Mick & Wil review the 2026 RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post

Do you remember when the first RockShox Reverb was introduced way back in 2010? We do, and it’s only making us feel just a little bit old!

While not the first dropper post on the market, the Reverb undoubtedly played a big role in popularising the category. Unfortunately, it encountered a bumpy ride along the way with some durability issues that could see it squishing when it wasn’t meant to squish. Subsequent redesigns helped to hone in on its reliability, which culminated in the release of the wireless AXS model in 2019.

Bringing electronics to a dropper post wasn’t exactly what every consumer was asking for, and indeed the wireless function is still considered an expensive luxury by many. There’s no denying the Reverb AXS dropper worked very well though. Its fast and near-effortless action helped it to stand out from the pack, while the lack of a cable allowed for idiot-proof installation and a pleasingly tidy cockpit. It also proved to be impressively durable, which is likely why RockShox has been able to keep the current design in circulation for the last six years.

Aside from being quite expensive, the main downside of the current Reverb AXS is the fact that it hasn’t been available with more than 170mm of travel. With modern trail and enduro riders asking for a lot more than that, RockShox realised it would need to go back to the drawing board in order to keep everyone happy.

The result is the brand new Reverb AXS dropper post, which features up to a whopping 250mm of travel. Equally exciting, it is significantly cheaper than its predecessor. So, what’s the catch?

Watch our video review of the RockShox Reverb AXS dropper here:

An overview of the new RockShox Reverb AXS dropper

All-new for this year, the second generation RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post features a revised layout that shifts the battery module to the top of the outer tube. RockShox explained this was necessary in order to increase clearance between the saddle and rear tyre at full bottom-out while facilitating longer travel options. It’s the same conclusion that Fox came to with its Transfer Neo dropper, and although RockShox was beaten to the punch, it does mean the aesthetic is a bit less jarring this time round.

The new design means RockShox can pump up the Reverb AXS to 250mm of travel, which should please even the longest of legs out there. It’s available all the way down to 100mm of travel in 25mm increments.

Unfortunately the travel isn’t adjustable, which is also the case with the Fox Transfer Neo dropper. This differs to cable-activated droppers like the regular Transfer, BikeYoke Revive 3.0 and OneUp V3, all of which can have their travel easily reduced by the user. As such, you’ll have to pay close attention to your saddle height and insertion depth, because what you buy is what you get.

No more hydraulics

Aside from the increase in travel, the biggest change to the new Reverb AXS is its revised internals. Compared to the previous version the hydraulics have been ditched in favour of a simpler air-only design. RockShox calls this system ‘air-over-air’ and it’s essentially an upscaled version of what you’ll find in the Reverb AXS XPLR gravel dropper.

This unique design differs to almost every other infinitely adjustable dropper post on the market, which will typically use a hydraulic circuit to lock out the post at any point in its travel. The downside of this approach is the opportunity for air to mix with the oil, leading to the dreaded squishiness that plagued earlier versions of the Reverb.

By going air-only, RockShox has been able to eliminate any chance of unwanted aeration. However, because air is more compressible than oil, some clever engineering was required to ensure that the Reverb AXS would be rock-solid at full height.

To achieve this, the negative air chamber is virtually cut off when the post is at full extension. This sees you sitting on just the positive air spring, which is pumped up to an incredibly high 600psi (or 335psi in the case of the 34.9mm droppers) to ensure it’s completely locked out. As soon as you hit the remote and the post begins to compress, a valve opens up the negative chamber. This balances the pressures between the two chambers and introduces a degree of built-in suspension whenever the post is set partway through its travel. Called ‘ActiveRide’, it’s the same feature that’s found in the Reverb XPLR dropper. RockShox claims it’s useful for tech climbing on an e-MTB, but we reckon that’s a bit of a stretch.

It’s cheaper & easier to service

Thanks to the air-only design, the new Reverb AXS is significantly easier to service for the home mechanic. RockShox states that a basic service will take just 15 minutes to perform, which is recommended for every 300 hours of ride time (or annually, whichever comes first).

