[Closed] Uppy downy seat posts - experiences?

I had a Joplin, only sold it 'cos it wouldn't fit my new frame.

Liked it, looked after it, worked well

I've got a gravity dropper, not the pretties but very reliable. Got stuck down twice in 3 years and both times I fixed it in a couple of minutes. Used it in all kinds of uk shit weather, all year round. After 3 years it finally broke, snapped the bit off that holds the pin. I Emailed gravity dropper to buy the bit (they sell nearly every spare). The insisted I send it back for repair (cost me £13 to ship to the US). The completly rebuilt it, replaced all worn out bits and sent me it back like new, no cost. Best customer service I have ever had and nice guys to talk to.

I've spent a few pound on gear over the yers, but I really believe it was the best "gadget" I ever got and made the biggest difference to my downhill/jump riding. Use it way more that I thought I would.

I'm a Gravity Dropper fan. I won't ride off road without it.

Simple and reliable and 27.2mm so should fit any frame with shims if necessary.

And their customer service is first class.

I find they don't offer enough drop to be worthwhile.

I'm also wholly unconvinced at the need to spend £200 more than a QR when it's not inconvenient unless you ride nonstop or your mates are mindblowingly impatient.

Had a Maverick till it broke the second time (seat clamp broke- twice), now on a KSi900 which went back under warranty just after I got it due to a manufacturing defect. Other than that its great, survived two large offs and winter muck no problem(just run a mudguard).

Mate's got one thats about 2 maybe 2.5 years old, heavily used and when he sent it for a service they replaced most of the internals for just the standard service fee and it was a quick turnaround as well.

I love my uppy downy posts, probably gonna get another i900 for my freeride rig(as I cannot wait for the rockshox jobbie)

I had 2 KS i900s which both went wrong in various ways and had to go back so I wouldn't have another of those until all their little problems have been sorted out.

Since then I've had a Joplin 3 and a Joplin 4 which have both been fine.

(It just so happens that the Joplin 3 is for sale if anyone wants it - only had a few months' use).

Love my Gravity Dropper, riding without it now just seems daft. I'll happily put rigid forks on the Soul but I'd still have the dropper on. People talk about flow, and these things are all about flow, just ride along with the seat at the right height, all the time.

It's been rock solid reliable, I did break a seatclamp bolt but then, I've done that on standard posts as well. Might need new bushings soon from the feel of it but it's still fine for now and the bushings are cheap and easy to fit.

Happy with my Joplin.

Plenty else go spend £200 on that makes zero difference to riding (see xtr etc) if you want to.

Hite rites work well but less so on modern frames (where the seat collar is separate)

I've an i900r. It's amazing. I use it more than i thought i would and it's just spot on for everything.
I never used to adjust my saddle height at all. But now its up and down all the time.

I think as long as you service them (More than normal) they'll be amazing.

I think I'm going to wait for this [url= http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/rockshox-reverb-seatpost-first-look-26171 ]one.[/url]

Me wanty

Yeah, I'd wait for the rockshox one, I really think a suspension company should get it right.
Can you buy the speccy command post yet?

I900 - great

Another i900 user here. Needs "servicing" but that takes about five minutes. Superb piece of kit. Yes it has play in it, but I really don't notice it while in the saddle. Otherwise, superb.

new convert to the Joplin.

Was concerned about the movement in them but to be honest you dont notice.

wonder how I lived without now!

However, if hite-rights come back I may have one!

Had a KS i900. Total carp. Not fit for purpose etc. Returned for refund and now waiting for rockshox version as they appear to understand how to make an effective seal.

X2 i900's and couldn't fault em. Seat clamp not the best but nylock seemed to help once i had confirmed the optimum reach etc. Quite a few riders use them on our local trails and the i900 seem to be the most prefered, the play in the Joplin seems more noticible. Check out the Spesh Command post if you are looking at remote posts, 3 settings. I prefer my 'cockpit' uncluttered and rock with a lever version and it is great. i950 out now but at a big jump in price for 50g i went for the better value post that i could vouch for.

Check your seat post angle... my old Genius was quite difficult to depress due to the angle, i had to weight the saddle on the nose to get it down efficiently.

The i900 was terrible for a while. Seems better now though. Seems pretty obvious they just launched a poorly tested product that wasn't fit for purpose but fair play to them, they seem to have come good finally. Half considering one for the Hemlock. Still hate the cable position though.

Had a gravity dropper for about a year now. It works and I like it..
Wore off the anodising on a thomson quite quickly before and probably was starting on the inside of seattube too, so look on it as frame preservation also...

