You might think at this point dropper posts have completely gone internal, but that’s apparently not always the case. Especially when it comes to bikes with 27.2mm seat posts. At least, that’s the reasoning behind 9point8’s new Fall Line X. After receiving request after request for a post that will fit the smaller seat tubes, 9point8 decided it was time to do something about it. They also were showing a few new additions that could be exciting news depending on what bike you’re riding…
Apparently very similar mechanically to their current Fall Line Dropper, the 9point8 figured out a way to build the mechanism on the outside of the post for the Fall Line X. That allows the post to be used in 27.2 bikes considering most of them are not currently equipped with internal dropper routing. Shown as a sneak peek, the Fall Line X will be offered in 27.2 and with travel increments up to 125mm. Expect to see more on this around Sea Otter 2017.
Considering how small 9point8 started out as, the company is growing in leaps and bounds. Having to boost their capacity by 3x, their droppers are still in high demand thanks to their durability. It also probably doesn’t hurt that they now offer a 175mm dropper and the 200mm dropper will be available any time now. The company also announced at Interbike that they will be offering a 34.9mm seat post later this fall. That should come as good news for anyone looking at an Evil Wreckoning or other bikes that have moved to the massive seatpost size.
After seeing this floating around the booth, I knew I had to get a picture of it. One of the most frustrating things about dropper posts is figuring out if they’ll fit your frame. This graphic is a great tool for the sizes that are pictured in terms of minimum seatpost height, seat post adjustability, minimum insertion, and full length of the post including the barrel at the bottom.
