UPDOWN DROPPER POST

Funn’s first dropper arrives at a time when there’s a flood of new posts hitting the market. Dropper posts have been growing in popularity for years and most new designs are solving the problems which put riders off the early designs. ‘A design for riders by riders’ is Funn’s tagline for the simply named UpDown post and they’ve had plenty of feedback from their test crew.

Built with AL7075, it keeps the weight of the post realistic (considering the price) but doesn’t compromise the strength that is required for abuse. The cartridge design means easier maintenance and servicing – and for a long life. Replacement cartridges are readily available from Funn.

Though it’s built for external cable routing only, a unique cable guide system is design onto the dropper post to give slickly integrated and tidy routing on the bike. Not everyone is running a ‘stealth’ type internally routed dropper post and indeed we’ve had test bikes recently in at Dirt that stick with this easily maintained external cabling.

External routing may seem more vulnerable to damage but it’s easily accessed for maintenance and trouble shooting. The Airdrop Edit and many of the 2017 Marin range stick with this set up.

We’re seeing the ergonomics of the lever design getting much more attention with weight and bulk dropping too. The UpDown’s remote lever is a full CNC 4 way mount system that allows you tweak the remote position on your handlebar for optimal control.
Another key performance characteristic in the UpDown is that you won’t have a situation of a saddle pulling up when the post is in the lowerest position while you lift the bike from the saddle – a problem we see on a few of the posts currently on the market. A one piece forged head and single bolt clamp aims to give easy adjustment and keeps things simple.

Funn’s dropper is available in one length (422mm) and with a 125mm stroke – good for most trail bikes. Will we see a longer 150mm+ post from Funn in the future? It seems more brands are giving this option, which certainly suits taller riders. Seatpost diameters of the usual 30.9mm and 31.6mm are offered. Weight for the UpDown post and lever is 605g.

Available in the UK from end of August.

PRICE: £196.99

MAMBA CLIP PEDAL

For those DH and gravity riders ‘clipping in’ there is an ever increasing range of pedals to choose from. We’ve always rated the Crank Brothers Mallet DH highly but more recently the HT X2 pedals (Gwin’s choice) have earned themselves a place in the 2016 Dirt 100 selection. Now Funn have the Mamba pedal, which is aimed at this market – DH racing and those trail/enduro riders looking for more support when riding clipped in, with shoes such as the Giro Chamber.

Unusually, these Mambas are available with a double or single sided clip-in mechanism, giving the rider the option for a pedal that is flat on one side (with pins) but with a binding on the other; an interesting option. We’ve got the double sided in to test – and we feel this is what most riders would choose – and is comparable to the two key players on the market.

With an adjustable spring on the binding (as with the HT pedals but not the Mallets) you can vary the release tension, adding more security in race conditions or easier exit if you’re new to clipping in. The 6061 aluminium platform is huge… at W101mm x L102mm x H13.4mm these are much longer and wider than the comparable HT pedal. Testing, with various shoes on a variety of tracks, will prove whether this increased size has a benefit. Four pins (there’s one at each corner) give added traction –  these pedals will suit the largest of feet and give support to the most flexible soled SPD shoes. The slim profile keeps you planted close to axle, an area where this style of pedal is an improvement over early examples.

Mud won’t be a problem with these Mamba pedals – there’s very little area for it to stick to, and with high quality bushings and bearings (as on all Funn’s pedals), longevity should be good year round.

Although the release tension is adjustable, some riders may find it a touch too easy to exit the pedal. Our main test rider reported this as his only real criticism and ultimately it comes down to personal taste. With the Crank Brothers Mallet DH (and Mallet E) you are stuck with the factory setting, whereas with these Mambas you can at least experiment with what suits you best.

PRICE: £119.99

We’ll be fully testing this hardware over the next few months and reporting back with the results.

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