REVIEW | EDITORIAL
OneUp's New Dropper Post Remote? Way Better Than The Old One
Remote Wonderment
Sometimes it's enlightening to see the world through the eyes of a child. Brilliant, bright, beautiful. Other times, it's so confusing I find myself checking the alcohol content of my coffee. There are also those moments when it reminds me what a jaded old hack I am. In the case of OneUp's new V3 dropper the last option was most prevalent.
If you looked at the title shot and said something like "woopty ding dong, dropper post remotes with colours" then at least you're in decent company (mine). Sorry to you fellow Pout-Pout Fish, that probably means we share a bunch of adjectives like 'jaded' and 'crotchety' and 'over-invested' and I have it on fairly good authority that we'd be better off being a bit more... stoked.
This new remote is way better than the old one in every way!" - The Clairebarian (Average Mountain Bike Enthusiast)
The opposite side of this coin is my daughter who upon opening the box containing OneUp's V3 remote, and the various options for coloured pads, loudly declared it to be "way better than the old one in every way!” Yes, before it was out of the bag. Yes, before it was mounted on a bike. Yes, before hooking it up to a dropper post. And, yes, before even putting thumb to rubber. She then proceeded to convince me that she would be a better candidate to test this product. In a way, specifically thumb size and strength, she’s right.
The key factor in her seagull-seeking-the-shiniest desire though was, of course, the colours. Seven to be exact - Black, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, and Turquoise. These rubber pads are replaceable, and also have a groove to capture your cable end in the rubber if you don't want to use a crimp. That last feature's against my family's religion, the only un-crimped cable going on a bike we're working on will be one that's soldered, but who has the time?
At first glance the only difference between the V3 and V2 remotes is the addition of a rubber thumb pad.
The cartridge bearing is also notably smaller.
The rubbber pad is held securely despite being easy to replace, like rubber grommets for internal cable routing.
Easy to take apart, easy to put back together. I'm certain the bearing will last forever, but anyone who's paranoid or power washing could easily pop the bearing shield and add some heavy grease.
But...
The problem is, she was absolutely correct. The new OneUp V3 dropper post remote is a significant improvement over the old one. It somehow combines an immediately notable reduction in actuation effort with a shorter throw. With my size M/L gloved thumbs the difference is remarkable. With the Clairebarian's size small kids' gloved thumbs it's "see Papa, see how much better it is, do you see?"
OneUp claims the reduction in actuation force is 27%, but that's not really what's exceptional. After all, they could have simply made their existing dropper post remote lever thrice as long and that extra leverage would have made the action lighter than pushing air. If you want to see what I mean, hook your dropper post up to a v-brake lever and then tell me how impressively light-action it is compared to your current setup. What's remarkable is that the new remote requires much less distance.
For my kid, that means not having to reposition her hand to actuate her dropper post while riding and that means she's using her dropper post a lot more for short punchy climbs between downhills. It's really neat to see. Actually, since we've installed the dropper post, it sees a lot more on the fly use than her drivetrain. I thought it might just be some awesome #1FG single-speeder genes I'd passed on. Yes, I was fully prepared to take credit. But, every other North Shore parent I've talked to who's installed a dropper post on their progeny's rig says the same thing.
Short(er) thumbs rejoice! Higher leverage and a shorter maximum activation angle on V3 versus V2. It's immediately noticeable on the bike.
The new OneUp v3 remote has a significantly smaller cartridge bearing.
OneUp's MatchMaker-compatible hinged clamp is a great option for any number of other brands' remotes too. Available separately for 14.50 USD | 17 CAD.
I prefer separate controls on my bike for maximum adjustability. This is the setup I was planning to run with my V2 dropper post. Well, I would have installed the purple thumb pad.
Pad Swapping
What's extra nifty about the pads compared to other rubberized dropper-remote surfaces is the next level of comfort. Especially when not wearing gloves. Through the combination of the rubber thickness, and the cut out in the remote lever they slot into, there is a sweet amount of squish. Replacing the pads is as easy as pushing them out from the backside with a blunt tool. The install process is just like pushing cable gaskets into the stealth ports on most bike frames. If the fitment is a bit tight for your thumb strength, spray a little ISO on the rubber and it'll go.
I assume that within short order OneUp will have a video of Jesse doing a pad swap while riding and, of course, a Brenda's Bench episode where Miranda gets out the BIG hammer. I mean, set an expectation and stick to it, right?
