Review your dropper: A guide for buyers.

[KingTJ]

Q1. Make/Model (year if known):

A1. Stealth Reverb 2014

Q2. How long have you had it:

A2. 18 months

Q3. Price (new):

A3. Came with bike

Q4. Drop (mm) and fixed or unlimited heights, mechanical or hydraulic:

A4. 150mm,hydraulic

Q5. Yearly running cost (approx):

A5. Nil to date

Q6. Reliability 1 to 5 (5 excellent, 1 poor):

A6. 2/5. 1st one replaced under warranty. Replacement now acting up a bit and needs a major service due to air above piston.

Q7. Picture (if possible):

A7. Sorry

Q8. Would you buy the same again?

A8. I would look around for a more reliable option with lower maintenance cost. The rebuild kit and tools for this Reverb are pricey....costs more than a shock to service but does much less work....

 

I have had no problems with mine...its been working like a charm so i would give it 5/5 for reliability

[RockCoach]

From what I have read the Giant droppers are one of the most reliable, I have heard they do get sticky from time to time but you clean them out and they are good as new again. Definitely winners and from what I understand the 2016 model has the new seat clamp and some cosmetic adjustments but other than that largely the same as the old post.

 

Can't see the Ks cartridge being cheap if they are available but from what I understand they are serviceable, the whole post needs to get sent away and it's pricey.

 

KS pressure stick is usually replaced under warranty (we are where your KS warranties get sent)

 

KS

Labour for a service R150

Labour for rebuild R450

 

RS Reverb

Labour for a service R450

Parts for rebuild anywhere from R500 to R1700 depending which seal kits are needed.

Labour for rebuild R450

 

PS. guys... I try and drill this into everyone who has their posts serviced here. Don't ever pick up or move your bike by the saddle while the post is in the dropped position. That little bit up and down play you feel is caused by you doing this and the post will need a rebuild.

[Raggieride]

PS. guys... I try and drill this into everyone who has their posts serviced here. Don't ever pick up or move your bike by the saddle while the post is in the dropped position. That little bit up and down play you feel is caused by you doing this and the post will need a rebuild.

Can you elaborate on this? How does it cause damage? If there is movement when the bike is picked up by the saddle, has the damage already been done or is it the movement that causes the damage?

[Enduro_Jakes]

 

PS. guys... I try and drill this into everyone who has their posts serviced here. Don't ever pick up or move your bike by the saddle while the post is in the dropped position. That little bit up and down play you feel is caused by you doing this and the post will need a rebuild.

 

Doesn't this also cause air to get into the system? This is a rumor I have heard, not sure if it's true....

[popcorn_skollie]

Q1. Make/Model (year if known): 

A1. T-mars mechanical dropper

 

Q2. How long have you had it:

A2. 1 year

 

Q3. Price (new):

A3. paid R1100 a year ago

 

Q4. Drop (mm) and fixed or unlimited heights, mechanical or hydraulic:

A4. 110mm (3 height settings: fully extended, halfway, slammed)

 

Q5. Yearly running cost (approx):

A5. R0.00 so far

 

Q6. Reliability 1 to 5 (5 excellent, 1 poor):

A6. 4.5

 

Q7. Picture (if possible):

http://i.imgur.com/Jdc18i7.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/JN4K65K.jpg

 

Still functioning well. But the cable feels a little tighter now.

General maintenance should sort that out.

 

My problem with this dropper though is the protruding cable.

I have to pull it as tight as I can or the rear tyre chews cable housing when i bottom out. I've tried turning the dropper around and flipping the saddle.

But it doesn't work since the angle of the rail clamps don't rotate the other way far enough to allow a comfortable enough seating position.

[Thermophage]

http://i.imgur.com/JN4K65K.jpg

 

Still functioning well. But the cable feels a little tighter now.

General maintenance should sort that out.

 

My problem with this dropper though is the protruding cable.

I have to pull it as tight as I can or the rear tyre chews cable housing when i bottom out. I've tried turning the dropper around and flipping the saddle.

But it doesn't work since the angle of the rail clamps don't rotate the other way far enough to allow a comfortable enough seating position.

Wouldn't a little guide for the cable sort this rub out no problem? Would re-direct the cable when the post is dropped and should stop the ear on the cable ASAP.

[Headshot]

I'm sure sending the KS for a service will be pricey, however it works with a pretty much identical cartridge system to the Giant one, which I would buy and fit myself for fairly cheap. I bought mine used, so no warranty anyway. The seal is a dust wiper like on a fork stanchion, what good is it if it comes pre-cut with gaps? No, the cuts are from being dragged over four sharp edges which are machined symmetrically into the stanchion. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has spotted this, which confirms my assessment about the design...

 

Edit: the dust wiper failing is unrelated to the performance of the cartridge. Dust getting into the wiper will scar the black stanchion and cause worsening sticky action, rapidly ruining any new seal you put on, meaning you throw the whole thing in the bin. Maybe keep the cartridge as a spare if you do plan to buy another giant...

