What are Dropper Posts and When Should You Use it?

Dropper posts are a great mountain bike innovation. Anyone who has one knows that it is. It is impossible to ride a bike without one.

Dropper posts were criticized in the past for being expensive and not being reliable. These issues have been solved by modern designs. You should try one if you haven’t already. You will be able to transform your riding experience with your bike. It will make you more efficient. Maybe. It could make the ride more enjoyable. Definitely.

What’s a Dropper post?

It’s simply an adjustable seatpost that can be made shorter or longer according to the rider’s preference.

Back in the day, when everyone had to ride fully-ridged, 3×7 drivetrains, 26″ tires, fashionably narrow bars, concussion machine… one could pedal to the top of a hill and then manually lower the seatpost for a descent. You might have made your seat lower to allow you to pedal more efficiently, but still, be able to move when you wanted.

It’s great news! Dropper posts allow riders to adjust their seat height on the fly. You don’t need to take out a tool in order to adjust your seat. No more up-and-overs (putting your weight and butt far back) in order to reach behind your seat when you descend. No more sitting in a static position. Period.

Why use a dropper?

You will have more control in all directions of your good mountain bike movement if you can lower your saddle. People use their droppers whenever they need more maneuverability. However, pedaling efficiency is not important.

A dropper can make your ride more enjoyable in many places, including techie descents (techie downs), slopestyle courses, flat turns, berms, and slopestyle courses). With the saddle in the lower position, jumping and hitting drops are much easier. This allows the rider to do more and is safer.

When and where to use a dropper

Your riding skills and comfort level will determine where and when you use your dropper posts. They are used differently by different riders. Most people use them for long descents when they first get one. As you ride more, you’ll find that you use the saddle less often.

Are you looking for a quick corner? Dropper. 

Bonus: When you are ready to climb again you can simply hit the lever to return the seat to its original position while you pedal.

Cornering: You can use side-to-side bike separation when you are in a corner. In high-speed turns, you can also lean the bike further to allow it to pass between your legs and under your bottom. This will enable the saddle to pass more easily between your legs and underneath your bottom when you go downhill.

Steep Descents – Dropping your seat in when you are going down a steep descent allows your bottom to move freely, while your body and weight distribution will keep your tires on solid ground. ).

Jumping: The saddle should be lower when you jump or drop.

Drops: It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a small or large drop. This will ensure that the seat does not land on your back. Your weight shifts forward when your seat touches your rear. This could lead to an unintentional nose wheelie (or turned-over-the-bar) scenario. It is best to move your seat away from your rear and to focus on your center mass (COM) relative to the bike.

Rock Gardens: Have you ever accidentally thrown your suspension into a boulder and felt your seat pinch your tush? You can drop your seat into a rock garden, sometimes only halfway, and then stand up and pedal.

Ascents: Although the main purpose of the dropper post is to assist with descents, it can also be used for ascents. It is possible to drop the saddle halfway while climbing obstacles. This allows for front-to-back bike body separation, and also allows you to move your bike under you as you push it up rocks, roots, climbs, or other obstacles. Then, you can pedal into a descent.

How to Use a Dropper

The function of dropper posts varies from one manufacturer to the next. The setup is dependent on the type of bike, the general setup, and the style of riding. Generally, dropper posts are cable-actuated, hydraulically actuated, or wirelessly-electronically actuated (via Bluetooth technology) by a lever located near the left side hand grip.

To quickly drop your seat, all you need is a simple thumb-flick and weight applied to the saddle. You can lower your seat by laying on your back and holding the lever. The lever can be released when you want to raise the seat. The saddle will remain at the desired height as long as it is in the right position. You can pedal for a while by flicking the lever once more without weight and the saddle will return to its original position. Magic!

The Takeaway

Dropper posts are a great way to increase the enjoyment and ease of your bike rides, even though they may not be necessary. You will find that they are easier to use on any terrain and you enjoy every ride.