Thanks all - very useful as always.

I have used the older Joplin with no issues at all. Just ordered a couple of the new Joplin 4 remote posts and will stick one on a demo bike to see how it goes!

Purchased an i900 last June and it developed scratches in the stantion within a few weeks (still worked fine though). Changed bike and needed a different seatpost size so bought another i900 in September and it has functioned perfectly though the winter with no servicing on my part. They definitely seemed to have improved.

I've got a Gravity Dropper too, 4" multi drop. It has made such a difference to my riding. As Northwind says, they are all about FLOW. I never ride a section now wishing that I'd lowered my saddle before hand so that I could really ride it hard rather than teetering down. I will never ride a mountain bike without one now.

I'm excited about Rockshox getting in on it, I think that might be the straw that breaks the camel's back and the point when we start to see everyone using droppers.

W@nk. had a joplin, new in the box. took it to france for a week, basically stopped working. needed constant maintanence or would be stuck up or down.

a full service would keep it going for a bout a week, then it would need another.

never moved enough to make any real difference. pretty poor IMO.

I'm with Spokescycles:

I'm also wholly unconvinced at the need to spend £200 more than a QR when it's not inconvenient unless you ride nonstop or your mates are mindblowingly impatient.

Spokescycles wrote, "I'm also wholly unconvinced at the need to spend £200 more than a QR when it's not inconvenient unless you ride nonstop or your mates are mindblowingly impatient."

If you're just using them as a QR replacement then you're right, they're fairly pointless. Places like Glentress, frinstance, there's really only 1 place on the entire red trail where it's an advantage, because almost every section is either seat up or seat down- you just stop at the start.

But, go to Kirroughtree, as a nice benchmark, and do Talnotry Hill- it's a big climb followed by an immense descent/traverse, which is pedally in places and has some decent size rock features in others. You either need to compromise, or stop and start constantly, or have a dropper seatpost. Most people compromise of course. But that's where they stop doing the same job as a QR.

I think some people see them as some sort of "trail centre rider" accessory but I think the opposite's more true, they're a brilliant XC tool- just riding along, see something interesting, ride it, then just riding along again without so much as a pause. They're generally more use in the real world than they are at big-up-big-down trail centres.

i900r. Only had it a few days but great so far. I only ride natural stuff, often lines or trails I'm unfamiliar with, so as Northwind says, it's useful to keep things flowing when you want to try something new.

Got mine from [url= http://shop.shiftycart.de/f.php/shop/gocycle/f/2959/lang/x/kw/Laenge_385_mm/ ]go cycle[/url]. Very fast and cheaper than anywhere else I could find in Europe - even after shipping. Highly recommended.

I had a Joplin remote - they're a brilliant idea and mine was very reliable, but for anything other than events such as the Mega they are a bit overkill. I bought mine specifically for the Mega and it was great, but for local trail riding I'd rather get used to my bike the way it is and not even have to think about the seat height.

SpokesCycles - Member
I find they don't offer enough drop to be worthwhile.

I'm also wholly unconvinced at the need to spend £200 more than a QR when it's not inconvenient unless you ride nonstop or your mates are mindblowingly impatient.

I've just bought a KS i950 - I've wanted a post for a while and last weekends trip to Fort William spurred me into action. I initially wanted a Spesh Command post due to reportedly good sealing, however lack of availability, price, weight, 4" drop and 3 set positions saw me end up with the KS.

It has 5" of 'stop anywhere' travel and cost £179 (Spesh = £249). Reliability issues over the i900 have "reportedly" been solved with improved seals, bushes and keyways (to reduce side to side play). I've only used it for 2 days, but it performed faultlessly - admittedly most of the time dropped completely for Fort Bill Black & Red descents.

I'll buy the add on remote lever when they finally put it on the market, as reaching between your legs is a pain when moving on rough ground, but for me I can see it transforming my riding.

Stopping to fiddle with your QR is a right pain at the top and bottom of every descent, and yes - I do have mindblowingly impatient riding mates - 75% of whom already have dropper posts anyway.

I haven't come across anything in the 13 years I have been riding that I have had to put my seat down for. Set your saddle at a decent height, get used to it, and save yourself £200 and half a kilo of unnecessary weight.

ive a gravity dropper multi on my ht great bit of kit i really miss it when i ride my full sus

Joplin 3 remote here. Got it (sans remote) off CRC for £100 at xmas. Added the remote lever for another £30 off wiggle. Has worked well but I have saved it for the dryer weather due to the stories of poor sealing etc. The knurled collar bit shook itself loose coming down the gap descent on saturday, but once screwed back up it worked fine.
I find myself putting it up and down a couple of times most rides. As said above for the price it makes more difference than spending the same on say lighter wheels.
Before I got it I did have a problem with the rear facing QR getting kacked up and then not being able to do it tight enough to prevent slippage. With this I can use an allen key clamp instead.
Would like one for the hardtail as well but 27.2 post limits choice.

