The Lab: 9point8 Fall Line dropper seatpost with Digit Remote bundle Review
In the “The Lab” we present the latest products and put them through their paces for you. Some undergo long-term tests, while we check others out only briefly. This time we reveal how the 9point8 Fall Line dropper seatpost fared.
Modern bikes are designed to have the lowest standover height possible. Most riders will find a 150 – 170 mm dropper will work fine for them but what about taller riders? Standing at 196 cm, Tom was keen to pilot Canadian brand 9point8’s, whopping 200 mm drop seatpost as he was sick of ‘double dropping’ his seat post for super steep trails. The first job was to make sure that the 200 mm stroke seatpost would work with his frame and required saddle height. The frames seat tube has a max insertion of 280 mm, the Fall Line has 300 mm of insertion depth. With the saddle at full extension and the post slammed, Tom’s legs were just long enough to sit and pedal comfortably. However, the standover height was still 35 mm higher compared to double dropping a shorter post.
We tested the post with the optional Digit Remote (made by Wolf Tooth Components) dropper lever fitted via a direct mount to the brake lever to keep weight and bar clutter to a minimum. This €20.51 (when bought with the post, €78.60 separately) upgrade gives your thumb more leverage and makes setting up and removing the Fall Line so much simpler than the original design. The saddle clamp is excellent; it allows you to set up saddle angle independently of the clamp, so it’s quick and easy to remove the saddle and access the air valve. With such a long stroke length, Tom expected some flex, lateral movement or play to develop but 6 months in and it remains play free and smooth. Our sample developed an air leak but we were sent a seal service kit, which simple to fit and solved the issue. 9point8 have now modified the internal seal assembly and added a new Seal Support Ring that fixes any issues of premature air leaks.
Conclusion
The 9point8 Fall Line is engineered to last; for tall riders, or for those riding very low stand over frames this is the ultimate dropper. We would definitely recommend the Digit remote upgrade as it has improved the dropper’s ergonomics and overcome the fiddly fitting of the standard lever.
Strengths
- Great for tall riders or small frames
- No double dropping seat posts
Weaknesses
- Make sure it will fit you and your bike, before you buy
- Needs adapters for seats with oval rails
Tester: Tom
Duration: 6 months
Price: € 498.98 as tested
Weight: 693 g fully installed
More info: intl.9point8.ca