Seven colours to choose from. No, I don't know why OneUp doesn't seed their whole component lineup with a hot-pink colour option as well.
My kid's all about blue, right now. But don't worry, if you choose the wrong colour you can always pick up replacement pads after the fact.
Most importantly, the rubber pad feels awesome under thumb. It's a nice improvement, especially if you don't wear gloves.
OneUp says you can just stick your cut cable end into the rubber backside of the pad without putting a crimp on it. You do you, but, I'm not down with that.
Details
One thing to note is that OneUp would like to sell you just a V3 Remote. I mean, they'd love to sell you a dropper post too, but the point is that whether you already have their V2 dropper or some other brand's dropper, they feel this is an upgrade over most remotes. The basic remote ships without any kind of clamp because there's a very good chance you already have a compatible one that it will bolt right onto.
Separately, OneUp sells a variety of interface options, including the two most recent versions of I-Spec, SRAM's steadfast MatchMaker, and, for those of us who don't mind the eye-piercing aesthetic of another clamp on our handlebar, a 22.2mm hinged clamp. A little hack for those tired of their Matchmaker-X-compatible dropper post remote having a fixed clamp - which requires grip removal to effect remote removal - is that the 22.2mm clamp works with a wide variety of other company's remotes. If you have a MatchMaker-X compatible remote you like then it's a 14.50 USD | 17 CAD investment in a hinged clamp from OneUp to improve your setup.
The improvement in leverage and throw is good with my thumbs and awesome with Claire's thumbs. I think every rider will appreciate the difference but in this case it would have absolutely been worth upgrading to V3.
With three mounting points to adjust lever reach, and the tilt adjustment of the SRAM MMX clamp, there's a high degree of customizability in terms of position. With most other brake systems we'd be using the separate hinged clamp to achieve the best position.
The Clairebarian's V2 dropper requires a bit more maintenance than mine despite many fewer miles. That's because we're running 1/2 the minimum recommended pressure so it needs to be smooth to return all the way. It's still the best post option for short(er) riders.
Other than the replaceable rubber contact point, in many colours, the biggest visual difference you'll notice with the V3 remote is the smaller cartridge bearing. It's just about as big as a few I've pulled out of full-suspension pivots lately, so I'm thinking it will rotate nicely forever without replacement. If you're big on doing the high-pressure power wash you could also pop a seal and fill the bearing with heavy grease, which is never a bad idea. It takes seconds to disassemble and reassemble the remote and all you need is a 5mm hex key.
So there's the new lighter action, improved lever throw, multiple-colour-options V3 dropper post remote from OneUp. It really is a step up, and not just because it comes in colours. A remote to plug into your existing OneUp or other MMX clamping solution is 45 USD | 55 CAD. Add the clamp of your choice for 14.50 USD | 17.00 CAD.
They're available now. For more information, see OneUp.
Comments
fartymarty
1 year, 9 months ago
What is it with kids and not wanting to change gears... mine are the same - they would rather spin at 1000rpm than shift!!! Maybe I need to turn the bike school run into a shifting competition.
On a more serious note this lever looks great - to the extent I may ditch my modded XT shifter great.
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danimaniac
1 year, 9 months ago
haha, mine's the same.
always putting in the longest gear and dying on any uphill before shifting down...
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Hahaha. We see that kid all the time too. Full ramming speed followed by either a proper stall-out or the kind of full-power gear mashing shift that you can only get away with when you’re ~ 50lbs.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
1000 RPM! Actually, her easiest gear isn’t ‘that’ easy for the terrain around here and being so pedal and plunge she’s usually winching up in 1-2 or coasting down. And I probably shouldn’t talk - single speed - but it is hilarious sometimes. Especially on flatter road/gravel.
It’s just remarkable how much more intuitive (and more heavily used) the dropper post was from day dot.
———
I was surprised at what an improvement it is, but it’s a genuinely great remote for less that other bearing-pivot remotes, assuming you already have a clamp.
Even without the rubber pad it would have been a worthy upgrade for the Clairebarian.
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fartymarty
1 year, 8 months ago
I may have exaggerated a little bit about the 1000 rpm but it feels like it when i'm following her. She on 30/42 on a 275 so it's relatively low but not Eagle low. My 8YO has 32/46 on her 24 which is really low.
She does use her dropper a ton tho - even for stopping at traffic lights etc.
