[levelseventysix]

My LBS guy recommended I raise my seat height a bit. Instead of having him do it, I tried it myself.
Well, now my Fox Transfer post (just a few weeks old) isn't working properly.
First, it wouldn't go up when I pressed the lever (Wolftooth). Then I loosened the seat post clamp and wiggled the post a bit up and down and it dropper popped up.

So I tightened the post clamp but then then the post wouldn't go down when pressing the lever!

After fiddling with the post a bit the lever works to lift the post but it goes up slowly. HOWEVER, the post doesn't stay up when I sit on it. I can even push down and lower it without using the lever. UGH! What have I done?

Like I said, the post it practically brand new, just 50 miles on it.

 

[dysfunction]

Loosen the adjuster at the remote.

 

[levelseventysix]

Loosen the adjuster at the remote.

Forgive me, but I often get tripped up here. Which direction loosens? Say I'm straddling the bike facing the front wheel, which way do I turn the adjuster? Away from the front wheel or towards the front wheel?
---
ETA
I figured out the adjustment direction and loosened the adjuster but the problems persist: slow return and can be pushed down without using the remote.

 

[dysfunction]

Did you torque the seatpost collar? If you have them too tight, it'll go up slowly. If your cable is too tight, it won't let the post lock in place.

I think you have a combination of the two going on.

 

[levelseventysix]

Did you torque the seatpost collar? If you have them too tight, it'll go up slowly. If your cable is too tight, it won't let the post lock in place.

I think you have a combination of the two going on.

Seatpost collar isn't too tight. I'm thinking I may have messed up something internally but I'm not brave enough to go in there and sort it out. Will just take it back to the bike shop.

 

[Carl Mega]

odds are you unseated or disturbed the cable housing when you pulled the post up. No big deal. First thing I'd try is to feed a wee bit of the cable housing into the frame.

So follow your dropper lever cable housing from where it starts at the lever - see where it enters the frame. Try to push a bit more of it into the frame. Like no more than a 1cm.

You may need an adjustment or closer look see - but let's start with this easy thing first. sounds like you are new to working on your bike.

 

[levelseventysix]

odds are you unseated or disturbed the cable housing when you pulled the post up. No big deal. First thing I'd try is to feed a wee bit of the cable housing into the frame.

So follow your dropper lever cable housing from where it starts at the lever - see where it enters the frame. Try to push a bit more of it into the frame. Like no more than a 1cm.

You may need an adjustment or closer look see - but let's start with this easy thing first. sounds like you are new to working on your bike.

I'm not new, but I'm not very good at it!

Earlier I tried (instinctually) pushing some of the cable housing back into the frame but that didn't do much. I likely did it more than 1cm in total though.

 

[Carl Mega]

Ok. No worries. I still think your housing is unseated from the post's guide and thus it is activating the post (why it lowers all the time). The sure bet here is to regroup and start over. There are plenty of youtube videos that can walk you thru this.

This might be too much for you but what I'd do is:

1) take lever off the bars - this should give you enough cable housing to feed into the frame... so you can:
2) remove the post and inspect the housing and mechanism - look for gaps/ detachment
3) realign the cable housing / ferrule so everything fits snugly / flush See pics here: Quick fix tips for replacing the cable on an internally routed Fox Transfer dropper post
4) reinstall the post - guiding it into the frame and gently pulling the housing from frame as you feed thru
5) set height - modestly tighten the seat post clamp
6) install lever
7) test

Question: how much did you raise your post? Did you pull it out a lot at some point? Also - did you attempt any other adjustments?

PS - you may have enough housing to pull out your post and see - or maybe turning the bars will give you enough - it depends. but that may save you from having to take the lever off.

 

[levelseventysix]

Ok. No worries. I still think your housing is unseated from the post's guide and thus it is activating the post (why it lowers all the time). The sure bet here is to regroup and start over. There are plenty of youtube videos that can walk you thru this.

This might be too much for you but what I'd do is:

1) take lever off the bars - this should give you enough cable housing to feed into the frame... so you can:
2) remove the post and inspect the housing and mechanism - look for gaps/ detachment
3) realign the cable housing / ferrule so everything fits snugly / flush See pics here: Quick fix tips for replacing the cable on an internally routed Fox Transfer dropper post
4) reinstall the post - guiding it into the frame and gently pulling the housing from frame as you feed thru
5) set height - modestly tighten the seat post clamp
6) install lever
7) test

Question: how much did you raise your post? Did you pull it out a lot at some point? Also - did you attempt any other adjustments?

PS - you may have enough housing to pull out your post and see - or maybe turning the bars will give you enough - it depends. but that may save you from having to take the lever off.

This doesn't sound too difficult. I'll give it a go. Worst case I'll just take it in.