It’s clear that the simplified internals also make the Reverb AXS cheaper to manufacture. Whereas the previous model retailed for $1,480 AUD, the new post brings that down to $945 AUD.

It’s worth noting that you still need to purchase a remote separately. While the Reverb AXS is compatible with SRAM’s two-button Pod Controllers ($260 AUD), our preference is for the dedicated Reverb Controller ($125 AUD). That brings the total package price up to $1,070 AUD, which is still significantly cheaper than a Fox Transfer Neo ($1,549 AUD).

2026 RockShox Reverb AXS price & specs

• Travel Options | 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225 & 250mm
• Diameter | 30.9mm, 31.6mm & 34.9mm
• Spring System | Air-Over-Air w/ActiveRide
• Saddle Clamp | Twin-Bolt, Round & Oval Rail Compatible
• Confirmed Weight | 633g (31.6x125mm) – 707g (31.6x175mm)
• Price | $945 AUD (Post) – $125 AUD (Reverb L/H Controller)

Installation & sizing

For anyone who’s ever had to battle with internal cable routing, installing a wireless dropper post is just an absolute pleasure. Aside from charging the AXS battery and pairing the remote to the post, there’s really not much else to do.

The biggest hurdle you’ll face is choosing the right amount of travel. As mentioned earlier, it isn’t possible to modify the Reverb’s travel so you’ll need to pay close attention to your saddle height and your frame’s maximum insertion depth.

It’s also worth noting that despite the lower profile twin-bolt saddle clamp, the new Reverb AXS still features a fairly tall stack height of around 64mm. Compare that to the Transfer Neo (47mm), BikeYoke Revive (37mm) and OneUp V3 (30mm). Put simply, the taller the stack height the less travel you can squeeze in.

On the flip side, the lower tube of the Reverb AXS is quite short. This is easy to see when comparing it side-by-side with the Transfer Neo, which places its electronic motor at the base of the post. The Transfer Neo is longer and bulkier, which restricts its insertion depth.

Needless to say there’s a bit to consider when looking at all of the different measurements. Thankfully RockShox has a handy video guide to help you choose the optimum configuration for your bike if you’re feeling a bit bamboozled.

RockShox Reverb AXS weight

For our test droppers, Wil was able to just squeeze a 175mm travel Reverb AXS into his medium size Trek Fuel EX. Mick has a 200mm travel post fitted to his medium Ibis HD6 with room to spare. In both cases we used a shim to fit the droppers into the 34.9mm diameter seat tubes, which is predominantly so we can swap these posts around on different test bikes. It also results in less weight, since the full-size 34.9mm Reverb AXS is quite porky.

On the topic of weight, it turns out the new Reverb AXS is pretty much identical to its predecessor. Our 31.6x175mm test post tipped the scales at 707g, which is within a few grams of the old 170mm version. This surprised us, as we expected the sleeker saddle clamp and air-only internals would have led to a reduction in weight.

Not everyone will be bothered by this, but for XC racers who are looking for a lightweight, short travel dropper post, it’s worth noting that the new Reverb AXS is nearly 200g heavier than a Fox Transfer SL, even after you factor in the cable and remote.

On the trail with the new RockShox Reverb AXS dropper

Compared to the previous RockShox Reverb AXS dropper there are some notable differences with the new version. Initially we didn’t find the action to be quite as responsive, with a touch of lag evident between the valve opening up the air chambers before the post began to move. This ended up being easily rectified with a firmware update via the SRAM AXS app, which had the Reverb AXS feeling considerably zippier.

While the electronic bits are plenty responsive, there is a bit more force required to compress the post due to the high-pressure air spring. 600psi is a lot, especially compared to the old Reverb’s 250psi.

It is possible to reduce the pressure down to 400psi, which we were able to do once we got our hands on a specific pump from RockShox. Doing so made a big difference to how easy it was to push the saddle downwards, but it also introduced noticeable squish even when the post was at full height. Some riders will be more sensitive to this than others, and of course of much sag you encounter will depend on your weight.

