If you have never lowered your seat before, you will definetly feel the difference. You can experiment by lowering your seat post by 3 or 4 inches. This can be especially useful when you encounter steep descents, ledges, loose terrain, tight single-track, drop-offs, switchbacks, logs or other elements in the trail.
GravityDropper allows you to have your seat lower for descending and up for climbing or flats. You can move between the two positions as terrain changes. The lowered position lowers your center of gravity which make cornering better. When the seat is lowered, you buttocks have less chance of interfering with the seat. This also allows you to handle obstacles like roots, rocks, logs, etc better.
The GravityDropper offers a degree of safety by lowering your center of gravity. It may allow you to ride sections that you have had to walk before, or possibly save you from a crash because you were able to catch yourself since your feet are lower to the ground. It makes technical terrain such as steep sections, ledges, and switchbacks easier to negotiate.
Free-rider’s have come to know and understand the benefits of a lower seat for descending! Now, how many times do you leave your seat low because there is another descent or drop coming up and it’s not worth jumping off to change? This is hard on your knees and can cause your quad’s to burn. You also may end up riding with your seat too high on short downhill sections that weren’t worth getting off and making the change. The Gravitydropper allows you not to ride longer than needed in either position. This arena of mountain biking has grown significantly in the last several years. The fun comes with the down sections but you have to get up there first. Don’t compromise your climbing or descending. Weather you are looking for more speed or safety, Gravitydropper can help you achieve.
The only reason we worry about weight is that we don’t want to be slowed down or burn extra energy!! The GravityDropper allows you to go faster. This applies to both descending and climbing. The extra control you gain while descending can be translated into speed. It also might save you from crashing which wastes time (and hurts). For climbing, if you are currently riding with your seat too low (see above). The extra energy you gain from having your seat at your optimal height will allow you to climb faster. The GravityDropper will add some non-rolling weight to your bike when replaced with a standard seat post. The performance and handling benefits gained make it well worth it. Many bikers today ride with components that added weight to their bike to gain performance or handling. A few examples would be front forks that offer suspension, rear suspension, and clipless pedals. A XC rider often does not like to waste the time to stop, get off their bike, and raise or lower their seat. A racer can’t take the time. The GravityDropper can be raised and lowered quickly without wasting time. A racers’ heart rate may recover quicker on descents because of the increased control, thus setting up for the next climb. With all that said, its also just more fun to descend or do tight single-track with your seat lower.
In short; for speed and safety. The GravityDropper is especially important for a XC rider or racer. A typical XC bike has a longer stem which positions the handlebar further forward than a free-ride or downhill bike. This makes lowering your center of gravity and being able to get your weight down and back even more important for better handling in technical situations (speed and safety). XC riders also ride with their seats typically higher than a free-rider or downhiller. This is done because a higher seat position allows for nice round pedal strokes needed for sustained, power to the pedals. Many XC riders still ride with their seat too low. They do this so they can have a balance between climbing and descending and thus compromise both the climb and descent. A XC rider using GravityDropper may be able to raise their seat to their optimal height for “climbing” because the GravityDropper allows them to lower for descending. Also, many XC riders refuse to lower their seat because they don’t want to lose their current seat height position. The GravityDropper offers them the ability to bring it back to the exact same “up” seat height position.
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