Dropper post - aid to mounting for stiff person?

[LittleGreyCat]

At the moment I have to lean my bike over a very long way before I can lift my leg above the saddle.
The saddle is quite a bit above the frame - long seat post.
I am wondering if dropping the saddle with a dropper post would make things easier.

Never used one, never even seen one, but the description looks promising.

Ummm.....

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers ... per-posts/

How much?

I assume that I would need quite a long stroke (if this is the correct term) to make a significant difference.
There is about 130 mm of exposed seat post at the moment.
Diameter around 26-27mm.

[ElCani]

Presumably you can test this by dropping your current saddle to the lowest point that a compatible dropper post would get it?

Dropper posts with external cable routing are available (I use one) and the lever you use will depend on whether you have drop or flat handlebars.

The seatpost diameter could be an issue, so as a starting point I would establish exactly what your current is. It should be engraved on it somewhere.

Cheers.

[mattsccm]

You might need to check overall length of the post as well in case you can't drop it all the way. Maybe bottle bosses or, as I found, a curverd seat tube. Thinking of persuading the wife to get one for the same reason as theOP.

[DevonDamo]

If you only need something that will allow you to raise your seat after you've got on, and lower it before you get off, you might be able to get away with using the first ever dropper mechanism from the 1980s. I reckon it would be pretty simple to make one yourself from a big spring, but there is still new old stock being sold for around thirty quid, e.g. here: >https://shop.baroudeur-cycles.com/produ ... -hite-rite< Looks a bit odd, but would save you the faff of trying to route the actuator cable, which gets a bit complicated because (1) you'll probably have to use the less-common variant of the dropper post itself as your bike probably hasn't got internal cable routing holes and (2) you'll probably need to use the less-common variant of the actuator lever as your bike probably has a front derailleur, so there won't be space on the left handlebar for a paddle-style actuator.

[MartinC]

I've done this to a couple of (my) bikes. It works, but also going to an osteopath and learning some mobility and flexibility exercises does! They can also assist in getting a foot on the ground in traffic stops if your BB is higher than ideal.

You'll have to do some measuring. 130mm of exposed post may not be enough if you don't want the dropper to go past your desired saddle height on return. There'll be about 50mm or so of non dropping height 'cos of the mechanisms in the post. The distance from saddle rails to saddle top will also make a difference. Dropper posts are essentially off road equipment so most assume lots of exposed seatpost but some have just 65mm of drop which is useful for many road bikes.

Seatpost diameter will restrict your choice. 27.2 is available but I've never seen one less than this. Many droppers are inline seatposts which may constrain your choice if you need layback. As mentioned above you'll probably need one with external cable routing. Those external ones where the cable joins the seat post at the top make routing untidy 'cos the cable needs to move down with the saddle - attachment just above the seat tube clamp is neater. Levers for road and mtb bar sizes are available - you'll need to get one that matches the dropper though - some clamp at the lever and some at the post.

Some dropper posts aren't cabled - they have a lever under the saddle. Ease of operation may suit you or not.

Obviously they're heavier and more expensive than plain seatposts. They're pneumatic so you'll also need a high pressure suspension pump to top them up occasionally and some furniture polish to lubricate them.

I spent ages searching for short drop, 27.2, layback posts with bottom cabling. KS (Kind Shock) and Eten were the brands that fitted but they're not easy to find. Bikester was a good source.

[pwa]

At the moment I have to lean my bike over a very long way before I can lift my leg above the saddle.
The saddle is quite a bit above the frame - long seat post.
I am wondering if dropping the saddle with a dropper post would make things easier.

Never used one, never even seen one, but the description looks promising.

Ummm.....

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers ... per-posts/

How much?

I assume that I would need quite a long stroke (if this is the correct term) to make a significant difference.
There is about 130 mm of exposed seat post at the moment.
Diameter around 26-27mm.

I also find it a bit of a stretch to get my foot to go over my saddle. So I have adopted another way of doing it. With the leg that is going over, I bend the knee more than before. so that the foot can pass in front of the saddle rather than over it. For me it works very well.

[simonhill]

Why hoist your leg and foot over the saddle. Surely going over the cross bar is much lower.

[LittleGreyCat]

Why hoist your leg and foot over the saddle. Surely going over the cross bar is much lower.

I think you are failing to appreciate the true extent of the lack of flexibility.

[TrevA]

Updating this thread. My son in law is running a dropper post on his gravel/winter bike, which he uses for club rides. The saddle drops down about 5cm when the dropper is activated, which is done via a mechanical lever on the handlebars. He’s managed to route the cable through the frame on his bike, which is a Marin Gestalt. It would certainly aid someone of limited flexibility to get onto the bike.