I’ve tested two wireless, electronic dropper posts from the biggest names in suspension to see which is best.
In the line-up is RockShox’s updated and latest Reverb AXS B1 and Fox’s first wireless dropper, the Transfer Factory Neo.
I tested these two dropper posts over a couple of months, swapping between them to see which one is worth your cash.
RockShox Reverb AXS B1
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- £535 / $549 / €600 (excluding £150 / $150 / €170 AXS Pod Controller Rocker Paddle)
- 679g (175mm travel with battery)
- 56g Pod Controller Rocker Paddle with Infinity Clamp
RockShox Reverb AXS B1 specifications
Visually, the new Reverb is a big departure from the previous model.
Moving the battery and electronics from the seat clamp to the seatpost collar – it now mounts in front of the post – has given the Reverb an all-new look.
RockShox argues the move has taken the battery out of the firing line of debris from the rear tyre but has also simplified the post’s internals.
Now using exclusively air – instead of a mix of oil and air in the outgoing model – to control compression and extension, the new Reverb is claimed to have a longer service life as a result.
The design also negates the need for a vent valve, found on the bottom of the Reverb AXS A1 post, designed to fix any unwanted squish at full extension.
Using a high-volume positive spring and a low-volume negative one means RockShox has created a firm and supportive full-height feel.
However, dip it into its travel and a secondary negative air chamber is opened, enabling the post to have a small amount of suspension-like squish.
Dubbed ActiveRide and first found on the Reverb AXS XPLR gravel post, this new tech is designed to make eMTB climbing more comfortable.
RockShox found eMTBers frequently ride steep climbs with the post slightly compressed and wanted to give them more control.
But the new design means the Reverb now has a standard two-bolt clamp; gone is the single-bolt design of the old one.
Offered in all common diameters and travel options from 100mm to 250mm in 25mm increments, it’s a surprise to learn the latest Reverb is more affordable than the outgoing one.
Now retailing for £535 / $549 / €600 (excluding the £150 / $150 / €170 AXS Pod Controller Rocker Paddle), it’s also lighter than the nearest equivalent A1 model, tipping the scales at 679g.
The important real-world measurements of the 175mm-travel version are:
- Maximum insertion depth: 261mm
- Total compressed length: 322mm
- Total extended length: 504mm
- Compressed Stack height: 64mm
RockShox Reverb AXS B1 performance
Like the previous-generation post, the cable- and wire-free design makes installation a total breeze.
Simply pair the post and controller – although this is done from the factory – and then prepare the post’s base with friction paste and slip it straight into your frame.
There are no tricky cables to route and you don't need to waste time getting cable tension set.
Installing the saddle was no harder than other two-bolt designs.
As a bonus, there’s enough thread on the bolts so only one needs removing. Once removed, the lower clamp can be taken out and the saddle’s rails slide under the top one. Simply slide the lower clamp back under the saddle’s rails, do up the bolt and you’re set.
Many factors influence how high you can run your seat and how much travel it needs.
I like to run my seat relatively high – around my knees – when it’s in its dropped position, and long-travel posts with shorter stack heights generally mean it’s too low for my preferences.
The Reverb AXS is spot-on for me, but if you want your seat to be lower per millimetre of drop, you might be better off looking elsewhere.
On the trail, return speed is perfect.
It extends at the same rate with every button actuation, regardless of weather or trail conditions.
The response time between button push and post movement is imperceptible.
Only pushing an electronic button – while that sounds lazy – makes operating the post more regularly more appealing.
You don’t have to move your thumb far or exert any effort to get the post to lift.
The button push is intuitive, so your brain’s bandwidth can be left to focus on digesting the trail ahead.
ActiveRide is a great addition, especially on very rough climbs.
Lowering the post by only a few millimetres into its travel activates it, providing a comfortable, jostle-free ride to the trailhead.
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Fox Transfer Factory Neo dropper seatpost
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- £1,129 / $859 / €1,319
- 753g (175mm travel with battery)
- 62g lever with 22.2mm bar clamp
Fox Transfer Factory Neo specifications
The Transfer Factory Neo is Fox’s first electronic dropper.
For the dropper, it has developed a wireless protocol called Neo. This, it claims, has been stripped of any unnecessary code to speed up communication between the lever and post.
Rather than totally redesigning it, the lever’s an electronic reimagining of a cable-operated model.
But, by making it electronic, it has reduced lever throw (how far it moves) by six times. And it has a super-low profile, sitting 10mm closer to the bar than any of its competition.
Fox places the Transfer’s battery on the seatpost collar, rather than the seat clamp.
Improved tyre clearance is the biggest benefit; as long as the frame is built to ISO specifications, the Transfer can be inserted fully into any frame and the tyre will not contact the battery at bottom-out.
