The new RockShox Reverb AXS wireless dropper post features a longer drop than the old model it replaces. It also boasts a longer service life and a new ‘ActiveRide’ feature that turns a previous fail into a tech climb and comfort win. It’s also half the price of Fox’s Transfer Neo competitor. It’s one of the best dropper seatposts I’ve ridden in a long time then, in spite of its challenging looks.

The Reverb is unmissable on a bike, particularly if you have some seatpost collar poking up above the seat tube

Design

Apart from using the same battery as every other SRAM AXS component, the new Reverb really is all new. The biggest change sticks out like a Viagra abuser in Speedos too. The battery and electronic actuators have moved from the back of the saddle clamp to an out and proud position jutting forward from the collar.

The saddle clamp is also changed to a chunky version of the industry standard two bolt fore and aft design, rather than the previous side bolted system. RockShox has fully embraced the longer-droppers-are-better fashion by offering the Reverb AXS in 25mm steps from 100mm up to a massive 250mm stroke option.

The internals are changed to a fully pneumatic ‘air over air’ system that’s much simpler and easier to service than before. In fact the whole post is designed to be as easy to pull apart as possible for it’s 300hr strip and lube or two year full service schedule. There’s no ‘press down the valve to burp it’ bleed feature anymore though.

The Reverb’s new trigger is simple to use and makes for a clean cockpit

There’s a new remote controller that matches the ergonomics of the latest SRAM AXS POD 2 button controller, and also has a side tab for finger as well as thumb actuation. It uses the same figure of eight clamp or direct brake clam mounting hardware too.

Performance

While it’s simpler and air only now, the Reverb is 55g heavier than before. However with the battery moved round the front there’s no worries about the rear wheel peeling it out of its mount and throwing it who knows where at full travel.

At the other end of the spectrum it also means you can now mount a bikepacking seat pack – although not one that straps around the seat post obviously. Moving it round the front also keeps it out of mud’s way.

It does leave it fully exposed to everyone’s aesthetic opinions though. Especially if you’re running the collar above the seat clamp or on an extended seat tube which makes the battery block look particularly obvious and awkward.

Challenging looks aside, the new Reverb has been absolutely excellent in use. It’s smooth, totally consistent with fast reactions and subsequently has a very accurate control of saddle height if you want somewhere between slammed or topped out.

I liked the addition of a finger trigger

The lever click is positive, the button is big enough to find at any point. Once I remembered it was there I used the finger trigger a lot too and actually swung the Controller further round the bar to make it less of a knee knobbler.

While I liked the separate angle adjustment of the old saddle clamp, the conventional two bolt design is totally bombproof and will take any type of saddle rail.

The Reverb also gets the ActiveRide feature of the AXS XPLR gravel dropper. This introduces a slight amount of free bounce if you drop the seat post a few mm below its fully locked out top. That obviously works great on hardtails where the extra comfort is very welcome on all but the smoothest pedals.

It’s more use than you’d think on full suspension bikes – particularly E-MTBs where you sit and pedal more – as it’s another few mm keeping you from getting bounced out of rhythm / the saddle. That’s really good for increasing traction on janky technical climbs and making the most of the latest super steep seat angle bikes.

I can forgive the new Reverb its weird look because its durable and easy to set up

While I’ve not hit the first service interval yet, I did a strip the Reverb down to see if RockShox’ claims of easier servicing were true, and they’re not lying. The 600psi operating pressure of the air spring means you might have to hunt around for a heavy duty shock pump if you start playing around with the air spring though.

So far I’ve not missed the ‘burp’ function either and there’s no play or wobble in the dropper either but obviously I’ll update the review once I’ve got a longer term view than a couple of months of unseasonably dry weather.

The Fox Transfer Neo wireless dropper post is faster to use… but at twice the price it’s silly money

RockShox Reverb vs Fox Transfer Neo

While there are wireless options from Magura and KS the most obvious competitor to the new Reverb is the Fox Neo.

Head to head the Neo has an even faster action, and an even smoother feel than the Reverb. The remote control is more like a conventional cable lever in terms of size and there’s more nuance in the action for nudging small amounts of movement.

The Fox also has a Bike Park mode that effectively disconnects the remote and locks the saddle down so knocking the switch accidentally halfway through a jump line doesn’t fire the seat into your shorts.

While it’s still ‘ick’ the external battery block is neater too. It’s on the back of the post where tyres and their filth are ready to attack it though and the ‘8000 actuations’ service schedule will be much shorter than the 300 hour RockShox advisory for most riders.

Neo is also around 50g heavier, tops out at a 200mm stroke and has no ‘ActiveRide’ comfort/traction setting. Most importantly, at £1,129 it’s over twice the price of the Reverb.

The RockShox Reverb makes sense if you ride a hardtail or e-bike, or swap between bikes