I’ve been a fan of SDG saddles since way back when. I had a red kevlar covered saddle they made back in the day on my dirt jump/ slalom bike for years, and I’ve owned almost one of every i-beam model they’ve made. Since I’ve changed from my i-beam Gravity Dropper post to a Rockshox Reverb, I’ve been a bit bummed that I can’t run my saddle of choice, the i-Beam Formula MT.

While hanging out shooting pics at AT’s Showdown last weekend at the SF Bike Expo, we ran into Tyler from SDG at the Decline booth where he showed off some of the latest 2012 offerings. On the mountain side of things, SDG has pared back their line a bit to focus on their core products: saddles (railed and i-Beam) and seat posts. In addition to their solid staples, they are also releasing a set of bolt on grips in conjunction with ODI.

SDG Duster Ti-Railed Saddle and co-branded ODI bolt-on Grips

I’m a huge fan of ODI’s bolt-on grips. They pretty much set the standard these days, and the SDG lock-ons might be my favorite of their offerings to date. The grip pattern is essentially made up of the SDG logo, which covers about 3/4 of the grip surface. The circular pattern isn’t all set at one level though. The inside of the logo, which looks like a saddle has a slightly lower profile. According to their marketing copy, it effectively damps shock and spreads pressure across your palm, while providing traction. That sounds good, and when grabbing a handful of grip, I’m inclined to agree. It feels really good. What I really like about it though, is that the diameter has a nice mix between the feel of one of ODI’s bigger diameter grips, and their smaller grips. On the other side of the grip, the pattern ditches the circle altogether, and just has the saddle forms.

The grips also feature new snap-in end plugs, and these are my faves to date from ODI.

SDG/ ODI Lock-on grips. New grips instantly make your bike feel more awesome than before, and these grips: +1

I haven’t had a chance to do a ride with the new Duster saddle, but it looks pretty sweet and ticks off the boxes. Ti-rails, a light bit of padding, and a complete lack of heft. The logo is embossed on the surface to provide a bit of traction where you need it. The best part about the Duster is that it keeps much of the shape that made me so fond of the Formula models, in a very slopestyle friendly XC-trail package.

SDG Duster Ti Saddle

UPDATE

Just finished up a weekend of riding on the grips, and these suckers have a great feel, and grip really well. Just like that, I’ve got a new favorite set of grips.

SDG/ ODI Lock-on grips installed

Related posts:

1. Fresh Gear: SDG Formula MT and Carbon iBeam Seatpost
2. Fresh Gear: Teva Links MTB Freeride Shoes
3. Fresh Gear: Rockshox Reverb Seatpost

Like many others that have posted critiques of their adjustable height seat posts, I too have a love/hate relationship with the models I’ve run. However, although mechanical issues have ruined a few rides and seriously pissed me off from time to time, I can’t give up on them. Even with their occasional snafus, they’ve enhanced my trail riding experiences enough that I take the bad with the good — because when its good, it’s really, really good. During the last several years running the classic descender and Turbo models from Gravity Dropper, I’ve plenty of ups and downs (pun intended) but now the market is filled with a number of options, and I’m ready to move on. After researching and trying a number of options, (including owning a Joplin for several days) I’ve upgraded to the polished and sleek Rockshox Reverb post. The new adjustable post from Rockshox isn’t cheap, but it’s badass. 5″ of infinite seat adjustability, clean looks and sharp lines make the newest height adjustable post on the market quite a desirable upgrade.

The Reverb offers 125mm of infinite seat height adjustment with the push of the remote

I haven’t ditched my old post yet though — the industry hasn’t quite nailed the adjustable height post. Reliability is still an major issue; additional moving parts equals more maintenance on your ride, and more stuff that can break. I’m hoping mine holds up with a minimal amount of issues, but since this is my fourth adjustable height post, I’m keeping a backup plan in place. On my bike, if something can break easily, it likely will. Take traditional seat rails – one of the final upgrades I did to my Gravity Dropper Turbo was the change to an iBeam format for the post and saddle. Now that I’m back on a traditional railed post, I also have the possibility that the rails on my saddle will fail, so all of my road trips and major rides include a spare saddle and post in the car. (in addition to the spare chain and derailleur hanger.) As one could probably guess, I’m a bit of a skeptic. This is something I’ve learned from experience with these posts. And yet, I’m extremely pleased with this purchase. My biggest reason for making the switch was to gain the extra inch of height adjustability. In addition to that, the post itself will also drop lower in the frame, making it possible to ride larger scale dirt jumps without having to remove the post for a traditional post I can slam all the way down.

