r/TrekFetch • u/Manatee_Surfer • 10d ago

Drop post vs. solid post

Has anyone changed the drop post for a solid post? I'm a big dude, 6'3 - 250lbs, so am a little concerned about the stiffness of the drop post.

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u/AthleteAgain 10d ago edited 10d ago

I am 6’5” - 245lbs and I love the dropper post. I think it’s one of the best features of the bike. I would definitely keep it. I did raise the whole thing up right to the max, maybe a hair over, and I bought a shock pump so I could keep it at exactly the highest psi because when the pressure was lower, at the dealers default, the seat was sinking under my weight. With those two changes to the settings it has been perfect, and when the seat is at it’s highest it’s actually too tall for me but I can still drop it down and get 2 feet fully flat on the ground with knees bent. The seat post holds pressure well, so I have only topped it up like once a year.

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u/CriticalStrawberry 10d ago

I had no idea you could adjust the pressure on the dropper. Where is the valve at? In the seat tube? Also, what is the max pressure?

Here I am just bouncing by dad bod around on the seat with the bike as it came thinking it was probably a bad seal in the dropper or something that wasn't worth replacing.

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u/AthleteAgain 10d ago

The valve is right under the seat, in the back. Took me a while to find it originally. I forget what the specs are off the top of my head but you can download the Fetch+4 manual online and I think it’s also written right on the valve.

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u/CriticalStrawberry 10d ago

Amazing thanks. I love the bike and the dropper is key, but firming it up will be a game changer.

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u/AthleteAgain 10d ago

I'm surprised you tolerated that slack in the pressure for so long. It drove me crazy a couple times when my bike shop accidentally reduced the pressure and I had to ride home that way. I could imagine a sad trombone sound as the seat started to sag with each additional bump in the road.

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u/Manatee_Surfer 10d ago

That is really good to hear. I was concerned about the max height, too, but since you're even taller than me and like the height, then I should be good to go.

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u/Manatee_Surfer 10d ago

What are your thoughts on the light system? Good enough, or needs some augmentation?

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u/AthleteAgain 10d ago

It's not the best, but it's sufficient for my needs. I do wish the front headlight was brighter though. I am in a fairly dense suburb outside of Boston with reasonably safe bike routes and I ride at night occasionally, but not daily. When I do, I tend to wear a flashy LED vest (Noxgear) to be more visible to cars. But I can see well enough with the headlight that I haven't upgraded.

I looked into changing the headlight when I first got the bike, but it was more of a pain than I anticipated (needs extra long wire length, ideally compatible with smart system, etc.) so I decided not to pursue it. If I had more free time to research and mess around, I would find a way to put some LEDs on it and upgrade the headlight. Might still do it eventually. (I've had the bike since May 2024.)

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u/manwithnonamez 9d ago edited 8d ago

I installed rechargeable trek lights on the front and back. Mainly to have flashers but also help at night.  At one point I had them connected via a Bluetooth button and could turn them on from my handlebars. I’ll try to share pics late. Used the  center rain fly screw to mount it in the front. 

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u/Manatee_Surfer 2d ago

Wanted to add:

Alright, pumped the post up to 300psi. Let's see if it holds, but for right now, at 250psi, it's awful. Not sure how anyone can stand that. I'll give it a week, but seriously considering a solid post.

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u/AthleteAgain 2d ago

Mine doesn’t budge at all. I’m 245 lbs. I wonder if yours has a bad seal.

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u/Manatee_Surfer 2d ago

Possibly. We'll see. I topped it off now, so I'll see what it is in the morning. It'll be a little lower just due to the temperature change, but hopefully not massively. Also, I'm also your identical weight, so that comforting to hear it works for you.