I have been eyeing these up for a while now and seeing Smudge and Faffy useing them the other week made my mind up .
but now gonna wait for the Rockshox one that looks ace , agree it could do with a bit of boing for the HT that would be the icing on the cake if it ever came out.

I have a Gravity dropper multi Classic after putting out a thread on here
and have not looked back since. OK a good bit of cash but once its on you wont wish you never bought it, basic but brilliant.

"and half a kilo of unnecessary weight."

Silly nonsense, unless you intend to replace it with no seatpost at all.

flow - Member
I haven't come across anything in the 13 years I have been riding that I have had to put my seat down for. Set your saddle at a decent height, get used to it, and save yourself £200 and half a kilo of unnecessary weight.

Thank **** I haven't been riding your trails for the last 13 years.

What do you mean by "Set your saddle at a decent height, get used to it" anyway? Seems like a bit of an odd statement.

Mmmmmm, Rockshox Reverb...

Glad I've got long legs.

[i]But, go to Kirroughtree, as a nice benchmark,[/i]

Yep, been there, nothing I needed to put the seat post down for. let alone stop and put it up and down constantly.

Pointless. End of.

Recently rode cadair idris / snowdon last week - seat all the way up - maybe i AM JUST SLOW....

if it floats your boat then so be it....

paul

Out of curiosity did you do all the bigger options and the mcmoab chute? I did some of the larger steps with the post up and though it's perfectly doable you're in a lot less control when you do it, and you need to approach the features more cautiously. Seatpost down gives you more freedom to ride and more ability to react.

Or to put it another way, even when it's perfectly possible to ride a feature with the post up it's often better to do it down. Obviously if you're one of those rare riders that's happy to leave the post up all the time then a dropper is of no use to you, but you must be aware what a minority you're in.

Northwind - Member
"and half a kilo of unnecessary weight."

Silly nonsense, unless you intend to replace it with no seatpost at all.

Roughly, I wasn't talking exact weights. More like 350g but I couldn't be bothered to figure it out. Well done for pointing that out though, have a gold star.

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR - Member
What do you mean by "Set your saddle at a decent height, get used to it" anyway? Seems like a bit of an odd statement.

Set your saddle at the correct height instead of pi**ing about with it, and when you get used to it you won't even think about putting it down for a decent. What's difficult to understand about that?

snowpaul - Member
Pointless. End of.

Recently rode cadair idris / snowdon last week - seat all the way up - maybe i AM JUST SLOW....

if it floats your boat then so be it....

paul

Pointless to you would be more appropriate if you want to post a statement like 'end of'.

You are pretty much saying everyone who doesn't like riding in your style hasn't got a valid opinion.

For me, it's far from pointless.

Oh, and I'd love to see anyone ride what we've ridden this weekend with the saddle up.

Set your saddle at the correct height instead of pi**ing about with it, and when you get used to it you won't even think about putting it down for a decent. What's difficult to understand about that?

Go on then smartarse - what's the correct height?

Northwind +1
They do make more sense on undulating terrain with short sections of DH/drops.

I have a gravity dropper multi turbo on my full suss. Just ordered another for my hartdail. Faultless reliability on the full sus so far.

The only point I would mark the dropper down is that the middle position is a bit hard to fine sometimes.

I use the middle position as much as the fully-down position (it's better on pedally downhills).

They make riding more fun - no question. That's the point isn't it?

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR - Member
Go on then smartarse - what's the correct height?

I'm sure you have enough braincells to figure that out for yourself.

Flow's correct - apparently the Spesh DH World Cup team is going to be riding with there saddles up next year, they've proved there's no advantage to it.

(I have a new type i900 which after i'd swapped the crap cable it came with has been ace, and is very handy for riding undulating trails quickly)

[i]Pointless. End of.

I'm sure you have enough braincells to figure that out for yourself[/i]

With these well constructed arguments I think i'll put my credit card away.

I can ride any trail on my hard tail - doesn't mean I don't chose to ride my full sus sometimes and have "more fun" 😉

fwiw I'm currently looking to get an uppy downy post, primarily for the Mega but I reckon it'll get a fair bit of use after too.