 

[Carl Mega]

This doesn't sound too difficult. I'll give it a go. Worst case I'll just take it in.

Totally. 5 min job. If you do take it in, specify you just need help adjusting and setting the cable on your dropper. Don't want to go down the path of "my dropper is broken"... I have a feeling that's a queue you want to avoid.

Hit back if you have Qs.

 

[levelseventysix]

Totally. 5 min job. If you do take it in, specify you just need help adjusting and setting the cable on your dropper. Don't want to go down the path of "my dropper is broken"... I have a feeling that's a queue you want to avoid.

Hit back if you have Qs.

Ok, just followed your steps and it looks like that may have done the trick! It doesn't go back up as fast as I'd like but maybe I can play with the barrel adjuster to remedy that?

 

[Carl Mega]

Ok, just followed your steps and it looks like that may have done the trick! It doesn't go back up as fast as I'd like but maybe I can play with the barrel adjuster to remedy that?

Excellent. Maybe an adjustment is in order - but first, can you back off a bit on the seat clamp bolt and retest? The tension there can cause some restriction/binding on the return.

FWIW - Can you feel lag/play in the cable at your wolftooth lever? I suspect your cable was originally on the loose side.

 

[levelseventysix]

Excellent. Maybe an adjustment is in order - but first, can you back off a bit on the seat clamp bolt and retest? The tension there can cause some restriction/binding on the return.

FWIW - Can you feel lag/play in the cable at your wolftooth lever? I suspect your cable was originally on the loose side.

The lever was absolutely loose originally! How'd you guess?

I went out for a ride today and I'm not completely happy with how the post is operating. When I press the lever the post goes up but not all the way. It stops a few centimeters short of full extension. And then inexplicably, it got stuck at one point. I had to tighten the adjuster quite a bit to get it to start working again. But still not fully extending. I have to manually pull it up the rest of the way. Usually by using my inner thighs LOL!

 

[Carl Mega]

The lever was absolutely loose originally! How'd you guess?

I went out for a ride today and I'm not completely happy with how the post is operating. When I press the lever the post goes up but not all the way. It stops a few centimeters short of full extension. And then inexplicably, it got stuck at one point. I had to tighten the adjuster quite a bit to get it to start working again. But still not fully extending. I have to manually pull it up the rest of the way. Usually by using my inner thighs LOL!

Bummer. That's obviously not correct. But, we're in the home stretch so don't fret.

The two areas I'd lean into are:

1) being 100% certain the seatpost clamp is not over tight
2) establishing correct cable tension

It is very possible that your post didn't have such a great original install. Maybe the ferrule wasn't fully seated against the housing - thus once it settled or you upset it by raising the post... the slack was enough to start causing your issues.

If you can adjust merely by loosening (eg: backing out increased tension) the barrel adjuster, the posts engagement and return action will be more swift and positive. If you cannot achieve the correct tension by barrel adjuster - reset it inward leaving a turn or two. Then properly tension the cable at the lever by loosening the set screw, pull the cable, retightening. It is explained in that link.

Cheers -almost there.

 

[JoePAz]

The post should go all the way up and make sound when it tops out. If it does not it is probably a cable issue. To tight a seat post collar can cause binding as well. My guess is that the first time you removed and adjusted the cable it got better, but it still not quite right.

 

[tomboyjr]

I think its been said before, but I would start from scratch, following the instructions for installing the post

 

[levelseventysix]

Bummer. That's obviously not correct. But, we're in the home stretch so don't fret.

The two areas I'd lean into are:

1) being 100% certain the seatpost clamp is not over tight
2) establishing correct cable tension

It is very possible that your post didn't have such a great original install. Maybe the ferrule wasn't fully seated against the housing - thus once it settled or you upset it by raising the post... the slack was enough to start causing your issues.

If you can adjust merely by loosening (eg: backing out increased tension) the barrel adjuster, the posts engagement and return action will be more swift and positive. If you cannot achieve the correct tension by barrel adjuster - reset it inward leaving a turn or two. Then properly tension the cable at the lever by loosening the set screw, pull the cable, retightening. It is explained in that link.

Cheers -almost there.

Ok, I will revisit later today and hopefully have good news to report.

 

[levelseventysix]

I think its been said before, but I would start from scratch, following the instructions for installing the post

Possibly. If my efforts fail I'll take it back to the shop that installed it and have them fuss with it.

 

[holyoakey25]

Ok, I will revisit later today and hopefully have good news to report.

I know this is almost a year later… but having a very similar problem And about to take off the seat post and do the above mentioned steps! Did you have a resolution??

Thanks!

 

[levelseventysix]

I know this is almost a year later… but having a very similar problem And about to take off the seat post and do the above mentioned steps! Did you have a resolution??

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure I just took it back to the bike shop and let them fix it. But the steps are worth giving a shot!