Fresh Gear: SDG Tellis Dropper Post

SDG Component joins a growing list of manufacturers offering a dropper post with their new offering: the Tellis Dropper Post. Coming to the party a bit later than others gave Tyler and the rest of the team at SDG the same perspective as the rest of us. While dropper posts improve the riding experience, cost and durability are issues found with the bulk of the current offerings. The Tellis directly address both durability and cost, and perhaps more importantly, the long term cost of ownership.

With a retail price of $249, the initial sticker price is extremely competitive, but that’s just where the value starts in this equation. What most manufacturers (and reviews) fail to address is how much a dropper post will cost you over time. With many droppers running $100-$175 to repair or service, those dollars add up over the usable life of the product.

I have first hand experience here, with four dropper posts currently lying in boxes in my garage — two Reverbs, a Fox Doss and a Fall Line. In various states of disrepair, most of them ran well for about a season before sagging under body weight, leaking, or slipping to a lower position. Of the before mentioned posts the Fall Line impressed the most with over two years of usable life before a slow leak developed.

The posts under my work bench are for the most part serviceable. I’ve even ordered the parts and tools to repair the Reverbs, but they’ve still sat for over two years now as I simply don’t want to spend the time needed resuscitate them. Of course I could just pass it off and pay for the repair; most shops charge somewhere in the realm of $125-$150 for the repair.  The DOSS though, is done. As they aren’t end user serviceable, I sent it in Fox, who quoted me $175 to repair it; claimed it had rock damage and that it was better replace it they offered a discount on a replacement Transfer post. Passing on the offer, the DOSS was sent back to us and now lives in a box in the garage.

Why fix a post when for a bit more you can simply buy a new one with a full warranty?

SDG came to the game aware of these issues and released the tools and components needed for the end user to rebuild the Tellis at the time of its launch. The post is cable actuated for simple operation, and the height adjustment is all self contained in a cartridge kit that lists for only $44.99. (this appears to have dropped in price since the initial launch)

Having replaced cartridge units in similar products, I can say from first hand knowledge that its a basic procedure, and most accomplished home mechanics should be able to handle it, with experienced shops being able to do the repair in around 30 minutes or less.

Bottom line, this post is a solid value, and while its not the only new post on the market that boasts these features, from limited time riding ours we can say you’ll be seeing a lot of these posts. Not just because of the value but because they also work really well. That, and they’re being spec’d on a good number of bikes this year…

Features & Specs

• Internal Routed, Infinitely Adjustable Design: 125mm and 150mm Travel
• Simplistic, Fully Sealed Alloy Cage / Stainless Tip Cartridge System
• Durable 3D Forged Head w/ 7075-T6 Forged Clamp
• Industry Leading Featherlight Thumb Actuation
• Intelligent Keyway System Ensures Minimal PlayEasiest Installation – Cable Head Attaches At Base
• Cold Weather Approved – Tested Down To -20C
• 1x Lever included w/ Premium Jagwire Lex Slick Housing, Stainless Cable & Hardware
• Global Backend Support, Service Parts & Instructions Readily Available

Installation

The post is currently only available with 125 and 150mm of travel, I saved it for a new hardtail project I’ve been putting together, as the 6″ of drop was a near perfect fit for the bike. (A model with an additional inch of drop is in the works)

As for the installation itself, it went extremely quickly. In fact, it was probably the fastest dropper post install I’ve performed to date. The head of the cable goes into the post and can be released easily in the event you wish to remove the post or swap it from bike to bike. Cable adjustment is performed at the lever.

I ran it through the bike, the cable through the lever and tightened the pinch bolts. A few test actuations to verify the cable and housing were seated and a small adjustment, then a quick re-tension and retightening. Done.

After installing the Tellis, I had to ponder why posts from other brands are such a pain in the ass to work on. SDG nails it.

On the Trail

On the bike, the Tellis post is a no-nonsense affair. Push the button, sit and the post goes down. Push it again and it pops right back up quickly. It takes a minimal of effort to engage the lever, which is textured for easy grip, and the thumb to lever relationship we’re having is probably the best I’ve had with a dropper post to date. SDG nailed it on the lever – most of us simply want a matching lever to the shifter and it is pretty darn close in terms of size. In addition, the light action of the lever is the best of any post I’ve used to date.

Time will tell the true test of longevity, but first impressions have been great. No issues with air loss, just reliable, quick actuations and it goes up and down every time. Now I just want a 7″ drop version for my long travel trail bike…

Disclaimer: we receive product support from SDG, and while we get stuff, (and are superfans) we don’t get compensated for writing  posts or expressing our thoughts — our opinions are our own. In the spirit of keeping things real, if I thought the post sucked, I probably won’t have written about it, and instead worked directly with the brand on finding ways to improve it.

Learn more at SDGComponents.com or shop SDG gear at JensonUSA.com