The lever is v. tempting for the Murmur.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Claire’s low gear is very similar at 24/34 on a 24” wheel. She certainly uses that or one down the stack for most local climbs.
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Jeff Carter
1 year, 9 months ago
Maybe the V4 lever will be Bluetooth!? I love my 210mm drop One Up post, but after using an AXS dropper the lever action and activation speed is a big step up from any of the cable operated droppers. It's a pity the AXS droppers top out at 170mm travel.
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tdc_worm
1 year, 8 months ago
Agreed, the functionality of the AXS unit is so far ahead of everything else, it is in a category all its own (and in its own price category, haha). I have two of them. That said, the stack height and 170mm max drop seriously handicap the dropper when it comes to getting the saddle out of the way, especially as we move to bikes with steeper seat tube angles. If the goal is dropper action, the AXS wins. If the goal is getting the saddle out of the way, it doesn't.
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el_jefe
1 year, 8 months ago
Exactly. My left thumb joint is f*kd, and the AXS dropper action was amazing! But I took it off because I'm tall and 170mm just does not cut it for me. Get that stack height down and increase drop (and have a compatible SwitchGrade haha) and I'm back on AXS. And the 'massive step up in...product management' - Jesus Christ, give me a break - check yer battery whatever, it's minor and easy.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
I’ve seen dead post batteries, missing post batteries, and dead remote batteries this year, and I spent months off the bike due to injury, and AXS posts are not that common.
Agree they work great - especially if your thumb doesn’t cooperate - and that’s great if you have no problem managing the extras compared to a simple cable system, but I’m standing by my assessment.
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Justin White
1 year, 8 months ago
That's why I switched to the OneUp V2: busted thumb. Unwrapping my hand and having to push a long lever at the end of a long thumb made the base of my thumb hurt for days after a long ride with more dropping than shifting (basically all rides). I love the V2's lever location of forward and high: it means I don't have to unwrap my hand as much and can use my thumb to push through the whole digit, instead of levering off the end and overusing the joint at the base of the thumb.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
AXS is a massive step up in purchase price and product management (remembering to charge battery). Works fantastic, yes, and it’s nice being able to easily pull a post out of the frame, yes, but on the trail the return on investment, performance wise, is questionable. This remote is a nice performance improvement that essentially doesn’t raise the purchase price of a OneUp V2 dropper package at all.
I imagine Fox will be next to the wireless game - they have LiveValve tech already - and that when they do it will include a longer version. But they’ll need to move the battery in front (under saddle nose) or below (in frame) because rear tire to battery clearance at full drop is an issue.
The issue for OneUp will be packaging a similar system into a post that remains best in class for maximum drop @ minimum stack @ minimum insertion depth. Maybe with the extra space inside of 34.9 posts? And then also the fact their products are generally a very solid value v. the most expensive option on the market.
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tdc_worm
1 year, 8 months ago
Yup. I am actually in the process of moving away from my two AXS posts and back to OneUps simply because I can get the saddle farther out of the way, which is the whole reason to run a dropper, if I am not mistaken.
My guess is this: with more electronics on board, we will move to house batteries. Its already an adaptation within the eBike world with both Sram and Shimano pursuing using the main battery for their rear derailleurs. Almost makes di2 ahead of its time. What is old is new again. Anywho, a house battery on pedal bike that is prewired for plug and play frees up a ton of space for the stack height to get sorted out.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
The wired-wireless SRAM AXS derailleurs on new e-bikes back this up, but Fox’s investment into wireless LiveValve seems to contradict it. Bizarre times.
I think for the BroPed market you’re right and it only makes sense to get things down to one charging port.
I’m not so bold as to join predictions that in five years only the poors and weirdos will be mountain biking on non-motorized rigs but I’d guess we won’t see a central battery on meat-powered rigs. If you’re choosing to pedal yourself around 5-10 years from now a few cables aren’t going to bother you.
Maybe the most extreme WC XC race platforms with battery powered shifting, suspension, power meter, etc will have a little house battery?
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tdc_worm
1 year, 8 months ago
Yeah. I think the desensitization has begun. di2, followed by AXS, followed by assisted rigs.
I see the meat powered rigs being very di2-ish with just one port. pull the battery and wires if it is not your thing. as it stands now, AXS plus Flight Attendant has 6 batteries. consolidation only makes sense.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
The seat post and rear shock would be easy enough to fire to a central battery, just like the rear derailleur is, but the fork starts to get/look awkward especially if you’re going to drop a wire for both a pressure checking system on the air side and a damper control system on the other. Plus, how are you going to hardwire the air pressure sensors on the tires?!
