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Is another button they appear to have fitted to my new built Covert which makes the seat post
go up and down on demand, hadn't had time to play with it fully before some bastard nicked it to go do a demo with, but it must be an aftermarket item made by somebody..
I want it back and I want it now, what a blinding device, who it's made by I've no idea yet, I'm going to stick with my old bike for a bit longer because I love the Hammerschmidt, but I need that post thing already..
Just got to have it.
Gravity Dropper FTW.
The Best thing that's happened to a bike since front suspension?
Disk brakes. There are many other tings that have improved but reliable, powerful disk brakes have made a huge difference to my riding.
Hydraulic disc brakes without a doubt!
Consistent barking performance regardless of weather conditions, massively extended rim life, virtually maintenance free and oodles of power. What more could you ask for?
Disc brakes are the best mtb 'invention' since inflatable tyres.
Consistent barking performance
no argument with that
WOOF WOOF
duel control shifters, there amazing, now i can change gear properly.
Consistent barking performanceno argument with that
WOOF WOOF
throwing stones in your greenhouse JY? 😉
SPDs, surely ? 😉
ah shit I walked straight into that one 😳
haven't really decided about uppy downy seatposts. I reckon they are the sort of thing that becomes useful once you've used it for a bit.
disc brakes are the biggest leap forward imo
Me.
Nah, not really.
Hmm I don't recall stopping being any problem with rim and centre pull brakes
I bloody well do! Hells bells!
rockshox reverb post OP
chiefgrooveguru - MemberGravity Dropper FTW.
absolute horse poop! unreliable and take away the challenge of descending...
i should know i had one, endless problems, ditched it, never looked back and now very very rarely even drop the seat for mega steep stuff....its way more fun and challenging, having a dropper post literally is CHEATING. Im glad ive seen the error of my ways....
and to people who state - well i dont have to stop every two mins to drop my post etc etc blah blah...yeh great, but unless you ride alone, what about all your pals who dont have one? and you have to wait for them anyways?
as above - its disc brakes....
OP do you do most of your riding in a cave?
rarely even drop the seat for mega steep stuff....its way more fun and challenging
Surely that is basically saying "riding with bad technique is way more fun and challenging"...
Yeah, that's a RS one.
So how did you go about getting that lovely bike nicked??
jhw - Memberrarely even drop the seat for mega steep stuff....its way more fun and challenging
Surely that is basically saying "riding with bad technique is way more fun and challenging"...
😆 how exactly do you work that out?
dropping your seat to the top tube is the easy way out surely?? the fact you can ride the same thing with a seat up means you have more skill....the dropper posts are skill compensators for most people...it gives a better sense of gravity and your feet are clearly closer to the ground should it go wrong...with your seat up you have to rely on your own skill to descend, and if you get it wrong your buggered not being as close to the groud...
thats how i see it, ive noticed since ive gone back to a normal seat ive enjoyed the challenge more...
a dropper seat post is hardly revolutionary compared to say disc brakes that perform consistently throughout...
anyways dont wanna argue fella, its cool people disagree, ive owned both and thats my personal view, other people will have theirs, just dont think they are next best thing since suspension really...each to there own, peace out 8)
29" wheels
Hmm I don't recall stopping being any problem with rim and centre pull brakes
I've always been quite a big lad and the braking defiantly went pear shaped in the winter months. Much prefer a good set of disks, pretty much maintenance free from one year to the next and quick release really does mean quick release.
Hmm I don't recall stopping being any problem with rim and centre pull brakes
I bloody well do! Hells bells!
+1
GRF, Ive had a custom build Covert now for 8 months. Its got the Hammerschmitd and Reverb - I love the Hammerschmidt and since fitting the uppy downy I cant stop using it.
I would be interested as to what pressures you run in your suspension.
As to the original question - since Front suspension, well depends what came after front suspension really. SPD's were before, so for me its probably Disc Brakes or an uppy downy post. But we shouldnt forget improved frame geometery. Just try riding an old bike, its horrible.
Oh and mechanisms for dropping seatposts are older than suspension and disc brakes:
[img] 
[/img]
love my dropper, doesn't suit everyone but i guess it depends what and where you ride.
was surprised how often i use it.
yes a little extra fettling but there's **** all on the telly...
