The original generation of dropper seatposts didn't offer particularly big saddle drops, but as the technology improved, the amount of dropper travel available has been getting much more significant.
A decade ago, the idea of a 150mm dropper was considered radical, but as product designers recognized the diversity of rider requirements, demand for longer droppers increased dramatically.
Frame designers have also responded by creating better full-suspension frames with lower standover heights, optimizing the potential for a longer-travel dropper. The longer your dropper, the lower you can position yourself on the bike when navigating those steep descents - increasing rider confidence and control.
Engineers have been pushing the dropper post to become longer, despite technical challenges. The most significant issue to overcome is that a longer dropper post creates more leverage and potential bushing wear when a rider is pedalling while seated. So as droppers have gone beyond 200mm in length, most notably the BikeYoke Revive 2.0 (at 213mm of stroke), durability has become an important consideration.
OneUp has done its R&D though and introduced a potentially game-changing dropper post for taller riders. The brand’s V2 is now available in sizes from 90- to 240mm. That makes it the longest production dropper post by a significant 27mm.
An enabler for really tall trail and enduro riders
But what about the issue of flex when such a long dropper post has to seat a large rider? OneUp has countered this by packaging their new 240mm dropper post with greater bushing overlap.
The enormous OneUp V2 240mm dropper won’t work for everyone as it requires 337mm of insertion depth. A dropper post of this size is limited to larger frames with seat tubes shaped to accommodate long droppers.
For those riders similar to Greg Minnaar in height (or even taller), and wish to get their centre of gravity in the best possible position when descending, the 240mm dropper could be transformative to their trail or enduro mountain biking experience.
But what if you desire a long-travel dropper post, somewhere between OneUp’s 210- and 240mm options? That’s no issue, as the 240mm version can be adjusted downwards to 230- or 220mm of travel, thanks to an integrated shim. And you don’t need to be a qualified bike mechanic or have proprietary tools to do that.
If you want to fit the longest dropper available on to your bike, the OneUp V2 240mm has an RRP of $229.50, while the handlebar remote is sold separately for $59.50.