 Reverb mounted on the carbon Nomad, mid-ride on the North Umpqua Trail near Roseburg, Oregon.

My current steed for the 2011 season is a Carbon Nomad frame from Santa Cruz bikes, and at the moment it is my only suspension bike. On any given day it is pressed into use as a single track slayer or a mini-DH/ slopestyle steed with the change of a wheel set. Since it’s my only ride, all my components will likely wear at an accelerated rate, since my riding time is no longer split between other bikes in my quiver. All the components on my ride have been carefully chosen based on durability, reliability, and performance. Bottom line, the choice to go with the Reverb was well pondered.

I won’t go into technical details of the post as this ground has already been covered pretty extensively by other sites, instead focusing on my own personal experience with the post. (see this initial PinkBike post if you want to get tech) Like many other seat post owners, I’ve looked long and hard at the 5″ options on the market. Just about every model has its evangelists, as well as reports of failures. In the end, for me it came down to the aesthetics of the Reverb, as well as the greater availability of replacement parts, and that it can be serviced by the end user. When service requirements are a looming need, I’ll always go with the product that has the best support, then hope I don’t need it. In fact, Sram has a YouTube channel with instructional videos, which is good, since you’ll probably need to use them at some point. (see Link: How to Bleed the Reverb Remote)

For those just starting their research and shopping for an adjustable post, here are a few highlights of the Reverb:

Specs: (via SRAM)

Ups

• 125mm/ 5″ of adjustment; the post can be set at any point between fully extended and fully slammed
• The action of the post is actuated via a handlebar mounted remote lever via a hydraulic line that comes in a long length so you can fit it to any bike.
• The remote switch looks pretty sweet, and is adjustable; you can tailor the speed of the post’s extension to suit your tastes
• Minimal amount of side to side play
• Adding the correct size post to my carbon frame resolved all my slippage issues
• Light for an adjustable height post
• Nicest post we’ve tried to date
• The Avid Matchmaker mounting makes the cockpit area look super clean
• Bleed kit included, as well as torx wrench and fittings
• You can lift the bike by the seat; post does not extend when lifting the bike by its saddle
• dual-bolt micro-adjust saddle clamp is quality stuff
• Hose guide does a decent job routing the cable, which comes down with the seat
• Smooth action

Downs

• Lever placement: positioning means you can’t flip the bike upside down to service it in the field
• The remote on top is exposed and can break if crashed. If placed on the bottom you can smack it with your knee; I’ve crashed once so far, and the remote took a hit. Fortunately, it is just scratched, and still functions fine.
• You’ll need that bleed kit. My post was coming up when lifting the bike by the seat needing after two rides. This wasn’t an issue, but the seat was also slowly lowering on climbs.
• Cable is super long — you will likely want to shorten it
• Stories of the cable and remote breaking seem common

The Reverb remote lever mounted using the Avid Matchmaker Clamp makes for a clean looking cockpit; especially on a 9-speed setup.

Tech tips gathered from the web

• Check the air spring pressure. Mine was at 170psi and it should be 250psi. Once I added air the return rate improved, as it felt slow after a few rides.
• Be extremely careful clamping the post in a shop stand. It is very easy to damage the hose and/or barb. Do not clamp on the upper section of the post and do not clamp the hose.
• Some good tips from the NSMB Forums

We’ll be reporting back on the good and the bad in follow up posts. Got any tips? Please share them below.

