I think they’ll remain sole-owners of the long-travel offset post head dropper market. It’s just hard to imagine another brand putting in the effort for what’s perceived as a very small number of weirdos who want their effective saddle position more rearward.
What a difference it’s made on the Marin though! I wouldn’t run a different post with the stock 140mm fork and I’d even have to think hard before committing with the 170mm Zeb over-forking.
In general though, I don’t see how RockShox, Fox, and even BikeYoke can push forward with gravel bike spec without having a rear offset head option. A lot of gravel rigs have fairly steep STAs now and once you’re at the extreme of saddle rail adjustment what’s you shop going to do? Credit you the dropper and swap in an offset fixed post? Sell you a different bike with a slacker STA? Let you leave with a sub-par bicycle fit and then have one of your gravel groupies notice?
Every shop selling and fitting gravel bikes should have the Fall Line R in stock.
Aug. 10, 2023, 8:19 a.m. - Andrew Major
I think they’ll remain sole-owners of the long-travel offset post head dropper market. It’s just hard to imagine another brand putting in the effort for what’s perceived as a very small number of weirdos who want their effective saddle position more rearward. What a difference it’s made on the Marin though! I wouldn’t run a different post with the stock 140mm fork and I’d even have to think hard before committing with the 170mm Zeb over-forking. In general though, I don’t see how RockShox, Fox, and even BikeYoke can push forward with gravel bike spec without having a rear offset head option. A lot of gravel rigs have fairly steep STAs now and once you’re at the extreme of saddle rail adjustment what’s you shop going to do? Credit you the dropper and swap in an offset fixed post? Sell you a different bike with a slacker STA? Let you leave with a sub-par bicycle fit and then have one of your gravel groupies notice? Every shop selling and fitting gravel bikes should have the Fall Line R in stock.