It uses the same two-bolt clamp design found on the cable-operated Transfer.
Service intervals are done on post actuations – 8,000 to be precise – rather than by time ridden.
The Fox Bike smartphone app connects to the phone to tell you how many drops you’ve done and can locate your nearest Fox service centre.
It's available in all common diameters, in 100mm to 200mm drops in 25mm increments, bar the 34.9mm diameter, which starts at 125mm.
It retails for £1,129 / $859 / €1,319 and weighs 753g.
The important real-world measurements of the 175mm-travel post are:
- Maximum insertion depth: 284mm
- Total compressed length: 322mm
- Total extended length: 506mm
- Compressed Stack height: 46mm
Fox Transfer Factory Neo performance
Installing the Transfer Neo is beautifully simple, like all wireless electronic droppers.
Simply pop it in your bike frame, attach the remote to the bar and you’re ready to go.
Pairing the two is also easy; a short press of the pairing buttons is all that’s needed.
But getting the lever in the perfect position – because it’s only got one bolt to secure it to the bar clamp, and that same bolt tightens the clamp to the bars – was tricky.
Undoing it enough to allow for side-to-side adjustment causes the bar clamp to rotate. It’s only a small thing, but a pain, nonetheless.
It wasn’t possible to install the saddle by just undoing one bolt and removing the lower clamp; instead, both bolts and clamp halves need removing.
The Transfer’s long body requires plenty of seat-tube insertion depth.
Despite its diminutive stack height, some riders may struggle to get it low enough for their needs.
This wasn’t an issue for me – I like the seat to run fairly high anyway – but riders should check carefully if the Transfer fits before buying.
On the trail, return speed is excellent and consistent.
There’s no perceivable delay between button push and actuation; a good thing considering how much effort Fox went to so it could be as fast as possible.
Removing the physical connection between post and lever does away with friction and lever travel. I found I used the post more often compared to a cable-operated model, simply because it’s easier to use.
Plus, the lever’s got a crisp action; its haptic feedback is sufficient, so you know it has been pushed without being laborious.
Its shape is incredibly familiar-feeling, emulating the shape and design of Shimano’s gear shifters or a standard dropper lever. Whether you like this will be down to personal preferences.
There’s a small amount of squish when the post is at full height. At around 1mm, it’s not noticeable when you’re riding, but can be felt in the workshop if you’re being especially analytical.
If the post has been dormant for a few days in the compressed position, it struggles to extend into its travel on the first actuation.
Although this issue was consistent, so was the solution. Keeping the lever depressed to leave the return valve open for a few seconds always made the post extend, even if it was a bit lethargic.
How do the RockShox Reverb AXS B1 and Fox Transfer Factory Neo compare?
It’s hard to ignore the price difference.
Costing £1,129 / $859 / €1,319, the Fox Transfer Neo is nearly double the price of the Reverb’s more affordable £685 / $699 / €770 (including Pod Controller Rocker Paddle).
If that wasn’t enough, the Reverb is also quite a bit lighter at 679g, compared to Fox’s 753g.
If travel options are most important for you, the Reverb wins again.
With 100mm to 250mm, it’s got two more options than Fox’s 100mm to 200mm range.
But look at insertion depths, stack heights and overall lengths, and the differences – for the most part – swing in Fox’s favour.
Here, the Transfer’s got a lower stack – 46mm to 64mm – compared to the Reverb, potentially helping you get it lower in your bike’s frame, if it fits.
Insertion depth is the fly in the Transfer’s ointment. At 284mm long, it’s over 20mm longer than the Reverb’s 261mm figure, so it needs a straighter, deeper, longer seat tube to fit.
That said, the lower stack height will make up in part for losses in post length.
I’m a fan of Fox’s remote lever. The newest RockShox Pod Controller Rocker Paddle is too beefy, especially compared to the original Reverb controller that’s no longer available.
While I’d usually advocate for a solution that doesn’t just try to mimic the feel of a cable-operated design, Fox has really nailed it with its remote.
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RockShox Reverb AXS B1 vs Fox Transfer Factory Neo bottom line
For some, the answer to this question will come down to the raw data; which post fits your body and bike best will determine the one you buy.
For me, it’s hard to ignore the asking price, weight and insertion depth of the Reverb, all of which trump the Fox.
Both seem equal when it comes to durability, although RockShox’s extensive online repair guides add more in its favour.
Yes, Fox’s remote is better, but you can pair the Reverb with any AXS controller, so you’re not stuck with the Pod Controller Rocker Paddle if you don’t like it.
Even so, my personal recommendation is still unequivocally for the Reverb AXS B1.