Related posts:

1. Fresh Gear: SDG Formula MT and Carbon iBeam Seatpost
2. Fresh Gear: SDG Duster Saddle and Grips
3. Fresh gear: Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon

WTB is known for making some of the most comfortable saddles around.  In fact, I’ve been a big fan of the Laser V Team for years. The only drawback for me has been durability. Traditional seat rails and me don’t seem to be a good combination. Lightweight ti rails don’t hold up well to 165lbs of rider coming down on them when feet miss the pedals. These days, I tend to run iBeam saddles on my DH and all mountain set ups, since they hold up to the aggressive abuse I often unintentionally dish out.

Because of these factors, the Silverado is not the usual type of saddle you would expect to find on one of my bikes. As a self-defined all mountain rider, I live for flowy downhill sections of trail, and tend to prioritize comfort over light weight performance. The Silverado with its sleek lines, minimal padding, and carbon rails is all business and clearly aimed at the elite road crowd or cross country racers. With a light amount of padding, you aren’t going to want to stick this on your urban bike and roll around in your man-capris either. However, if you’re in the market for a performance saddle made to go-fast, definitely read on.

First impressions upon lifting this saddle out of the box is that it’s just wicked light. WTB pulled out the stops in putting this baby together. We were playing catch with this thing, throwing it back and forth, and simply amazed at how little heft there was to it.

Profile of the WTB Silverado saddle.

It retains the traditional profile WTB saddles are known for, with the slightly dropped nose, and scrotum-saving Love Channel. Since it is clearly an XC saddle, I did the right thing, and installed it on my rigid retro 29er. She comes in on the portly side, and could stand to shed some weight. On my first foray out and about, we put on our knickers and rolled around town, sans chamois. That was a bad idea- my ass did not enjoy that one bit. However, after suiting up for a real ride and putting some saddle time in, my attitude changed drastically. While the Silverado doesn’t compare to Laser V in comfort, under hard rides while wearing a comfortable chamois, I didn’t have any issues with it. In fact, I actually felt faster. There’s a sweet spot on the saddle you end up in, and I feel like I’m able to put more power to the pedals.

The Silverado mounted up on the Retrosled.

That said, I’m still not sure I’d want to run it on an all day trail ride, especially the way I break stuff. I’ve finished rides in the past with duct tape holding seat posts and saddles together before, and my current setup prevents that situation. Instead, I’ll be saving it for use on the XC bike in short track racing and the like. If I can get my fitness back to a competitive level this season, I’ll definitely run it on the Super D bike. This thing wants to be used in competition, and the least I can do is take it there. Did I mention it’s like bling for your seat post? I could also see it mounted up to a dual slalom or MTX set up for the rider that wants to lighten up and pimp his ride. ‘Cause this saddle definitely looks the part.

Obligatory marketing spiel from WTB:

• Listed weight: 158g
• carbon composite shell
• comfort zone
• kevlar corners
• microfiber cover
• Narrow x long (133mm x 274mm)
• USAGE:Elite Road / Cross Country Racing

With a sticker price of $250.00, seat post bling and race performance doesn’t come in cheap, but hey, Brian Lopes uses it and has his own signature model. Although his utilizes ti rails, and weighs a bit more. I’ll report back in a few months with how this bad boy holds up.

Related posts:

1. Fresh Gear: SDG Duster Saddle and Grips
2. Fresh Gear: SDG Formula MT and Carbon iBeam Seatpost
3. Gravity Dropper Classic Adjustable Seat Post- Long Term Review

After more than four years of abuse (mounted on numerous frames, both full suspension and rigid) my Gravity Dropper  Classic Adjustable height seat post has given up the ghost. And while I’m a bit bummed, and a bit disappointed, I honestly can’t say there are a lot of products I’ve owned this long. It’s been a long run, and while it is currently out of order, it’s been a great product, and I would buy one all over again.

I currently own two adjustable height seat posts from Gravity Dropper. (I actually own a total of three adjustable height posts- including a Crank Bros Joplin) The first one Gravity Dropper was a 3 inch adjustable model- one of the first.  I was an early adopter to the adjustable height seat posts- I’ve always wanted one, to the point where I had sketched and doodled my own designs for a telescoping seat post. I never had aspirations to build and market them, I just wanted to be able to rip a trail and drop the seat without pausing.

