All about bicycles

[dmatthews]

NDPD!
Finally caved to the desire of getting a dropper post. Of course the original intent for such a thing is to bomb down gnarly hills in the dirt, but my use case is much more mild.
The seat height I like on my L frame is just right for pedaling, but is just a tad too high for planting your foot at a stop. Especially if that stop is a bit lower where your foot is in comparison to the wheels.
So, enter the dropper post! This will also make mount/dismount easier as a bonus.
Now all I have to do is get used to it...

 

[dankilling]

NDPD!
Finally caved to the desire of getting a dropper post. Of course the original intent for such a thing is to bomb down gnarly hills in the dirt, but my use case is much more mild.
The seat height I like on my L frame is just right for pedaling, but is just a tad too high for planting your foot at a stop. Especially if that stop is a bit lower where your foot is in comparison to the wheels.
So, enter the dropper post! This will also make mount/dismount easier as a bonus.
Now all I have to do is get used to it...

I use mine when I remember to use it. 40 years of off road riding hasn’t made its use automatic. It sure is nice when I remember!

 

[dmatthews]

I use mine when I remember to use it. 40 years of off road riding hasn’t made its use automatic. It sure is nice when I remember!

Yeah I'm running that movie in my head where I stop as per usual and then... Oh yeah!

 

[tbp0701]

NDPD!
Finally caved to the desire of getting a dropper post. Of course the original intent for such a thing is to bomb down gnarly hills in the dirt, but my use case is much more mild.
The seat height I like on my L frame is just right for pedaling, but is just a tad too high for planting your foot at a stop. Especially if that stop is a bit lower where your foot is in comparison to the wheels.
So, enter the dropper post! This will also make mount/dismount easier as a bonus.
Now all I have to do is get used to it...

Having a dropper kept me from hitting the ground a couple times, especially as I'd been off a bike for a long time. It's also nice even on a rail trail, as I can quickly and confidently stop and get going. The only downside is I've gotten so used to it, when the cable broke last year I realized I'd gotten pretty sloppy at stopping/starting the normal way.

The dropper also makes it a lot easier to fit my bike in my car.

 

[dmatthews]

Having a dropper kept me from hitting the ground a couple times, especially as I'd been off a bike for a long time. It's also nice even on a rail trail, as I can quickly and confidently stop and get going. The only downside is I've gotten so used to it, when the cable broke last year I realized I'd gotten pretty sloppy at stopping/starting the normal way.

The dropper also makes it a lot easier to fit my bike in my car.

That's one thing I'm unfamiliar with... the maintenance of said dropper post. We shall see how much fun that is...

 

[veinbuster]

That's one thing I'm unfamiliar with... the maintenance of said dropper post. We shall see how much fun that is...

Mine requires little maintenance beyond keeping the stem clean.

My first one needed to have its air pressure adjusted fairly frequently, which was a pain because the seat had to be removed and the volume of air was small enough that getting enough air to push the seat up without so much that it blasted into, well whatever was above it, was tricky.

 

[garrett]

A dropper is one of those things for me to think about down the line. I'm not looking to get super rad on my XC bike, but I've heard they can be beneficial even with our flatter terrain.

Speaking of my XC bike, I finally got in a shakedown ride late last week. Took advantage of the golden hour to grab some glamour shots.

 

[dmatthews]

A dropper is one of those things for me to think about down the line. I'm not looking to get super rad on my XC bike, but I've heard they can be beneficial even with our flatter terrain.

Speaking of my XC bike, I finally got in a shakedown ride late last week. Took advantage of the golden hour to grab some glamour shots.

That's a beauty!

 

[veinbuster]

A dropper is one of those things for me to think about down the line. I'm not looking to get super rad on my XC bike, but I've heard they can be beneficial even with our flatter terrain.

Speaking of my XC bike, I finally got in a shakedown ride late last week. Took advantage of the golden hour to grab some glamour shots.

Bike looks great.

I use my dropper on my fattie in the winter. When I approach ice, I drop the seat out of the way.

 

[Moondog Wily]

A dropper is one of those things for me to think about down the line. I'm not looking to get super rad on my XC bike, but I've heard they can be beneficial even with our flatter terrain.

