Giant dropper max insertion?

[Tim]

So I have had my Giant Anthem 2 since July and been riding an average of 3 times per week. The bike is a size large and I am 5'11." I have been getting a little soreness in my hamstrings directly behind my knee. I am fairly certain it is because my saddle is too high. There is a line on the Giant dropper post indicating maximum insertion. There is about .25" to the collar/wide part of the dropper that wont fit in the seat tube. What will go wrong if I insert the seatpost all the way into the frame? I assume Giant didn't put a maximum insertion mark on the post for no reason.

I rode today and messed with not extending the post fully (actually extending it fully and then using my ass to push it back down slightly) and I felt a lot better both during and after the ride. It's actually kind of a pain to extend the post and then push it back down a touch and I am sure I don't get it to the same place every time I do that. I think that .25" above the maximum insertion mark would do the trick so I can just let the post fully extend when I want it up. I don't want to damage the post, though.

If anyone can shed some insight on any of this I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Patrick]

there are probably some other tricks a good fitter can do here.
Since that is not me, i'll leave it at that.

Visit Halter's and pay for a fitting. Don't hammer the seat down -
could be as easy as moving the cleats on your shoes or re-positioning your saddle.

 

[Tim]

there are probably some other tricks a good fitter can do here.
Since that is not me, i'll leave it at that.

Visit Halter's and pay for a fitting. Don't hammer the seat down -
could be as easy as moving the cleats on your shoes or re-positioning your saddle.

Good advice for sure. From what I understand posterior knee pain is caused by overextension of the knee joint i.e. saddle too high or too far back. I have moved it forward already but I still get a little soreness behind the knee. I am no fitter either, but I can rule out cleats, though, since I ride flats.

 

[Karate Monkey]

Tie a trucker's hitch between the clamp bolt/a saddle rail, limiting the travel at the height that is good for you.

No direct experience with your dropper, but the norm is to fit a shorter travel version if you can't get the fully extended seatpost to your proper height.

Other options? Fit shorter cranks, get a smaller frame, etc...

 

[Tim]

Tie a trucker's hitch between the clamp bolt/a saddle rail, limiting the travel at the height that is good for you.

No direct experience with your dropper, but the norm is to fit a shorter travel version if you can't get the fully extended seatpost to your proper height.

Other options? Fit shorter cranks, get a smaller frame, etc...

I think you are right about getting a shorter travel dropper. The one on my bike is 150mm. I could just get a 125mm dropper and be done with it. I don't want to tie ropes to the seat. and I have no reason to think the other components of the bike are ill fitting.

 

[MadisonDan]

Adjust leg length

Keep dropper as is.

/thread

 

[stb222]

@Mountain Bike Mike

 

[Tim]

@Mountain Bike Mike

?

 

[Paul H]

I have a 2017 Giant Trance.... I know... not the same bike but I just replaced the dropper remote last night and I didn't see a maximum insertion line... i could be wrong here but I believe it is the same dropper? Either way, I am slightly under 5'10 With 31" or 32" inseam and have about an inch play room b4 it slams down to the seat collar. I think the Giant geo chart says someone 5'11 should be a L... of course depending on the leg length but it can't be that off? Anyway, as others have mentioned, go in for a fit because there is a possibility your pain might not be from the saddle height.

 

[stb222]

@Mountain Bike Mike

?

He can comment on this issue.

 

[Mountain Bike Mike]

Take that post and set it on fire and then blown it up and bury the remains....

Then buy a real dropper like a Fox, Thomson or KS with wolf tooth lever....

I don't have any recomendations for your saddle height / post insertion depth situation but I will tell you if you screw it up, be prepared to wait a LONG time for a warranty replacement - based on my experience..

For what its worth, the Giant Anthem and trance are prone to issues with the seat tube so tread lightly with your experimentations

 

[qclabrat]

I've read the max insertion has to do with the shape of the downtube and not the dropper itself
If that is true, smaller bikes will have a greater impact. Check with where you bought the bike if max insert also applies to the large sized bikes

 

[Monkey Soup]

Take that post and set it on fire and then blown it up and bury the remains....

Then buy a real dropper like a Fox, Thomson or KS with wolf tooth lever....

I don't have any recomendations for your saddle height / post insertion depth situation but I will tell you if you screw it up, be prepared to wait a LONG time for a warranty replacement - based on my experience..

For what its worth, the Giant Anthem and trance are prone to issues with the seat tube so tread lightly with your experimentations

If you buy a KS, buy 2 for when one is being repaired, average lifespan seems to be 1.5yrs at most. Jury is still out on the Fox.

 

[Tim]

Take that post and set it on fire and then blown it up and bury the remains....

Then buy a real dropper like a Fox, Thomson or KS with wolf tooth lever....

I don't have any recomendations for your saddle height / post insertion depth situation but I will tell you if you screw it up, be prepared to wait a LONG time for a warranty replacement - based on my experience..

For what its worth, the Giant Anthem and trance are prone to issues with the seat tube so tread lightly with your experimentations

Thanks for the reply. Care to elaborate on what issues Giants have with the seat tubes?

 

[Tim]

I've read the max insertion has to do with the shape of the downtube and not the dropper itself
If that is true, smaller bikes will have a greater impact. Check with where you bought the bike if max insert also applies to the large sized bikes

When I bought the bike I was told not to insert further than the max insertion line. At the time I didn't expect an issue and I didn't think to ask why. I am actually a very curious person and like to understand the "why" behind things and then base my decisions upon that information. I don't want to screw up my dropper (even if it isn't the best one out there) but inserting it that extra little bit would potentially solve my problem...I think. Could be an issue that would be better solved with a professional bike fit but inserting the post a quarter inch is free (unless it wrecks the post or the bike frame). Buying a new post or getting a fit are not free. I don't mind spending money but I would like to work through any viable simpler/cheaper alternatives first.

 

[Monkey Soup]

When I bought the bike I was told not to insert further than the max insertion line. At the time I didn't expect an issue and I didn't think to ask why. I am actually a very curious person and like to understand the "why" behind things and then base my decisions upon that information. I don't want to screw up my dropper (even if it isn't the best one out there) but inserting it that extra little bit would potentially solve my problem...I think. Could be an issue that would be better solved with a professional bike fit but inserting the post a quarter inch is free (unless it wrecks the post or the bike frame). Buying a new post or getting a fit are not free. I don't mind spending money but I would like to work through any viable simpler/cheaper alternatives first.

Most bikes have tapered seat tubes, so there will be a point where the post physically cannot be inserted any further, do not try to force it past this point. Some dropper posts can also be sensitive to how tightly you torque your seat post clamp (the LEV). If you tighten too much, the post may not actuate. Perhaps this may be behind the max insertion line? Maybe it has something to do with their particular design vs. where the clamp clamps on the post? If all else fails, call Giant customer service and ask.

 

[Mountain Bike Mike]

Thanks for the reply. Care to elaborate on what issues Giants have with the seat tubes?

Cracking, stuck seat posts..

 

[MikeyBikey2000]

My Giants both creak from the seat clamp like a mother when a spec of sand get's in there.