Flats profile

Quick update- I used a dremel to trim 5mm off of some oversized guide shims (smaller of the two options, 2 lines not 4), then filed another 2mm off each until reasonably smooth and installed using the 150 cartridge.   Result is a 157mm dropper post that operates the same as it did before.  

After a bit of overthinking, lengthening by 10mm seemed like asking for trouble and 5mm seemed not worth the effort so ended up splitting the difference. We’ll see how long it stays working, but for now I’ll call it a win.  

I also took the suggestion and put the 180mm post up for sale on pb, also ended up grabbing a flaremax gen 4 so my gen 3 is for sale as well… winter eh?  Long nights, the birthplace of big plans.  

Hope everyone has a great 2024.

Posted by: Kenny

I must not understand. Overall length is king, more insertion length is irrelevant if it's cancelled out by lower stack height.

Think about it this way - your saddle needs to be a certain distance from that linkage pivot. That's literally your saddle height and that's the physical limit, how you arrive at that saddle position doesn't really matter as long as that total distance does not get too long, which is the overall length. If the insertion portion is longer but the stack is less, then it doesn't matter. You can have more post protruding, if the stack is lower, and still have a lower saddle when lowered, because the post has more travel.

Insertion for the resolve is 231mm +20mm for the little lever linkage for the cable. So I guess what also may make or break it is if that part clear the linkage pivot

Your last line identifies the exact problem my initial question is trying to solve- the linkage pivot has a bolt that runs crosswise through the seat tube which creates a hard limit and requires taking cable actuator length into account.

Too bad the oneup clamp won’t work on the WT post, would be great if there was an off the shelf solution ins of contemplating making a perfectly good post work less good.

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Posted by: Kenny

You're describing the wolftooth resolve 160. Not a cheap option, but exactly that you're looking for. Total length looks to be only 3mm longer than a V2 150

Then it's time to start measuring the stack height of saddles. (yes, I have)

Good shout but max insertion on the WT 160 post is 251mm vs 237mm for the oneup 150.  The issue is the linkage pivot on the seat tube, not so much the overall length.  

Haha, I bought a nukeproof horizon enduro saddle a while ago for that exact reason!  It’s in my parts bin, could be an option if the mod doesn’t work.

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Posted by: joseph-crabtree

I had a FlareMax also and ended up with 145mm of drop with a low profile saddle. I never thought it would be a big deal till I rode it a bit, drop does matter.

The bike did have a sweet ride and those long chainstays, for my size, really stuck the front tire to the ground on flat corners.

Drop matters. I went from 200 > 180 > 210, there's a sweet spot for me right on 200 where I can tilt the bike with level pedals and saddle goes under my knee. 180 was suddenly annoying, and going back to a straight seat tube was ace.

True, on my hardtail I can run a 180 and it feels like a bmx which spoiled me I guess.  All of a sudden 150- which objectively never held me back- wasn’t quite enough.  

Think I will try squeezing another 10 out of the 150, should hopkeep me going until oneup comes out with v3 or someone else releases a post with  a shorter insert than v2.

Thanks everyone for the replies, a bit of context to answer the obvious questions- I’m in a situation where my frame (Cotic Flaremax) has room to spare for a 150 post but not quite enough for a 180.  Because of my short legs and where the linkage pivot is located on the seat tube, a 180 post lowered to 160 would end up taller than a 150 modified to 160, both fully dropped.  

Because I already own a 150 and 180 (and some of the oversized shims sold by oneup), there wouldn’t be a financial cost to trying it out.  At worst, I would be out some time, a few oversized shims,  and maybe a rebuild kit. 

The flaremax is a nice frame with a weirdly addictive ride quality but it would be *that* much better if I could get the seat out of the way a tiny bit more.  For people with normal-sized legs this probably isn’t an issue, but for me an extra 10mm would be a worthwhile  improvement.   

It seems the limiting factor in terms of reducing the length of the lower tube on dropper posts is the air cartridge.  Since oneup already have a proprietary cartridge, and they credit the cartridge as one of the reasons their posts are the shortest relative to length of drop, my guess is if/when v3 is released, it will feature either a shorter cartridge, or possibly a new way of mounting it higher within the upper tube, or a combination of both. 

Thanks again for the replies, they have been helpful by both confirming suspicions and giving me other things to consider.  Not sure if I’ll end up trying this experiment but I do have some vacation time over the holidays and may find myself looking for something to do!

Long time lurker, first time poster.  Possibly a silly question, but I’ve always respected the willingness of people on this site to think outside the box so here goes… would it be possible to convert a 150mm oneup v2 dropper post into a 160mm post by doing the following:

1. Trimming the longer brass guide shims by 10mm;

2. Installing an air cartridge from a 180mm post. 

Assumptions:

A) There is enough extra overlap on the uppy-downy shaft part to accommodate an extra 10mm of drop;

B) The shorter shims wouldn’t compromise the post’s stability while pedaling or cause binding when trying to drop; 

C) The 180mm cartridge would fit;

D) Asking oneup directly would result in being kindly told to please use their products as designed (fair enough).

Anyway, I’ve poked around online and haven’t found any mention of someone trying something similar, so maybe someone here has tried or knows someone who has?  

TIA, Flats.