Dropper on a gravel bike?

[funnyman]

Thinking of putting a dropper on my Spez Diverge comp- Anyone else done this -pros/cons?

Gonna need to be 27mm and looking for approx 125mm travel -any recommendations- also nearer the R2500 range.

[droo]

Lyne do a 27.2 110mm for R 2500-ish, but with the forward position on a gravel bike due to the drop bars the seat doesn't get in the way nearly as much as it does on a MTB, so you probably won't use it as much as you think.

[Patchelicious]

Thinking of putting a dropper on my Spez Diverge comp- Anyone else done this -pros/cons?

Gonna need to be 27mm and looking for approx 125mm travel -any recommendations- also nearer the R2500 range.

I have seen some showbikes with droppers on, but these were full suspension gravel bikes.

 

What do you think the upside will be to put one on a standard gravel bikes?

[funnyman]

I have seen some showbikes with droppers on, but these were full suspension gravel bikes.

 

What do you think the upside will be to put one on a standard gravel bikes?

Well I definitely find when going downhill my centre of gravity is so high- I feel awkward. I'm used to my mtb and enjoy leaning in corners etc- but don't feel secure at all so high up and saddle in the way.

[Patchelicious]

Well I definitely find when going downhill my centre of gravity is so high- I feel awkward. I'm used to my mtb and enjoy leaning in corners etc- but don't feel secure at all so high up and saddle in the way.

Hmmm, then maybe give it a try. Hey, if it doesn’t make a difference then so what. If it does, well awesome.

 

Will be good to post feedback here, hey maybe you start a “thing”.

[Jewbacca]

I have one... I run the Lyne 27.2mm internal actuated by the left shifter.

 

I do ride my gravel bike down the trails in Tokai and around table mountain/town frequently and it just makes it about 37.6% less sketchy.

 

I'm fat and the bike is already a steel frame/fork beast so the extra few hundred grams don't bother me nearly as much as a saddle in the naught and picking my front teeth out of the rock gardens

[Danger Dassie]

Think it could make sense on steeper/sketchy descent routes, especially if riding with luggage. 

Seen few people do it already, even a minimal travel dropper on some road bikes.

[coppi]

I wonder if professional teams are thinking of using dropper posts in the near future on road bikes for the new aero downhill techniques........

[Patchelicious]

I wonder if professional teams are thinking of using dropper posts in the near future on road bikes for the new aero downhill techniques........

Would be a whole lot safer.

[NotSoBigBen]

If you need a dropper on your gravel bike are you riding the right bike? #EkVraMaarNet

 

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[Patchelicious]

If you need a dropper on your gravel bike are you riding the right bike? #EkVraMaarNet

 

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You don’t NEED a dropper on a MTB either, you don’t NEED 720mm bars, you don’t NEED 11 speed or 13 speed, you don’t NEED a carbon bike, you don’t NEED much. But will it make a difference to those who want it, well maybe ????

 

Edit: for full disclosure, if it is steep enough for ME to need a dropper, I will be on my MTB. But we aren’t all the same.

[JA-Q001]

I wonder if professional teams are thinking of using dropper posts in the near future on road bikes for the new aero downhill techniques........

 

Nibali was using a "dropper" (not an actual dropper, but an adjustable height seatpost that you twist to lower and lift) about 3 or 4 years ago, this was to get lower in downhills. Needless to say it did not catch on. Neutral vehicles used them in order for guys to easily set their seat height when they use a neutral bike.

[Jewbacca]

If you need a dropper on your gravel bike are you riding the right bike? #EkVraMaarNet

 

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Well lets say I want to leave Muizenberg via ou kaapse weg, do the silvermine loop, then head to the mast. Using the snake trails and Vasbyt to get to the bottom is infinitely more fun. Ride up the green belts and bash through the Kirstenbosch corridor.

 

Hit up past rhodes mem to block house then do some deer park fun, drop into smits, chappies then finish through the vlei/greenbelts in sun valley and home to Muizies. 

 

Having a dropper makes it super fun and really versatile while also not making the road sections absolutely horrible like on a MTB.

 

If you wanted to throw in the full cape point/red hill loop the bike still doesn't feel out of place and there are a few sneaky trails that side where not having a saddle up your naught is preferable to having one.

 

I just find it opens up more without sacrificing anything

[funnyman]

The times- they are a changing........... I will post some feedback once I have the dropper and some saddle time.

Thanks for the encouraging advice- makes me feel less guilty about spending more money on bikey stuff. 

[BaGearA]

I don't think you should be tackling terrain that requires a dropper on A gravel bike and I would definitely not lean a gravel bike as much as I would lean my mtb , just sayin

[funnyman]

I don't think you should be tackling terrain that requires a dropper on A gravel bike and I would definitely not lean a gravel bike as much as I would lean my mtb , just sayin

 

Where's the fun in that?