Bikepacking with a dropper seatpost

[Giacomo]

Hi all,

Just looking for solutions and ideas for protecting dropper posts whilst bikepacking. I would usually use a normal seatpost but I've got a new bike and the dropper is internally routed and hydraulic (never even knew hydraulic seatposts were a thing!) so I'd rather leave it in place. I don't intend to use the dropper function whilst bikepacking - though it could be useful I guess...

What have others done in this situation? Would some old inner tube wrapped around the seatpost stanchion be enough to protect it from rubbing?

I've seen all these fancy dropper specific bags and attachment devices but I'm reluctant to buy a new seat bag if I can make do with my existing (Apidura Expedition 14 litre).

Thanks.

Giacomo

[Scud]

If you don't plan to use it whilst it has bags attached, then my first thing would be to protect it from bag rub, so make sure it has full air pressure and either tape it with electrical tape, an inner tube and tape, or similar, so you don't get bag rub.

But companies like Revelate do rear bags now designed to be used with dropper posts, so that you can still drop the post, worth checking the clearance between the saddle and tyre for these. And if it tight and you think you may use dropper, then a shim inside to stop it dropping all the way.

[Jurassic]

Plenty of people use droppers while bike packing. The main restriction to bear in mind is that your seat pack may hit the back tyre when you use the dropper so you may have to limit the amount it drops. Alternatively (and what I do) fit a mudguard like a Crud Catcher to the rear of your bike so that it comes between the bag and the tyre. You'll get a buzz if the tyre hits the mudguard when it's pushed down by the bag but it won't lock the wheel or damage your bag and it's easy to quickly let the dropper come back up a bit for clearance. Other than that, pad out the areas of the dropper where your bag straps go with old bar grips with a slit cut in them and you're good to go. If you don't plan to activate the dropper just protect it from the bag's straps and that's it (but I find it's still nice to have the dropper operational even if the amount of drop is reduced).

[Lazarus]

there are a couple of bespoke option on this - karl does one i think and also Valais - wolf tooth thingy ?
personally I would go down the cut foam grip inner tube etc type solution though I prefer to just not bother - its a weight and reliability penalty for a few seconds saved dropping my post if i want to
And I generally use Gravity Droppers so its too thin to risk even with my 10 stone weight

[Jurassic]

I prefer to just not bother - its a weight and reliability penalty for a few seconds saved dropping my post if i want to
And I generally use Gravity Droppers so its too thin to risk even with my 10 stone weight

My dropper is on the bike anyway and I can't be bothered swapping it every time the bike gets used for bikepacking (not very often at the moment ) and it is nice to have at times when the going gets steep. I'm probably jinxing myself here but the dropper's been in use for about five years and never let me down yet (other than when I press the button ). I do get the simplicity and weight argument against though.

[Lazarus]

having used one for about a decade i have one fail ever- and that was the outer cable fraying in a GD that i cured by burning the plastic off so I was at least able to get it back up again [oh er misus]

Yes its unlikely to fail but I have still yet to ado a bikepacking ride with one

[fatbikephil]

They are a good thing if you have a seat pack as there have been a few occasions when I've tried to shift my erse back over the seat on a steep drop only to be caught on the seat pack and end up flailing down said drop. Even dropping the post a couple of inches helps a lot. I use a section of foam grip with a normal seat pack (Rev terrapin or pika) Drop Karl a pm and he should be able to sort you out with his own valais version.

[Giacomo]

Thanks everyone.

I'm riding with Karl next weekend and I think he's going to print out some of his Valais things for me.