All Arround MTB

The new Tues downhill bike is here – and won a World Cup on its first outing While a number of big brands have launched 29er downhill bikes,YT Industries are sticking with proven 650b wheels – for now, at least. The latest Tues comes in five sizes (S-XXL), with the biggest sporting a reach of 495mm. Head tube and chainstay lengths now vary between sizes, to put the rider in a better position on the bike. The S-L bikes have 435mm stays, while the XL and XXL are a shade longer, at 440mm. Reach is longer than last year on some sizes, including the XL ridden to victory by Aaron Gwin at this year’s openingWorld Cup round.A reachadjust headset can be used to tailor the fit further. YT have also made subtle but significant changes to the suspension. The initial stroke is said to be more sensitive, while there’s more mid-stroke support, to sit the bottom bracket a shade higher when on track.YT have decreased end-stroke progression, by five per cent, to make tackling really big hits th

There aren’t many companies like NS Bikes, whose entire product range is designed around getting rad, ripping corners and boosting jumps. The Polish brand are passionate about freeride and have gained a reputation for building heavy-hitting,wellspecced and reasonably-priced bikes. This latest incarnation of their Metropolis dirt jump rig follows in this vein, with a doublebutted 4130 chromoly frame and an array of reliable kit. The frame mixes MTB and BMXtechnology, using a threaded bottom bracket and Race Face AEfect two-piece crankset in combination with horizontal dropouts and an integrated headset and seat clamp. A Manitou Circus Elite fork gives 100mm of air-sprung travel, with a 20mm front axle to maintain stifness. The Metropolis rolls on 26in NS Fundamental rims, fitted with Kenda Small Block 8 tyres. We reckon the combo of chrome frame and tan-wall rubber looks pretty rad too! The full build weighs a fairly robust 12.13kg , but it should have no problem shrugging of s

If you can afford it, Fox’s Transfer is a totally bombproof, sweet-performing post that can be switched between internal and external routing. It uses a typical hook-ended actuator lever design, but cable clamping and cutting is done at the lever end, making it a much easier process. The light-action remote lever is available in under-bar shifter style or vertical ‘universal’ format, too.You do have to buy that separately, for $105, on top of the $554 post cost, though, which seems steep given its average, wobbly-from-new design. Function is silk smooth though, with excellent speed and position control. Every Transfer we’ve used has stayed that way indefinitely, no matter how bad the conditions or minimal the maintenance. That makes the high price a reasonable investment, and the Performance version skips the gold Kashima coating of the Factory post to save $75.You can even switch to external operation using an actuator at the collar. Weight 646g Stroke 100, 125, 150mm Diamet

The Ascend range from Brand-X offers reliable, no-nonsense performance in sizes to suit most bikes at total-bargain prices. This 150mmstroke XL version is the latest addition to the family, but uses the same proven mechanism as the 120mm post ($210). It comes with a wobbly but functional shifter-style remote lever for 1x transmissions but a vertical ‘universal’ lever is also available. Cable fitting and set-up is the typically fiddly affair of all posts that put the nipple at the lever end, but the linkage actuator means operation is smooth enough. Return speed is acceptable without any danger of neutering you, and the top-out is discernible. Despite costing less for a new post than it does to service some droppers,Ascend reliability is better than most, making it a no-brainer if you’re watching your wallet. There’s also an externally-routed 125mm Ascend II for $210 and a 27.2mm version for the same price (85mm or 105mm stroke, internal). Weight 637g Stroke 150mm Diameters 3

Crankbrothers couldn’t have had a worse reputation for dropper posts a few years ago, but the Highline has proved a truly outstanding option, in terms of user-friendly operation and reliability.At just under 700g, it’s no lightweight. There’s a lot of post south of the collar too, which could cause fit issues if you have to run it slammed to fit the 160m stroke between you and the bike. The nipple sits inside the post and it comes with the cable already installed. That makes fitting a breeze, as you just have to thread it through the outer, pull it tight and clamp it into the shifter-style remote. Just make sure to line up the arrows on the mechanism and main body.We had issues with cable tension on the first bike we tried it on, which had tight internal routing, and marked it down accordingly. But further use involving multiple samples, bikes and testers has thrown up no such problems, so we’re confident in raising the score. The hinged bar mount clamps onto a spherical section on

