The Morewood Mamba is a cable actuated dropper seatpost that (for the time being) is available in two options: a 31.6mm with internal routing and a 30.9mm with external routing, both with 125mm drop.
Morewood Mamba top, KS Lev bottom.
Features
- Uses a two bolt head clamp which secures the post
- Hydraulic damping on the inside
- Air pressure adjustable return means you can regulate the amount of air pressure and the speed that is used to extend the post
- Cable operated to keep maintenance and cost down and make them easy to fit
- Infinite adjustability means the rider can regulate the amount the dropper can go down or up by holding in the lever and releasing it at the desired height
- 31.6mm (internal routing) or 30.9mm (external routing)
- Travel: 125mm
- Length: 430mm
- Seat Post Weight: 667g
- Remote & Cable Weight: 85g
- 1 Year Warranty
- Rebuild Kit R 595.00
- RRP R 2,895.00
On the Trail
I have one of each of the posts on different bikes, and both have been up to the task. The remote is similar to the original KS lever. It is the only part of the package that looks on the budget side, as it doesn’t have the same refined look of some competitor remotes. Looks aside, the remote works well and feels comfortable in use. Finding the best position requires some trial and error to ensure pushing it is easy and second nature on the trails. Tilting the lever too far up will require some movement in your wrist and therefore less grip on the bar; too far down and you may run out of reach in your thumb to push it far enough to actuate the post. This is however the same across all dropper seat posts using this style of remote.
I did like the shape of the remote. It naturally cups the thumb which stops it from slipping off the lever in damp conditions.
The cable needed an adjustment after the first ride to counter a bit of cable stretch and to ensure the lever does not need to be pushed all the way down before the post starts dropping. Some more expensive posts like the KS Lev use a nylon stretch-free “cable”, but this comes at a cost. A quick way to get around the initial tweaking will be to use a pre-stretched shifter cable like those used on high end drivetrains.
The stretch and following adjustment were in-line with other posts that I’ve used and was easy enough to do. Since then I have only needed to adjust it one more time which I feel is fair for a post of this cost. I’m not sure how much cost a pre-stretched cable would add, but it could be a nice addition.
I’ve never felt the need to adjust the return rate (internal air pressure) as it was perfect as shipped from the factory; not too slow to be noticeable or irritating and not too fast to lead to a nasty surprise mid-ride. It is however a nice-to-have feature, as some riders may want to adjust it to their liking.
The 125mm drop is sufficient for the bikes I have fitted the seatposts, but with the market catching on and seat tubes becoming shorter and shorter to allow for longer dropper seatposts, it would be great if they could at least include a 150mm dropper in the range. 25mm does not sound like a lot, but it can make a huge difference when tackling steep terrain on a longer travel bike where every bit of clearance is used.
The two-bolt saddle mount makes it easy to fit and adjust your saddle and has been secure and creak-free which adds to the overall positive experience.
Verdict
The Mamba has been rock-solid with only a minor tweak or two needed to take up the cable stretch that is common with wire cables.
The Mamba offers another option for thrill seekers looking for a dropper seatpost, and the lower price entry point should make it an attractive offering. It would to nice to see a 1x shifter type lever offered as an option straight from Morewood.
Pros
- Gets the job done
- Has been reliable
- Another wallet-friendly option
- Complete rebuild kit available
Cons
- Limited sizing, routing and drop options
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