# Clamping dropper posts in workstands?



## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

From what I have read from people's opinions is that you shouldn't clamp a dropper post in the workstand. If you do, it should be on the lower part of the post and not the stanchion. However, I brought my bike into the bike shop and they clamped it on the stanchion. I asked them "are you supposed to clamp it like that?" They said your body is heavier than your bike which make sense. However on second thoughts, I don't think there is as much lateral forces on the post when pushing it down with your body as opposed to the bike swaying back and forth clamped on a workstand. So, I am not totally convinced it is safe to clamp it on the stanchion and not sure if the bike mechanics are correct on this one. 

Anybody have information on what manufacturers have said or input if it is safe to clamp your dropper into a workstand?


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## Coal-Cracker (May 4, 2010)

I clamp by the stanchion also. I do use a piece of neoprene as padding between the post and the clamp.
I also rest the front wheel on the ground if it's going to be in the stand for an extended amount of time.
Not sure if any of that is necessary; but I know it doesn't hurt.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

The only thing I'd be concerned about would be scratching the stanchion. Pads on the clamp might not scratch, but any grit or dirt between them and the post could be problematic. Clean the post well and use a clean rag and should be OK.


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## alexbn921 (Mar 31, 2009)

My seatpost clamp and seal head of the post are very close in size. I clamp right at the seal head and seatpost clamp. I've used a clean rag on the sanctions before but it's not something I want to risk. Weight is not the issue, scratches are.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Yeah, I think the risk is more from scratching the stanchion than anything else, though I suppose the lever force of the weight of the bike when the stanchion is clamped can add wear to the bushings internally. Still, I think the primary risk is from scratching the stanchion.

I tend to clamp on however much of the lower part of the post is exposed on my bike. Which amounts to roughly half of the area of the clamp itself. Some of it touches the stanchion, but I'm not squeezing grit onto that stanchion.

I cringe a little bit when a shop clamps the stanchion of my dropper into the stand with a dirty rag, though.


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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

Really depends on the seat post, some posts use the stanchion as a sealing element, some don't. As a Mechanic I don't waste time trying to figure it out, if I can't clamp it neatly by the lower collar I put a clean rag in the clamp jaws and clamp it by the stanchion. The one thing I will NEVER do is clamp it or hang it by the seat while the post is in ANYWAY compressed


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

I am gonna try to contact some of the manufacturers to see what they say and report back. My guess is they say to clamp it on the lower post not the stanchion, but we will see.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Is the best solution not to remove the dropper and fit a standard post while clamping in the stand? Saves any worry about damaging the dropper.


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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

that would be a giant PIA if I had to do that as a shop mechanic for every bike with a dropper and is unnecessary overkill. If you insisted I do it that way I would charge you a $25 service charge for the extra work involved.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

screamingbunny said:


> That would be a giant PIA if I had to do that as a shop mechanic for every bike with a dropper and is unnecessary overkill.


I don't even have a dropper yet but I've ordered one and I've specifically chosen an external-routed one. It literally takes seconds to unclip the cable and pull the post out. Another few seconds to drop in an old seat-post. Many internal-routing posts also have quick-release cable fasteners at the base of the post. $25?

It seems to me that the desire to clamp on the dropper is not driven by a strive for best practice. I think you just want to justify doing it because it's the quickest and easiest thing to do. It's about saving time and money, not saving the dropper post. But what do the people who make the posts say?

Specialised Command Post:
"CAUTION: When placing the bicycle in a workstand, do not clamp the bicycle by the seal head or upper tube section as they are both part of the air seal system inside the seatpost"

RockShox Reverb:
"To clamp a Reverb equipped bicycle into a bike stand, loosen the seatpost binder bolt/quick release at the frame. Raise the seatpost to the Minimum Insertion line then tighten the seatpost binder bolt/quick release to the frame manufacturer's recommendation. You may need to detach the hose from some of the cable guides in order to raise your seatpost to the Minimum Insertion line. Do not exceed 6.7 N∙m (60in-lb). IMPORTANT:clamp the seatpost into the bike stand just below the top cap. do not clamp the seatpost by the top cap or allow the hose to be clamped as this may damage the seatpost"

Thomson Elite:
"It is not a good idea to use the seatpost to hang the bike in any way. In a work stand, it is possible to crush the outer tube when clamping pressure is applied. If you are supporting the bike by the gold stanchion, you can damage the internal components."