My Gravity Dropper seat post, installed on a Wolfhound single speed.

When the 4 inch model was released, I picked one up right away. Three inches was good. Four was even better. In my ideal world, I’d be able to slam my seat all the way down with the flick of a switch.

The benefits of having an adjustable height seat post should be obvious to anyone that stops and lowers their seat at any point during a ride. After riding with one, I can’t imagine riding without an adjustable height post. Have you ever had a stupid crash late in a ride, because you were too lazy to lower your seat? Those don’t happen anymore. (At least not because your seat was too high) Push the lever, slam the seat down, and get as tech on the trail as you want. (on burly descents you can still lower the seat post at the QR for maximum clearance.) The product is extremely simple to use as well. Just stand up, push the lever until you hear the click in your post, (that is the sound of the pin dis-engaging) then sit on the post, lowering it. Then release the lever. Once you do it on a ride a few times, the motion is mastered and you can lower your post easily at any point, even in technical sections.

Installed on an Intense Tracer.

In the time that I’ve owned the posts, they’ve stopped working a few times due to mechanical failure. For the most part, it has been an easy fix. (As long as you have the .050 allen wrench still- these are not easy to find, so don’t lose it.) Because the remote actuates the post via a derailleur cable, it is prone to contamination like any cable and housing. Muddy rides and frozen temperatures have both taken my post out of commission, but each time it was relatively easy to repair. Admittedly, I do have a number of years as a professional bike mechanic that most people don’t, but if your post goes wack, you can always take it to your local bike shop and they can get you sorted out.

Replacing a snapped cable on the Gravity Dropper is fairly simple if you have the correct allen key. (don't lose it, it is SMALL)

Unlike other posts on the market, the Gravity Dropper is a mechanical system. It is pretty basic: a tube with a seat mount slides up and down inside another tube, much like a fork. To control the side to side play, two plastic shims sit inside a groove in the inner tube. The outer tube has a matching groove. It is a simple system, and it works well. I have never noticed play in my saddle.

The height of the post is set via holes drilled in the inside tube. When you pull on the lever on the handlebar, a magnet pulls a pin out of the inside tube, allowing the saddle height to be changed. When the lever is released, the pin is pushed back in by magnet with the reverse polarity.

Installing a new cable.

The only drawbacks to the seat post is that with all the moving parts, things wear out, and eventually break. Besides having to replace worn out derailleur cables, I’ve also had the Gravity Dropper unit (part #80 in this diagram) separate from the lower seat post tube. I sent it back, and Gravity Dropper covered the repair under warranty.

Last time I inspected the post, I found cracks in the top seat clamp in both of my posts. They have yet to fully fail, but recently the inside tube on my 4″ post did, cracking halfway through. Because of the resulting bend, the post no longer will slide up and down, and it will cost me about $50 to get the post running again. I will also probably replace the boots on both posts at this time.

Oops, I did it again.

Detail of the broken inner tube (part #22) on a Gravity Dropper Classic.

I have been holding off on replacing the cracks in the top seat clamp, as Gravity Dropper has been experimenting with an I-beam compatible head. (update: it is now out, and it is awesome.) Seeing as how this seat post has already out-lived several sets of Ti-railed WTB Laser team saddles, I’m looking forward to the upgrade. (note: a call to Gravity Dropper has confirmed that the replacement I-beam compatible head is now available and shipping out)

The Gravity Dropper Classic Adjustable post is a 27.2mm post. It is easily shimmed to fit most full suspension frames. I have a number of shims in my tool box, as I’ve used the post on a number of frames including the Intense Tracer VP, Trek Remedy, Fisher Roscoe, Specialized Enduro SL 2007, Enduro 2006, Enduro 2005, custom Wolfhound hard tail, On-One Inbred, and custom Jericho hardtail frame.

The post in its lowered position on my Trek Remedy.

Even though I’ve had more than my share of frustration with this post, the majority of the time it has worked as intended, and is my favorite upgrade to any bike. It allows me to focus on the ride, and less on stopping to change the height of my saddle. Before I had this product, I’d often get lazy and ride with my saddle lowered a few inches, which ended up causing knee pain on long rides. Obviously, it isn’t an issue now.

