Mountain Bike Dropper Post Install | GMBN Tech Essentials Ep. 10

Dropper posts are the order of the day in this episode of MTB tech essentials. Dropper Posts enhance your mountain bike ride by moving the saddle out of the way with little to no interruption at the start of a descent, lowering your centre of gravity and allowing you to ride in a more dynamic manner without any risk of getting caught up on your seat.

Doddy covers cable vs hydraulic posts, cable orientation, how much drop you should aim for, the necessary tools for installation, and how to negotiate internal routing in this video.

Do you ride with a dropper post? Ever wish you had one? Let us know below!

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Just My Luck - Mattias Hedbom

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[awesometuscaloosa]

For years I refuse to get a dropper post... then my new bike came with one and is awesome, I am getting more fore my other bikes, thanks for the tutorial Doddie, cheers!

[thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal]

The info just keeps getting better. This is this channels best contribution to cycling by far. Doddy knows set up, and its critical for mountain biking.

[LogieTK]

I rode a bike with a dropper for the first time recently, they are game changing bit of kit

[peterwilliamson]

Thanks for explaining the cable. Other dropper post "experts" never mention it. Your video explaining things so clearly is unique and absolutely outstanding. New fan.

[juluisreyes]

I used the wire cable itself as a guide. I inserted it first on the bike frame along with the remote lever and protruded it out of the seat tube. Next is I slide the housing cable into the wire cable that is already inside the bike frame thru the seat tube and up towards the routing coming outside of the downtube. And viola, the upper end of the housing will automatically fit to the remote lever as you pushed. Finally is setting the wire cable length with respect to the housing cable using the plastic piece protector that came with the droper post to fit to the engagement of the dropper. (Note: I did not cut my housing cable as I estimated the stock length is appropriate for my frame)

[deuce]

That is a good looking bike your working on. I almost ordered one. Great color

[diogo]

1:06 "Anywhere else" is a nice way to describe it.

[billrose]

Got my hands on a Ragley Big Al 2.0 without dropper this year. Ordered a Brand X dropper from Chain Reaction Cycles and used your video to aid in my install. Thought I would not say the install was 'easy', your video really made my install relatively headache free. Was very careful every step of the way, especially cutting the cables, so your video was a huge help. Thanks!!

[nox]

That cable routing tool is a great idea, but I needed one in a pinch so I knocked one up, used a small tie rod end from an RC car with a screw in it tied to a length of string and a magnet inside a sock (using a clean one is optional), then a paper clip to hook it once you're on the port, worked a charm and cost nothing!! Any questions gimme a shout!!

[davidmillar]

Found this vid useful. Good solution I used today to install brand x dropper post cable internally on my 2021 vitus hardtail is to feed a length of wool - yes wool - down thro the top hole in the downtube, put the hoover nozzle over the hole at the lower end of the downtube, which sucks out the wool. Tie a length of decent fishing line to end of the wool, tie other end of fishing line around the end of the outer cable, just below the ferule/end cover so it has something to grip, wrap tape around this to prevent the knot from snagging on the hole(s), making a conical shape so the end is streamlined for smooth egress from the top hole... feed the outer cable up the downtube, pulling the fishing line at the same time... Et Voila... the outer cable pops out the top hole and has been successfully routed internally thro the downtube. Wool works well as being light and 'fluffy' it catches the air better than string/bootlace etc which I also tried without success. The wool and hoover method worked first time for me. The outer cable then easily feeds up thro the hole at the back of the seat tube behind the bottom bracket on my bike - others may be different - the rest is straightforward, follow product instructions. A good spin on the bike followed with dropper post working well :-)

[ambalee]

It's worth to take into consideration your bike's water bottle fittings on the seat tube.

[willhooke]

As a former Tradesman this video was excellently done

Concise yet with all needed information 👏

Thank you Doddy 👍

[palicar]

I got a cheap one with the lever under the saddle. I have to take my hand off the bars but it's ok. So far I have no real issues with it. Clean cockpit.

[spankervideo]

All adult males that attempt to make instructional and informational videos, this is the standard by which all others should be judged. NO bullshit, NO headbanger music, NO childish graphics, NO animated stupidity, just INFORMATION. Thank you GMBN Tech.

[Mgrant]

I would die to have a shop that looks like that! All the tools match, clean and no son to make off with the wrench that i need the first time I need it. Great video. Thanks.

[addsy]

Great! Thanks Doddy. Appreciate this but showing the cable routing technique without the cable tool would have been handy to. Its an expensive bit of kit that I’m not likely to use that often...

[garygilbert]

as a complete noob a few years ago on a hardtail I knew the single most important upgrade was a dropper, that and tyres that grip and dont puncture by looking at them.

[YuunaAndCuddles]

Thanks for that. I'm planning on having a dropper post on my next paycheck, and I have absolutely no idea on how it will be installed. This video gave me insight on what to expect. Now I'm not doing any trails, but I live on an area with rough roads.

[gladyshughes]

Set up in my garage. Sure comes in handy. Works great

[KG-jrlc]

the reverb is more like "the mad king" of hydraulic posts