Fox Transfer: 
"The anodized surface of the upper seatpost, like a rear shock body, serves as a sealing surface. Always take every precaution to avoid causing abrasion damage to the anodized surface of the upper seatpost. The upper portion of the Transfer seatpost may be carefully clamped in a workstand. Do not clamp the cable pulley mechanism of collar cable routed Transfer seatposts."

So the manufacturers say that either you must not clamp on the upper tube at all, it's not a good idea or you can do it but you need to be careful not to scratch the coating. Would you clamp on the stanchions of your suspension fork? No? Well it looks like your bike mechanic would.


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## Bordershy (Jan 29, 2004)

It's a bad idea, but what to do since most have droppers. The "substitute a standard post" is a good idea,but not really practical.If it's a external cable, just pull the post up enough to clamp on the lower post.

I've been LIGHTLY clamping on my frame ALWAYS supporting the front wheel on a box/whatever. My $0.02


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Bordershy said:


> It's a bad idea, but what to do since most have droppers. The "substitute a standard post" is a good idea, but not really practical.


I sympathise with bike mechanics. I don't think manufacturers give a stuff about how their new innovations effect the guys who have to work on the bikes, look at internal routing, but it's not an excuse for sloppy practices. For many years I did all the work on my car myself because I was fed up with mechanics who did not do it properly. It wasn't a one-off, it was every time. Every trade is the same, it's not about doing a perfect job, it's about doing a passable job as quickly as possible. Minimise time on the job to maximise profit or maybe just to try and stay competitive. Bike mechanics are hit particularly hard as no one wants to spend a lot on bike maintenance. People regularly ask why I don't service bikes for a living and I tell them it's because it would be too hard to earn decent money. I understand the situation.

However, I don't think it's an excuse for advocating something that's not a brilliant idea. Clearly, if you can avoid clamping on the upper section of a dropper post, you should.


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## Psycho1 (Aug 26, 2014)

I have turned the clamp on my Stand horizontal and just hang all my bikes by the top tube. Don't even clamp them. I have a soft clean micro fiber rag to protect the paint. Never been a problem. My cross bike doesn't have a dropper but its a pia to remove the seat bag to access the post. And i would not clamp my dropper due to the lateral force already mentioned


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## Millennial29erGuy (Feb 5, 2017)

I hang my bike by the seat rails where they meet the seat post (not using the stand clamp) with the dropper (LEV external) fully extended. If the seat post can't handle this then there is no way it's going to support my fat ass on a ride. I use the work stand clamp only when absolutely necessary


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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

"I don't even have a dropper yet but I've ordered one and I've specifically chosen an external-routed one. It literally takes seconds to unclip the cable and pull the post out. Another few seconds to drop in an old seat-post. Many internal-routing posts also have quick-release cable fasteners at the base of the post. $25?"

"I don't even have a dropper yet but I've ordered one and I've specifically chosen an external-routed one"
- Which should NEVER be clamped externally in any way

"It literally takes seconds to unclip the cable"
- If it has a cable, which end unclips, do you compress the post first? of the 20 plus posts out there they all do it different. If its hydraulic then I'm face with a possible remote bleed afterwards and takes significantly longer than "seconds"

"and pull the post out."
- don't forget to non-permanently mark the post to ensure your precious seat height doesn't change by .25mm, then spotlessly clean that mark after taking just a couple of seconds to reinstall it.

"Another few seconds to drop in an old seat-post."
- yes if I had and "old" seatpost just lying around in one of the 6 "standard" sizes in arms reach, I don't, I'm gonna have to find a used one, space is limited in a bike shop and costs $$, yes an old seatpost doesn't take up a lot of individual room, but neither do the 500 other odds and ends we "might need some day" 

"Many internal-routing posts also have quick-release cable fasteners at the base of the post"
- Yes "many" do, by this point we've applied "tools" to the bike, applying tools carries an inherent risk, "wasn't that way before you touched it", "inherent risk" to resolve all issues carries a cost.

"$25?"
- We bill at $60 an hour, could that take 25 minutes, absolutely. But you are obviously an experienced home mechanic and you should do it your way when you finally get a dropper of your own


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

In general, it is not a good idea to clamp any stanchion/sliding surface. If you have to do so, do it lightly. Most modern bike stands will allow for clamping in various places, such as lightly clamping the frame itself if necessary. Clamping down on carbon frames can be worse, or better, depending on the shape of the frame and how much force is or is not applied. There's not a perfect answer.