The last generation of X-Fusion droppers did the brand’s reputation no favours, but the all-new Manic is proving an excellent costeffective post.At over 700g, it’s heavy. It’s also longer than most 150mm posts, which may make it a squeeze to fit between you and your frame or just into your seat tube. It’s really well-priced, though, and while the neat shifter-style remote wobbles a bit from new, it has plenty of leverage for a light action. The stroke is smooth and easily controlled in both directions, with reasonable return speed and an easily-felt top-out clunk. While the Manic is a relatively new design – particularly the 150mm version – all the reliability feedback we’ve had from users has been excellent so far. Replacing the sealed-cartridge internals only costs $30 if there is an issue. The cable can unhook if you move the post in the frame without keeping it taut, but we’re assured there’s a fix imminent for that glitch. Weight 735g Stroke 125, 150mm Diameters 30.9, 3

KS’s latest LEV is light,well priced, flex free, available in lots of options and more reliable than most of its rivals. Its large-diameter upper shaft means it flexes noticeably less in longer lengths or on bikes with slack seat angles than most posts when pedalling. The low weight will appeal to XC/trail riders, and there’s even a 27.2mm version (100mm stroke) for hardtails and older frames. It’s got a smooth and easilycontrolled stroke, with a solid top-out thunk that leaves no doubt that it has re-extended. Pricing is OK too, with a 100/125mm model at $435, 150mm at $465 and 175mm at $510. KS’s shifter-style ‘Southpaw’ lever ($55 alloy, $90 carbon) is much nicer to use than the short ‘universal’ knuckle lever that comes as standard. The way that the post extends if you pick the bike up by the saddle is a pet hate of some people.We do still occasionally get LEVs that need a nudge or pull to extend them too, but that’s less common than it used to be. Weight 576g Stroke 100,

One of the longest posts on the market, the Fall Line is light and loaded with great features, but we’ve had irritating leakage issues with our samples. The ‘DropLoc’ cable shuttle needs to be set up exactly right, but having the cable anchored at the lever end makes it easier, and once you’ve got it sorted, the whole mechanism can be unscrewed for easy removal/refitting. There’s a wide range of stroke lengths, with super-long 175 and 200mm versions available for an extra $60. It’s lightweight, and short for its travel. The saddle clamp gets large titanium bolts for security and separate angle adjustment, and there’s a layback head option for $52. Whether you choose the ‘universal’ remote or the sweetly-machined shifter-style ‘Digit’ unit seen here, the action is very smooth. Return speed can be altered, and stop-point modulation is excellent. The 9point8 post has a great reliability rep too, although we’ve had gradual pressure leak problems. Weight 623g Stroke 75, 100, 125, 1

When RockShox’s latest Reverb works, it’s truly in a class of its own, and recent experience with multiple samples suggests that initial build quality issues are now behind it. Fully-hydraulic operation means the Reverb can cope with much more tortuous internal routing than the cable-operated competition. Lever feel from the new shifter-style ‘1X’ remote is fantastic too, although that adds $100 and 45g (with clamp) over the standard ‘universal’ push-button remote. The post now comes in a wide range of diameters and lengths, it’s short for its stroke and the twin-bolt saddle clamp is secure and easy to use. It’s impossible to ignore the initial build quality issues that saw B1 posts being slammed for widespread top-stroke bounce issues.We’ve had flawless function from our own long-term samples and the large number of Reverbs we’ve used on test bikes recently, though, so hopefully SRAM’s assurance that all new posts will be fine will prove accurate. Weight 695g Stroke 100, 125,

Scott’s house-brand dropper is a slightly crude but reliable and reasonably light option at a good price, but costs $20 more than the essentially identical Brand-X post. OK, some of the laser-etched markings are different and it’s got a slightly glossier finish, but mechanically the two posts and their remotes are identical. Even the boxes they come in are the same, apart from colour and printing. Obviously, that makes the Brand-X slightly better value, but the Syncros post is still a decent option compared to other droppers and a welcome sight on complete Scott bikes. The lever is rattly from new. There’s also a bit of saddle twist, but the twin-bolt clamp is secure and easy to use. The rattle doesn’t get any worse over time either, and reliability of this family of posts is better than that of most more expensive and complicated options.Weight is reasonable too, and it comes in the most popular stroke lengths and diameters. Weight 635g Stroke 120, 150mm Diameters 30.9, 31.

