Origin8 Air Drop Pro / Sette Ryde ST-850 seatposts a mini review.
Monday, April 14, 2008 (14:56:54)

Posted by GTDave

Well, after some extensive testing with it, i'm in two minds about it now!

Initially, I had been testing it on the Inbred.
A little fiddly lowering the saddle to start with, but that came a bit easier after a few rides.
It's not the easiest post to 'drop', and requires you to be centred on the saddle when doing so, or the post binds (due to the inner post being octagonal).
But it worked (with a little coaxing), and I was reasonably happy.

Transferring it over to the GT (as that's the bike I would use it the most on), and it was a different story.

Whilst seated on the bike, I could not get it to descend at all.
It would only descend if I got off the bike and pushed the tube down with my hand, which kinda defeats the object of it.

The reason it did not work at all on the GT, in my opinion) is because I run the saddle a little 'layed-back' rather than central, for my ideal pedalling position. Combine this with the slack seat-tube angle and this causes the load to be placed off-axis to the post which, due to the octagonal shape of it) causes it to bind and stick.

So, a worthless purchase, well, yes and no.
Worthless in the sense that it is no use for the bike I intended it for, BUT it has made me like the ability to drop the post 'on the fly' (even though it was a bit of a chore), and has now given me the 'wants' for a proper Gravity Dropper.


The Origin8 has a 2" drop, the ST-850 has 4", both have slight suspension due to the air spring in them.