The OneUp V3 Dropper Post feels fast and precise to return when the trail starts heading upwards and is quick to drop for the descents.
Unlike other posts, there is virtually zero play between the top and bottom halves, thanks to the exceptional build quality – which is especially impressive considering the price.
OneUp's latest dropper does all this while being one of the lightest dropper posts on the market.
The V3 Dropper Post is sold on its own for £289.99 / $269.99 / €299.99, but I tested it in conjunction with the V3 Dropper Remote, priced at £44.99 / $44.99 / €49.99.
OneUp V3 Dropper Post specifications
OneUp’s V3 Dropper Post is aimed at all mountain bike disciplines, ranging from cross-country to enduro.
It is available with 90mm, 120mm, 150mm, 180mm, 210mm or 240mm travel, and in 27.2mm, 30.9mm, 31.6mm and 34.9mm diameters.
The 180mm, 31.6mm version on test has a minimum insert depth of 115mm and a stack height of 30mm.
On our scales, the V3 Dropper Post weighed in at an impressive 488g, close to OneUp’s claimed weight of 480g.
OneUp’s V3 Dropper Post looks very similar to the V2 Dropper it replaces, and continues to clamp the cable at the remote, rather than the base of the post, making setup easier and ensuring it’ll work with aftermarket remote options.
The brand says the V3 has a 75 per cent reduction in breakaway force and now uses a 100 per cent recyclable sealed cartridge that is easily replaceable.
OneUp says the post can be fully taken apart and serviced with common tools found on multi-tools and has a 350-hour interval between recommended services.
Travel can be adjusted by 10mm increments with the post remaining in the frame.
Igus bushings and low-friction SKF wiper seals are said to keep the post operating smoothly while keeping contaminants at bay.
The V3 Dropper Remote features a spring action in the lever and rotates around a sealed bearing for reduced friction.
OneUp V3 Dropper Post performance
Installation and setup
I found the post easy to set up and the actuator is one of the best I've used.
Because the cable clamps at the remote end, setting up the post is a doddle. Tension can be added easily to the cable.
OneUp’s V3 Dropper Remote helps here, with the spring-operated lever staying in place while feeding the cable through.
Attaching the saddle was also painless, with the narrow and concave head slipping between saddle rails easily and the inline two-bolt clamp quick to find purchase.
Saddle pitch is simple to set by changing how far the bolts are tightened, and I found my optimum seating position in little time.
On the trail
OneUp’s V3 Dropper performed flawlessly out on the trails, with the post reassuringly quick to return, leaving me standing on the pedals for no time at all.
I set my muscle memory to the thud of the post reaching full travel, quickly becoming accustomed to the post’s characteristics when dropping and ascending.
It feels solid on the way down, with no wavering left to right, and the compressed stack height gets the saddle further out of the way than other posts of the same travel.
Paired with the OneUp V3 Dropper Remote, the actuation of the post feels effortless, and is one of the best mechanical post interfaces I’ve tested.
This continued throughout testing and the post remained as solid as on its first ride.
The remote is easy to find on the bars and its rubber pad makes gripping it easy, even in wet weather.
How we tested | Dropper posts
For this test, Nick took to his local forest to use the posts on undulating terrain trails where droppers prove most useful and are actuated more often.
Weather ranged from dry and sunny to cold and frankly miserable days, where dropper post imperfections can quickly frustrate weary heads and remotes prove difficult to use in the cold.
The droppers were all used in a medium-sized enduro bike, with inner and outer cables replaced for each post to ensure accuracy and repeatability.
Each post was set to a saddle height with full leg extension, and the bars were cleaned before installing the remote to avoid slippage.
Droppers on test
- Magura Vyron MDS-V3
- X-Fusion Manic
- OneUp V3 Dropper Post
- Tranz-X EDP01
- PNW Loam Dropper Post
- Crankbrothers Highline 11 Dropper
- RockShox Reverb AXS
- KS Vantage
- KS Lev Circuit
OneUp V3 Dropper Post bottom line
OneUp’s V3 Dropper Post is one of the best on the market, offering great actuation and quick operation, both up and down.
This performance comes with a solid construction that feels sturdier than its 488g, lightweight build might suggest.
Paired with OneUp’s V3 Dropper Remote, there are high levels of comfort, plus post-ieasy installation and an appealing price. There’s a serious amount to like.
Product
| Brand | oneup_components |
| Price | 300.00 EUR,290.00 GBP,270.00 USD |
| Weight | 488.0000, GRAM (180mm / 31.6mm) - plus 29g for remote |
Features
| br_seatpostDiameter | 31_6mm |
| br_remote | Included |
| br_travel | 180.0000 |
| br_travel | MILLIMETER |