I think there are a few factors to watch. If mid-to-highend mountain bike group sets (GX/XT and up) go electronic-only then I can see at least the option of a central battery of push bikes.
Sethimus
1 year, 8 months ago
*cough*
cannondale synapse
*cough*
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
I guess that’s technically a precedent for a push-bike with a central battery in that it’s powering more than just the Di2 derailleur but it’s a whole other thing to take a full suspension frame and add a wiring harness that links up a dropper post, rear shock, and fork. Might as well integrate the power meter too.
I mean, on second thought though, Di2 was already doing that years ago with battery integration between Shimano shifting and Fox suspension with the battery stashed in the frame. It’s the increased functionality/complication/juice requirement rather than a fresh idea.
It is like Di2 mountain V1 just arrived before e-bikes were ready for it. Wireless shifters is a nice update I suppose.
SomeBikeGuy
1 year, 8 months ago
The battery on the Synapse is a cool idea that feels so Cannondale but it currently only functions as a power source for the sort-of integrated lights and Garmin radar system. It can't currently power your head unit and while Cannondale says there was interest from Shimano in having it power Di2 drivetrains, Shimano apparently didn't have the resources to throw at the project and as a result any Synapse with a Di2 drivetrain currently has 1 easy to access, removable battery on it and a Di2 battery somewhere in it. Cannondale mostly did it right but unless you're vertically integrated you can be nearly certain that at least 1 supplier won't be willing/able to play...
Wireless w/ batteries on each individual item that needs power is where things are going, at least short to medium term. Why? OE assemblers at the factory LOVE it. Dropper cable routing is the worst, derailleur cable routing is essentially as bad, and Di2 wiring is downright stupid in terms of potential issues and complications, which is probably the best reason for the new gen 12 speed stuff to have gone wireless from the shifters to the control unit. Wireless everything with individual batteries is much, much easier than anything else in terms of assembly, which would explain why SRAM has gone that route and why Fox seems to be going that way for their dropper and Live Valve, assuming Fox wants to keep being able to sell Live Valve and maybe actually have riders stoked on it. Just kidding, they'd have to fix Live Valve and make it work properly in order for that to happen!
On the other hand, longer term, a single integrated battery to power any/all of the electronic components on your non-e-bike could be a really interesting proposition. But short of having all major players settle on things like connectors, voltages, wire routing, etc, it might not be possible. Also, removable batteries are stupid. All the plastic levers and junk that makes them removable makes them heavier, more prone to breaking, etc. A lighter, higher capacity but non-removable battery would be ideal for this kind of application. And there would probably still be a need for separate batteries for things like forks with electronic suspension.
Cr4w
1 year, 8 months ago
I always thought it was anyhoo but anywho works just as well. Interesting take :)
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Anywho, anyhoo, anyhow, anyway, or ‘yeah, so’ or whatever - just a subject transition.
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Vik Banerjee
1 year, 8 months ago
I mean if you are going to that trouble just have the dropper pair with Trailforks/Strava on your phone and it can set itself at the correct height without needing a lever at all. ;-)
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Hahahaha. All comes back to your bike taking itself for a ride and then sending you a 2-minute highlight real of the best moves?!
Hahahaha
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el_jefe
1 year, 8 months ago
Agree that AXS 170 is just too short for taller dudes... Mine is sitting in my parts bin as a spare as I moved over to the OneUp 210 (reduced to accomodate the Switchgrade, which is something the AXS seatpost can't accommodate as well)....
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Martin
1 year, 8 months ago
If they were the same MSRP and used with a One Up V2 post, would you prefer the WolfTooth Light action or the One Up V3 ? How do both compare in their action's lightness ? Cheers!
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Who... tough one, apologies in advance for the long response.
The Light Action version of the Wolf Tooth ReMote is certainly lighter action. In my experience, it has made some of the most awful dropper posts conceived of very rideable. It is excellent paired with the V2 post (much better than the OneUp V2 remote).
Where the V3 remote shines is in being so effective with a much shorter throw. I think this comes down to Wolf Tooth - who don't make a dropper post - manufacturing two remotes to cover all the dropper posts on the market, where OneUp has made the V3 remote to work with their post, and you can use it with other posts as a bonus.
