Bionicon is most famous for its adjustable-on-the-fly-geometry bicycles, but this development is bound to take the brand closer towards the mainsteam. The B-Post is a pneumatic dropper post that is built into the seat tube. The mechanism that extends and indexes the post is protected by the seat tube, while the rider's leg-length adjustments are accomplished by a short stub that extends above the sliding part of the mech.
Bionicon's B-Post is actuated through a threaded port in the seat tube
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Bionicon chose a three-position strategy that uses a series of indexed holes similar to the all-hallowed Gravity Dropper - but the indexed section of the B-Post is contained inside the seat tube, not in the highly stressed portion of the post that extends above the frame, so there are no dangerous stress risers. Presently, the B-post is actuated with a cable-remote that pulls a spring-loaded pin located mid-way up the seat tube. Releasing the handlebar trigger allows the pin to locate the next index point on the dropper.
The larger inner diameter of the B-Post allows the entire dropper section to be made larger and more robust. Saddle-height adjustments of the 150mm dropper is done by raising or lowering the stub seatpost visible under the seat.
Like the Fox and Specialized droppers, Bionicon's B-Post features a short drop (about 30 millimeters) for fast technical trails, a mid-stroke option for Enduro type descents, and a full drop option. Presently, the B-Post has 150 millimeters of travel. The extension is actuated via a compressed air cartridge spring and the post slides on a keyed insert. Bionicon did not show us the internals, but the upper section of the set tube was threaded to accept the B-Post seal head, and we imagine that the B-Post mech is contained within a sleeve to eliminate the precise machining required to create a sliding surface within the seat tube of the frame.
A simple cable-op remote lever actuates the B-Post from the handlebar.
Bionicon oficially admitted that the B-Post they showed at the Eurobike Expo was a raw prototype and to this end, we gave them a bit of slack here. There was a bit more side play in the mech than we would have accepted in a production post, and the indexiong system was a bit rough when it clicked into place. That said, the B-Post may be an indication of things to come. After all, if a dropper post is truly a must have for any decent trailbike, then it makes sense that it should be integrated into the frame design. The sorry performance and longevity of present droppers leaves much room for improvement. Perhaps a different aproach is in order. For future dropper designers, the seat tube offers more room to build a stronger mechanism than a seat post does and Bionicon wants to be on that wave. The party line is that when the B-Post is fully developed and tested, Bionicon wants to offer the system as an integrated frame component to all bicycle brands.
Can you imagine:
Rider "Ala": Yo, Kimo! Let's ride today!"
Rider "Kimo": "Dude, I can't!"
Rider "Ala": "Why not?"
Rider "Kimo": "My seatpost is busted..."
Rider "Ala": "...Uhh......okay?"
But it sounds like a great idea and product...maybe not the "built-in" to the frame part, though, IMO.
It seems like that's one of the trade-offs to living in such an incredible place. Hell I live in SLC and the Scott-specific dual chamber rear shock had to be sent off to a certain shop in Colorado leaving a worthless bike (unless you had a spare rear shock that accompanied the frame) for at minimum a week and a half. Changed that out since the fix lasted less than a month... but really you have some high expectations.
Sorry but your argument is invalid . You live in Hawaii.
I applaud Bianocon on their forward thinking. The big Question most of us here have is. If it breaks how easy is it going be to get it fixed? Then what is replacable and what whould render the frame useless? I think we will all benifit from their design in the end. It might not benifit you today but in time it will. But our concerns of durability an ease of repair need addresed first.
Maintenance you say? Do it yourself. While you're at it, change the spring to a coil and make it even easier. A foolproof design integrated into the frame is the future of dropper posts.
I tried allsorts of different suspension set ups but I kept on bottoming out! So I changed to a DH and it is fantastic downhill (not bottomed out yet!) but abit of a pig up hill and were I ride to is about 2hours riding mainly uphill! But its an awesome decent!!
But hey it's keeping me fit lol!!
Good old RC, always apologizing for the massive upward spikes in bike costs by arguing the "improvements" are "essential". I read him enough to wonder if there's ever been an "improvement" or "upgrade" he didn't excuse with fluffy pseudo-rationalizations like the one quoted above. Yeah RC, 1x11 is "necessary" and carbon frames are "essential" and carbon rims "mandatory" and prices that start at $5k for a complete bike "overwhelmingly average". Blah blah blah.
How about a little skepticism and critical thinking, instead of endless praise?
So when this post stops working, how do you repair it? Can you remove it to repair it? Oh no! It's integrated! Because the post is "essential" to the frame's operation.
Man, what a shill.
I'm not convinced dropper posts are essential. I used one for 1.5 seasons including lots of hours in the saddle. Then when I went back to the old QR collar I found I hadn't missed much. So they're definitely not a "must-have" for me. I think it simple enough for a frame or bike mfr to just use a 30.9 post size and in that way give the buyer lots of options. Then, when the dropper post fails to work (as all of them do, eventually), you simply remove it for repair and if you are like me and ride most every day, you have your backup "non-essential" or (according to RC) "useless" standard post.
