Bike Yoke Revive V3

Way back when in 2016, when crappy droppers were not uncommon, Bike Yoke was cutting through the garbage with their excellent posts. They have consistently performed well, are easily serviced, sturdy and durable, and are well-supported with replacement parts. More importantly, I have yet to be let down by one. And the Revive is their top dog.

Updates

The significant changes here are a 5mm drop in stack, thanks to a new saddle clamp, and a reduction in insertion length thanks to a shorter actuator. The actuator can also be rotated 360º now which could free up some valuable millimetres for frames with interrupted or short seat tubes. Beyond that there is a sealed cartridge so your air pressure is set from the factory and a simplified travel reduction feature allows you to adjust your drop in 5mm increments.

The install is improved thanks to a slide on barrel, that mates with the cable end. Previously there was a barrel that clamped the cable and it wasn't terribly convenient. The last time I used that mechanism I just threaded the cable through the hole and left the barrel behind it so I didn't have to clamp the cable. This is miles better and in line with other premium posts.

Features - Bike Yoke Revive 3.0 (provided by BikeYoke)

• New saddle clamps for a 5 mm lower stack height
• A new 360° rotatable foot unit shortens the overall length of the seat post by further 10 mm
• New slide-on cable barrel for easier installation
• New BikeYoke cables (3 mm housing + 0.9 mm polished and coated stainless wire)
• Travel reduction in 5 mm increments (4x5 mm spacer included)
• 3D-forged, one-piece upper tube for increased stiffness and strength
• Redesigned actuation linkage for imprived feel and feedback
• Two-piece saddle bolts with integrated conical washers for easier saddle mounting

Competition

Where Bike Yoke has always been a leader is smoothness, and that seems to have ramped up a notch here. It goes up and down with a satisfying slither and reaches the top with an authoritative thunk that brings Bavarian autos to mind, only with more reliability. There are other categories where the Revive is not a leader and these may or not be important to you. With their own V3, OneUp continues to lead in terms of low stack height, insertion depths, and overall length and now they have added the featherweight crown per given drop, all at a reasonable price.

Galactic Post

When I think about Bike Yoke posts however, I'm reminded of a classic SNL skit; Galactic Prophylactic, the condom that lasts a lifetime. Revive posts happily go from bike to bike without much drama; they just keep working. Part of Bike Yoke's slightly longer insertion depth relates to more bushing overlap, something Bike Yoke thinks is essential to reduce maintenance and keep a post running smoothly. These are the lowest maintenance posts I have ridden and they rarely require a re-lube, while this is part of at least monthly service for a OneUp. So while the Revive is a little longer, a little heavier, and a little more expensive than the market leader in those categories, it may be handed down for generations, with less maintenance required through the decades.

Another category where Bike Yoke currently lags is in the very long drop department. While 213mm will work fine for me, I'm a little happier with even more drop. I've ridden 225 (on a prototype Bike Yoke Revive Max) and 240 and felt very good on the bike indeed. 213 remains a relatively sweet spot for me in terms of comfort seated and bumular clearance. The good news is that Bike Yoke has been hinting at adding an even longer drop to their catalogue, and I'll be the first one with my hand up.

Revive Lives On

If you've never been educated about a Revive post, the name may be a mystery to you. The post is named after a unique innovation in the post that allows it to self-rescue when things get squishy. If your post isn't rock solid in its extended position, all you need to do is pull out a 4mm hex key, twist the Revive valve 45º and push the saddle down. When it extends again it will be rock solid once again. Or you can permanently mount the included lever for an even handier reset.

For whatever reason, I've had to Revive my V3 several times already. The most recent time might be related to the altitude, since it was after a trip to the B.C. interior but I'm not certain. Each time it has returned to full rigidity immediately after the simple procedure.

Bike Yoke goes to great lengths to make their posts durable and rebuildable. To that end, all of the updates of V3 are backward compatible; if you'd like to turn your V1 or V2 into a V3, have at 'er since you may be able to pass your post on to your son or daughter. To that end, I learned a lesson from a wise industry friend of mine who rides even more bikes than I do; he only orders 30.9 posts and uses shims for bikes that have 31.6 or 34.9 seat tubes. I'd hate to sell a bike with a favourite Bike Yoke post on it.

There's an exception to that rule for Clydesdales are any riders who are particularly hard on posts. That is the Revive Max in 34.9. All other post manufacturers that I know of make their 34.9 posts with the same upper tube diameter as their 30.9 and 31.6 posts, making them much heavier and no stronger. Bike Yoke uses a larger diameter upper post and the same wall thickness as their thinner posts, making for a 34.9 that is only 40g heavier than the 31.6 with the same drop, with significantly more strength. (For some reason the Revive Max is currently listed as "no longer available" but I suspect it's simply out of stock. I'll update when I hear back from Sacki)

Triggy Alpha Remote

For whatever reason, I haven't spent much time on Bike Yoke remotes, but I was sure to hook this one up. The Triggy Alpha comes in two lengths. I chose the longer one which requires less effort (15% less) but has a longer throw, which I have yet to notice in use. It's nice and smooth, in keeping with BY tradition, and it takes even less force to get it going thanks to a cartridge bearing. It even has a tidy pocket to deal with that dangly cable end. It is Matchmaker compatible and can be rotated 360º for those of you who prefer to push your lever from in front of your bars?

In the End

While none of these updates are revolutionary, they all push the Revive in the right direction. Even great products like this can improved over time and it's nice to see Sacki isn't resting on laurels. Making all the updates backward compatible speaks to Bike Yoke's commitment to past products and existing customers.

Bike Yoke posts are not cheap, but if you can pass them through several bikes, they should provide good value over the long term.

Bike Yoke Revive Dropper Post prices (without remote)

Triggy Alpha Remote 65 EUR (Shimano Ispec adapters are extra as is a standalone clamp if you require one)

An addition, which was pointed out in the comments, is that you can get your Revive V1 or V2 updates to V3 for the price of a complete service. Basically you are getting the new parts for free. You need to register by June 30th to have access to this program.

Update Service 3.0 Program