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forum
Droppers for roadies
So, for the past month or so I've plunged into the murky, knobbly, dusty world of MTB. First upgrade has been a dropper post which is easily the best upgrade I've ever done on any bike. It's not that I'm hooning around a bike park, it's just as useful on very fast gravel descents because I can lean the bike more and shift my position to find grip. The other huge thing for me as I'm getting older though is that it gives a safe, efficient pedalling position, and now I'm seriously considering getting a short drop one for my road bike.
Why? Well, I've always run my saddle lower than optimal so that I can comfortably and safely stop whilst seated at junctions, traffic lights, etc. I just don't have the flexibility/bike handling to pop off the front on the saddle on to the top tube, or restart from that position. A dropper would give me that - set max extension at ideal pedalling height, drop it when needed, restart with it still down, and bring it back up once I'm up to speed. The short drop droppers aren't too much of a weight penalty and are now widely available in 27.2 for skinny steel tubes.
I'm guessing that this is probably sacrilege and the next step is wearing baggies on the road but it seems a reasonable idea. I might even be able to use the Di2 ports to route everything internally...
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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12 comments
I'm surprised that you have trouble getting off the front of the saddle - it's never occurred to me that people have trouble with that. I have my saddle position very high and I can't touch the floor with both feet when sat on it, but most of the time at lights etc. I unclip my left foot, shift forwards and can then put my left foot on the ground or on a kerb. If I use a kerb, I can remain in the saddle, but often choose to stand to stretch out my back a bit. Usually on a ride, I won't unclip my right foot at all (maybe if I need to stop for a pee).
When going up hills, do you remain in the saddle or stand? Maybe some practise standing whilst cycling would improve your bike handling/balance to move around a bit easier. But if you find a dropper post works well for you, then go for it.
Dropping off the front is OK, it's the restarts that are the problem. Timing the push up on to the saddle particularly. When (road) riding I rarely get out of the saddle and nearly always climb seated. The only time I tend to stand is for very short rollers that aren't worth shifting for.
Why would you want to sit on the top tube when stopped? Just put a foot on the floor and stand up
Not sitting on the top tube. If I have my saddle height set for the most efficient pedalling position I can't easily reach the ground whilst sitting on the saddle. Usually when stopping I'll unclip non drive-side, stand on that foot, and leave the drive side clipped in ready to launch. Slight tilt to the non-drive side to do that but it means that I'm riding with my saddle probably 1.5-2cm lower than it should be. Perhaps I've been doing it wrong all these years...
I have a friend, very newly returned to cycling, who does the same. But he's relying on training from Cycling Proficiency in about 1947. I am trying to coach him to move forward from the saddle into a low standing position (ie still clipped in but lower than if standing up to climb a hill), then unclip and come to a halt. I think this skill is easier than remembering to lower a dropper post.
I certainly can't comfortably put a foot down and remain seated when the saddle is set correctly for efficient riding.
It's something I should probably re-learn, as it's how I used to ride (dropping forward from the nose of the saddle)
I can't reach the floor if I stay sitting in the saddle either. You're not supposed to be able to, you just stand on one leg in front of the saddle. Then when you start again you stand on the pedal that's attached, then put your bum back on the saddle while you roll forward
That's my point Nick - I know it's inefficient but I'm favouring safety over speed/position because I can't seem to master that restart. A dropper would solve that by getting the saddle out of the way so I can easily stand at junctions. And then restart standing on the pedals and pop the saddle back up once moving
When I used to mountain bike I also remember it being fairly revelatory how useful having a dropper post was when I finally invested in one. I also remember reading that Vincenzo Nibali had one on his road bike for the Grand Tours. It was a bespoke kind of deal that certainly wasn't like what you'd get on an mtb, and it only gave him an inch or so adjustment (if that), but he clearly felt it was worth it for the edge it gave him on the descents. I've done the three peaks cyclocross race a few times and often thought a dropper post might be helpful for the bonkers descents in that. It'd add a bit of weight I guess, but if it made the descents more manageable it'd probably be a worthwhile trade-off. I'm not sure if it'd fall foul of the "suspension" restrictions though.
Watching Strade Bianchi today with them all doing the tuck off the front of the saddle and not pedalling made me think, surely it would be easier if they could just drop their saddle? Given how light World Tour bikes are these days there wouldn't be a weight penalty - I guess the only issue is building one to cope with non-round seatposts on aero bikes.
As pilot pete says, if it works for you then go for it.
I've not heard anyone have your problem before, however. You definitely got the right sized bike?
If it works for you...who is to argue?
However, I think for the vast majority it simply isn't an issue.
PP