How to Adjust a Dropper Post

with JESSICA BROUSSEAU, Pro Mechanic for Liv Racing

Everyone loves dropper seatposts on their mountain bikes, but no one loves when they are not working properly. Dropper seatposts are crucial for allowing you to get low to build traction when riding rough downhill terrain, corners, and jumps. You can learn more about times when it’s great to lower your seat with our mtb skills guide HERE>

There are two different types of dropper seatposts: cable-actuated and hydraulic. We’ll be going over how to adjust and diagnose cable-actuated dropper seatposts in this tutorial. How do you know if you have a cable-actuated or hydraulic dropper? Take a look at the dropper lever, is there a cable coming out of the end? You can also loosen your seatpost collar and pull it out of the frame – can you see a cable coming out of the housing into your dropper post? If you’re still not sure, do a quick search online. All Giant dropper posts are cable-actuated.

What You'll Need

  • Allen wrenches

Step by step guide to diagnosing and adjusting your cable-actuated dropper post:

  1. Is your seatpost cable internally routed or externally routed? If it is routed on the outside of the frame, inspect your cable and housing for kinks, frayed cables, and corrosion. If it is routed internally, loosen your seatpost collar with an Allen wrench and remove the seatpost from your frame to inspect for wear. On smaller frames with internal routing for your dropper, lowering the seatpost too far can cause the cable and housing to become kinked.
  2. If your cable and housing is in good shape, the next step is to check cable tension. Replace your seatpost if you removed it and tighten the seatpost collar.
  3. Just like your derailleur cable, over time your cable will settle in to your housing for your dropper seatpost which causes the cable to loosen. Also like your derailleur, your dropper seatpost will have a barrel adjuster near the lever to help make micro-adjustments to your cable tension.
  4. If you press the lever of your dropper post and nothing happens (the post either stays up or down), then there is not enough tension on the cable. You’ll want to ADD tension. To do so, turn the barrel adjuster counterclockwise.
  5. Check the dropper post by pressing the lever. If the dropper post moves slowly, then you can add a little more cable tension by turning the barrel adjuster a couple more turns counterclockwise.
  6. If your dropper post is moving without pressing the lever (it won’t stay up as you are riding), then you have too much tension on the cable. You’ll want to REMOVE tension. To do so, turn the barrel adjuster clockwise.
  7. If you’re still having issues with your cable-actuated dropper post, you’ll need to bring it in to your favorite bike mechanic.