Gift Guide: The New Contact SL Dropper Post From Giant Bicycles

Dropper seatposts. Honestly, where would mountain biking be right now without them? Far from just being a simple device for lowering your saddle out of harms way on steep descents, dropper seatposts have fundamentally changed the way that we ride. In fact, they’ve also changed the way frame geometry is designed too. Modern All Mountain bikes are running steeper and steeper seat angles, which position the riders weight further over the cranks for uphill climbing efficiency. Because of the fingertip control of your saddle height though, lowering the saddle for the descents makes the effective seat angle otherwise moot, because you’re not sitting down on the seat at full extension.

The only issue we have with dropper seatposts though, is that reliability is somewhat patchy, and they’re also expensive. Unless you’re talking about the new Contact SL Switch dropper from Giant though. Coming in at under $300, this slick new seatpost appears to address many of the weaknesses of the old Contact dropper post, with a twin-bolt clamp and revised internals that are designed to offer more resistance to saddle twisting.

The Giant Contact SL Switch Dropper Seatpost features:

• Anti-Twist Technology keeps the saddle firmly positioned
• Proprietary air & oil cartridge offers smooth consistent load range adjustment
• Improved design easily switches from external to internal cable routing
• Secure 2-bolt clamp design
• Clamp design compatible with standard 7mm (alloy) or 9mm (composite) saddle rails
• Extra long lower saddle rail guide designed to cradle lightweight saddle rails securely
• Vertical travel: 100mm travel (350mm length), 125mm travel (395mm length) & 150mm travel (440mm length)
• Diameter: 30.9mm
• RRP: $289.95

The new Contact Switch SL dropper post is coming as stock equipment on many 2016 Giant bikes, but for those out there who are in need of a new dropper, or your new bike doesn’t have one as stock, this certainly looks like a solid upgrade that won’t break the bank!

Giant Bicycles Australia

Website: www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au