12 Ways to Use a Dropper Post

Perhaps one of the biggest innovations in mountain biking in the last couple years, dropper seatposts now come on most new mountain bikes. These handy telescoping posts lower your seat with the touch of a button, letting you “drop” your center of gravity on the fly.


Michael Yozell |

Perhaps one of the biggest innovations in mountain biking in the last couple years, dropper seatposts now come on most new mountain bikes. These handy telescoping posts lower your seat with the touch of a button, letting you “drop” your center of gravity on the fly. – By Michael Yozell

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They might seem fairly straightforward, but dropper posts, like any new tech, can be a bit tricky to master. If you have one, you’re probably already using your dropper post to get your seat out of your way in tight sections and steep descents—but this humble component has so much more to offer! Get in the habit of using it, and you’ll be dropping and raising your saddle hundreds of times on a ride. Here are some hints to help you make the most out of your dropper.The Basics:1. Drops: A lower center of gravity improves stability on the bike by keeping your mass where it’ll move the least. Picture a wine glass vs a coffee mug—one will tip over easily; the other will shred that drop. Plus, with your seat out of the way, you’ll have more room to absorb the impact as you land.

2. Steep descents: With a lower seat, you can move your hips lower and back over your rear wheel, transferring your weight over your rear hub. This will keep you from tipping over the bars when things get spicy.

3. Sweeping turns: Remember the wine glass analogy? It works in turns too. Lowering that center of gravity extends your contact patch with the ground by distributing your weight more evenly between your wheels, which in turn lets you take wide, fast turns without sacrificing speed.

4. Tight turns: With your seat out of the way, you’ll be able to lean the bike over much further, letting you carve and dip with greater agility.

5. Climbing: It might seem counter-intuitive to lower your seat to climb, but try it in rough terrain. Often you’re standing anyway, and you’ll find you can absorb bumps better with the seat lowered, which can help improve traction.

6. Fallen Logs: A lowered seat won’t jolt you forward when your back wheel comes up and over the log, minimising your chance of an endo. 

7. Wheelies: You’ll be able to center your weight over your back wheel and manual for days. 

8. Step ups: You’ll have more room to suck your legs and back wheel up and over the obstacle once your front wheel is clear.

9. Jumps: With your seat dropped, you can stay centered in the air instead of being forced behind the seat, which can shorten your trajectory by pushing your back wheel down too early.

10. Stopping: Simply lower your seat and you can sit with both feet comfortably on the ground!

11. Storage/travel: Any time you need to make your bike a little smaller to fit on a bike rack or in a closet, a dropper seat post can help. 

12. On the road/cyclocross: Mountain bikers aren’t the only ones drinking the Kool-aid; we’re increasingly seeing dropper posts across disciplines for many of the same reasons they work on the trail. 

Mount It Right:

To get the most out of your post, adjust the handlebar-mounted remote trigger so it’s easy to reach with your thumb. To do this, loosen the trigger clamp and move it into the position that allows you to toggle it without removing or unwrapping your hand from the bar. You should be able to drop your seat with about the same effort as it takes to shift gears. Once you get it in the right spot, tighten it to the correct torque.

 

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