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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

Yep absolutely Jayem


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

the_joe said:


> I hang my bike by the seat rails where they meet the seat post (not using the stand clamp) with the dropper (LEV external) fully extended. If the seat post can't handle this then there is no way it's going to support my fat ass on a ride.


It's not about the weight. Depending on the design of the post, it might not be a good idea to do that because you're pulling up on the top post. It's designed to take weight pressing down and pulling up could damage seals or other internal parts. It could be fine, you just need to check the advice for your particular post.



screamingbunny said:


> ... don't forget to non-permanently mark the post to ensure your precious seat height doesn't change by .25mm, then spotlessly clean that mark after taking just a couple of seconds to reinstall it....


You're only confirming what I said. You don't clamp on the dropper because it is best practice, you do it because it is quicker and easier for you. I understand that, I just don't want to copy you.

Some of your objections are silly to be honest. I stick a piece of masking tape on a seat-post before I pull it out so that it goes back at the same hight. Doesn't leave a mark and yes, I have old seat-posts in a basket. Does not take up a huge amount of space and does take seconds to lift one.

I do get that some posts are more of a pain to deal with and I would charge extra. I would say to the customer that either they risk clamping on their post or they pay more because they've bought a stupid internal hydraulic post. Choice is theirs. The bike industry has been dumping extra work on mechanics for years and I don't see anything wrong with letting the end user know that his choices in bling have consequences for his wallet.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Mr Pig said:


> Some of your objections are silly to be honest. I stick a piece of masking tape on a seat-post before I pull it out so that it goes back at the same hight. Doesn't leave a mark and yes, I have old seat-posts in a basket. Does not take up a huge amount of space and does take seconds to lift one.


I use one of them there eye fones.


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## Lemonaid (May 13, 2013)

Personally, I don't like the idea of using a clamp on the stanchions of the seat post. There are several problems I could see happening. One is the stanchions could get scratched. Regardless how of clean your stanchions are and how clean you think the clamp is, there are inevitably going to be some dirt that will get caught between the two when you use a clamp on it. This will cause scratching and eventually wear over time. Secondly, dropper seatposts are designed to take weight from sitting, not in the opposite direction. This along with lateral pressure could cause the dropper post fittings to become loose or seals to fail.

If I were a bike shop I would invest in one of these and one of these so as to not piss my customers off.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

I clamp to my Frame. I have no desire to ruin my dropper post.


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

Sram told me it's fine with the Reverb as long the post is fully extended. When fully extended there is a mechanical connection, but with the post dropped at all it is merely held down by the IFP... Pulling up on an even ever-so-slightly dropped Reverb can pull air into the oil or vice versa.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

I will hang the bike lightly by the seat on my reverb. However that is to take some weight and the front tire is still on the ground. If I need to do more work I lower seat post. Remove it leaving all the cables installed and put in the stock fixed seat post. I don't want to camp on the moveable part of the seat post. Why risk it? I am not getting paid to this work so time is cheap compared to a new seat post. 

For shops where time is money... yeah it is more complex.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

FWIW, with internally routed droppers there is almost always enough free cable/hose at the bars to feed in and allow you to raise the dropper in the seat tube exposing enough of the base to clamp in a work stand.


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## alexbn921 (Mar 31, 2009)

Lone Rager said:


> FWIW, with internally routed droppers there is almost always enough free cable/hose at the bars to feed in and allow you to raise the dropper in the seat tube exposing enough of the base to clamp in a work stand.


Not Mine. :skep:

Your right though, it's never a good idea to clamp the sanction. I hang by the saddle, use the feedback scorpion bike stand or clamp around the collar as a last resort. When I built the bike and if I need to do major work I swap out the post. :thumbsup:


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## Lemonaid (May 13, 2013)

Yea, note to the bike shop dude above. If you clamp my bike by the stanchions of my dropper, I expect you to buy me a new dropper after you're done.


