Dropper posts are amazing and a must-have if you’re a mountain biker. Unfortunately, there’s a ton of dropper posts on the market that promise reliability but fail to work correctly for more than a month or two. In this blog post we’re going to share the pros and cons of our favorite and most reliable dropper post...

The Fox Transfer.

The Fox Transfer Post was released in 2016, and between now and then not much has changed internally and the current design is virtually the same as the original. There’s been no need to change much since these things have proven to be virtually bomb proof. The Transfer Post uses a sealed cartridge using air and oil to make the post go up and down. Most droppers use a similar design, but Fox’s simply works better and is more reliable. Welp, lets hop into the pro’s and cons of this post.

#1) Reliability

The Fox Transfer basically does not break. This is the best selling post and we have only warrantied two of them in the past 3 years with tons of them sold.

#2) The Feel

They simply feel like the most well designed dropper post. Just by holding one in your hand you can feel that they're better designed and better built compared to the more affordable droppers on the market. They’re smooth and consistent and don't at all feel chintzy like many other dropper posts do.

#3) The Sound

There is a nice loud top-out and bottom-out sound so you always know when your post is at the top of bottom of the travel. Many posts are dead silent, so you don’t know if they’ve reached the top of the travel. Also, tons of other droppers get stuck 75% of the way up so you seriously have no idea where it’s at. Many people think this isn’t very important, but when you have a Transfer Post and then use something else that doesn’t make noise, you’ll quickly realize how important that sound is on the trail.

#4) Easy Install

Transfer Posts have the cable cinched at the lever on the bar, so it’s easier to install than droppers with the cable cinched at the bottom of the post.

#5) Price

The Transfer Post has 2 models and price points. The Performance Series is $294 and the Factory Series is $344. Performance Series posts uses a black anodized coating, and the Factory Post uses their Kashima coating. This means the Transfer Post isn’t even the most expensive dropper on the market for how awesome it feels and functions. Kashima is Fox's hard anodized coating which has less breakaway stiction and claims longer life, but honestly this doesn't make any real-world difference on a dropper post. Its more possible to notice the Kashima difference on a fork or shock, but for a dropper post, you'll most likely get the Kashima coated Factory model if you're wanting to match your Kashima fork or shock.

Con #1) Insertion

Insertion length on the Transfer Post isn’t the shortest out there. Most bikes these days have a deep insertion so this shouldn’t be a big deal for most models of bikes. However, if you’re trying to squeeze every last millimeter of dropper post travel into a bike with short insertion, the Transfer Post might not be best for you.

#2) Service

Transfer serviceability is both a pro and a con. The Transfer Post's sealed cartridge requires some proprietary tools to do a rebuild. However, these are so reliable that basically no effort is required to keep things working smooth. Lots of cheaper droppers require adding air frequently and some monthly maintenance, but we’re still seeing Transfers that we sold over two years ago feel almost brand new! However, after a couple years Fox recommends rebuilding the Transfer. To get it in tip top shape, just send it to a shop like us or Fox and they’ll be able to make it good as new. The only people this will be a con to is those who wish to rebuild their dropper themselves so they can show off their awesome mechanic skills to their friends and people they meet on the trail.

#3) The Lever

Unlike the Transfer Post itself, the Transfer Lever doesn't impress us. The thumb pad is small and rips up cables, and we’re hoping Fox redesigns it. Don’t let this dissuade you, the lever isn’t included with the purchase of post so you’ll be able to purchase one of our shop favorites for about the same price: the Wolf Tooth ReMote or the PNW Components Loam Lever.

So there's the rundown of probably the most reliable dropper post on the market and the reasons why we recommend these to any customer wanting a solid, quality dropper post that just works, and works well. If you're looking to pick up a Transfer, you can shop below, or if you had any questions please feel free to call or email us with any questions!

(360) 306-8827

info@thelostco.com