"rarely even drop the seat for mega steep stuff....its way more fun and challenging and slower"
fify
No no, I see your point! There is a certain satisfaction in getting down the gnarly stuff with your seat right high.
Jumping with it up is sketch, though 😯
Things like 29" wheels and geomettry are just evolution. Discs are a REAL revolution. If someone thought centre pulls are as good as hydro brakes then they either never rode in the wet or are trolling.
Anything thats techy enough for me to need to drop the post I'll probably want to have a quick look at anyway. So a QR does the job.
Disc Brakes are definitely "the best thing since front suspension"
The reason you feel confident having a go at the techy descent with your saddle down is because of the reliable stopping power and control of discs
There's a certain satisfaction in managing to ride a Brompton offroad. Or not crashing after hitting black ice in the car. Or managing to not die after lawnmowering through its power line. Or managing not to fall down the Grand Canyon after tripping over whilst admiring the view...
I like my Gravity Dropper because it puts the saddle up, not down. Without it I rode with my saddle low for enjoying the downs and suffering the ups, rather than being restricted on the downs and suffering the ups (but getting them over more quickly).
Nice trolling, Oscillate 🙂
absolute horse poop! unreliable and take away the challenge of descending...
Like pneumatic tyres take away the challenge of riding over bumps? Like tyre tread takes away the challenge of maintaining traction? The list goes on...
You are entirely correct that people have their own opinions on the matter; but you must be aware that you're using spurious logic in an attempt to back yours up?
By being able to easily maintain a better position on my bike (by lowering the saddle on descents) means that I can go faster. By going faster, skills such as balance, handling, cornering, braking have needed to improve. Why attempt to develop the skill of avoiding a badly placed saddle, which also tends to leave me in a disadvantageous position, when I can develop generally applicable skills such as those listed above?
As to the OP, I'll go with hydraulic disc brakes.
cheers tom, no idea what that is but cheers all the same 8)
Disc brakes, followed by tubeless.
Three_Fish - Memberabsolute horse poop! unreliable and take away the challenge of descending...
Like pneumatic tyres take away the challenge of riding over bumps? Like tyre tread takes away the challenge of maintaining traction? The list goes on...
You are entirely correct that people have their own opinions on the matter; but you must be aware that you're using spurious logic in an attempt to back yours up?
By being able to easily maintain a better position on my bike (by lowering the saddle on descents) means that I can go faster. By going faster, skills such as balance, handling, cornering, braking have needed to improve. Why attempt to develop the skill of avoiding a badly placed saddle, which also tends to leave me in a disadvantageous position, when I can develop generally applicable skills such as those listed above?
i know, i enjoyed the easyness of dropping the post, and descending, it makes descending technical steep terriain ALOT easier, since ive had my normal one back ive found myself very rarely dropping it, and using my weight and the likes (leaning back etc) alot more and thinking about the lines i take and seeing past the next section...
with a dropper i just plonked it down, and bombed it away knowing i was only a brake away, and putting my feet down should the worst happen...
with your seat up in mostly climbing position, you simply cant do that, so you have to use your body to manouvere and adapt to whats ahead...that to me is where the skill comes in...
ps. im not on about descents on singletrack etc, im on about steep roll ins and very steep technical descents usually off piste etc....
i have no reason to diss them, i owned both and wouldnt go back to one now, im enjoyed the basics of the bike again, and its definitely improved my techical skill and thought process when descending..
they are good for what they do, but they are not revolutionary like suspension or disc brakes...
anyways im not just saying my point is correct, people WILL descend better from using them, and do more challenging stuff they didnt do before, and thats good....so to them it may be the next best thing since suspension....
but i firmly believe if you can ride very steep technical stuff with your seat at full climbing height, you have the basis of good technical skill....
at the end of the day thats why people get dropper posts is it not? to allow them to descend more technical things with a lower and thus easier way of descending? thats what i bought mine for anwyays...
tubeless is a good shout too! how did i forget that!
Has to be GPS for me, as I am a man with no sense of direction.
Most of my rides are time limited so knowing where I am and how to get home via the quickest route is invaluable to me.