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## birdman86 (Jun 2, 2016)

I always wonder how many of those people that hate on reverbs for being unreliable also hang their bike by the dropper

Hydraulics are meant to resist pressure, not vacuum. Any upward force on the dropper is bad news bears


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## Lemonaid (May 13, 2013)

GiantTurd said:


> Do you expect a new frame too if they clamp by the frame? I have seen more frames damaged by a bike stand then a dropper post, in fact I have never seen one damage a dropper.


Not sure if you're trolling... A bike shop clamps your $3000 carbon frame.... and you're cool with that?

Either way, dropper or frame, if it has the potential to have a negative affect on the part it's not cool. If you're working on your own bike to each their own, but for a bike shop to say, I don't have time to take care of my customer's bike the best way I can is asinine.

And like I said, if I took my bike to a shop and they clamped it by the frame or by the stanchion, I'd be pissed.


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

Lemonaid said:


> Yea, note to the bike shop dude above. If you clamp my bike by the stanchions of my dropper, I expect you to buy me a new dropper after you're done.


Your dropper has multiple stanchions?

Maybe the guy who is working on your bike knows more about it than you (as evidenced above) and therefore should be able to make that decision for himself? If you want to nitpick practices that the manufacturer's themselves say are safe, then you should do your own work.


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

birdman86 said:


> I always wonder how many of those people that hate on reverbs for being unreliable also hang their bike by the dropper
> 
> Hydraulics are meant to resist pressure, not vacuum. Any upward force on the dropper is bad news bears


Only when not fully extended. There is a mechanical connection when the post is fully extended, making it perfectly safe. I was told that by a SRAM tech, as well as shown on a dry Reverb he took apart to show us... Not to mention, it 'clicks' when it hits full extension which would seem to confirm that even for the layman.

You are totally correct when it comes to a lowered post though... I try my hardest never, ever to put any upward force on the post when lowered even slightly. That won't break anything, but it will require a rebuild to get fluids back where fluids go and air back where air goes.


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

Reverbs cannot be screwed around with by the stanchion or they will develop sag, they are absurdly fragile, even when fully extended they get screwed up. Never apply any upward force to a Reverb.


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

idividebyzero said:


> Reverbs cannot be screwed around with by the stanchion or they will develop sag, they are absurdly fragile, even when fully extended they get screwed up. Never apply any upward force to a Reverb.


The manufacturer disagrees with you, as do the techs charged with training shops how to work with and service them... There's no need to act like it's a mysticla

As I've said three times in this thread now, the sag develops when the bike is lifted or hung from the post _when it is dropped below full extension_ as it pulls oil past the IFP into the air.


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

TheDwayyo said:


> The manufacturer disagrees with you, as do the techs charged with training shops how to work with and service them... There's no need to act like it's a mysticla
> 
> As I've said three times in this thread now, the sag develops when the bike is lifted or hung from the post _when it is dropped below full extension_ as it pulls oil past the IFP into the air.


It absolutely can develop sag when fully extended, it happened to me right after weighing the bike by the saddle. I checked before and after, it went from no sag at all to squishing a little and making a click noise. Its not ruined as the sag is very minor but its never been the same since, now I have to pop the saddle back up half an inch after about 15 minutes of riding since it gets compressed. Because of the clicking noise it probably broke a seal which causes air to get in, not because it sucked in air from being pulled up. There is no question that it was caused by weighing the bike with it fully extended.


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## Lemonaid (May 13, 2013)

TheDwayyo said:


> Your dropper has multiple stanchions?
> 
> Maybe the guy who is working on your bike knows more about it than you (as evidenced above) and therefore should be able to make that decision for himself? If you want to nitpick practices that the manufacturer's themselves say are safe, then you should do your own work.


I've been working on my bikes exclusively for over 10 years, and even though I'm pretty sure that it's ok to to clamp my bike by the stanchions of my fork I will never do it. The same goes for my dropper post. If you're fine with it, great for you, but don't expect a paying customer to be happy if that's what you do for a living.


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## Millennial29erGuy (Feb 5, 2017)

Mr Pig said:


> It's not about the weight. Depending on the design of the post, it might not be a good idea to do that because you're pulling up on the top post. It's designed to take weight pressing down and pulling up could damage seals or other internal parts. It could be fine, you just need to check the advice for your particular post


 This is what my LBS advised me to do. They have been hanging bikes from the extended KS LEV for years. No problems so far. Certainly hanging it without being fully extended is going to create a vacuum in there


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

the_joe said:


> No problems so far.


