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RAVE: Gravity Dropper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Just got a gravity dropper post for my all mountain/trail bike and just wanted to let you all know that if you have been thinking about it, go ahead and pull the trigger, it is awesome. Ever since I got rid of my last hite-rite about 15 years ago ( :p ) I've been looking for something like this. No more descending with my post too high, no more climbing with my post too low, and no more stopping to change it up one way or another. I :heart: gravity dropper.
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
Is it the one with remote? That's alot of $$$ ($220) for a seatpost. Ive been thinking of something similar to get but hopefully not as much money or finding one used. It definately looks better than most other "dropper" posts out there.
 

dfinn

Turbo Monkey
Jul 24, 2003
2,129
0
SL, UT
that's damn expensive for something that requires 10 seconds and very little physical effort. i can think of way better things to spend $220, like getting all my bikes powder coated pink.
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
kidwoo said:
As soon as they make a rapid fire one that can spank me at a high frequency, I'm all over it.
BWAHAHAHA!

Dang! That made me spit pizza all over the keyboard. :thumb:
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
kidwoo said:
As soon as they make a rapid fire one that can spank me at a high frequency, I'm all over it.

Whoa. I don't think they make one with the custom attachments you are looking for there buddy. :nope: But you could probably rig it up.

I was lucky enough to get hooked up with one below retail, but yeah they are expensive. Yes I got the remote version. And yeah DFinn, it doesn't take that much effort but if you ride DH and DJ you are used to your seat being out of the way (more than most XC riders) and being able to switch it up on the fly is pretty damn nifty. And come on, this is RM, where cost is no object and niftyness rules all. :p
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
They are made about 30 miles from my house. Great company

Did you weigh it? Ive heard they are really heavy.
 

Mtnman

Chimp
Nov 6, 2001
19
0
Oh, man. You dudes are hilarious. It would be a blast to ride with all of your and listen to the conversations and jokes. I especially like that last visual. Uh, exactly what is that she's holding in her hands?? HA!
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,155
355
Roanoke, VA
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
 

Jimmy_Pop

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2002
2,030
0
Phoenix, Az USA
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
I assuming you are joking.

By that same reasoning, there should be only ONE bicycle to win both the Tour De France and win a UCI World Cup Downhill event.

I want a Gravity Dropper on my Nomad (whenever that will be)
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,155
355
Roanoke, VA
Jimmy_Pop said:
I assuming you are joking.

By that same reasoning, there should be only ONE bicycle to win both the Tour De France and win a UCI World Cup Downhill event.

I want a Gravity Dropper on my Nomad (whenever that will be)
No, I'm not joking. Re-read my post.
 

nmjb

Monkey
Apr 26, 2005
217
0
Idyllwild, CA
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
Wouldn't having properly designed adjustments EXPAND the range applications that one product can be designed for? I don't really see adjustable travel-forks as reverse engineering to correct an improper design (in most cases). Just my 2 cents.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
Wow, I completely disagree with that statement. These all expand the range of applications a single bike can be used for.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
Well, if it doesn't suit your needs, that's fine, but your rationale is silly. Stagnant items, no matter how well designed, are not able to suit every application.

A 5" travel fork is a 5" travel fork. No matter how well it is designed, it will always be a 5" travel fork. That does certain things to your bike's geometry and the handling characteristics of the front end that are simply unchangable. Thus, if you want to climb on it, you must suffer with that well-designed 5" travel fork. If you can lock it down to 3", though, your bike becomes a different beast and usually much easier to climb with.

On this particular topic, though, you're just plain out there. Do you really think a bike can be designed to climb and descend equally well with the same amount of exposed seatpost? :rolleyes: Design doesn't even enter into it.

edit: even rear suspension lockouts have their place, though I agree that they are often substituted for good suspension design.
 

Red Bull

Turbo Monkey
Oct 22, 2004
1,772
0
970
Zark said:
Wow, I completely disagree with that statement. These all expand the range of applications a single bike can be used for.
Mickey has a different bike for like every situation... Therefore he has no need for a bike to be super versitile... (thats my guess atleast, correct my if im wrong mickey)
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Red Bull said:
Mickey has a different bike for like every situation... Therefore he has no need for a bike to be super versitile...
Well, that's great, and is certainly the optimal solution (a versitile item will never be as good at a specific purpose as a purpose-specific item), but his statement "If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for." isn't correct.