Discovering new trails is so much easier.
Ahh, Tubeless - dont forget to read the threads about the poor tubeless chaps asking what compressor they need, or why they dont fit / seat / seal etc.
They dont quite seem to be as free from faf as disc brakes yet.
"The Best thing that's happened to a bike since front suspension?"
Orange Five.
Actually I noticed that riding with my saddle down made my cornerning much better, so it isn't just about descending steep things.
camelbaks and bladders are good
I certainly never had much problem stopping with rim brakes. The need to replace pads every ride when it was wet is another matter, but the best thing since front suspension?
Rear suspension of course! (although perhaps it could be argued it's advent was not really after front suspension).
with your seat up in mostly climbing position, you simply cant do that, so you have to use your body to manouvere and adapt to whats ahead...that to me is where the skill comes in...
And when the saddle is out of the way, you'd just sit there like a lump? More fool you, I say. With the saddle out of the way, there is [b]more[/b] scope for finding and maintaining a good center of mass/gravity because there's no saddle to try and work around.
Tubeless (for me at least) is a non starter. I don't doubt it has its benefits, but its still a little unrefined IMO. If the execution could be improved so that a tyre can be inflated with a std pump every time i.e. out on the trail. Then it will thrive, until it can be considered foolproof it won't.
Another way of thinking about this debate is "in which order would you do away with various features?" I don't use a dropper 'post (in fact I never drop the seat, choosing to just leave it where I like it)...
I'd get rid of, in this order:
dropper post (if I had one)
rear suspension
rear disk (replace with any rim brake)
front disk (well set-up v brake would a sensible minimum)
suspension fork
...and even after that lot goes you've still got a whole lot of fun, just like the good old days.
When you look at a bike, a hell of a lot of features have been there for a hell of a long time - diamond frame, chain drive, pneumatic tyres, derallieur gears - when design features pass that sort of test of time it puts other stuff into perspective.
you can't compare that seat spring with this new device
Of course you can. Bears at least as much relation to these new fangled droppy posts as a RS-1 does to a Revelation.
cheers tom, no idea what that is but cheers all the same
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=trolling
😛
If the execution could be improved so that a tyre can be inflated with a std pump every time i.e. out on the trail.
Why would you be trying to seat a tubeless tyre from flat whilst out on the trail? For those of us who aren't fools it is a big step forwards - almost 10 years now for me, and still haven't had to stop to fix a puncture as many times as I did in the single season before I changed.
lock on grips were a revolution for me when they came out - what a pain in the ass it was changing v-brake levers/shifter before them, still got a can of hairspray that i used to use to help get/stick the old rubber grips on 😮
i think people forget also - forget stans
proper UST is very very reliable...that is revolutionary, ive not had a puncture in 3 years since i changed to proper ust tyres/rims...considering as above i probably had 10 in the first few months of peaks riding on tubes...
thats pretty impressive really...not so sure stans system is so reliable etc...
but UST rims are pretty much a great invention for mtb
bigyinn - Member
Tubeless (for me at least) is a non starter. I don't doubt it has its benefits, but its still a little unrefined IMO. If the execution could be improved so that a tyre can be inflated with a std pump every time i.e. out on the trail. Then it will thrive, until it can be considered foolproof it won't.
1. UST rim + UST tyre will go up with any pump.
2. You've most likely got a tube with you anyway if needed, in case you make too big a hole in the tyre for sealant to deal with (although I've only had this happen once in 5/6 years of tubeless use).
I agree that the drivetrain is probably the number one area that could do with improvement. Longevity is not good enough, so as soon as the option gets light and cheap enough it should gain ground.
not so sure stans system is so reliable etc...
I'm on Stans now - started with the DIY tubeless conversion described on the original notubes site, before he sold stuff. Thinner sidewalls so easier to rip those, but if you don't ride over sharp rocks it's just as reliable as UST. Maybe more hassle to setup, but I'm too much of a weight weenie to want to UST.
On-One.
Someone needs to tell Steve Peat, Sam Hill etc that they're just cheating bastards for not having their saddles up their arses then.