That's the thing, so far. All it takes is for things to go wrong, once..


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

idividebyzero said:


> It absolutely can develop sag when fully extended, it happened to me right after weighing the bike by the saddle. I checked before and after, it went from no sag at all to squishing a little and making a click noise. Its not ruined as the sag is very minor but its never been the same since, now I have to pop the saddle back up half an inch after about 15 minutes of riding since it gets compressed. Because of the clicking noise it probably broke a seal which causes air to get in, not because it sucked in air from being pulled up. There is no question that it was caused by weighing the bike with it fully extended.


So your anecdotal evidence (with a sample size of one no less) supersedes the mechanical reality of how the post works as explained by the manufacturer? Not even gonna bother with that, if you think that's reasonable then there's no point in reasoning with you.



Lemonaid said:


> I've been working on my bikes exclusively for over 10 years, and even though I'm pretty sure that it's ok to to clamp my bike by the stanchions of my fork I will never do it. The same goes for my dropper post. If you're fine with it, great for you, but don't expect a paying customer to be happy if that's what you do for a living.


Well I'm not a wrench but I do work at a shop and often do tubeless set ups and similar... If a manufacturer tells me directly that a practice is safe then I take their word for it. If a customer tells me that the practice the manufacturer said was safe is unsafe I'm not sure I'd be inclined to listen. I'm sorry that you seem to disagree with that, but that's how it works... If the customer is such an expert then why are they bringing their bike to me to be worked on?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

TheDwayyo said:


> If the customer is such an expert then why are they bringing their bike to me to be worked on?


Good question.

Today in the tyre-fitters, kid putting the wheel on my car lifts the air-wrench. I said to him 'Don't use that, use a torque-wrench'. Kid says 'I use this, then the torque-wrench'! Another time I watched a guy use the torque-wrench and just keep pushing after it clicked.

Best one was the guy who insisted the air-gun was fine, he uses it all the time, so I said 'Fine, go ahead.' While he was bolting up the wheel I took the wheel-brace out of the boot/trunk, handed it to him and said 'Now undo them with this?' He couldn't. I said to him 'If you can't undo the bolts in a garage how the heck is my wife supposed to do it at the side of the road in the dark?'

That's just three, I could go on all day. All people getting paid to do the job, all 'professionals'. Why do I still use them? I go to the tyre fitters because I can't put car tyres on and off myself, not because I think they're geniuses. Answer your question?


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## burutoo (Aug 14, 2018)

Sorry to revive an old thread but I’m getting my first bike with a dropper post. It seems some think it’s ok to hang a bike with dropper by post or saddle and some don’t. My SC Hightower has a RockShox reverb which seems fragile? 
Can I hang my bike from the solid/adjustable portion of my seat post (where the dropper goes into) or is that just as bad as holding by the stanchion? I hate to hold up by the frame but if that results in less potentional damage then maybe that’s the way to go...


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

burutoo said:


> Sorry to revive an old thread but I'm getting my first bike with a dropper post. It seems some think it's ok to hang a bike with dropper by post or saddle and some don't. My SC Hightower has a RockShox reverb which seems fragile?
> Can I hang my bike from the solid/adjustable portion of my seat post (where the dropper goes into) or is that just as bad as holding by the stanchion? I hate to hold up by the frame but if that results in less potentional damage then maybe that's the way to go...


Clamping on the lower portion is totally fine. The work stand clamp shouldn't put any more pressure than the seat collar of the frame, so no problem.

The risk of clamping the stanchion is from scratching it, primarily. LOTS of shops will clamp the stanchion, and should at least put a rag in there to minimize scratching risk.

I avoid clamping the stanchion if I can, and use a rag when avoiding it would be too much of a pita, like on my wife's bike.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

Sometimes I will clamp the top tube depending on what I am working on. Other times, I will loosen the dropper, raise it up, and clamp it from its base. Seth from Seth's Bike Hacks came to the conclusion to just clamp it by the stanchion. He covered this in an older video.


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## twodownzero (Dec 27, 2017)

My bikes are steel, so I clamp the top tube.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

My position is, why risk it?

Would you clamp on the stanchion of your fork? My dropper post seals onto the stanchion so any scratches will chew the seal and cause a leak. Unreliability, down-time, cost, I don't want that. Sure, I could clean the clamp but by the time I realize I didn't clean it well enough, it would be too late. 

