Dropper seat post Review

[Lehane]

Review: BONTRAGER LINE ELITE DROPPER

Easy to use... one button down, one button up...you can stop it at the preferred height.. had no issues at all with the Mechanism,
I give the product ???? ???? ???? ???? ????

The big question though - - - do I need one?
Depends. Not everyone needs a dropper.  If you're not going to really ride single track and if you're not keen of riding obstacles, you'll be just fine without one. Some people just want to go ride for general fitness. That's also just fine! If you like the feeling of the saddle between your legs when you stand or jump small jumps, and you're already great at cornering... you probably won't like the feeling when your seat dissappear!

If you're like me however, and you want to ride faster, corner better, or go over obstacles and have more control - - then you NEEEEEED a dropper post.

I've been riding with a dropper post for 30 days and all I can say is WOW! I was able to ride drops, jumps, corners, rocks and roots without it, BUT NOW.... I'm so much faster and in control.  I can't wait to drop into the single track and play on my bike all the way to the bottom. STRAVA claims that I have on average 10% faster times on down hill sections, without pushing my limits. That's a lot! In an XC race with flow sections of approx 2 minutes per lap, I will save 12 seconds per lap x6  = 1 minute 12seconds in a race....with no extra effort.
It might also enable me to do an A LINE, that I would have skipped without having a dropper and save more time per lap.

In other words.. If you have a competitive streak, you'll most definitely benefit from having one!
I find the biggest benefit is the confidence boost.

I'm a careful rider, but I'm already jumping things and clearing gaps I previously struggled with. Rocks and drops definitely feel smaller and it feels as if I'm not bouncing around that much anymore.

No more bruised thighs and injured ribs caused my my saddle. Can't wait for my next XCO race!!

Thank you Trekza, Bontrager and Hells'end Stellenbosch! You've added safe speed to my  riding and I love that idea❤️

[Headshot]

Not a bad advertorial at all ????  There are still some diehards who still live in the 1990's and refuse to adopt modern technology, despite jumping on wagon wheels and carbon long ago...

[thebob]

Some of my favorite comments regarding dropper posts are:

I don’t need it for the riding I do.

I’m not good enough to need one.

Droppers are too heavy.

I could not get used to the dropper.

Scooped me a Fox Transfer for a bargain from someone who scored 3/4 out of those comments.

Edited July 23, 2021 by thebob

[DieselnDust]

40 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Not a bad advertorial at all ????  There are still some diehards who still live in the 1990's and refuse to adopt modern technology, despite jumping on wagon wheels and carbon long ago...

bAH HUMBUG

[100Tours]

35 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Not a bad advertorial at all ????  There are still some diehards who still live in the 1990's and refuse to adopt modern technology, despite jumping on wagon wheels and carbon long ago...

You've described me ????

Admittedly I did buy a dropper and rode with it for a while. After a year or so (probably more) and I hadn't used it other than to make my bike fit better on a bike rack I took it off. And I had ridden Swazi Frontier, Mankele, van Gaalens pofadder descents, etc. without finding the spot where I actually liked the feel of a lower seat. 

Middle aged dogs can't learn new tricks either.

 

[MajG]

3 minutes ago, 100Tours said:

You've described me ????

Admittedly I did buy a dropper and rode with it for a while. After a year or so (probably more) and I hadn't used it other than to make my bike fit better on a bike rack I took it off. And I had ridden Swazi Frontier, Mankele, van Gaalens pofadder descents, etc. without finding the spot where I actually liked the feel of a lower seat. 

Middle aged dogs can't learn new tricks either.

 

Well guess purely depends on what type of riding you do.

xc and gravel only then suppose not needed

[Robbie Stewart]

I rode a manual dropper system for a long time. How? Stop at the top. Whip out the multitool to undo the post clamp. drop seat. shred. stop at the bottom. whip out multitool. undo post clamp. pull seat post back up. align to height. align to top tube. fasten. repeat.

A few weeks ago I tired of this folly and bought a Lyne Contour V2 dropper.

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone - tralalalalaaaah....

People who think they're fine without a dropper post are just BS'ing themselves.

Stop your k U k and get with the program. You won't regret it.

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Robbie Stewart

[Robbie Stewart]

7 minutes ago, 100Tours said:

You've described me ????

Admittedly I did buy a dropper and rode with it for a while. After a year or so (probably more) and I hadn't used it other than to make my bike fit better on a bike rack I took it off. And I had ridden Swazi Frontier, Mankele, van Gaalens pofadder descents, etc. without finding the spot where I actually liked the feel of a lower seat. 

Middle aged dogs can't learn new tricks either.

 

I'm 45

I've ridden as far as my middle-aged legs would take me. That bore's the life out of me. Hundreds of kilometres and hours in the saddle is no longer something I aspire to.

