Value Droper Post EST900

[Knuckle89]

Hi - I have an EST900 and like the saddle quite high for power but feel a bit top heavy downhill so a dropper post would be great

A friend recommended Brand X

Would like to hear what size others have fitted and how they routed the cable for inspiration

 

[Porridge86]

So, after ordering a dropper post that needed to be routed internally I sent it back and ordered a Brand-X Ascend II dropper post. I got the 31.mm with 100mm of travel and it works great for me.

The only issue I have is that the remote has a rather short arm on it and it has to be positioned on the left side of the handlebars, meaning if you have the latest display on your 900 it takes some time to get it in the right place so you can still access both the assistance controls and the dropper remote easily while riding.

But for the money, at £69.99, you really cannot go wrong.

Brand-X Ascend II Dropper

 

[Knuckle89]

Thanks for the reply - I will buy this one thank you, presume it was 31.6mm you bought. Any pics you have of the cable routing would come in handy!

Any other mods to speak of? I’ll need a rear mudguard like yours as my current one is attached to the seat post.

Also trying to find a drinks bottle solution to perhaps wrap around the battery. The top mount constantly caught my shorts.

 

[Porridge86]

Yes, sorry with the typo, I have the 31.6mm. The cable routes down the left side of the seat post and I've cable tied it as in the photo above. You then have to remove the 2 plastic guards from under the motor and the frame and route it through there.

My rear mudguard is a Proguard Max Front guard. You have to drill a couple of 6mm holes in the top to secure it to the cross member on the seat stays, again with a cable tie otherwise it will foul on the tyres.

I have also changed the stem from the fitted 80mm down to 35mm. I've also swapped out the grips for some red Nukeproof knurled ones.

I've got some new tyres coming today as well as I feel the stock ones lack some grip and confidence when ride on certain trails.

My last change will be some new peddles but that can wait for now.

In terms of drinks, when I'm on a trail I use a camelbak backpack with a 2L bladder in. The position for the bottle cage on this bike is ridiculous so I've never used it, especially now I have the dropper post installed.

 

[cozzy]

I have one of them on my DH bike with the external routing.
I started to dissemble it recently to give it a grease and noticed there was a bit of white string connecting the top mechanism to the bottom of the post, which then promptly snapped where it was frayed.
I thought the previous owner must have bodged it but no! The service kit does actually include a new piece of string
Good post for the money though.

 

[Knuckle89]

Awesome thanks both ordering later .

I bought the b twin slim aluminium pedals for mine , they were £50 but i was lapping up accessories to fill my cycle scheme voucher - was frustrating as nothing I planned to buy was in stock on the day!

I have the original tyres but I’m tempted to go slightly less aggressive - I found after it’s running in service the bike felt even heavier / harder to maintain momentum above the electric assistance. I had gel tubes fitted at the same time so maybe that was the cause. Anyway some reduced rolling resistance would be welcomed as it’s a bit of a tank

 

[Porridge86]

I've just put on some Schwalbe Hans Dampf and tested them out this weekend. Its like a different bike. Massive reduction in rolling resistance, and definitely makes a difference with the assistance off on flat sections.

Plus, it now has plenty of grip in the typical UK gloopy mud found in forests after a bit of rain.

 

[p3eps]

I can feel my Reverb AXS dropper needing a service soon... so am tempted to order one of these external routed ones for the 5(?) weeks that it's away.
A couple of years ago I bought an old fashioned seat post as a fill in, and had a nightmare not being able to move my saddle out of the way on descents!

What is the 1x lever v's the 2x lever? I'd prefer the 150mm one, but it's double the price...

 

[CarolinaCrawler]

I put Brand X droppers on all three of my kids bikes and a buddy's. They all worked impressively for the money. I would highly recommend them.

What is the 1x lever v's the 2x lever? I'd prefer the 150mm one, but it's double the price...

The 1x is your typical dropper lever. The 2x is if you have a shifter or lockout lever on the left side;

 

[Knuckle89]

Hi guys.

Fitted my dropper for the most part this evening but stuck at the last hurdle - the instruction manual has the side on lever but I have the vertical lever like pictured above.

The final steps aren’t in the manual,but looks like I’ve done the same as in the picture above . I have routed the wire into the handle, then back on itself through the tiny cylinder with the hole in it.

It then appears I need to tighten the grub screw but I cant, it won’t budge….. obviously as it has a cable through it. I’m confused.

 

[CarolinaCrawler]

It then appears I need to tighten the grub screw but I cant, it won’t budge….. obviously as it has a cable through it. I’m confused.

With the cable ran through the hole in the cylinder, you want to hold one side of the cylinder with a 3mm hex and then screw the other side with a 2.5mm. I usually have the wife hold the 3mm so I can pull tension on the cable with one hand and tighten the 2.5mm with the other hand.

 

[Knuckle89]

With the cable ran through the hole in the cylinder, you want to hold one side of the cylinder with a 3mm hex and then screw the other side with a 2.5mm. I usually have the wife hold the 3mm so I can pull tension on the cable with one hand and tighten the 2.5mm with the other hand.

Legend - that makes total sense thank you !

 

[Zimmerframe]

You can also get these for when you're running externally. I used some a few years ago on an external dropper cable to replace my zip ties round the frame.

There's also this type, though you can also run a small zip tie though the ones above if you prefer :

Jus search amazon/internet/ebay for hydraulic hose adhesive cable guide - and various mixes of those

 

[Knuckle89]

You can also get these for when you're running externally. I used some a few years ago on an external dropper cable to replace my zip ties round the frame.

View attachment 123696 View attachment 123697

There's also this type, though you can also run a small zip tie though the ones above if you prefer :

View attachment 123698

Jus search amazon/internet/ebay for hydraulic hose adhesive cable guide - and various mixes of those

That’s great thank you, I have Velcro ties on the seat post upright and then it’s hidden under a plastic cover on the underside but I’m yet to fine tune the cable as I stupidly had the dropper post in the lowest position to start.

That said, I think the lowest position matched my original seat height or close to it.