The OneUp Components V2 dropper post has arguably been the benchmark for dropper seatposts for several years due to its robust design, quality construction, and ease of maintenance. Recently, OneUp launched its V3 dropper post, and while at first glance it appears not too dissimilar to its predecessor, a detailed look uncovers some notable improvements over the V2.
OneUp V3 Dropper Post Price & Specs
- Travel Options | 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240mm
- Travel Adjustment | Up to 20mm travel reduction
- Diameter | 34.9, 31.6, 30.9 and 27.2mm (90mm and 120mm length only)
- Weight | 594g (180×34.9mm)
- RRP | $449.95 AUD (dropper only)
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OneUp has completely redesigned the internals within the V3, ditching the adjustable air spring in the V2 for a replaceable and recyclable gas cartridge. The new cartridge results in a claimed 75% reduction in actuation force and has a noticeably smoother actuation over the V2 we’ve used previously. In addition, the V3 features an updated seal from SKF to keep the mud out of the internals, and a new bushing design from IGUS to better manage the lateral forces and maintain smooth operation.
To reduce side-to-side slop, OneUp have doubled the number of guide pins within the post from three to six, and on posts longer than 180mm, have included a second bushing to improve the long-term durability. The V3 is claimed to be fully rebuildable (except for the cartridge, which is replaceable) at home with only a 14mm wrench, 5mm Hex and 2mm Hex, all within 10 minutes. Once the time comes, we will be dusting off Flow’s ‘Stopwatch of Truth’ to put these claims to the test!
Thanks to the new design and a gas cartridge, OneUp claims the V3 to be the lightest infinitely adjustable post on the market, and that’s without the Ti bolt upgrade kit saving an additional 10 grams. Weighing in at 594 grams for a 180mm x 34.9mm post, it is lighter than the claimed weight of the recently released 2025 Fox Transfer by an impressive 97 grams. What’s even more impressive? It achieves this feat while being more than $200 AUD cheaper.
Expanding upon the groundwork laid by OneUp V2 model, the V3 takes the OneUp dropper post to new heights (Hah, get it?!). With the shortest overall stack height and total length of any post on the market in each given drop length, the V3 allows riders to fit the longest drop seatpost possible for any size bike. The drop length has 20mm of adjustment in 10mm increments to allow riders to fine tune saddle height and drop length if required. OneUp has a sizing tool on its website that’s definitely worth checking out if you’re curious whether a longer post will fit your frame.
Flows Initial Impressions
We’ve had a OneUp V3 post fitted to a Specialized Levo SL Pro since it was first released back in January, and have paired it with a Hope Dropper Lever to handle the actuation side of things. During the initial testing we noticed a small amount of sag under weight when the post is deep into its stroke, without getting the verniers out, we’d guess around 2-3mm. Towards the top of the stroke and at full extension, the post is rock-solid, exactly how we expected it. We were curious as to if this was normal, so we reached out to the team at One-Up, in which Gavin from the QC/R&D team swiftly responded with a brilliant explanation.
“The squish you have noticed is normal and is just a byproduct of the new cartridge design. The explanation that I like best is that the oil in the cartridge behaves similarly to a brake-bleed syringe. If you close up the bleed syringe, and pull the plunger to apply negative pressure to the brake fluid, air bubbles will form momentarily. Once you release the plunger, the air disappears back into the oil, or a bubble gathers at the top.”
“With the V3 cartridge, the amount of squish will vary, depending on how much oil is available/past the valve. When the post is at full extension, there is almost no oil available to pull air out of, and so the post is damn-near fully rigid (You can get ~1-2mm of movement if you shock-load it with full bodyweight, off-the-top-ropes style). Whereas when it’s partially compressed, there is more oil available, and thus more air available to pull out of solution momentarily, as you’ve experienced! Since the cartridge is fully sealed, there’s never any additional air or moisture being added to the mix, so it won’t worsen as time goes on. If a bubble does manage to form, the cartridge is also self-bleeding, so the air is purged when the post is cycled.”
The observed sag at the deeper end of the stroke didn’t seem to detract from the post’s performance, and its stability at the top of the stroke assured us that it isn’t a detrimental aspect of the overall design. On the flip side, the most notable standout from our time so far with the v3 is the actuation – it’s remarkably smooth and quiet, a likely by-product of the cartridge design. The post is free from any binding or resistance with a consistent return speed and audible knock once returned to full height. It’s far too soon to determine the long-term durability of the V3 dropper post, but if the V2 is anything to go by, we are expecting plenty of miles before it needs any attention.
