Rockshox Reverb v. Nukeproof OKLO dropper seat posts

7/1/2015 update: Ah. The OKLO has thrown a wobbly. The head has come lose - the big lump that supports the saddle. It now happily rotates on the shaft, which is slightly annoying when riding but not unexpected. This is a fault reported in one of the cycle magazines. CRC have been brilliant with warranty work in the past, so this should be resolved quickly. However, given that my Reverb has worked faultlessly for getting on for 14 months, and the OKLO for less than a month, it does mean the Reverb is winning. Really, how hard is it to glue two bits of metal together? Again, given the choice, even though I really like the OKLO, I'd suggest you, Dear Reader, buy a Reverb.




3/1/2015 update: well the OKLO still works fine, yet not as good as it did out of the box. What's the issue? Well when I first go to use it after a few days unused, the cable actuation is a little stiff - like the cable has partially seized. It soon frees up, and is probably nothing that a decent cable couldn't fix. It is a mile away from the Reverb, that a year on is still silky smooth.

The slight play in the head is still there on both posts, the OKLO being more noticeable. The one think the OKLO did that was slightly irksome was to undo both clamp bolts for the saddle. I only noticed that the saddle was lose on a random stop at Afan, otherwise they'd have come undone completely. may just be an Afan issue, as that place seemed to trash just about everything else on my bike.

For now I'm still happy with both the Reverb and the OKLO. Price wise the Reverb won this round, as I bought mine new for £130. It is also smoother in operation and has had no little niggles. The OKLO has a better operating lever. Which, for now, leaves the Reverb ahead and is the one I'd recommend out of the pair.



Initial comments.

I've had a Reverb fitted to my Orange 5 for over a year now. Bought in the CRC sale for £129, it was a doddle to fit and has proven utterly reliable. I've used it in Surrey and over at Dartmoor. Used for about eight months, once a week for 40km rides.

So why have I not ridden the Five for four months? Because I don't really like the Reverb. Never quite got on with it, and I suspect fault lies with the fragile feeling button. It doesn't feel solid and I don't like the rubber cover at all. It wibbles. Always seem to have to think about using it, to make a conscious effort. Even after 8 months of use, there were times when I'd have it up going downhill, or down going up.

On my PACE RC303 they fitted a little guide block for a dropper hose, all those years ago when designing it. Always meant to fit one. CRC, again, had a sale on, again. So I bought one of their own brand droppers. The OKLO.

The OKLO was an intuitive fit; never read the instructions, it took less than five minutes to install. So, so easy. Managed to squeeze a mudguard underneath it as well, which made me happy. The lever pulls the operating cable, and can be positioned anywhere on the handlebars. The lever is a solid affair, not flimsy and complicated and bulky like the Reverb. So far so good.

Out of the box the OKLO looks well built, yet not bulky or ugly. There's a heft to it, so it adds mass to the bike. I removed a Thompson post and could sense the additional weight at the rear. It'll add perhaps 20 seconds to my Box Hill climb time. On the bike it looks purposeful, but then all dropper posts do - the Reverb more so in this repsect.

Not so good is the slight rotational play at the saddle. Slightly more than the Reverb has. Not noticeable when riding, and CRC provide a 2 year no quibble warranty.

Only used it on one 50km, very muddy ride so far. Must say I'm very pleased with it. Bizarrely it seems more intuitive to use than the Reverb. I know, I know; Muddy you prick, how can pushing a lever be more intuitive than pushing a button? Perhaps it isn't; perhaps the lever has a more thumb friendly feel. I just know I like using it, where I don't like the Reverb at all.

The OKLO is smooth in operation. Actually I'm finding it hard to say anything here. The thing just sits there, working when you want it, doing its job effortlessly. I have it low when going down hills or through singletrack, and high for uphills or tedious road sections.

As for having a low slung frame where you can fit a mudguard AND a dropper? Now that is class.



 

Comments