Another consideration in the decision is that, while Wolf Tooth does an excellent job of having small parts available, their remote is a lighter construct. I've never broken one myself, but if you're crashing regularly the V3 is probably the better choice. I mean, just holding both in my hands it's clear the V3 is comparably bombproof.
What size are your hands; do you care about the rubberized pad? For my wife or my daughter, it would be V3 for sure just based on hands size. My wife has a Wolf Tooth regular ReMote on her dropper (Highline) and it's perfect. But, for the OneUp post she'd be better with the Light Action version and at that point, I'd choose the V3. She's particular about the position so it would be on a 22.2mm hinged clamp for sure.
With Claire's short thumbs the position and throw of the V3 remote are better and she loves the rubber pad. Can't fight that.
For myself, I could be very happy with either. If I was ordering a new post from OneUp I'd probably just grab a V3 at the same time. If I was buying aftermarket, I'm one of 'those' SOPWAMTOS-supporter types so the made-in-house factor added to the made-in-North America factor of the ReMote probably wins me over.
------
Or, a small-or-smaller glove buys a V3. For anyone with a medium-large+ glove who usually keeps the rubber side down, just flip a coin.
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Martin
1 year, 8 months ago
Wow! Thanks for the detailed reply, and please don't be sorry for it haha!
I'm wearing large gloves and using One Up's 22.2mm clamp with the V2. I grabbed a "scratch-n-dent" Wolf Tooth Light Action remote this winter for cheap (22,2mm too, and I can't see the defect!), but the rubberized lever of the V3 is tempting. I'll probably buy one and install my least favorite on my second bike, but I guess like you said, both will be great.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
If you do pick up a V3 and try both that and the ReMote with the same post I'd be curious to hear which one wins for you!
Cheers,
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Martin
1 year, 8 months ago
Absolutely, will do! (it might take a few weeks/months though haha)
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el_jefe
1 year, 8 months ago
I put on a light action WT just recently as I've left hand thumb joint issues... but your comment that V3 is much shorter throw might make me switch again, as that would be more comfortable I think. I don't want to push much before I get some instant dropper engagement...
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
It’s a shorter throw but also a different position/action. I’d definitely try before you buy if you can to see what works for your thumb.
If you have a friend with a DOSS remote kicking around I’d highly recommend trying that too. Just need to fashion a cable capture at the remote end (I use a bolt and nut).
It has a fantastic combination of action, throw, and ergonomics thanks to Shimano designing it around the explosive slide-hammer energy of the DOSS.
I was looking at this yesterday and I wonder too if it’s possible to put a longer lever arm on the V2 actuator to lighten up the action with requiring that much more cable pull? Things to think about.
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PKMzeta
1 year, 8 months ago
...am I being overly cynical or is this a not-so-subtle way to hike the price by 20%? Previous version sold for $59.50 including clamp, and now it's $72?
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Yes, I'd say you're being a bit rough. Food for thought anyway:
Firstly, have you noticed the price of everything else cycling-related? I mean, Maxxis tires went up a bunch and that's for exactly the same tires not a new product with new design, testing, and tooling costs.
Secondly, they're significantly better. Easily worth the difference between new v. new. So value wise I'd say they're significantly improved for the money.
Third, I think for a lot of folks that already have one (or more) MMX compatible clamps hanging around, that came with their bike, or on their current V2 remote it will work out cheaper than buying a remote that includes a superfluous clamp - at least there's the option.
Fourth, these are no doubt more expensive to make. Between the rubber pads and the extra machining. And they're certainly more expensive to support in terms of the SKU count.
Lots of new parts/bike prices make me raise an eyebrow, but this isn't one of them. Further, I suspect there will be a few discounted V2 levers (and potentially a healthy used market) for those looking to save a buck.
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rg-nw
1 year, 8 months ago
Good write-up, as always. I am in the market to replace my v2 and was pretty stoked by the price. I need a full clamp so I can get my remote away from my thumb. Brake lever is exactly where I want it and MMX was far right for the remote but still too close for my preference. Then, they hit with $10US shipping and the "stoked by price" eventually is gone. Oh well, looks like it will do what I need much better than my current setup. Thanks for the article.
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Velocipedestrian
1 year, 8 months ago
"If you want to see what I mean, hook your dropper post up to a v-brake lever and then tell me how impressively light-action it is"
I tried to find the video of an old forum mate who got his internal routing mixed up and discovered a guide lever can operate a reverb...