Now I ride mostly just descents. The techier, the better. Sure, one does not need a dropper post for marathon riding, but as soon as the front wheel is lower than the rear wheel, a dropper becomes your best friend.

Saturday's are spent with mates session some super fun trails all around within an hour's drive and although at the end of the day we might only have ridden maybe 15 odd km's, I'd argue we've had more fun than most and have spent on average 3 hours having a blast. At day's end we're spent.

Middle aged dogs can learn plenty if they want to...
 

[StevieG]

5 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I'm 45

I've ridden as far as my middle-aged legs would take me. That bore's the life out of me. Hundreds of kilometres and hours in the saddle is no longer something I aspire to.

Now I ride mostly just descents. The techier, the better. Sure, one does not need a dropper post for marathon riding, but as soon as the front wheel is lower than the rear wheel, a dropper becomes your best friend.

Saturday's are spent with mates session some super fun trails all around within an hour's drive and although at the end of the day we might only have ridden maybe 15 odd km's, I'd argue we've had more fun than most and have spent on average 3 hours having a blast. At day's end we're spent.

Middle aged dogs can learn plenty if they want to...
 

We're so alike its frightening ha ha...        Droppers have opened my eyes to some gnarly enduro lines, and I couldn't be happier. This XC stuff just doesn't float the boat anymore. Oh, 43 years of age, and learning new tricks by the day

Edited July 21, 2021 by StevieG

[Titleist]

1 hour ago, Lehane said:

Review: BONTRAGER LINE ELITE DROPPER

Easy to use... one button down, one button up...you can stop it at the preferred height.. had no issues at all with the Mechanism,
I give the product ???? ???? ???? ???? ????

The big question though - - - do I need one?
Depends. Not everyone needs a dropper.  If you're not going to really ride single track and if you're not keen of riding obstacles, you'll be just fine without one. Some people just want to go ride for general fitness. That's also just fine! If you like the feeling of the saddle between your legs when you stand or jump small jumps, and you're already great at cornering... you probably won't like the feeling when your seat dissappear!

If you're like me however, and you want to ride faster, corner better, or go over obstacles and have more control - - then you NEEEEEED a dropper post.

I've been riding with a dropper post for 30 days and all I can say is WOW! I was able to ride drops, jumps, corners, rocks and roots without it, BUT NOW.... I'm so much faster and in control.  I can't wait to drop into the single track and play on my bike all the way to the bottom. STRAVA claims that I have on average 10% faster times on down hill sections, without pushing my limits. That's a lot! In an XC race with flow sections of approx 2 minutes per lap, I will save 12 seconds per lap x6  = 1 minute 12seconds in a race....with no extra effort.
It might also enable me to do an A LINE, that I would have skipped without having a dropper and save more time per lap.

In other words.. If you have a competitive streak, you'll most definitely benefit from having one!
I find the biggest benefit is the confidence boost.

I'm a careful rider, but I'm already jumping things and clearing gaps I previously struggled with. Rocks and drops definitely feel smaller and it feels as if I'm not bouncing around that much anymore.

No more bruised thighs and injured ribs caused my my saddle. Can't wait for my next XCO race!!

Thank you Trekza, Bontrager and Hells'end Stellenbosch! You've added safe speed to my  riding and I love that idea❤️

 

Welcome to 2021. You've missed out on being in control of your bike for about 5 years now.....

[DieselnDust]

14 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I rode a manual dropper system for a long time. How? Stop at the top. Whip out the multitool to undo the post clamp. drop seat. shred. stop at the bottom. whip out multitool. undo post clamp. pull seat post back up. align to height. align to top tube. fasten. repeat.

A few weeks ago I tired of this folly and bought a Lyne Contour V2 dropper.

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone - tralalalalaaaah....

People who think they're fine without a dropper post are just BS'ing themselves.

Stop your k U k and get with the program. You won't regret it.

 

This is not recommended by the WHO as this practice leads to constipation, sphincter problems and at worst  colonic cancer.

You must let you  k  u  kk flow

[Steady Spin]

10 years using a dropper post and not a single day where I thought to myself that I wasted money. 

Will never ride a bike without one again. 

[Robbie Stewart]

6 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

This is not recommended by the WHO as this practice leads to constipation, sphincter problems and at worst  colonic cancer.

You must let you  k  u  kk flow

I do my flowing on the flow trails at Plaisir...no risk of any WHO related warning conditions occurring. 

[Jewbacca]

I definitely need to try one of these 'dropper posts'... I said back in 2014.....

[Dexter-morgan]

I recently "upgraded" my 125mm Lyne second hand Dropper to a 150mm Bontrager one, just love it - same here is I ever replace my Scott it will be with a Bike with a decent dropper.

[OVERDRIVE]

I am a massive fan of droppers. Massive. Will never ride WITHOUT one again, I slow down when I don't use it. Like cleats, everyone was afraid, but after a few falls cant do without THEM.

Edited July 21, 2021 by OVERDRIVE