I thought it would break the bank upgrading my seatpost, but some of the best budget dropper posts can be found for under $200 – even under $100.

I would love to own a Bike Yoke, or Fox Transfer, or even a KS Lev Integra dropper post, but those babies can run from the upper $200s to over $600.. not to mention some don’t even come with remote levers!  So if combined that’s almost as much a Budget Mountain Bike! What?! Crazy talk!

Well today is a good day because I’ll be talking about trailworthy budget dropper posts that can be had for about less than half of the lowest tier Fox Transfer.

So here we go! Let’s talk about some of the most reliable, durable, budget oriented dropper seat posts on the market I’ve found so far:

5 Best Budget Dropper Posts That are Trailworthy

Because I wanted something that was built to last, I really had to take the time out to do some research into coming up with dropper post options that are going to get me the best value and functionality and durability.  Because I didn’t want to spend $500 on a Fox Transfer that would solve all my problems, I had to get creative and start looking elsewhere.  Here’s what I found (as usual I don’t like including technical specifications because they often change or are easily found on the manufacturers website):

This will stay within budget for sure.  This KS dropper post is very well manufactured and fits snugly onto your bike with little to no play.  Lever is simple to use and ergonomically comfortable. Storytime: a guy wanted to use this dropper during the freezing winter months, so to test it’s cold weather performance he stuck it in the freezer for hours to simulate climate conditions.  When he took it out to check it’s operation it performed a little sluggish because of how cold it was, but it actuated with no issues!  

Also check out this awesome video on it:

Although only 100 mm of drop on this seatpost is available it’s pretty much all you would really need – even for those of you close to 6ft tall.   I almost feel that if you need any more than 125mm of travel on your seatpost, you might be on the wrong size bike.    

PROS: Sturdy and solid. Durable.
CONS: It’s got some weight and will make your original seatpost seem lightweight.  Not a bad tradeoff to not get off your bike to adjust seat height though!

Read more reviews and manufacturer information here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IOWYWHS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=caliexercise-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00IOWYWHS&linkId=c57d51ab1c77f8fc4589e2a99565889d

The previous versions of Giant’s own branded dropper seat posts were not fan favorites.  (Please note this is the one of several models Giant offers under the “Contact Switch” name – this one does not include the “SL” or “S” badge) Newer versions of the Contact Switch dropper post have been getting great compliments from owners for it’s reliability and smooth operation.  The price is right, and it performs when it needs to out on the trail.  It’s pretty difficult to feel any play after this dropper is set in place – which is a good thing, great smoothness up and down in travel, and requires a comfortable effort to actuate the post.

I am a Giant brand fan, so I would be more in favor of this myself!

PROS: It’s gone through iterations, and the latest is definitely better in terms of performance.  Remote lever is good, and overall weight very competitive. Trail tested!
CONS:  Jack of all trades Master of None – that could be good or bad for you.  You might enjoy other options!

3. X Fusion Manic

You probably haven’t heard of this one: X Fusion.  I had no clue either until recently, but if it’s got the reliability, durability, quality, and a great lever it is definitely a contender for a spot on the budget seatposts list.  Priced at the “high end” of our list this one will be efficient and durable for rough trails with unpredictable surface terrain. This post manages to be a great addition for the times when you really need it: downhill, drops, and climbs.  Xfusion claims, “a double ‘Key Way’ internal design to stop lateral movement, creating an exceptionally reliable and efficient dropper post that adds performance and style to any Trail bike.”  Great when the ride gets dirty, wet, muddy as the cable operation really well done.

PROS: Superior cable operated lever, reliable, great quality
CONS:  Return speed is slower, but not a deal breaker.  Also a little heavy.

4. DNM Dropper Seatpost with Remote Lockout

Great value for the price of big brands (well, this whole list is.. BUT this DNM dropper gets the mention!).  You could buy two of these for less than the price of a big brand actually, but what’s funny is the big brand is not twice as good!  This is a reliable and tested dropper.

PROS: Good travel and actuation, predictable
CONS:  Microscopic amounts of play

5. Brand X Ascend (WINNER)

Hands down. “Brand X” dropper seatposts get a lot of rave, but they’re not well known.  It is by far one of the best performing trailworthy dropper seatposts for the money.   There are many Brand X models and series of posts that have fantastic user feedback.  It is a very simple dropper with great build quality at an exceptional value.  Hands down if I was looking for an affordable solution to a dropper post this would be at the very top of my list.  This is the one to get.  Trust the number of people who opt for this dropper and the number of reviews out there.  Why pay more?

I’ll just go out on a limb and say it: this dropper post gives substantially more expensive droppers a run for their money…as in, why the hell are you spending that much?!

PROS: Unbelievable price to value.  Holds up very well to the rigors of the trail.  Travel is buttery smooth.  Weight is also VERY competitive for the price.  Quality materials. Great remote lever.  Excellent overall.
CONS: It does ‘look’ cheap, but don’t let that fool you one bit as it puts the competition to sleep.