Any old vorbers in the house have a link to AgrAdes workshop video?
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
That's a pretty funny mix-up.
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Velocipedestrian
1 year, 8 months ago
He never said how well the thumb plunger did at generating skids.
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cheapondirt
1 year, 8 months ago
Man, I'm a sucker for a tactile upgrade, and I'd agree with all the other comments that the v2 lever isn't anything special. I'm using the discrete bar clamp and have it rolled pretty far back to get the engagement point where I like it, which means reaching backward a little for starting point access.
Perfect thing for the Christmas wish list of items I want but don't want to buy.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
V2 lever definitely isn't anything special. V3 is so much better but for folks where the V2 really doesn't work ergonomically, there are other options that may work even better. One of those things that would be nice to try.
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Justin White
1 year, 8 months ago
I think the V2 (and V3 now) is actually quite special. No other lever tries to match its actual lever location: they all act like the long (downshift) lever of a shifter while V2 tries to match the short (upshift) lever. So you can hit it without unwrapping your thumb much at all. If V3 does that with less throw and more power thanks to the cam, that's even better, even closer to the "click" action of an upshift lever.
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cheapondirt
1 year, 8 months ago
When I position it like an upshift lever, I can hardly reach the engagement point. I don't have that problem with actual upshift levers and their short throw. I also don't have tiny digits (men's large gloves), so there may just be something unique about the shape of my hand.
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roil
1 year, 8 months ago
Shimano's XTR remote is my new favorite. It has positive tactile feedback at the end of the stroke. The OneUp V2 feels vague in comparison. I never hear it mentioned in the remote discussion but it's seriously nice.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
What post are you using it with? Just curious as I’ve tried the MT-800 lever with a few posts and it’s definitely not on my recommended list.
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roil
1 year, 8 months ago
It's connected to a bikeyoke dropper on my friend's bike. I tried it out last week and was so impressed with the crisp feedback. What was your experience like?
I'm running a OneUp v2 post and lever. Don't want to switch to the XTR if I won't be getting that same experience.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
The BikeYoke dropper activation is so smooth almost anything feels good. That’s down to just how smooth the post is period, and specific to pulling cable to the big low-leverage actuator.
I could see where the Shimano remote would work fine with it. There aren’t enough Ooo’s in smooth combing it with a standard leverage Wolf Tooth remote or the Manitou Jack remote I’m using.
I wouldn’t expect the same result with your OneUp post. Certainly, if your friend would loan you their remote I’m trying that first.
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roil
1 year, 8 months ago
Sounds like it's about the post more than the dropper. I will see about borrowing my friends Shimano remote. I appreciate your help!
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JT
1 year, 8 months ago
Not to go all fanboi, but it looks like someone at OneUp took Peter Verdone's rant about another Canadian manufacturer's remote to heart.: http://www.peterverdone.com/bullshit-engineering/
Dude can be a bit of an effort to read but when he nails a point that point is on the wall permanently.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
“Hair Trigger” is a very succinct way of describing what I’m looking for in a dropper remote. Action is going to vary a bit post-to-post but V3 is more that than most remotes including V2.
Mentioned elsewhere here, but I still think the original Fox DOSS is the gold standard. Huge long lever angled back towards the rider. I’m sure it could be tweaked to be better for certain posts, and the superfluous second lever is silly, but that would be my starting point in designing a dropper remote.
The swappability both for left and right usage and above and below the bar is neat too. Not that most folks need that.
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Todd Hellinga
1 year, 8 months ago
of course I just installed my new v2 post and lever on Saturday! Would agree that the lever is certainly underwhelming even though it works okay.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Ugh. Yeah usually bike stuff these days has such marginal improvements the new one is “that’s nice, but…” but V3 really is notable improvement.
V2 works. Claire never complained about it. But this is… well, it’s not an easy decision like deciding to keep a current fork + the cost of service v. spending on the new-new. If I had a V2 I don’t know that I’d run out to replace it but on Claire’s bike the difference is worth every penny.
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paulc
1 year, 8 months ago
I have a V2 on my bike that I originally bought for my son to replace the crappy one that came on his bike. The V2 starts too far away and only gets further out of reach for a small hand. I traded him my Fox lever and he’s much happier with that. I love the feel of the Wolf Tooth on my single speed but I’d consider the V3 if I’m feeling spendy.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
Directly mounted to the brake? I find for riders with smaller hands the 22.2mm hinge clamp (separating the remote from the brake position) can be very helpful in terms of rolling the remote back for a better starting position. Can't fix the throw on the V2 though.
