FOX TRANSFER dropper post review: is this the new king?
Today FOX dropped a new infinitely adjustable FOX TRANSFER dropper post with brand new internals. They claim it to be the best seat post on the market, we have been riding one for the last 6 weeks to find out if the boast is true.
What’s new with the FOX TRANSFER dropper post.
The outgoing FOX D.O.S.S dropper is a reliable and well liked post, but with its three positions and bulky lever it has been overshadowed by other posts with infinite travel. The new FOX TRANSFER Dropper Post sets to change all that and with brand new internals now has an infinitely adjustable design with a choice of both internal and external routing. The cable actuated post is available in both 30.9 and 31.6 mm standards, with three drop options 100 mm, 125 mm and 150 mm, and also has two lever options, a slimline grip remote and a more ergonomic under the bar remote that’s perfect for those with 1x drivetrains. However, the real changes lie inside with a totally new hydraulic system (the post is still cable actuated) with a self-adjusting pressure relief valve to help maintain consistent action and reliability. There will be two models available, a Factory Series with a Kashima coated upper post and a Performance Series with a black anodized upper post.
The FOX TRANSFER dropper post features a new Spool Valve design with a large diameter piston to ensure actuation and control only require a very light touch. Uniquely all the hydraulic internals are housed in the upper post shaft creating a lighter more integrated design, and allowing FOX to keep all the parts as large and robust as possible. A pressure relief valve has been included to balance forces across the piston and eliminates pressure spikes in the system.
Installation of the FOX TRANSFER dropper post
This is where we were most impressed with the FOX TRANSFER dropper post, it’s quite simply the easiest post to set up on the market. Once you have your outer threaded through the internal routing ports on your frame it takes 10 minutes to install the post. FOX have chosen to use the cable end stop at the post end, retained by a nut which fixes into the actuation mechanism, there are no fiddly grub screws or complex tensioning systems. This also allows the post to be removed if needed without tools. The cable is then run to the remote on the bars and cinched tight using a small retaining nut, there is also a recess to push the cable end cap into. Final tension adjustments can be made with the remote adjuster until the action is perfect. This is the best setup we have seen so far in a dropper post!
Performance of the FOX TRANSFER dropper post.
We were instantly impressed with the light and highly controllable release of the new FOX TRANSFER dropper post, it responds instantly and intuitively to even the smallest press on the remote. After testing both remotes we chose to the run the under bar version as it has the best ergonomics and is exceptionally controllable. The stroke of the Kashima shaft is silky smooth with no hint of notchiness or roughness, a property that has not changed over 6 weeks of riding. The seat clamp is a little fiddly to install but did not creak or move once fitted. Of course, we have not had the post long enough to comment on long term durability but initial impressions are very positive.
Servicing the FOX TRANSFER dropper post.
As with all FOX products, customers are now able to get any tool, part or seal kit required to service their FOX TRANSFER dropper post. However, the hydraulic part of the TRANSFER shares a similarity to rear shocks and requires good technical skills and a nitrogen filling station, so the main cartridge should be considered a ‘send away’ part. However, the mechanic side is very easy and accessible to be serviced by the home user. This should not be a big consideration as FOX expect the service interval to be a long one. Chris Trojer from FOX states “We expect the TRANSFER to be an absolute hassle free seatpost with no problems at all on the hydraulic side of things – which is certainly the biggest challenge. Our engineers found a way to achieve this goal by using a pressure relief valve and also through the whole layout of the hydraulic system.”
Pricing of the FOX TRANSFER dropper post.
In the UK, Mojo will be distributing the FOX TRANSFER post, the Performance model costs £299 and the Factory model is £339 and both come with the chosen lever included. In Germany, customers can choose to buy the FOX TRANSFER post and levers separately, The post on its own costs €319 for the Performance model and €369 for the Factory model and both the 1by and 2/3by levers can be brought separately at a cost of €79.00 each.
Is the FOX TRANSFER dropper post the best seat post on the market?
Unfortunately, we did not receive this post in time to add it to our 2016 Dropper Post group test, where we crowned the excellent 9Point8 Fall Line as our best post. Would the FOX TRANSFER have done well in the test? Yes, it would! With its cable operated simplicity, stunning looks and faultless performance it’s certainly a class leading post. It’s early days to comment on durability and longevity but in terms of performance, ergonomics and ease of fitting, the FOX TRANSFER is unbeatable. If the long term reliability proves equally as good then the FOX TRANSFER is the best dropper post on the market!