a newer dropper with warranty back when it acts up but that doesn't help the day before a big ride when a little knowledge and some tools could fix a dropper that doesn't have a sealed cartridge.

I try to avoid cartridge type droppers like the brand X or cheaper Ks. It's just more bin fodder when they fail.

Reverbs are a pain in the arse get rid ;/)

I've got a similar dilemma except with a KS Lev. It was great, but after a couple of years storage it's now very hard to get down and not particularly keen to get up again. I've tried the air pressure and I don't think the cable is the issue. Service stuff needs a strap wrench I don't have and looks pretty tricky and may not even get to the problem... £75ish to service at Plush or just replace for what, £110ish and get a warranty. Bah dunno.

Milko - you may not need a strap wrench, just a couple of loops of inner tube might give enough grip. Worth a go as once it's open the clean and lube is simple.

Thanks all.

I think I will give the Reverb a clean/regrease (using this guide,

which doesn't replace the bushings). I just need the post to operate half-decently for my trip to Whistler end of next week, so hopefully this will sort it, and if it plays up again on my return I will reconsider replacing.

If the service doesn't fix it then I will rethink!

Cheers @thepurist, I'll give that a crack first then.

Have spare bushings ready, the Reverbs do eat them. Every time I've serviced one of mine, the lower bushing has needed replacing, and I've had to replace the one in the seal head twice.

You're unlikely to need to replace anything else though.

I've got a brand X on one of my bikes and so far it's faultless but has more play than my reverb and doesn't return as quickly.

Apart from a couple of hours of stickiness 6 months ago my reverb has been faultless for 2 years.

When the time comes I'll be torn with whether to service it or replace it too.

I have a brand x post, my next post will also be a brand x.

In case anyone is interested, I pulled my Reverb apart, cleaned it all out, put fresh Teflon grease on, didn't replace bushings (didn't have any), and its sweet as now! Now sure how long it will last, but hopefully get me through Whistler.

Cheers all!

Good result there bud.👍

@duane - how did you get it apart? I have a faulty one sitting in the garage and every now and again I try to open it up but I just can't get the damn thing open

Followed the 50 hour service instructions on YouTube! Albeit without the fancy vice jaws

Ahhhh it comes apart so easily on the video, it's the top section removal that I can't perform, stuck solid.

Op is your rever still behaving? Mine is going exactly the same thing