For Wil’s 68kg riding weight, it was significant enough that it wasn’t until he was back up to 550psi before the post was sufficiently rigid at full extension. At that pressure the Reverb AXS is a little easier to compress, though not enough that we’d recommend you rush out and buy a high-pressure pump. As such, we expect most riders will be fine with the factory-set 600psi.

Otherwise the return speed remains nice and snappy, and there’s still a positive top-out thunk each time the saddle returns to full height. We’re also impressed with how solid the new Reverb AXS feels, with none of our three droppers giving so much as a hint of any lateral or rotational play after several months of testing.

We’re less sold on the purported benefits of the ActiveRide function, which seems a bit wasted on a longer travel full suspension bike. It does add some comfort on technical climbs where you have the saddle partially lowered, but it also creates some lag since the post continues to compress a bit even after your thumb has released the remote. This felt a bit weird during the first ride, especially coming from a Fox Transfer Neo with its lighter and more positive action. That being said, it didn’t take long for us to forgot about it. And it should be noted that the ActiveRide function will be a fantastic comfort-boosting feature for hardtail and gravel riders.

Any issues so far?

We’ve had three of the new Reverb AXS droppers in circulation for the past couple of months and none have presented any problems in that time.

When it does come time for a basic service, the procedure should be achievable for most home mechanics. RockShox then recommends a more comprehensive rebuild every two years (or 600 hours of ride time, whichever comes first). It’s still pretty straightforward, but you will need more tools including the high pressure shock pump. As such, we expect most riders will send their post off to have the complete service carried out.

From a user experience perspective, those who are less fond of electronics on their mountain bike may be sceptical of having to regularly recharge the battery. Given you’ll get up to 60 hours of ride time between charges, it’s really not that big of a deal. If you can remember to charge your mobile phone you’ll be just fine.

Perhaps the only genuine annoyance is having to remove the battery to insert the red plastic dummy during transportation. It isn’t strictly necessary, but it will prevent the battery from being drained prematurely.

On the note of the battery, we’re glad to see RockShox and SRAM continuing to use the same standard for its AXS components. It means that spares are easy to come by should you misplace one, and if you use an AXS derailleur (or RockShox Flight Attendant suspension) you could always swap batteries around should one go flat during a ride.

What about a non-electronic Reverb?

While we’ve been impressed with the performance and lower price tag of the new RockShox Reverb AXS, at over a grand it is still a significant investment. You can get a very good cable-actuated dropper post for less than half the price, which means you’re paying a fair whack of coin to get the wireless functionality.

Given all the improvements with the new Reverb AXS dropper, we’re curious as to whether RockShox will introduce a non-electronic version in the future. The previous hydraulically-actuated Reverb C1 appears to have disappeared from the website altogether, so as of right now your options are AXS or nothing. That opens up a gap for RockShox to offer a more affordable dropper post that’s cable or hydraulically-actuated, which is something we’d be very interested in.

We’d also love to see the option of a lightweight ‘SL’ version for the XC racers. Electronic dropper posts tend to be quite heavy, and as it stands you’re taking on a decent weight penalty if you choose to run the Reverb AXS.

Flow’s Verdict

By rethinking the layout of its battery and motorised internals, the new RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post delivers more tyre-to-saddle clearance while opening up the option of a whopping 250mm of travel. If you’ve been crying out for a longer Reverb over the past couple of years, that alone will be enough to make you happy.

We’re even happier to see the price come down, which is extremely unusual for a new product release in this day and age. It’s not a small amount either, so kudos to RockShox for offering the Reverb AXS at a more reasonable price point.

The air-only spring design is no doubt a contributor to the price reduction, with a simpler construction that makes it easier to service. In pure performance terms it’s not quite as fast or as light in its action compared to the Fox Transfer Neo or previous Reverb AXS dropper. With that in mind, if you already own a Reverb AXS and are happy with your current amount of travel, there’ll be no real need to upgrade.

If you like the idea of more drop though, the new Reverb AXS is a fantastic option. We’ve been impressed with how solid it feels so far, and given the more competitive pricing, we expect you’ll be seeing a lot of these on stock bikes in the coming year and beyond.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER - Wil Barrett

Hometown

Bendigo, Victoria

Height

175cm

Weight65kg