I do wish I had the ability to drop the seat all the way down. With the Gravity Dropper Classic, it gets fairly low, but the mechanism restricts how low it can get. The newer Gravity Dropper Turbo appears to have addressed this somewhat, and I’m looking forward to trying one at some point in the future. I also wish the post had at least another inch of drop- 5″ would be ideal (if not more). I’ve been trying to milk this product until the next generation is released, but with the recent failure, I may be forced to simply repair the post I currently have.

I also have a Crank Brothers Joplin R post that I am testing. Stay tuned for a follow up comparing the two seat posts. Since I’ve been using this post, a number of other products have been released that I’m also hoping to get my hands on, including models from Rock Shox, KS Suspension, and Rase.

My seat post is down, but not out. I’ll be ordering the replacement parts tomorrow.

(updated 6/21/2010) I just got off the phone with Gravity Dropper and I’ve found that the cracked inner tube will be covered under warranty. I’m having them upgrade it to the i-beam head, which they are doing for a small charge. Kudos for the customer service.

Related posts:

1. WTB Silverado Saddle Review
2. Fresh Gear: Rockshox Reverb Seatpost
3. A day at the Sea Otter Classic

A fresh new SDG Forumula MT iBeam saddle, accompanied by a carbon iBeam seatpost showed up at the door today for review. Sweet. I’ll be frank: I wish more saddle manufacturers adopted the iBeam design. With a single fixing bolt, it is easy to adjust, and the long rail on the saddle is crazy tough. Even if you somehow managed to break one, (several years ago, I did just that, on a 30foot step down I was just a bit short on) the long saddle rail means that you can actually continue to use the saddle, even with part of the rail is damaged.  Just bolt it to a section of the rail that is still intact, and you are on your way home. It gets better. After I contacted SDG and sent back the broken saddle, they sent me a replacement model at no charge. That is some serious customer service.

the SDG Formula MT saddle and carbon iBeam Post. photo: JVH

Having destroyed my share of traditional saddles, and having to cobble some sort of make shift attachment  (zip ties, twine, grass, or whatever I could find on the side of the trail) in order to hobble back home, this benefit alone is a big win for the unique interface. It isn’t just me either- take a look at the seats under DH riders at the local races, and you’ll see many of them subscribe to the system as well.

The only issue I have with the iBeam system is the lack of comfortable saddles available. Short of the dirt jump specific i-Sky, most of the ibeam saddles I have tried fall short in this department. The Formula FX saddle appeared to change this proposition.  With a 2 density base that offered flex, and a great shape, it was a big improvement. I tried one a year or two back on my Demo 7 at Northstar. I was impressed by the light weight and comfort.  It was a sad moment when I had to return it.

The Formula MT mounted on our Trek Remedy long term test sled

When I saw the Formula MT model, which is basically the FX model modified with additional padding and a relieved area for the bits and parts, I had to check it out. The timing was immaculate as well, the day before the package arrived, I had my worst crash of the year to date, resulting in this:

Another one bites the dust. Wrecking ti-railed saddles gets expensive fast.

A rather nasty crash while testing the flow of the soon-to-be-adopted FR trails at Road 14 was the end of my favorite AM/XC saddle, a WTB  Laser V team. Hopefully Wayne at Gravity Dropper will have the new 5″ posts with the iBeam heads available soon. I’m crossing my fingers that he’ll have upgrade kits for existing posts. Both Gravity Dropper and KS Suspension have licensed the iBeam design and are currently testing prototypes. It appears my crumpled WTB saddle, pictured here, will be my last- a Twitter post directed @W_T_B confirmed that they will not be doing anything iBeam.

I’ll be using the Forumla MT seat and post on a Trek Remedy and Session 88, for all mountain use, downhill, and free riding. Stay tuned to MBAction.com to hear how the lightweight combo holds up in an upcoming full review.

Related posts:

1. Fresh Gear: Rockshox Reverb Seatpost
2. Fresh Gear: SDG Duster Saddle and Grips
3. Fresh gear: Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon