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19 March 2022 was the day on which the telescopic seatpost made its first real appearance in road racing - at one of the highest-class races of the season, Milan-San Remo, the traditional opening race of the road season and one of the monuments of cycling. Matej Mohoric was the only rider at the start in Milan with the telescopic seat post borrowed from the mountain bike and naturally stood out immediately. He made no secret of his ambition to ride for victory with it. He even warned compatriot Tadej Pogacar not to try to follow him downhill. The timing of his attack was clear even before the start: the descent from the Poggio, the last hill on the coast before the finish, would decide the race.
Dropper post on a road bike: a speed advantage?
And the support, which allows the saddle to be lowered slightly, should help. The amazing thing about the story is that the plan was a success. You can still watch Mohoric's mad act on YouTube. He went into the final climb with the decisive group, which is no easy feat. On the climb, the pro from Team Bahrain-Victorious saved energy and didn't go on the attack, while Tadej Pogacar, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel attacked each other early and lost energy. Mohoric played poker, crossed the crest of the Poggio in fifth place, two seconds behind, but then quickly caught up with the leaders, who allowed themselves a little rest after the uphill battle. Mohoric took the second bend from the front and with more momentum than Pogacar, opening up a gap.
Dropper Post: Short and sweet
Telescopic seat posts can give gravel and road bikes a boost downhill. A little less seat height makes a big difference: because it means you can descend faster and more safely. Applications range from trails to mountain passes. The disadvantage: more weight and less comfort because the telescopic seat posts flex less than thin seat posts.
Faster thanks to a lower seating position
Shortly afterwards, the breakaway rider looked back between his legs, presumably to check where his rivals were, perhaps also to check whether the telescopic seat post was really lowered and the saddle therefore lowered. It was, and Mohoric almost steered into the wall with a swerve. Nevertheless, his lead was already several bike lengths, and Mohoric was not deterred by the small riding error. Pogacar pulled out of the lead, and the other top riders didn't push hard either.
The lower and therefore aerodynamically better seated breakaway rider, on the other hand, continued to pedal with all his might, rode up and away from the assembled world elite and quickly increased his lead to several seconds. Shortly afterwards, Mohoric skidded off several times in a left-hand bend, but caught his bike before the edge of the road; the slightly lower seating position probably helped.
Even after this slide, he kept his foot on the gas. In this way, Mohoric pulled out a lead of around a hundred metres by the end of the descent, while the pursuers blocked each other in tactical constraints. No one wanted to escort the competition to Mohoric's rear wheel, allowing him to save his lead to the finish. Mission accomplished! But was the dropper seatpost and the riding position it enabled decisive for this victory? Hard to say.
Victory only through the dropper post?
Many things have to fall into place to make a victory possible. Mohoric certainly had a sophisticated plan and an XXL dose of self-confidence - to which the prepared bike probably contributed a lot. The Slovenian professional cyclist also started a mountain stage at the Tour de France with a telescopic seatpost and favoured the lightweight Scultura model over the faster, aerodynamically better Reacto model from team supplier Merida.
Background: The telescopic seat post requires a round seat tube, which none of the modern aero bikes have. On a descent, however, the lowered rider has more aerodynamic advantages than the frame, especially since the UCI banned sitting on the top tube - a technique that Chris Froome popularised and which brought him several victories. However, Mohoric did not win the Tour with the telescopic seatpost - an indication that the technology only played a small part in the result. Instead, the Slovenian took another stage by riding out of an escape group on an undulating route - on an aero racer without a dropper post.
Depending on the route and tactical constellation, the telescopic seatpost therefore has a niche in road racing because it does not fit into the very fast bikes and adds around 200 grams of weight. However, its use on demanding routes away from races is much more obvious. A gravel bike becomes more off-road capable with the part that the mountain bike scene calls a "dropper post". Easy trails are easier and more fun to ride with a lowered saddle, similar to mountain biking, where the dropper post is one of the biggest innovations of the past ten years. It is used across the board there - even in racing.
Telescopic support: practical experience
I know the telescopic seatpost from my mountain bike, where it is a fixture. After a year and a half of use, however, I'm also convinced of the comfort and increased control on my road bike. I even use the adjustable seat when I'm riding round the house on steep descents. Above all, however, I am impressed by the performance in the mountains. Alongside wide tyres and disc brakes, the dropper post is the third element that makes mountain rides more enjoyable and safer; all the more so the steeper and longer the ride. The lowered saddle makes a significant difference when riding several thousand metres a day. Speed, cornering control, braking - everything works better with a lower centre of gravity.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: More control and speed on downhill sections, more relaxed on long descents
- Minus: Additional weight, maintenance
Further advantages of the dropper post
On a gravel bike, the telescopic seat post not only offers advantages on trails. It also helps to tackle gravel descents with more control and safety under the narrow tyres, and it doesn't have to be particularly steep. A lower centre of gravity creates confidence, and if you feel safer, you ride better and faster downhill. This can be seamlessly transferred to the road.
There is another point that Mohoric also capitalised on: sitting lower makes you faster. Because with a smaller frontal area, the aerodynamic resistance decreases so significantly that you can immediately see how your speed increases on the speedometer. Once you get used to it, you don't really want to miss this feature. Playing with the seat height quickly becomes as normal as changing gears. Whenever gravity invites you to explore the top speed, the lowered seat is welcome.
There is another positive effect when there are endless metres to cover: the lowered seat relaxes the shoulders and neck. Faster, safer, more relaxed - a triple benefit. This effectively saves riding time on a marathon. On a long marathon, such as the Ötztaler, you can save a net ten minutes riding time with the telescopic seat post - despite the extra weight.
Disadvantages
So only advantages? No, the telescopic support also has disadvantages. For one thing, it weighs more. On the other hand, and this point is more relevant, it offers much less riding comfort than a lightweight carbon seat post, which is designed to flex. Riding fast over bad roads is not the domain of telescopic seatposts. Other disadvantages include higher costs and additional maintenance. However, a relatively light, inexpensive telescopic seat post costs from 160 euros, which is less than a high-end carbon seat post. The maintenance effort is also limited. Depending on the design, it may be necessary to bleed the air after prolonged use. You also have to be prepared for slight lateral play, but this makes no difference when riding.
The easier the support is to activate, the more inviting it is to use. The AXS architecture from SRAM is unbeatable in this respect. An electronically radio-activated dropper post can be integrated into the current electric drivetrains. The support is ingenious in combination with a 1x12 gearbox. This is because the support can then be activated by pressing both shift buttons on the brake levers at the same time. This is the best ergonomic solution.
Alternatively, additional buttons that can be freely distributed on the handlebars can also be assigned the task. Mechanical switches, on the other hand, are somewhat inferior. There are models for the handlebar bend or the top link; the latter require you to reach round, which is not so great in tricky riding situations.
Conclusion on the dropper post: Try it out
More expensive, heavier, more complicated? That's the price of progress. But trial and error makes you smart. Depending on the terrain, the adjustable seat post is also a benefit on narrow tyres. The variable seat height is particularly beneficial for those who spend a lot of time travelling in the mountains and riding on steep roads. A lot of travel is not necessary. 50 millimetres already makes a significant difference on the road. More is also welcome on the trail. On a gravel bike, 100 millimetres has proven to be very useful.
Areas of application for the dropper post
Racing
Exotic use of the telescopic stabiliser, but not limited to Milan-San Remo. Especially when the descent is very steep, it is an aid to attacking on the downhill.
Marathon
Where there is a lot of uphill, there is also a long downhill. The telescopic seat post makes descents more relaxed. More speed goes hand in hand with more control and relaxed shoulders - great in competitions and on tour.
Gravel
The natural domain of the telescopic support. The rougher and steeper the terrain, the greater the gain. This brings the gravel bike a little closer to the mountain bike. Easy trails become possible.
Two examples of dropper posts
The high-end version: Rockshox Reverb AXS XPLR
- Diameter: 27.2 mm
- Total length: 400 mm
- Adjustment range: 50 mm
- Weight: 538 grammes
- Price: 633 Euro >> at Bike Components or Alltricks
The remote-controlled dropper post is the luxury version - suitable for current SRAM AXS groupsets. It can be operated by remote lever or by pressing two shift buttons simultaneously. When lowered, the dropper post also provides a little suspension.
The most favourable version: Kind Shock LEV Si Remote
- Diameter: 27.2 mm
- Total length: 380 mm
- Adjustment range: 65 mm
- Weight: 465 grammes
- Price: 233 Euro >> at Bike components available
The mechanically operated support is available with adjustment ranges from 65 to 120 mm. In a year and a half of practical testing, it has performed well and does its lifting work without grumbling. The associated mechanical handle fits on the top link next to the stem.
Types of telescopic support
The seat posts are available in many diameters and lengths from 27.2 millimetres upwards. An important feature is the adjustment range, as this must match the extension of the seatpost in the frame. The adjustment ranges are between 50 and 200 millimetres. The seatposts are usually operated by a cable, which should ideally be routed in the frame. If this is not the case, you will have to drill holes or use the wireless SRAM dropper post, which is activated electronically via Bluetooth. Lightweight models weigh just under 450 grams - that's around 250 grams more than an average seatpost. Road prices start at 160 euros.
On which frames do telescopic supports fit?
A round seat tube is a prerequisite - this is mainly found on marathon bikes. Canyon Endurace, Rose Reveal Al and Trek Emonda Al are well-known examples. Top bikes often have seat posts with a D-shaped cross-section or flat aero seat posts - no telescopic seat post will fit here.
