By Katherine Moore

Published: Monday, 05 September 2022 at 12:00 am

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A dropper post is a seatpost that can be lowered via the actuation of a lever, typically located on the handlebar, to allow you to drop the height of the saddle. This adjustment gives the rider a greater range of movement over the bike, which comes in especially useful when riding on trickier off-road trails.

Dropper seatposts are most commonly found on mountain bikes, although more are now being made for gravel bikes.

While mountain bike dropper posts feature a range of movement up to 210mm, droppers designed for gravel bikes tend to range from 50mm to 125mm of travel.

Most gravel bikes will come with standard seatposts, although some top-of-the-range models will feature dropper posts, such as the Genesis Fugio 30, Liv Devote Advanced 1 and the Specialized S-Works Diverge.

Do you need a dropper post for gravel riding?

Many new dropper posts designed specifically for gravel bikes are beginning to appear on the market, but do you really need one? Here we take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of dropper seatposts for gravel riding so you can make up your mind.

Gravel dropper post pros

With the touch of a button, push of a lever or swish of a shifter, a dropper post will leave you with oodles of space to frolic over the top of your bike. You’ll be able to move your weight wherever pleases you without the snag of a saddle between your legs, helping you and your bike stay upright on technical trails.

If your idea of gravel riding is made up of canal towpaths, dusty hardpack and gentle gradients, then this might not make much sense to you. However, for those seeking adrenaline-filled, challenging rocky, rooty and steep sections to keep their rides spicy, a dropper post can help.

Then, of course, there are unexpected upsides. A dropper post puts your saddle at the right height for perching at traffic lights or when you’re waiting for your friends at the bottom of trails. In short, it’s hard to go back to a normal seatpost once you’ve used a dropper.

Gravel dropper cons

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Just like suspension forks and shocks, dropper posts require regular maintenance to keep them in good working order. This might be something you’d be happy to do yourself at home or a task you’d rather ask a mechanic to do for you. Either way, it’s extra maintenance that you wouldn’t otherwise need to consider.

With more moving parts involved than a conventional seatpost, dropper posts can develop ‘play’. This is where the saddle moves around a little as you pedal, typically side to side. It’s not so noticeable on mountain bikes where you spend a sizable chunk of time out of the saddle, but it can become frustrating or even uncomfortable on gravel bikes where you tend to spend more time seated and pedalling.

By adding a dropper post to your gravel bike, you’ll also be adding extra weight.

Dropper posts for gravel bikes vary in weight from around 618g for a Brand-X Ascend II (without lever and cable) down to 450g for the PNW Rainier 3.

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Comparatively, a standard 27.2mm seatpost weighs around 200-300g, depending on the material used. So you’re looking at a weight increase of around 150-420g.

Remember that with a dropper post, you’ll also need to add a lever. This can take up extra space on your gravel handlebar or even interfere with bikepacking bags. Dropper posts that can be used with a shifter lever on 1x setups are a good way to get around this.

If you’re planning on going bikepacking on your gravel bike, you’ll need to think about what kind of bag setup will be compatible with your dropper. This could mean opting for dropper-specific bags, or packing your kit elsewhere so that you can continue to use your dropper unhindered.

Lastly, there’s the cost to consider. Dropper posts don’t come cheap, with the latest Reverb AXS XPLR costing £500 / €600 / $600, while more budget-friendly options can be found from around £140 / $150  / AU$220 / €155.

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4 of the best gravel dropper posts

Here are four of the best gravel dropper posts, according to BikeRadar’s team of expert testers.

Brand-X Ascend II dropper post

4.5 out of 5 star rating

Andy McCandlish / Immediate Media

• Price: £140 / $150  /AU$220/ €155 as tested
• Weight: 618g (without remote and cable)
• Stroke length: 105mm
• Diameters: 27.2mm (30.9mm and 31.6mm also available)

Not only is the Brand-X Ascend II a great value option, but this 105mm dropper also impressed on test with a near-perfect return speed, consistent action and ergonomic remote.

The externally-routed cable didn’t last long in the wet though, but replacement with a superior quality cable is an easy switch to reduce corrosion and aid longevity.

• Read our full Brand-X Ascend dropper post review