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paulc
1 year, 8 months ago
With the 22.2 mm clamp. I tried using a matchmaker clamp fora clean cockpit but didn’t find a happy place with it. The hinge clamp rolls “back” but my thumb wants the face of the paddle flatter or more parallel to the grip, if that makes sense.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
That makes total sense. Throw is much better on the V3 but in terms of happy position the ReMote may work better for you, or actually, I like the ergonomics of the E13 remote too and it works well with a OneUp post.
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Justin White
1 year, 8 months ago
I would have to say be wary of the E13 lever. It's both over-engineered and half-baked.
If you really want a lever that feels just like a SRAM (and pretty close to Shimano) downshift lever (the big one), from the pivot location to the hard stops for the lever throw it's perfect. Even has the lever angle adjustment like an X0/XX1 shifter. But...
It has things like a custom T25 ~2mm bolt (cool) for a cable clamp that just doesn't hold very well (boo). That is blocked from easy tightening by a plastic cover that "protects" (yay) the end of the cable and housing, but is not watertight so it just traps moisture (nay). It has double row bearings at the pivot, but the lower one is covered by a large (again custom, cool?) T25 bolt that does not seal at all so again just serves to trap moisture that munches the lower bearing (double row boo).
I also find myself using my dropper much more than shifting. So much that I have gloves with a hole worn through the left thumb but not at all on the right thumb. Enough use that I actually noticed less overuse fatigue in my hand after switching to the OneUp with it's upshift lever feel. The unwrap of the thumb and long arcing throw needing to actuate the downshift-type levers literally made my thumb and hand hurt. The shorter radius and shape of the OneUp upshift-type lever gives a more straight "push" of a throw that can be reached without unwrapping the thumb much at all, and the push action reduces leverage on the thumb joints since the base of the hand remains tight to the bar. I think if you try to set it up like a downshift-type lever it's always going to feel bad, but if you try to align it with the location of an upshift lever (maybe just a couple mm closer since it does have more throw than an actual upshift lever), it feels great!
YMMV with various posts, but I think it works great with the cable pull needed (not much if you keep the cable taut with the barrel adjuster) for OneUp posts (of course) and PNW posts.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
What version of the E13 remote are you talking about?
I’m on this one and it doesn’t sound like what you’re describing.
Reviewed ~ 2 years ago so not new.
Justin White
1 year, 8 months ago
I guess an ever older one, TRS+ Lever it seems they called it. Didn't realize they had a newer one. Looks like they covered most of my gripes with the Vario Lever, should be a great option for those looking to match a downshift lever feeling
hongeorge
1 year, 8 months ago
Cool, the post is great but the V2 lever was crap. Swapped mine for a BikeYoke lever, which is significantly cheaper than the V2 and much, much better - suspect it will be cheaper than this too.
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Justin White
1 year, 8 months ago
The BikeYoke Triggy is almost exactly the same price (only because the euro to dollar conversion recently dropped, it was definitely more expensive very recently) and doesn't have a MatchMaker clamp option AFAICT.
As far as "much, much better", it's all personal, but remember they're intended to feel quite different. The Triggy seems to match up with a big shifter paddle like most dropper levers, but the OneUp tries to get closer to the feel of the small shifter lever. I have my V2 positioned to be almost exactly aligned with the small lever on my SLX 12 speed shifter and it feels and works awesome.
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hongeorge
1 year, 8 months ago
I'm in Europe, so maybe the opposite end of that.
As for feel, I'm just talking about the oneup being a flexy, plastic POS with really stiff action compared to the smooth, solid Triggy.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
You’re thinking of the V1 remote, which was hot garbage and short lived.
V2, see the photos comparing V2 to V3, is all metal. At first glance the only differences are the smaller bearing and rubber pad on V3.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
V2 v. V3
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hongeorge
1 year, 8 months ago
That's interesting - I'm now wondering if I was sent a V1 remote with my V2 210mm post.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
If it’s plastic that’s what I’d assume.
BadNudes
1 year, 8 months ago
The V2 lever (and looks like the V3 as well) is certainly designed to fit pretty seamlessly into a Shimano system, mimicking the up shift lever, and even the bar clamp is shaped to look just like mini Shimano brake clamps from a few generations ago (M785/M640 etc.). Works great for me but I could see it not really jiving with someone unfamiliar with Shimano stuff.