I think you are exaggerating the issue. The stanchions on the dropper are not the same as fork stanchions ie that seal is not there to keep lube oil inside and don't get cycled up and down as much either.  Its just a dust wiper and its easy to access it and clean underneath and re-lube it. My old abused Giant dropper had no stanchion scratches on it despite the same basic design. 

[popcorn_skollie]

Wouldn't a little guide for the cable sort this rub out no problem? Would re-direct the cable when the post is dropped and should stop the ear on the cable ASAP.

 

Unlike normal non stealth hydraulic droppers. My cable remains in a fixed position close to the clamp. Whether the post is raised or dropped. Apparently my best bet is to change to a softer cable housing which would allow a smaller bend. I'll report once I get around to doing that.

[Thermophage]

Unlike normal non stealth hydraulic droppers. My cable remains in a fixed position close to the clamp. Whether the post is raised or dropped. Apparently my best bet is to change to a softer cable housing which would allow a smaller bend. I'll report once I get around to doing that.

Yeah, wouldn't mind seeing a pic actually of up and down.

There must be a way to sort it out

[popcorn_skollie]

Yeah, wouldn't mind seeing a pic actually of up and down.

There must be a way to sort it out

 

I'll snap it later so you can see. Kinda annoying. But not the end of the world. Happened a handful of times then I hold back a little when riding because of it. Then I forget till it happens again. 

 

There's another option which might work. Replacing the entire cable and clamp mechanism with the one that's on the The Forca dropper. It doesn't stick out that much.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Bm18J2F.jpg

[RockCoach]

Can you elaborate on this? How does it cause damage? If there is movement when the bike is picked up by the saddle, has the damage already been done or is it the movement that causes the damage?

Doesn't this also cause air to get into the system? This is a rumor I have heard, not sure if it's true....

 

Yes, it's similar to having a full syringe and then pulling the plunger further back drawing air into the system. It starts off having no After a while you will have a few centimeters of play in your post.

[Eddy Gordo]

I'll snap it later so you can see. Kinda annoying. But not the end of the world. Happened a handful of times then I hold back a little when riding because of it. Then I forget till it happens again. 

 

There's another option which might work. Replacing the entire cable and clamp mechanism with the one that's on the The Forca dropper. It doesn't stick out that much.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Bm18J2F.jpg

Funny enough the ones I had ordered had this mechanism. But when I received them and found these round knobs and enquired. I was told it is a new deisgn. The square box is big, but it does keep the cable closer to the post.

[Mathieu_Schneuwly]

Ok I am exaggerating.

 

However it is worth highlighting the issue to people.

I don't agree with you on this, the seal is supposed to keep lube in and mud out.

Also, I don't know how the old giant droppers were made, I'm referring to the new 2016 version, the jury is still out on how long they will last, especially in the hands of non-technical people who don't know better. I will be watching mine like a hawk.

 

What really gets to me is that the way It is designed means that pretty much every dropper will leave the factory with a damaged seal. In my mind that is just not ok...

 

Giant: fix this issue. Use pin bushings held in slots cut down into the stanchion, like the other brands do, and you truly have a winner. As it is it's fatally flawed.

 

I think you are exaggerating the issue. The stanchions on the dropper are not the same as fork stanchions ie that seal is not there to keep lube oil inside and don't get cycled up and down as much either.  Its just a dust wiper and its easy to access it and clean underneath and re-lube it. My old abused Giant dropper had no stanchion scratches on it despite the same basic design. 

[popcorn_skollie]

Yeah, wouldn't mind seeing a pic actually of up and down.

There must be a way to sort it out

 

pretty self explanatory

 

http://i.imgur.com/O9ZQIQ4.jpg

[Skylark]

 

 

KS pressure stick is usually replaced under warranty (we are where your KS warranties get sent)

 

KS

Labour for a service R150

Labour for rebuild R450

 

RS Reverb

Labour for a service R450

Parts for rebuild anywhere from R500 to R1700 depending which seal kits are needed.

Labour for rebuild R450

 

PS. guys... I try and drill this into everyone who has their posts serviced here. Don't ever pick up or move your bike by the saddle while the post is in the dropped position. That little bit up and down play you feel is caused by you doing this and the post will need a rebuild.

Is the Ks service and rebuild price the same for all there posts?

If that's just the labour how much extra approx is the parts for either service or rebuild?

 

RS reverb labour R450, that also means the service kit is extra, around another R400-500 odd?

[JXV]

I have had no problems with mine...its been working like a charm so i would give it 5/5 for reliability

Had mine rebuilt after my report linked here and it is 100% again but at around R1500 per annum I am looking for a more efficient option.

 

I agree with Robodog that when your Reverb is compressed, avoid lifting the bike by the saddle. This creates suction that can draw air in if there is a little wear on the seals.....then you get that spongy feeling....

 

I learned this the hard way.

 

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