Easton & Race Face drop a bomb with new droppers

Easton & Race Face drop a bomb with new droppers

Haven and Turbine posts claim top-notch reliability plus slick tool-free disconnect

Easton and Race Face have launched a new co-branded dropper seatpost design with a novel internal design that promises to be more reliable than the norm

Easton / Race Face

James Huang

Published: August 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Easton and Race Face have launched a new co-branded dropper seatpost design with a novel internal design that promises to be more reliable than the norm - Easton / Race Face
The universal remotes are similar to the competition, and Easton and Race Face will also offer a 1x-specific design - Easton / Race Face
The two-bolt head is borrowed from Race Face's standard Turbine seatpost. Lower internal air pressures and the use of static, rather than dynamic, seals are said to further boost reliability - Easton / Race Face

Easton and Race Face are tossing their collective hats into the highly competitive dropper post market with the all-new Haven and Turbine co-branded seatposts.

The posts' 495g claimed weight (30.9mm x 440mm x 150mm, without lever) is inline with their main rivals but we’re most intrigued with the claims of best-in-class reliability. Hopefully this isn’t just another fancy sleight-of-hand trick, and they really are the dropper seatposts you’ve been looking for.

The new seatposts – which are identical except for branding – will use a novel internal mechanism with up to 150mm of travel that Easton and Race Face say will greatly boost reliability over the competition. The shared design features a purely mechanical device to lock the post in place but a hydraulic actuator based (at least in concept) on a mountain bike disc brake.

The two-bolt head is borrowed from race face's standard turbine seatpost. lower internal air pressures and the use of static, rather than dynamic, seals are said to further boost reliability: the two-bolt head is borrowed from race face's standard turbine seatpost. lower internal air pressures and the use of static, rather than dynamic, seals are said to further boost reliability

Tucked away inside the new Easton and Race Face dropper posts is a novel hydraulic-mechanical hybrid locking system

“The lock mechanism to hold the post in a given position uses a hydraulic system similar to disc brakes but instead of [the pistons] pushing in, they are pushing out,” said Easton marketing director Craig Richey. “We have found this to be an extremely reliable and strong way to lock the post – tested with over 800lb of force when locked – in a given position and there is no mushy feel when sitting on the post, a common dropper post issue.”

Further boosting long-term reliability, according to Easton and Race Face, is the use of lower-than-usual air pressures and static – rather than dynamic, or sliding – seals. The new post has supposedly been thoroughly tested at sub-freezing temperatures, too, which should make them suitable for wintertime use.

Other highlights include an opposing two-bolt head borrowed from the standard Race Face Turbine seatpost, a choice of universal or 1x-style remote levers, standard derailleur cable and housing, and a slick ‘Quick Connector’ coupler that will allow riders to easily remove the internally routed seatpost for traveling without having to readjust anything.

The universal remotes are similar to the competition, and easton and race face will also offer a 1x-specific design: the universal remotes are similar to the competition, and easton and race face will also offer a 1x-specific design

The standard remote doesn't look to break any new ground but it's good to hear that Easton and Race Face will offer 1x-specific ones, too

Easton and Race Face will offer the new post in both 30.9mm and 31.6mm diameters, and in 100mm, 125mm, or 150mm of travel. Total seatpost lengths will vary from 350-440mm depending on size.

Retail price is US$469 / £350 / €450 / AU$TBC (all configurations), and projected availability is slated for November.

For more information, visit www.eastoncycling.com or www.raceface.com.

James Huang

Former tech editor

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