This is a problem created by our vanity. Obviously, clamping on the stanchion is not ideal, but we like internally-routed droppers that are a pain to remove, so we justify doing it as the alternative is too laborious. 

As for bike shops. Well, I've been dealing with so called professional car and bike mechanics for decades and I wouldn't take the fact that they routinely do something as any kind of evidence that it represents best practice! The quickest way to do it, maybe.


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## prlundberg (May 7, 2004)

I clamp the stanchion. I just make sure the stand pads are clean and tighten it fully so it doesn't slide. My butt puts far more stress on it than the weight of the bike ever could, so that aspect doesn't concern me. I also suspect normal wear and tear will scratch it sooner, deeper, and more often than my stand. Seth's video just kind of confirmed what common sense was already telling me.

I don't like doing it, but it is what it is. Mr. Pig is absolutely correct on vanity, I think internal routing is dumb and wish my bike didn't have it, just as I wish my phone didn't have a glass back.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

prlundberg said:


> I think internal routing is dumb and wish my bike didn't have it..


I've actually taken part of my derailleur cable out of the frame and cable-tied it to the outside. Now it actually works reliably!









I put a 'mudguard' on my dropper to protect it from stones.


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## in the trees (Mar 24, 2005)

Get a slide on grip, slit it down the side, and use it on the post when clamping. Been doing this for years on different posts without issue. I like flange version so they stay captured by my stand when not in use.


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## burutoo (Aug 14, 2018)

in the trees said:


> Get a slide on grip, slit it down the side, and use it on the post when clamping. Been doing this for years on different posts without issue. I like flange version so they stay captured by my stand when not in use.


I'm not sure I understand what this is. Do you have an image or link?


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

^^^ it's a grip that slides on rather than clamps on your handlebar. Some have flanges at the inner end, like moto grips. You repurpose it for clamping your dropper stanchion.


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

birdman86 said:


> I always wonder how many of those people that hate on reverbs for being unreliable also hang their bike by the dropper
> 
> Hydraulics are meant to resist pressure, not vacuum. Any upward force on the dropper is bad news bears


The Shimano dropper bottoms out on a delrin bushing. You aren't going to hurt it by clamping.


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## Shamis (Apr 12, 2015)

Been clamping the stanchion of my droppers for years and never had an issue. Pretty sure the dirt that accumulates on your dropper stanchion during a ride is more damaging than a rubberized clamp. I prefer not to clamp the housing because it has thinner wall metal and I'm afraid I'll distort it. 

To whomever thinks that hanging your bike by a fully extended reverb is causing damage, you do not understand the mechanical design of the hardware. Chances are, your air pressure dropped or you lifted it when the post was not fully extended. 

Please, do not clamp your Carbon top tubes. The Carbon structure is not designed to deal with clamping forces. I cracked the top tube of my Carbon Les Fat frame with little to no pressure. Luckily, I live very close to the owner of Spyder Composites who is a wizard with Carbon repair and X-rays your frame before giving it back to you.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

UPDATE: I broke my Reverb by clamping in a repair stand for a week while rebuilding the bike. The post gets stuck or is notchy when activating it. It is not the seat collar being too tight because it had the same problems out of the frame. I re-bled the post and still experienced the same problems. It was an older post, so I replaced it, but definitely won't clamp dropper by the stanchion in repair stand again unless by the rigid lower body. 

Even like in the Seth's Bike Hack video, if you put it on a balance point, you still put lateral forces on the post when you wrench it, turn the handlebars, etc. It may be ok to clamp it by the stanchion in a repair stand for a short time, but why take the chance. 

Also, in Seth's video, the example of demo bikes being held in the seat stand for entire season is not a great example because in that situation, all the bikes front tires are on the ground so there is much less weight on the post and less lateral forces on the post compared to when the entire weight of the bike is suspended by the dropper post. 

Just my opinions on it.


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## Millennial29erGuy (Feb 5, 2017)

did you pull the old one apart and see what got mucked up inside?


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

Millennial29erGuy said:


> did you pull the old one apart and see what got mucked up inside?


I have not taken it apart yet. It may just need the keys replaced. However I assure you, the issues were created by putting it in the stand for about a week. I was rebuilding it, so perhaps it was getting torqued a little, but anybody working on their bike would experience the same. Just sharing my experience. Make up your own mind if you want to clamp it on the dropper stanchion or not.