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
It’s interesting, static the V2 and V3 are very similar but the higher leverage and shorter throw make them feel very different in use.
I disagree a bit, or maybe I’m just not sure, about the ‘Shimano feel’ generalization. I mean, what generation of Shimano? I’m out on my commuter this morning with Shimano 970 XTR and it feels notably different (and better) ergonomically (to me) compared to the current stuff. I find the V3 remote more natural to use than Shimano 12-Spd.
I’d agree that the ergonomic you describe is what Shimano was going for with their own dropper remote but it’s awful to use. Which is funny to me because the original Fox DOSS remote (made by Shimano) is still my all-time favourite remote. I’d say to combined the ergonomics of Shimano 10-Spd but the combination of a very long lever and it being angled towards the rider create the perfect combination of leverage and throw.
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BadNudes
1 year, 8 months ago
Good points. I suppose I was talking more of the form of the V2 lever being Shimano-y rather than function specifically, and only from my experience mainly with Shimano 11s M785 and not much else. The V2 lever paddle shape, position, even the knurling is almost exactly a mirror image of the M785 upshift paddle. The bar clamp bears more than a passing resemblance to Shimano brakes of that era, and they also seem to have aimed the cable to run parallel with Shimano hoses (maybe this is the same with Sram brakes, but the cable from the V2 definitely looks out of place next to a Magura lever IMO). I haven't felt the need to add the 12th cog to my geared bike yet, so not familiar with any of the latest stuff's shapes or ergos. But it seems so clear to me that OneUp was ripping off (taking inspiration from?) M785 when they first designed the previous lever, and the V3 looks to be more similar than not (functionality aside)
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
I can see that in terms of static orientation. I have to assume Shimano has invested as much as anyone in understanding ergonomics so that’s a good place to start.
And yeah, Hayes, Formula, SRAM, TRP etc the cable exit lines up better with Shimano or SRAM shifters and most remotes. Magura’s different architecture leads to a different cable angle.
Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
For the best combination of leverage and throw I’ve long pointed folks toward the standard version of Wolf Tooth ReMote - assuming their post doesn’t need the extra length of the light action version. The closest comparable (which I hope they release aftermarket) is the new Manitou Jack remote - although it weighs twice as much (or more) and now the V3 remote.
I don’t think it’s fair to say the V2 lever is “crap” as the manufacturing quality is great as are the mounting options but it was certainly not the best feeling remote, with theirs or any post. V3 is a significant improvement in performance and ergonomics though, for sure, and I don’t think anyone would be seeking an upgrade from this lever.
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Velocipedestrian
1 year, 8 months ago
I have a 210 OneUp on two bikes, one with a regular ReMote, the other a Light Action. The second is hugely nicer to use, but, the insertion depth is different - and I suspect the collar clamping the bushing vs lower is making most of the difference.
Any thoughts on getting smooth travel with a slammed post?
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Andrew Major
1 year, 8 months ago
I will say that most people who come in with such an issue need a new cable and housing. There will be a kink, or rust, or etc. if it’s straight just dripping the heavy oil down the housing can help, but I usually start fresh.
The other common step issue is the seal head being dry. If it’s a reasonable person I pack it full of Slickoleum and just tell them to wipe away whatever excess purges over the first 1-2 rides. If there’s a barrier to that level of teamwork (wiping the excess lube) then I’m much less aggressive with the grease.
If both those things don’t fix it then go to carbon paste in the seat tube and as little clamping force as possible. To keep from twisting/slipping.
Finally, not all seat collars are created equally. A taller, thicker one with better tolerances tends to better load the seat tube. Not a guaranteed fix but if you have some dainty clamp that could do it.
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Velocipedestrian
1 year, 8 months ago
Cheers. The housing and cable are good (external routing to the seat tube!), and I regularly pack slickoleum into the post.
Just tested, and it works much better with the clamp looser - too loose to keep the saddle straight. Time for some grip paste and maybe switching the clamp methinks.
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Alex D
1 year, 8 months ago
I'd take the opposite stance on Triggy. The action isn't particularly light or smooth, the lever touchpoint feels cheap, and it frays cables something fierce because the bend radius is too small. I binned mine a few months in. Fox's Transfer lever and ZTTO's WT-knockoff are both better by some margin.
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JT
1 year, 8 months ago
I have one of those ZTTO units. Scary good for the price.
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