The original Joplin dropper seatposts certainly weren’t without flaws. Sealing issues caused them to seize and excessive play developed very quickly. The new version squares up to these problems and has new internals to fight them off.
There are two keys and keyways to hold the post straight, instead of one, and they’re suitably longer to further increase durability.
In our first month of testing we can report minimal play. This is despite some harsh weather conditions and a couple of decent sized crashes, which previously resulted in instant slop as the guide keys got flattened on impact.
The main wiper seal is a lot tighter than before and does a very good job of keeping dirt and water on the outside, with no ingress into the bushes so far. The post has needed priming a few times, but this isn’t an issue, because doing so is tool-free and takes seconds.
The extra inch of height drop, now at 101.6mm (4in), is much better for steeper trails or more aggressive riding, and a price drop to under £200 brings it in line with the competition. It’s still early days, so we’ll update you as we continue to use and abuse it.