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## scatterbrained (Mar 11, 2008)

aliikane said:


> UPDATE: I broke my Reverb by clamping in a repair stand for a week while rebuilding the bike. The post gets stuck or is notchy when activating it. It is not the seat collar being too tight because it had the same problems out of the frame. I re-bled the post and still experienced the same problems. It was an older post, so I replaced it, but definitely won't clamp dropper by the stanchion in repair stand again unless by the rigid lower body.
> 
> Even like in the Seth's Bike Hack video, if you put it on a balance point, you still put lateral forces on the post when you wrench it, turn the handlebars, etc. It may be ok to clamp it by the stanchion in a repair stand for a short time, but why take the chance.
> 
> ...


As opposed to the entire weight of a 200lb rider being suspended by the dropper post, while bouncing over rocks and roots? A 35lb bike hanging on a rack is putting far less stress through the dropper than a grown man riding that same dropper post through the woods.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

scatterbrained said:


> As opposed to the entire weight of a 200lb rider being suspended by the dropper post, while bouncing over rocks and roots? A 35lb bike hanging on a rack is putting far less stress through the dropper than a grown man riding that same dropper post through the woods.


I have heard that argument a dozen of times. Like I said earlier. Just my experience. It worked perfectly just before I rebuilt my bike and was in the repair stand for a week. Likely the difference is that may not have been perfectly balanced. A rider pushes down straight on the post and doesn't put sustained lateral pressure like a week. I have owned 5 reverbs and few other brands, this is first one I have clamped by the stanchion.

Could have been an anomaly. Try it and decide for yourself. I'm not telling you what to do or not do. Just my two cents.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

aliikane said:


> I have heard that argument a dozen of times. Like I said earlier. Just my experience. It worked perfectly just before I rebuilt my bike and was in the repair stand for a week. Likely the difference is that may not have been perfectly balanced. A rider pushes down straight on the post and doesn't put sustained lateral pressure like a week. I have owned 5 reverbs and few other brands, this is first one I have clamped by the stanchion.
> 
> Could have been an anomaly. Try it and decide for yourself. I'm not telling you what to do or not do. Just my two cents.


The point the above poster is trying (?) to make is that without taking the post apart, it is purely conjecture.

It is unlikely--extremely unlikely--the keys are notched (they move in keyways that extend from near the bottom of the post itself to just under the bushing). If you've seen notches on them, they're probably the remnants of sizing marks.

Bent is also possible, but again, unlikely.

Nobody knows unless you take it apart.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

wschruba said:


> The point the above poster is trying (?) to make is that without taking the post apart, it is purely conjecture.
> 
> It is unlikely--extremely unlikely--the keys are notched (they move in keyways that extend from near the bottom of the post itself to just under the bushing). If you've seen notches on them, they're probably the remnants of sizing marks.
> 
> ...


It is just a wild guess that the keys may need to be replaced. Does it really matter? The topic of this thread is not the issue of what failed in the dropper, it is the issue if clamping droppers by stanchions in repair stands can cause damage. My answer is yes, absolutely clamping droppers by stanchions in repair stands for long periods of time can cause damage. I am sure of that.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

i wrap a towel around the post first. might depend on what clamp you use, i have the park 1003D micro adjust


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## NordieBoy (Sep 26, 2004)




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## 006_007 (Jan 12, 2004)

aliikane said:


> I have not taken it apart yet. It may just need the keys replaced. However I assure you, the issues were created by putting it in the stand for about a week. I was rebuilding it, so perhaps it was getting torqued a little, but anybody working on their bike would experience the same. Just sharing my experience. Make up your own mind if you want to clamp it on the dropper stanchion or not.


I had an experience where a friend parked a car in his driveway by pulling in. It caught fire three days later. Whenever I use his driveway I always back in - and my car never catches fire.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

006_007 said:


> I had an experience where a friend parked a car in his driveway by pulling in. It caught fire three days later. Whenever I use his driveway I always back in - and my car never catches fire.


With that logic, go for it. Keep clamping your post in the vice on the stanchion. It won't damage it. Better to be safe than than sorry. Lol.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

NordieBoy said:


>


I have seen that video, but disagree. Several dropper post companies say do not clamp your post on the stanchion in workstands. I get it, Park is likely protecting their product (workstands that clamp on seatposts) which is understandable, but I'm still going be following the dropper seatpost manufacturer guidance and not Park who doesn't make dropper seatposts.