Sorry I though we were talking trail bikes/riding, not world cup DH courses 🙄

I rode a WC DH course on this at the weekend - my trail bike. I'd love to see you try it with the saddle that high - or the majority of my local 'trails' too.

[img] [/img]

Bought one for my Blood for the Mega, but already a firm convert.

I think most mortals would agree that you don't need to be a World Cup DH racer to be "trail riding" in places where having your saddle down a bit is a distinct advantage?

I musyt add - it didnt suit my riding and wasnt worth me buying it as it was on loan to me. If it suits you then great - try one and make your own mind up - i did and it didnt help.

Good night all !

I rode a WC DH course on this at the weekend - my trail bike. I'd love to see you try it with the saddle that high - or the majority of my local 'trails' too.

If you were riding a world cup DH course you wouldn't need a ****ing adjustable seat post would you, you would have the saddle down. I would love to show you how to ride a bike on your local trails without one to, is that why you ride flats, because its to demanding for SPD's? :lol:. What do you think I do, ride on the flat all the time, you joker!

Tool - they are CB Mallets, so yes I rode the DH clipped in thanks.

I don't doubt some people are capable of riding with their saddle up 99.9% of the time, but with long legs, a large frame and short torso, it is totally impossible for me to get off the back and be in control, thus shoving your previous comments roughly in the same place as your head seems to be.

So because you feel the need to use one, you think that people who don't are wrong? You're the one who needs to pull your head out your ass.

Jebus. Kaesae, ro now flow?

No I'm not, but sometimes people get on my tits, sorry.

flow - Member
So because you feel the need to use one, you think that people who don't are wrong? You're the one who needs to pull your head out your ass

You started with "pointless, end of" or something similar if I remember correctly did you not?

I can't be arsed any more - night!

*goes to sleep smashing head against wall*

err

no that pointless . end of was me !!

sorry if it caused offence - it was intended to be banter !

out of interest whats your fav local trail in the peak then STR? Oh yes I have ridden the ft bill DH trail too...

snowpaul

You started with "pointless, end of" or something similar if I remember correctly did you not?

snowpaul - Member
Pointless. End of.

Nope

Ah, yes my bad - sorry about that one, but the argument remains.

One of my faves would be Stanage Edge - plenty of people could possibly ride with their saddle up, but with my body shape it's bloody hard at the very top (puts my COG waaay high) and as I said earlier I just can't get off the back.

I almost made the same mistake Went back and read the old post first, Arguing On Teh Internetz 101.

northwind- I ride most of KT with my seatpost slammed, it can't be ridden as fast otherwise and for me it just doesn't flow as well if not ridden flat out.
with your seat at full pedalling extension, you simply can't jump, manual, pump or hop properly and you can't corner as fast.

Me, now........ 😀

[img] [/img]

STR - nice trail - causeway up and down the rock slabs? Yep thats fine with my lithe body = post up! I love the roman road / hagg farm/ shatton moor and even cavedale - now thats hard and prob the only place I would consider a dropy post in the peak- but thats just doable post up albeit prob slower than if it were dropped but i wouldnt want the weight to slow me on the ups- I used to race xc and come from a 'post up / good' background and my pride would take a hit if i dropped the post plus all the other whippets I ride with would rip me for doing so...

I reckon up / downy posts are rather like the riser bar arguement... some will accept some wont.

I actually love a thudbuster on my HT now thats an acquired taste !

snowpaul

This is me now 😉

[IMG] [/IMG]

We start from Fox House - Houndkirk - Redmires - Plantation - Burbage (shhh), but do all sorts in the area.

Love the Beast, Lockerbrook, Hagg Farm and Jacobs etc - not done Cavedale yet though for some reason, although mates have.

On topic - love my gravity dropper multi with remote, but as someone mentioned it can be tricky finding slight drops, but full drop is easy.

Back on arguement - I cannot ride anything technical with the saddle up my **** , whereas one of my riding friends can. I'm sure your body geommetry has something to do with it. I am 5'11" with long legs, long arms (I think) and short torso and everyone comments on my long seatpost.
My friensd is almost 6'2" and I find his saddle height about right for me, yet he is three inches taller. Anyway I'm loving my gravity dropper
and wouldn't go back.

If you go down that line you won't come back. Its as important (for me) as gears etc.

Gravity Dropper all the way.

Another one here for never dropping the seat. I just cant be arsed really.

Another one here for never dropping the seat. I just cant be arsed really.

Which is exactly why uppy downy seatposts are good. You don't have to be arsed. It is very very easy and no faff whatsoever.

People going on about them being pointless - did you say the same about disc brakes and suspension forks? Because I'm sure you could go mountain biking without them right?