Speaking of my XC bike, I finally got in a shakedown ride late last week. Took advantage of the golden hour to grab some glamour shots.

Shooting during the golden hour is always magical! It is my understanding that most of "Apocalypse Now" was shot during the golden hour, which added months to it's production!! Great shot!!!

 

[tbp0701]

That's one thing I'm unfamiliar with... the maintenance of said dropper post. We shall see how much fun that is...

Mine hasn't been an issue. A bit of cleaning and lubricant, on occasion. Mine also has an air valve at the top, under the seat, to adjust pressure. It's needed that once since early 2020. The cable probably broke from my putting it in the car or doing something goofy. I stopped by the bike shop, and they quickly fixed it. I think it uses a standard shifter cable.

 

[m_c]

That's one thing I'm unfamiliar with... the maintenance of said dropper post. We shall see how much fun that is...

There's not that much to the basic droppers.
A quick search suggests the Giant Switch uses a replaceable sealed cartridge like Brand-X/OneUp, so there isn't that much to service. Main thing is keep them clean, and if the top collar does come of easily, remove it occasionally and trickle in some fork lube (Fox Float Fluid is ideal) to help keep the seal/post lubricated.
The basic posts can be stripped down fairly easily, but as long as it's working, doesn't sag, and feels smooth, there's no real reason to strip them.

More expensive posts like Fox Transfers, and RockShox Reverbs are far more complex.
Transfers require a lot of special tools, and Reverbs have their own issues, although can be rebuilt without any special tools.

 

[dankilling]

Played hooky from work this afternoon to get some miles in on a beautiful spring like day today. Felt great.

 

[dmatthews]

Finally got a decent ride in. TBH I think I went too far first time out, but I had ants, so did 60kms. By 40 I knew I was over doing it, but whaddya gonna do...

Spring has sprung?





Lots of construction on the Mud Bay path...





He caught the bug for flying... see what I did there? Shut up Dave... One minute later he took off.



28kms in at the end of Mud Bay path...

 

[veinbuster]

Finally got a decent ride in. TBH I think I went too far first time out, but I had ants, so did 60kms. By 40 I knew I was over doing it, but whaddya gonna do...

Spring has sprung?





Lots of construction on the Mud Bay path...





He caught the bug for flying... see what I did there? Shut up Dave... One minute later he took off.



28kms in at the end of Mud Bay path...

That’s a lot of left over battery.

 

[dmatthews]

That’s a lot of left over battery.

Yeah, the new 800wh battery takes all range anxiety away.
The first 2/3 of the ride was at level 2 (out of 5), and the last 1/3 was at 3 except for a nasty 14% grade hill near the end which was at 4.
Relatively flat ride all together as you can see.

 

[garrett]

Yeah, the new 800wh battery takes all range anxiety away.
The first 2/3 of the ride was at level 2 (out of 5), and the last 1/3 was at 3 except for a nasty 14% grade hill near the end which was at 4.
Relatively flat ride all together as you can see.

Once you get the dropper on, you'll be ready to bomb down that 14% grade!

It's going to be a tale of two very different weekends for me. Last weekend was I think the last gasp of winter (as far as we call it anyway). Upper temps were in the 50's-60's. My ride day was cloudy and damp, so I got to use two bits of kit I rarely get to take out: rose tinted glasses and long sleeve jersey. On a gray day, the old saying about rose-colored glasses becomes literal. It makes everything look amazing and it's kinda sad when you take them off.

This weekend however, we're looking more like summer. A great example of why I insist on living by the coast down here: My home forecast high for tomorrow is 85. I'm driving an hour or so inland for my ride, where the forecast high is 91. Rolling out just after sunrise to beat the worst of the heat.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

That’s a lot of left over battery.

TWSS (sorry, not sorry).

 

[tbp0701]

Finally in the mid 50s today, but there are dangerous wind warnings, and I seem to have messed up my back.

Anyone planning an epic bike trip this year? I'm hoping to ride the Great Allegheny Passage but don't have any concrete plans.

 

[dmatthews]

Finally in the mid 50s today, but there are dangerous wind warnings, and I seem to have messed up my back.

Anyone planning an epic bike trip this year? I'm hoping to ride the Great Allegheny Passage but don't have any concrete plans.

150 miles looks like a hella bunch of fun!