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## NordieBoy (Sep 26, 2004)

aliikane said:


> I have seen that video, but disagree. Several dropper post companies say do not clamp your post on the stanchion in workstands. I get it, Park is likely protecting their product (workstands that clamp on seatposts) which is understandable, but I'm still going be following the dropper seatpost manufacturer guidance and not Park who doesn't make dropper seatposts.


The seatpost manufacturers are basically saying "don't come crying to us if anything happens" - standard lawyer talk.
Park are saying "nothing should happen".

Scratching is the only issue I can see happening.


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## Brad (May 2, 2004)

aliikane said:


> From what I have read from people's opinions is that you shouldn't clamp a dropper post in the workstand. If you do, it should be on the lower part of the post and not the stanchion. However, I brought my bike into the bike shop and they clamped it on the stanchion. I asked them "are you supposed to clamp it like that?" They said your body is heavier than your bike which make sense. However on second thoughts, I don't think there is as much lateral forces on the post when pushing it down with your body as opposed to the bike swaying back and forth clamped on a workstand. So, I am not totally convinced it is safe to clamp it on the stanchion and not sure if the bike mechanics are correct on this one.
> 
> Anybody have information on what manufacturers have said or input if it is safe to clamp your dropper into a workstand?


No problem to clamp it by the stanchion. Just don't over exert the clamp pressure to the point of distorting the stanchion to oval. A neoprene rubber pad or plastic clamp grip is a necessity. 
Other that deforming or scratching the stanchion the post will be fine as long as it is fully extended with no play at the top.

Clamping by the body is a really bad idea. It's more easily distorted due to its thinner tube walls


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

NordieBoy said:


> The seatpost manufacturers are basically saying "don't come crying to us if anything happens" - standard lawyer talk.
> Park are saying "nothing should happen".
> 
> Scratching is the only issue I can see happening.


It is cool if other people want to keep clamping it in a workstand. Personally, I don't want to chance it anymore. Park Tool is not going to warranty my dropper if it gets damaged in a workstand. Yes, mine did get damaged clamping it in a workstand for about a week when rebuilding my bike. Worked fine before the rebuild and now it gets stuck in down position and is extremely slow/notchy. Clamping the Reverb in the workstand did damage it (I am sure of that), but not sure what. I have owned about five Reverbs and it wasn't due to a bleed, pressure, or clamp too tight.


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## Amt0571 (May 22, 2014)

It's not going to break. But it can get scratched if there's dirt on the post or the clamp.

I always clamp my bikes at the top tube and use a towel to avoid damage, but they're aluminium. If they were carbon I'd probably be cautious with the clamp torque.


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## response3 (Mar 4, 2007)

I know we’re all worried about scratching our bikes and ****, but the reality is that your seat post has been heat treated and coated, so it won’t get scratched by being lightly clamped in a cloth or even plastic jaws of a shop stand unless there’s embedded metal chips or something in it, which no self respecting shop should allow. And it sure isn’t going to be damaged by clamping it when fully extended since it is designed with a stop to prevent it from shooting up your ass when you extend it…unless you’re into that. Regardless of your post pursuasion, it can handle the 30-odd pounds of static bike weight. Let’s stop overthinking this and trust the dude at the shop that does this **** everyday and has a million other things to do each day so ya’ll can go ride by the next weekend.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

response3 said:


> I know we're all worried about scratching our bikes and **, but the reality is that your seat post has been heat treated and coated, so it won't get scratched by being lightly clamped in a cloth or even plastic jaws of a shop stand unless there's embedded metal chips or something in it, which no self respecting shop should allow. And it sure isn't going to be damaged by clamping it when fully extended since it is designed with a stop to prevent it from shooting up your ass when you extend it&#8230;unless you're into that. Regardless of your post pursuasion, it can handle the 30-odd pounds of static bike weight. Let's stop overthinking this and trust the dude at the shop that does this ** everyday and has a million other things to do each day so ya'll can go ride by the next weekend.


I'm just following the manufacturer guidelines as they know their products best. Some companies say it is ok to clamp it in workstand and some say it is not. Bike shops guys are not going to warranty it if problems occur from clamping it in the workstand.


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