Leaving the seat at a good pedalling position when descending is fine if you enjoy mincing slowly down smacking your balls into your saddle constantly. 😛

Loved my Gravity Dropper, for the first three rides, before I had to send it back to CRC for repairs. It doesn't look like I'll have it back anytime soon either. Would I buy again? No, I'm done with beta-testing but the idea is great and yes, although it is humanly possible to go down a hill with the seat up, why not harder, faster and higher if you can?

I have a bike with a curved seat tube so I can't drop a normal post by more than an inch.
I've now got a Joplin 3" with remote and it's enough to transform the handling of the bike and my playfulness on the descents. So much so that I hardly ride my other bike with the fixed seatpost any more.

So functionally, I think the idea is excellent. However, I've had a few technical issues.
1) Layback only seatpost isn't ideal.
2) My saddle has deformed slightly and started to push the release lever when riding. I had to fiddle with the cable tension and lever stop position and even file the top bolt down a little to sort this problem. It's probably worse because of the extreme seat angle on my bike though.

The Rockshox looks better thought out to me. But we'll see. I don't think I'd trust mine to last a winter in the peak district, but I can really enjoy it through the other 9 months.

I had 2 KS i900s which both went wrong in various ways and had to go back so I wouldn't have another of those until all their little problems have been sorted out.

I got an i900R last year. It went back twice under warranty, getting revised internals both times. It's been working fine for many months now so I'm reasonably convinced that the major problems at least are sorted. Sorted enough that I got another one for another bike, anyway.

I'm also wholly unconvinced at the need to spend £200 more than a QR when it's not inconvenient unless you ride nonstop or your mates are mindblowingly impatient.

They're not going to be to everyone's tastes but then again neither are front suspension, rear suspension, aluminium frames, multiple gears, etc.

However I find my uppy-downy seatposts great. Not having to faff with a QR is great. Not grinding mud and grit into my seat tube every time I drop my saddle is great. Being able to drop my saddle while on the move, so I only need to drop it for the bits of a trail where I really want it dropped is great. Being able to ride the rest of a trail with the saddle high enough that I can pedal comfortably whilst seated is great. Being able to adjust my saddle height in reaction to the changes in an unfamiliar trail is great. Not having think as much about it as I would if I had to stop and faff with a QR is great.

Pointless. End of.

Obviously not. 🙂 A wide range of views have been expressed on this thread. Hopefully mcinnes and anyone else who's been considering getting one will have gotten some idea of what benefits (and pitfalls) they bring and what sorts of riders think those benefits outweigh the pitfalls.

Yes it's true that people with a ride everything with the saddle up mentality probably won't appreciate it. Especially as a fair few of them are probably XC types who won't like the extra weight. Similarly people with hyperactive Gnar! glands never put their saddles high enough to require them. But amongst those who do drop their seatposts for the downhills and technical stuff I think there'll be a fair few who'd really appreciate an uppy-downy seatpost.

People going on about them being pointless - did you say the same about disc brakes and suspension forks? Because I'm sure you could go mountain biking without them right?

You should have seen the arguments that were going on about the merits of full suspension when I first found this place. Gordon Bennett, if you think this thread is full of opinions stated as fact, nonsense (on both sides of the argument) and general petty sniping, the threads about the efficiency of full sus, suspension bob and the like back in 2002 would turn your hair white! 🙂

My final comment would be that, for me, a lot of benefit in having an uppy-downy seatpost requires that it be one with a bar mounted remote. Dropping the post just as a trail changes from flowing to technical is a lot easier if you don't have to take a hand from the bars in order to perform a Michael Jackson-like crotch grap maneouvre...

KSi900 - I got an original in Nov 08 and it started to scratch about 10 months later. Sent back to France and got an newer revised one and it's much better. If you fancy one then get one and see what you think - you'll be able to sell it on no bother if you don't fancy it.

Most of the naysayers have never tried one/are not interested in lowering their post at all but I think they are well worth it. Perfect for my riding anyway.

Got mine from here and were excellent with the warranty replacement:

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/uppy-downy-seat-posts-experiences/page/2

sniff where did yours come from? I bought one from France but when it broke they never replied to my emails.

[b]el_boufador [/b]

Which is exactly why uppy downy seatposts are good. You don't have to be arsed. It is very very easy and no faff whatsoever.

They are expensive.

They are sometimes a pain

BUT they rock. If you like to ride your bike in an attacking position without faff they are for you. If you don't then the are not. Continue as you were and keep thinking that you can ride your bike down anything with the saddle up.