Imagine that. You're riding a bike without a dropper post!
but i run 1x9 gears (36t x 11-34) have done so for over a decade now and raced xc pretty damned well with that setup and riddden in the alps and BC with it and never needed more gears (1x11 please take the hint), the last time i dropped my seatpost was to fit it in to my van with 4 other bikes......i dont even use a QR clamp for my seat post. i learned to ride with it up about 15 years ago. it amazes me that there is a big enough market of lazy riders (that havent learned to ride with their seat up, or take the few seconds out to manually drop their seatpost) to allow companies to make £300 seatposts. dropping your seat is something you would teach a beginner to do!!........the only time i can see you needing to drop your seat at all is on a trail with big drops and jumps and long steeps.....so why dont you have your DH bike instead?.........the enduro racers....yes i agree you need a dropper....but how big is that market?.....and dont even get me started on bigger diameter bars (even motocross hasn't gone as big as us yet)......the bike industry has grown stagnant and needlessly bigger wheels, new standards every other week, coupled with pointless geek inventions like dropper posts is their way of saying "we can't make the bikes much better so we are just gonna make em different so we can make more money"
You do need to take somethings into account:
The new easton handle bar has gone up to the motocross standard so yes, moto has gone that far.
I change my post height a lot because my 6" rig has to do it all. I ride 7 miles of xc and then hit the local DH trail at the end. I do it about 3 times a week on my way to work in fact, and the growth of that market niche (one bike to rule them all) shows that I am not alone. If you ride mostly xc you are part of a shrinking niche so less and less stuff will be pertinent to you. I am not saying xc is dying, only that new niches are taking more market share. I see you ride DH from your profile, so you must know having a low saddle locked between your legs gives a lot of control when shredding some sketchy track.
I agree with you, this is out of hand, but when people don't buy enough to justify development then the production will drop off.
as for xc, yes i ride it but you've not seen my local xc tracks.....baggy vest , baggy shorts and 5.10 shoes (flats) i am definetly not a xc rider of the typical sort and at 190lbs definetly not a typical race head lol. i ride alot of technical terrain in all conditions, have pretty much hit every whistler valley trail and northshore trail on my hardtail and only had to put my seat down a handful of times.
@camoguy.....standing up to pedal more than a few hundred metres with your seat down is not crazy fit - its stupidity! You definetly do not have more skill or learn more skill riding tech stuff with your seat down....what it will allow you to do is approach harder lines alot slower and with more body language.....with your seat up its a different sort of fluidity you need and alot more skill to do it FACT.
..if you can genuinely say you have heard someone say "oh my god i can't believe you rode that/kept up with me, with your seat down" in relation to a tech/steep DH then i'll eat my old pisspot lid.
standing up to pedal offers more power but uses more energy...like i said complete and utter stupidity to go longer than 1 minute (on flat or climb) with your seat down......if you can show me a link that says other wise i will send it to Bradley wiggins so he can get more power for his next "tour de france" season
This guy (James Wilson) is a local and coach. Also a coach for the Yeti/ Fox team. I've ridden with him and with his seat down, standing up, he outrides most if not all the guys around hands down. Riding tech with your seat up means getting bounced off and certain bits mashed.
if i am hitting anything bigger than a 2m (7ftish) gap jump chances are my seat will be down ...it safer that way.......take that to about 15ft for a tabletop....but hitting a jump with your seat up all depends on the speed and the transitions inlvolved as to whether its safe or not
hitting a drop any bigger than 5ft i will have my seat down...to flat or transtioned regardless!
stepdowns anything bigger than 7ft x 7ft will definitely have my seat down.
skinnies......doesnt really matter as you will be standing 99% of the time but if theres a big drop or its a really difficult skinny then my seat would be down.
this is all on my hardtail which i use for xc and AM/freeride.
my Dh bike is used for dh and freeride only and will always have the seat down as i will be hitting bigger and faster stuff and you need the seat down to do as you say more technical stuff and also to get you out of trouble when it goes wrong
couple of points....the seat needs to be up at a certain height no matter what - as too low, and you can't use it to grip or lever...ever tried cycling with out a seat......i have ,due to a snapped post 2 hrs into a 4 hr ride..........my legs were jelly at the end of that....your link highlights the need to be strong at both....why train for standing pedalling...because its way harder to do, no one in their right mind would pedal standing up for more than a few minutes...the stress on your core muscles and minor leg muscles is massive, training them to cope with that is a good thing but this guy is talking about being effective at both so you have more postions at your disposal out on the trail....not riding all day without sitting down. like i say send it to the tour riders and see if they change a 5 hr ride to stadinng all the time...i don't think so.
there is huge difference in riding an AM trail that has 5ft stunts in it to riding an AM with 10ft stunts in it...we both know that and we both know its seat down for that or bring the big bike. . i will fiinish my initial comments by saying this.
80% of xc and AM trails that folk ride will not require you to have your seat down if you learnt how to ride properly with your seat up. It takes more skill, yes, but just frigging learn to ride properly instead of shelling £300 on a dropper post. if you race enduro though then its a must have for sure..
i have no doubt your man james knows what he is talking about....he is also probably very fit, but next time you go riding with him try and time how long he is seated and and how long he is standing for, like me it will probably about 50/50 on a technical trail.......now time how long he has his seat down............lets not split hairs here - seat down means tucked out of the way as low as you would put it compared to seat up so you can actually sit on it....i bet its up 90% of the time unless you have exceptionally long steep down hills on your xc routes.
I notice they don't have the balls to put one on a dually
and it looks like a zitt on an asshat
what do ya do when and where it breaks like ALL adjustable posts? Now how do we extract it to replace it with a Thomson post and also one would need a spare Bionicon collar while the adjustable is sent back to EUROPE for repairs?