Doesn't make sense anyway, you design in a travel adjuster or what-have-you, so it's part of the design...
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
You're entitled to not see the point, but your second statement is kind of kooky. Sure, products "should" work optimally for the entire range of intended applications. But for now, they don't, and all of things you mention, IMO, make great bikes even better.

PS, the gravity dropper still rocks, I use it all the time.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
That is a very limited viewpoint of mountain biking.

I was in Downieville this weekend, and we rode up to Big Boulder from town. The steep sections I lowered my front travel to 85mm; on the road I locked out my rear suspension; on the flat but rocky sections I raised my travel to 100mm and released my suspension; and when I made my descent down 3rd Divide, I lowered my seatpost and raised the travel of my fork to its full travel, 125mm.

These on-the-fly adjustments comes with penalties: added weight, diminished performance, and some reliability lost.

Could you design a bike that doesn't need these things? Sure, except for the seatpost. If you plan on riding to the top of a mountain and descending down it, raising and lowering the saddle is critical. Unless, you descend with full brake lock.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
These adjustments are not for everyone. Mark Weir runs his Nomad with a 36 Air, but minus the Talas cartridge (more plush, he says). He runs a DHX air (no lockout), but he swears by the Gravity Dropper.
 

Duzitall

Monkey
Jun 20, 2004
452
0
San Diego
I wrote to the factory, no reply.

The standard post is 350mm x 3" drop. They advertise posts as short as 275mm. If I get a 350mm can I cut the bottom off as short as 275mm? Would seem logical that the inside post is the same for all of the 3" droppers.

Is the standard 350mm post length measured from the bottom of post to top of seat mount in the dropped position?

Thank you for the help, Chris
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Duzitall said:
I wrote to the factory, no reply.

The standard post is 350mm x 3" drop. They advertise posts as short as 275mm. If I get a 350mm can I cut the bottom off as short as 275mm? Would seem logical that the inside post is the same for all of the 3" droppers.

Is the standard 350mm post length measured from the bottom of post to top of seat mount in the dropped position?

Thank you for the help, Chris
I don't know the answers, but the "factory" is pretty much one guy. There is a phone number at gravitydropper.com, give a call and be patient, dude should get back to you eventually.
 

Duzitall

Monkey
Jun 20, 2004
452
0
San Diego
OGRipper said:
I don't know the answers, but the "factory" is pretty much one guy. There is a phone number at gravitydropper.com, give a call and be patient, dude should get back to you eventually.
Wayne did respond:

Hi, I am sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.

1 Yes, post length is measured in up position

2. No, not all posts can be cut down. Measure what length you need, and let us know, we will send it to you the way you need.

3. Yes, shim is included and shipping too.

If you have any other questions, please let me know. We look forward to your business.

Wayne Sicz

www.gravitydropper.com
406-883-3555
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Kanter said:
OGRipper,
Do you have any pics of the post and remote lever?
No but there are some at www.gravitydropper.com. If you don't see what you're looking for there let me know. The lever is really light and easy to position with other controls.

I remain convinced this is a great thing. It got a little sticky after a while so I opened it up and lubed the mechanism a bit and now it's all good.
 

1000-Oaks

Monkey
May 8, 2003
778
0
Simi Valley, CA
SuspectDevice said:
I really can't see the point to height adjust seatposts, remote lockout or travel adjust forks. If you design a product correctly the first time, it should work for the entire range of applications it was designed for.
I can't even begin to explain how awesome the ETA travel adjustment on my '05 Marz Z1 FR1 is, it rules for climbing.
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
OGRipper said:
No but there are some at www.gravitydropper.com. If you don't see what you're looking for there let me know. The lever is really light and easy to position with other controls.

I remain convinced this is a great thing. It got a little sticky after a while so I opened it up and lubed the mechanism a bit and now it's all good.

I cant get enough seatpost adjustment on my Foes Fly. I dont want to run a telescoping seatpost. I was thinking about the GD with 4" adjustment. I have been told the remote lever is weak and will break easily.