There’s an appeal to wireless components, but you can expect to pay a premium price to lose that cable. The TranzX EDP01 wireless dropper seatpost introduction disrupts the wireless dropper space with a model that costs $500, a price substantially lower than competing options. Utilizing an easily replaceable cartridge design found in their other seatpost, it’s a durable, long-lasting contender.
Features
- Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- 0 mm offset post-head
- 2-bolt saddle clamp
- Available in 150, 170, and 200mm travel
- IPX 66 rated water resistance
- Listed weight: 648 g (30.9, 200mm travel), 748 g (31.6, 200mm travel)
- 1-year warranty
The TranzX EDP01 wireless dropper post is available in 30.9 and 31.6 diameters and has three different travel options: 150, 170, and 200mm.
Out of the box, the wireless package includes the dropper post, remote level with a 22mm handlebar clamp, rechargeable battery, USB-c charging case, charging cables, and CR2032 battery for the remote. The estimated range of the battery is 6,000 times per fully charged battery.
If you’re considering a wireless dropper post, the top options currently consist of the:
- RockShox Reverb AXS Wireless
- KS
- TranX Wireless EDP01 – $499
While the TranX is the less expensive of the three, at $500 it still isn’t cheap, considering a good cable actuated post will cost you half that, but for the money, it’s the best value for riders looking to go wireless.
There are a few benefits to switching to a wireless dropper post, but for many, the biggest would arguably be the clean look it adds to your cockpit. Most of my bikes only have 4 cables: front and rear brakes, shifter cable, and dropper post cable. After replacing a mechanically actuated dropper post with the TranzX EDPO1, the look of the cock pit is so clean. (in contrast, my XC race hardtail has an additional cable to the front fork lockout and it’s an ugly mess in comparison)
The sample we received to test was the 200mm. One of the most impressive aspects of the long drop post is the minimal insertion length.
Ease of installation would probably be next on the list for many riders as well. And it is quite a simple install.
Installation
I have a confession: sometimes I can be lazy when it comes to working on my bikes, and the dropper post sat on my workbench for a while before I dug into it. In hindsight, that was silly, as it only took a few minutes to unbox everything (including time to snap a few photos) glance over the instructions and mount it on the test bike.
Due to the wireless nature of the EDP01 seat post, it’s a quick and simple installation. It took much longer to remove the dropper cable from the frame than it did to install the replacement.
Since it’s a wireless electronic system, you begin by adding the power source(s). Everything is included in the box, and after you unpackage the pieces, install the rechargeable EDPO1 lithium-ion battery into the seat post head. The remote lever is powered by the CR2032 battery, which takes another moment to insert into the lever remote.
Then it’s just a matter of installing the saddle placing the post into the frame, and bolting the remote lever to the bars. It’s worth noting that oversized carbon seat rails don’t work with this post. After a few tries to squeeze it in, I gave up and had to select a different option.
First impressions
Letting this sweet piece of kit sit on my workbench as long as I did was pretty lame on my part, and I have certainly missed out on having all this sweet drop at my fingertips. Admittedly, trying to decide which bike I’d put it on was challenging; mainly because I didn’t want to have to deal with reinstalling the cable for a mechanical post later if I changed my mind on what bike I wanted to run it on. Initially, I installed the post on a new 27.5 hardtail frame-up build. After the first few rides, I realized how sweet this post actually was, and had to move it over to my favorite titanium hardtail.
Why did I choose the hardtail over one of my full-suspension trail bikes? One, it has so much clearance, it was a shame to not have a 200mm dropper post on it. In addition, this winter I’ve found the mountain bikes I’ve been riding the most have been my hardtail and my Turbo LEVO eMTB.
I did experience an initial learning curve – if the bike hasn’t been used for a while, it takes a few actuations to wake the post up. I didn’t realize this; when it didn’t work right away on the second ride, I assumed the battery died or was defective. My first step in troubleshooting it was to top off the battery to ensure it wasn’t a power issue. So I put it back on the charger and took another bike out for the day.
The next day I reinstalled the battery and did some test actuations. It turns out, it just needed a few more clicks to “wake up.” I’ve also found that sometimes it takes a bit more before it detects the lever, but generally, my time with the post has pretty much been “plug and play”.
On the trail
There are a few notable experiences to share about the enjoyment of using this post. First, the best part of being wireless – the lack of cables makes my cockpit look ‘oh-so-nice’. Secondly and possibly the biggest value proposition: if you’ve ever experienced a sore thumb from operating a dropper post, (the early Reverb posts really messed up my left thumb back in the day, leaving me with summer-long thumb sprains I’ll never forget) the light push button operation is simply a joy. The paddle has a good feel, and the large surface area means it’s reachable regardless of your body position. You’re not pulling a cable, but pushing a button, so the effort is as minimal as it gets. It’s also simple to adjust the pad’s position until you find that perfect sweet spot, as it just requires a 4mm Allen.
Also, having 200mm of seat drop is pretty amazing any time you’re playing on jump lines. The TransX post doesn’t take up a lot of space in the frame, which has me thinking I want to try it on more of my other bikes. It’s an easy changeover as well, making that an option; I’m only held back because I don’t like adding more bike maintenance tasks to my docket. (I spend a lot of time cleaning and maintaining my bikes as it is) In fact, with the changeover being as its as it is, one could feasibly run this post between several bikes, which could help justify the cost investment.
No hydraulic or mechanical cables to maintain
So far, other than keeping an eye on battery charge, there hasn’t been any maintenance required. That said, I’m always wary about maintenance and the long term. Cables on dropper posts require maintenance, whether they’re mechanical cables or hydraulic. Weather can affect mechanical dropper posts, especially posts with hydraulic lines. I haven’t observed any temperature-related issues with the TransX wireless post, and warm or cold, the pressure required to activate the post is constant. And as I previously mentioned, if you’ve ever suffered from a sore thumb from the first-generation Reverb posts, switching to the EDPO1 post feels like magic in comparison. (Those old hydraulic lines were horrible to service as well.)
That said, the electronically actuated post does introduce a new kind of maintenance. You have two batteries to keep charged. While I haven’t had any problems with the battery, I do experience a bit of anxiety about the battery dying, as there isn’t visual indicator of the charge level. If I was planning to bring one bike equipped with the post on a trip, I’d probably make sure I have spare batteries for both the lever and the post, as well as pack the charger.
Occasionally, a light on the post head will blink red. I’m not sure what it means when these lights are blinking, and I am unable to find technical documentation on what it means. (at some point I’ll reach out and will update this post)
I also received a notification about a firmware update, which required downloading an app and connecting your phone to the post to perform the update. However, after several tries, I still wasn’t able to perform the update. I eventually just gave up as the post seemed to work fine and I wasn’t interested in attempting to troubleshoot things further.
Admittedly mechanical posts have their drawbacks as well. I’ve had a few cables snap at the lever, and that kills the ride. I always travel with spare cables and the tools to replace them now. Admittedly, I’m a bit paranoid about running out of batteries with the TranzX, but that actually hasn’t happened yet. It’s also worth noting you have one more device to keep charged you’ll need to pay attention to where you store your charger.
So who’s the TranzX EDP01 for? If you’re looking for a wireless dropper and you’ve used TranzX posts in the past, you’re already familiar with the affordable reliability of the brand, and the EDP01 is their flagship model. It’s not just the least expensive model of the current wireless options, and offers great performance. The main downside: at the moment there isn’t a lot of documentation on the post, but that could be easily remedied by the folks at TranzX.
The TranzX EDP01 Wireless dropper post sells for $499. Learn more at https://na.tranzx.com or shop for TranzX Posts at retail partner JensonUSA.