Got to be GPS. Ability to pinpoint your location on a map in whiteout conditions or where there are no obvious landmarks. Allows me to undertake ride options I would [i]never[/i] otherwise undertake. I know it's no substitute for old-school navigation techniques, etc., etc., but really, it's bailed me out countless times.
Oh dear. I have front sus and discs on my bikes and see absolutely no need for a seat dropper ( I have a QR) tubeless ( I don't get punctures often and I like to change tyres to suit conditions) GPS - I can navigate and I would never rely on one.
What is wrong with me?
Disk brakes. They work reliably in all conditions and have more stopping power. So you can ride faster and brake later. And they don't destroy your expensive rims. A huge innovation for off-road cycling.
TandemJeremy - MemberWhat is wrong with me?
Where do we begin... 😀
Didn't front suspension come about years ago, before derailleurs, which is my suggestion as the biggest revolution in biking?
In the modern era, I think the Bionicon is perhaps the biggest thing from an engineering standpoint, linking front and rear suspension together into a single closed unit. It's just a pity it's not as refined as it could be.
Cheap high powered lights for night riding, hydraulic brakes are great but the lights enabled me to ride weekdays in the winter
backhander - Member
Someone needs to tell Steve Peat, Sam Hill etc that they're just cheating bastards for not having their saddles up their arses then.
they ride with a seat low so they can hit max speed.....most mere morons on here ride with them low because THEY CANNOT ride steep sections and technical descents at full length...big difference, peaty and the likes could ride it upsidedown and backwards....
Ok, i think all this comes down to what sort of rider you are and what sort of riding you do! If you do no more than xc then you would probly think a dropper post is a waste of money! But if your more into riding lots of tech steep stuff, that to be honest is so steep that if you had your saddle up you would be out of control then a dropper post is the way to go! and in my opinion is worth every penny! It does get a pain in the arse using quick release clamp all the time, but i only thought this after useing a dropper post! Dont no how i managed without one now! 😀 i used to slag them off untill i got one!! Hopefully they will get cheaper tho! 😆
I never thought I'd say this, but after watching a video of old-school DH crashes, the Aheadset is a revolution in security over quill stems.
IMO the best innovations are -
1) Suspension forks
2) Disc brakes
3) Tubeless tyres
4) Aheadset stems
very very rarely even drop the seat for mega steep stuff
If you can ride it with your seat right up it's not mega steep. Mega steep is when you are buzzing your arse on the back tyre to prevent yourself going over the bars, that's not possible with a foot's worth of seat post in the way.
they ride with a seat low so they can hit max speed.....most mere morons on here ride with them low because THEY CANNOT ride steep sections and technical descents at full length...big difference, peaty and the likes could ride it upsidedown and backwards....
Your reason is drowning under all those assumptions.
scottidog - Membervery very rarely even drop the seat for mega steep stuff
If you can ride it with your seat right up it's not mega steep. Mega steep is when you are buzzing your arse on the back tyre to prevent yourself going over the bars, that's not possible with a foot's worth of seat post in the way.
I DOOOOOO ride mega steep stuff, and i do drop it for certain bits - my point is most of the time most people just drop them on easy stuff or stuff they could ride if they actually attemtped it without relying on a dropper to get them out of trouble, i have a mate who drops it even for stuff that goes ever so slightly steep and technical, i still manage most of the stuff now without dropping the seat(willy waving blah blah)....
all im saying is not dropping my post every two mins on every single steep descent, has made me more conscious about the lines i pick the weight distribution of my body etc which has made me feel better about descending steep stuff and roll ins...i always found with a dropper i drop it at the first sign on of a rocky descent, and there is really no need...it is like cheating in my eyes...obviously most users who have them will disagree, for the simple fact they own one 😆 but there is truth in it!
im not saying steep stuff sometimes doesnt require lowering the post, it does some sections of the stuff i do i couldnt physically get that low at the back with the seat up...but most the people im on about with them, at cannock and the likes using them for places like that?!?!
shaggmeister is right, if you are constantly doing things that are stupidly steep and thats your thing etc then they are brill...but for most riders on here i bet they have no real need for them, other than perhaps once a ride...
Three_Fish - Memberthey ride with a seat low so they can hit max speed.....most mere morons on here ride with them low because THEY CANNOT ride steep sections and technical descents at full length...big difference, peaty and the likes could ride it upsidedown and backwards....
