If you have embraced riding and racing a bike with a dropper seatpost, you will understand just what an important role it plays in your riding. It may seem like a fairly simple component, but your dropper seatpost needs regular TLC. Here’s why…
If you think about it, your dropper seatpost is right in the line of fire for grit, mud and grime that shoots up from your back tyre. So, over time it will start to be affected by that and won’t move as it’s designed to. Or it may even fail.
Although it doesn’t have quite the same details and parts, your dropper post is similar to your suspension fork. So, you should treat it the same. After each ride, wipe it down gently to remove the dust and grit. Avoid pressure washing it as the wiper seal may become compromised.
There are several different dropper seatpost designs these days. Each has its own characteristics, but most of share the same basic components, such as cables, levers, bushings, seals and springs. Most dropper posts have a seat collar that can be removed, allowing access to the main wiper seal. You should be able to do this yourself – regularly cleaning under the wiper seal will help prolong the integrity of the wiper seal, which essentially keeps dirt out of the inner workings.
However, as with suspension, dropper seatposts should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure they work as designed and last long. Although a relatively simple looking component, it’s best to get your bike shop to do the service. Most brands have a recommended servicing interval on their websites. It ranges from 125-hours (Fox), to 200 hours (RockShox), or if you’re not into service intervals stats collection, once every six months if you ride regularly (at least three times a week).
If you feel your dropper seatpost is sticking or not as smooth as it used to be, it’s a good time to get it to your bike shop for a service. It makes a big difference when it’s working properly and that leads to hassle-free memorable rides, which is really all we want, right?
Author, Lynnwood Cyclery