BikeYoke got into the dropper business by designing remotes to fix problems on other posts, and their own REVIVE dropper is designed with a unique self-fixing feature. There’s an extra-long 185mm option, and the low saddle clamp means the 160mm version we tested fits where most 150mm posts do. It’s secure and easy to adjust too. The minimal shifter-style lever has a drilled-out paddle to stop dirty thumbs slipping and contributes to low overall system weight. It’s loose on its pivot from new, though. By leaving out an internal floating piston to separate oil and air, BikeYoke reduce shaft drag for a smooth, adjustablespeed stroke. If the post does start to sag or bounce, turning the 4mm bleed valve under the saddle while compressing it ‘revives’ it back to proper function.We’ve got one post that needs ‘reviving’ irritatingly often, but our other samples hardly ever require it. The BikeYoke dropper is a reasonable price too. Weight 620g Stroke 125, 160, 185mm Diameters 30.9,

Despite it being new to the market,we’ve had three different examples of Manitou’s Jack post under testing for a couple of months now and, so far, it’s doing OK in normal conditions. The cable nipple hooks into the mechanism on the seatpost base for easy trimming at the lever end, but be careful not to strip the small cableclamp grub screw if you’re hamfisted. There’s currently only a vertical-action ‘universal’ remote available, but it’s reasonably light in leverage. Combined with the neat two-bolt head, it helps keep the post fairly light. The drop is smooth off the top, and return speed is prompt enough without being threatening.On really muddy, cold rides,we’ve had problems with ice sneaking past the seal and causing stickiness. While a clean and lube gets it going again quickly,we don’t know how this potential contamination will play out long-term. This is the only issue we’ve had, though, and it’s a reasonable price if it keeps on keeping on. Weight 660g Stroke 125, 150mm

The Koryak, from Shimano’s finishing kit brand PRO, is reliable and relatively light, with useful remote options. But you can buy basically the same post in more variations, with a more secure saddle clamp, a fair bit cheaper. While there are collar and cosmetic differences, it’s basically the same as the Brand-X and Syncros posts, but with a single-bolt clamp on top. This is more awkward to finely adjust than the twin-bolt set-ups on its sibling posts and needs firm tightening to stop it tipping if you G-out on it. On the plus side, you can choose from a shifter-style remote (here) or a universal vertical lever, and while they both rattle a bit from new, they don’t get appreciably worse. The return speed is steady rather than speedy but there’s a distinct top-out clunk to tell you the post is extended and it doesn’t slow down obviously at low temperatures. It’ll stop anywhere in its stroke too, although the 120mm extension won’t be enough for a lot of riders/frames. Weight 613g

Trek’s in-house post has some neat features at a reasonable price, but performance and reliability have varied dramatically between different samples we’ve had, and it only comes in one diameter. If the 31.6mm size fits, then the weight and length are reasonable.We’re fans of designs that clamp the cable at the remote, because set-up and tensioning is so much easier. The forged shifter-style remote lever is particularly neat too, albeit fixed in position. Together with the roller cam actuation, this makes the Bontrager post a smooth operator with a quality lever feel. Initial upper-shaft wobble never seems to get any worse, and the twin-bolt saddle clamp is secure and easy to use. Reliability across the several samples we’ve used has been hit-and-miss, though, with some Drop Line posts soldiering on through minimal servicing and grim weather but others having problems from new or developing them quickly once exposed to dirt. Weight 690g Stroke 100, 125, 150mm Diameters 31.6m

Thomson’s well-proven dropper is smoothly reliable, but it deserves a better remote lever. The twin-bolt head is as beautifully machined as we’ve come to expect from the US brand. Top-quality Norglide bushings and Motul oil keep operation smooth seemingly indefinitely (we’ve got three-year old posts that we’ve never had to service). It’s not too heavy or long and there’s a rare 27.2mm diameter option for the externally-routed version. Sitting the nipple at the post end and clamping the cable in the remote makes it easy to set up, and using a brake (not gear) cable outer makes for easier routing through frames. The extra compression means the small, vertical lever feels spongy, though, and its limited leverage makes it stiff to operate. It also drags the cable across a sharp edge, which soon wears through it.We’ve had great results swapping to an aftermarketWolf Tooth lever and gear outer, but at over $600 already, you shouldn’t have to do that. Weight 649g Stroke 100, 125, 150