Your reason is drowning under all those assumptions.
they are not assumptions squire, most people on here use them to ease into techincal descents etc, not for most do they buy them so they can go faster 😆 i certainly didnt, i realised after your quite capable of most of the steep stuff with your seat up if you put your mind to it..
*excludes certain steep stuff, which is impossible to get weight/body back with seat at full*
anyways i cannaeeee be harrased with anymore talk of this...
you love your dropper, good on ya, use it....i dont so i wont...
its clear its not next greatest thing after suspension.....so i'z wins 😆
Whoever metioned Aheadset is pretty spot on IMO.
I remember days of threaded forks and headsets that had to be tightened every week. A right pain in the arse.
Don't even get me started on having to cut thread in a few inches of steerer.
How can you efficiently load and unload your weight on the bike to "pump" the track with the seatpost at full extension? Disk brakes btw - would give up front suspension before them.
I remember days of threaded forks and headsets that had to be tightened every week. A right pain in the arse.
Aheadsets - salvation for the mechanically incompetent.
ermm get behind the seatpost? im not saying all of the riding can be done this way, but most of the semi steep stuff certainly can be up the peaks where i go....my mate drops his seat for most stuff, and i dont...im just stating its not the be all and end all....heeeby jeeebies folks...there are far more important things that a dropper seatpost....at very worst you can drop it yourself which is effectively a dropper seatpost...
There's a difference between shifting your weight back for steep stuff and being able to pump the bike fully when riding flat yet bumpy stuff. Just because you've never done it doesn't mean it's a bad thing!
Full extension - even for optimum pedalling efficiency the saddle shouldn't be so high as to be a total hinderance. I mean, the length of a crank (difference between fully down and horizontal cranks) of clearance over your saddle gives you quite a lot of freedom - sufficient for a surprising range of steep stuff, especially if said steep stuff has a clean exit.How can you efficiently load and unload your weight on the bike to "pump" the track with the seatpost at full extension? Disk brakes btw - would give up front suspension before them.
TandemJeremy - Member
and see absolutely no need for a seat dropper ( I have a QR)
🙂 'Hi Groovers'.
chiefgrooveguru - MemberThere's a difference between shifting your weight back for steep stuff and being able to pump the bike fully when riding flat yet bumpy stuff. Just because you've never done it doesn't mean it's a bad thing!
nothings badddd mannnn its all good and what ever gets you through a ride etc...just saying they really arent all that, regardless how people big them up, they are somewhat unreliable (even the reverbs), and you can easily use a QR to lower it to the same effect....
but its all good, im sure one day somebody will bring out a perfect one that works all the time, until that point id never even consider one again ....alot of money for a few seconds stopping on the occasional super techy steep stuff
Jeez, isn't everything just loads betterer than when I were a kid?
Disc brakes = brilliant
Tubeless = brilliant
Droppers = brilliant (the ones that work anyway)
Suspension = brilliant
Maxle = Brilliant
Etc etc
You can keep your retro nonsense!
I don't have a dropper, but need one on at least two of my bikes. I'm happy to ride my race bike with the seat up and never move it, but that's a function of where I ride it and the desire to be used to riding down stuff with the seat up as I won't be dropping it in races. Flowy upydowny trails, such as the Ciaran Path woudl be so much more pleasureable with an uppydownerjobby though!
When I was a lad, it was all about anything that was anodised purple or a cycle computer that recorded your max speed, for when going down that really big hill.. bragging rights for 40mph+, eyes streaming and the inability to stop quickly....
Either Disc brakes or V brakes, V brakes are still damn good if setup correctly, canti's were just rubbish!
cantis are still damn good if set up correctly - it's just that far more people are capable of setting up Vs correctly.
The problem is cantis go out of adjustment if there is 1 µm of pad wear.
this is a new thing
[img] 
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Rim brakes can be quite powerful - my V's were't bad using two fingers, on a dry day. And there are even some hydraulic rim brakes kicking around. But disk brakes are just better because they preserve the rim and are less affected by wet, muddy conditions. They can also be very powerful when operated with one finger.