Reviewed: Magura’s wireless Vyron dropper post

Magura’s Vyron dropper post can generate love at first sight in its owner. It is beautiful, it is fantastically easy to install, and it works so smoothly that it is a joy just to watch it move up and down. However, some design tweaks to get it to communicate better with its user would be necessary to make it a real game-changer.

Like other high-quality dropper posts, the Vyron sports a hydraulically controlled air spring. It goes down smoothly without a harsh bottom out, and it comes up gently. However, there is a small delay (perhaps one second) between pushing the button on the remote (or on the seatpost head) and the post moving up or down.

The thing that sets the Vyron apart from other dropper posts is that it is activated electronically, rather than by a cable or a hydraulic line. It responds to inputs from a remote button using the ANT+ wireless protocol. There are no wires or hydraulic hoses to route from the handlebar to the seatpost, and the remote does not need to be bolted on; it snaps on with just a rubber band. So installing a Vyron dropper post on a bike is just as quick as installing a standard rigid post like a Thomson Elite with a two-bolt head. Anyone who has installed a remote-activated dropper post knows what a breath of fresh air this is due to how much time and fiddling this can save, particularly relative to “stealth” dropper posts, which have the activating cable or hydraulic hose running up inside the seat tube.

The Vyron’s up and down function is as smooth as any dropper post I’ve used, even when the seat binder is tightened beyond spec. Some dropper posts bind completely with the seat binder clamp bolt tightened too tightly, and even bind a bit at very low bolt torques on the order of 4-5N-m. The Vyron post I’m riding would reduce this issue simply by virtue of its 31.6mm diameter. (Generally, the internals of any 31.6mm dropper post are the same as that of the same model in 30.9mm, but the outer sleeve of the 30.9mm post is 0.35mm thinner, which can flex enough to allow binding due to clamping, even when it is a non-issue with the 31.6mm model.)

The only issue I have with the seatpost is the delay in activation after pushing the remote button. To minimize the draw on the battery while opening and closing the oil valve that frees the seatpost to move and also locks in its height adjustment, Magura uses a very tiny piezoelectric motor. This allows the use of a small, lightweight battery while still offering over 40 hours of ride …

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