X Fusion Manic Dropper Post: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

With so many different options out there, it can be challenging to decide which dropper post-pack the most value into its price point. Our customer Evan Patten is here to argue that the X Fusion Manic dropper post should be towards the top of that list. Read more below for Evan's thoughts on installation and use of his new dropper post.

Evan's Review

As I started to pile up more and more miles on my steed, the frustration set in. Make a climb with the seat up, get to the top, get off of the bike, and drop the seat. Come to another climb, raise the seat. Repeat. Not to mention either having the seat too high in short techy, steep sections or having the seat too low on those punchy climbs. It was affecting the flow of my rides, it was time to invest in a dropper post.

First of all, I'm on a budget. I needed to stay under 300 dollars with the post and anything else I needed for installation. Second of all, I needed it to be reliable. After that, any other features were a bonus. I did my research and came to the conclusion that the X-Fusion Manic in the 150mm flavor would be my choice. It has solid reviews around the web and the price point was unbeatable. It comes with a cable and a shifter style actuator. I will also note that if your bike is internally routed for a dropper post you may want to contact your shop or the manufacturer directly to get the grommets for your frame for a clean install.

Installation

My dropper post and new seatpost clamp came in the mail quickly from Worldwide Cyclery. Being a child in a grown man's body I had to install it right away. I started by removing my old post and removing the grommets from the frame where the new actuator cable would be routed. Then removed the quick-release seat post clamp since I had a new one. Installation is straightforward except for getting your cable length correct. Take your time on this. Route your cable, mock it all up and figure out how much you need to cut. It's a time-consuming process, especially for somebody who's doing it for the first time, but it's worth getting right. My advice is if you're unsure how much to cut exactly, cut the cable in small sections and repeat mock-up until it's perfect for you. The excess cable is annoying, and you'll hate yourself if you cut it too short. If you take your time, it will turn out. After that it's cake. Mount your trigger on the bars, drop your post in according to your height and tighten everything up.

Conclusion:

"I have around 200 miles on the Manic now. It's served me very well. I have not a single complaint. It's not as fast as the more expensive droppers, but it does its job. And it does it consistently. That's all I can really say about it. It's not flashy, it's not anything special, but it just has worked so far. I would absolutely recommend the Manic to anyone new to droppers or who are looking for a solid budget product." - Evan Patten