6. Quick Release

The cheapest dropper of all!  Kidding.  If all else fails this is still a great solution.  If anything, some beginners should just get comfortable using this instead of jumping right into a dropper post.  I didn’t see a need for a dropper post until I gradually became a better rider, only then did I consider a dropper post – and a cheaper one at that.  Also, a bike that includes a dropper post will usually end up outside of many beginner’s bike budgets.   So it’s okay to have a quick release!  It’s also the lightest!

So there you have it Riders! That was a hard list to put together, but luckily I was in the market so putting this list together wasn’t too bad.  Hopefully this makes it a lot easier for you to make an informed decision!

PROS: Cheap as hell! Works every time, all the time when manually adjusted. Super light weight.
CONS:  Getting off bike for adjustments, losing momentum, hurts your hands tightening. If caught off guard in the wrong position = disaster!

Why I Needed a Trailworthy Budget Dropper Post

I had to be picky, but I also couldn’t break the bank – that’s always a big factor to consider otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this.  When I started looking for a dropper post I really wanted one that was dependable and reliable and one that would not get ‘stuck’ in its position no matter what temperature or how much of a beating it got on the trail .. like crashing!

Let’s put it this way: it shouldn’t fail under “normal” usage.

I would want to be able to pick the bike right back up, get on it, and still be able to adjust it for the remainder of my trail ride with no issues.  Imagine what it would be like to have a dropper post fail 6 miles away from a destination – heck no! I would want to throw my quick-release back on!

Also, how dangerous would it be if the dropper post was stuck in the highest position when you need to go downhill?? It’s only dangerous if you go OTB over-the-bars right? Yea no thanks!  You might be better off using the trusty “hike-a-bike” method than ride with a failed dropper seatpost downhill.

Essentially, I don’t want a dropper to break down on me. Thus, it needs to be trailworthy for ruggedness and dependability.  The Brand X Ascent is

What Makes a Dropper Post Trailworthy?

I see plenty of dropper seat posts coming down in price these days, even below $100, which should fit most budgets. I can’t recommend any under $100 dollars though, YET! Hopefully one day in the future, but as of right now -no worries- there are great droppers priced not too far over that mark.

When I first looked into droppers I needed to understand value vs. price.  At $100-$200, obviously just know there won’t be kashima gold coated seat posts, or super awesome remote levers, or lightweight components with nice internals, or super stiffness and well machined parts, etc. But what you will get is bang-for-your-buck that will do almost EXACTLY what those more expensive dropper posts do reliably:

1. Go UP on command
2. Go DOWN on command
3. Reliable/durable giving it less of a chance at failing
4. No need to get off the bike to adjust seat height!

These basics make a dropper post trailworthy, to me anyway, but it’s actually harder to find than you think!  I don’t like posting prices because they change all the time, but I really try to stay in the general range of what I consider affordable.  That’s all relative of course, but your mileage may vary!  All the dropper posts I listed above should be within a good range for most budgets.

In fact, I think that if you can not afford one around the $150 mark, then contine to save a little while longer.  Think about it this way: Would you want to get a garbage budget dropper under $100?…or save another $50 or so and get one that’s totally worth it?!

Your quick release should be able to get you by temporarily as much as I hate to admit it. Save up a few more bucks, and get the dropper your bike deserves!

What you Don’t Want in a Budget Dropper Seat Post

The cheapest dropper posts suffer from getting the basic functions right such as:

• “Play” in the post when secured to the frame
• Dust getting past the seals – which end up causing trouble for the internals
• Extreme outdoor temperatures that could cause the dropper to fail or operate immaturely.

Some remote levers are also terribly designed and not rider friendly.  But that’s all relative of course and up to rider preference, some like the “button” remotes such as the ones on the older Rockshox Reverb, others like the remote that feel similar to a gear shifter like the popular Wolftooth remote that gets rave reviews.

So how do you filter through the bad options?  Refer back to my list of 5 droppers above. Because, it’s really hard to recommend anything else below their price points – and that’s even including some that are higher priced! What a shame.

Or, just get the best seatposts available if money is no object.  Until I can grow money trees, I need bang for the buck components! And droppers like Brand X Ascend fit the bill.

Hydraulic or Cable Operated Dropper?

Actuation of the seatpost is up to rider preference also.  How often are in you wet, muddy, cold, or hot situations?  Maybe one will perform better than the other for you.  I like mechanical actuation with a hydraulic internal as my preferred dropper post.

Dropper seat posts have so many forces to overcome while we ride them: lateral forces, twisting forces, weight support.  It’s actually kind of amazing what you get considering that alone, especially in our budget dropper list above.  We’re asking them to do so much in terms of reliability especially when we get annoyed at things like “play” in the seat stem, or creaking, or how heavy they are, and the amount of travel.  We also want them to stay put at any point within their designated travel and to hold that position indefinitely while all these external forces are acting on it.  Talk about overworked.  No wonder the first iterations of dropper posts had theier fair share of issues. However sometimes we forget to appreciate how well the build quality actually is.

Let me know if there’s any other great droppers that would be a great addition to the list!

Conclusion:

I say go for the bang-for-your-buck dropper seatpost; not the cheapest one you can find!  I’ll put it this way: If you wanted dependability, reliability out of a car would you get a Toyota or a Chrysler? I know I’ll get some hate for that lol… but for the sake of the analogy, the choice is pretty obvious.

Til then, Rider Up baby!