At our 2017 Seatpost Olympics, the first generation of the FOX Transfer seatpost took gold, winning the group test. After eight unsuccessful years, FOX are now launching the new Transfer 2025 dropper post with up to 240 mm of travel and other innovations. We put the dropper through its paces to give you an insight into its performance.
Price: € 449 | Manufacturer’s website
Go for gold: If there was a popularity contest for seatposts among mountain bike product managers, the gold medal would probably go to the FOX Transfer Factory and silver to the wireless RockShox Reverb AXS. There is no other seatpost that we have sat on more often in our tests than these two.
Gold doesn’t rust, but it can gather dust. The previous generation of FOX Transfer seatposts was introduced in 2020 and had its fair share of problems. So it’s high time for a new generation. The new FOX Transfer for the 2025 model comes with several improvements, both internally and in the casting. The most important change is the size. The new FOX Transfer dropper post is now available with 120-240 mm travel and for the first time with a 34.9 mm diameter in addition to the existing 30.9 and 31.6 mm versions. There’s also a new travel reduction function.
We have thoroughly tested the new FOX Transfer Factory dropper post with 240 mm travel and diameters of 31.6 and 34.9 mm. It costs € 449 (without a remote) and weighs 701 g (⌀ 31.6 mm). For perspective, on the gold market, 701 grams of precious metal currently costs around € 49,000. Our test will tell you how well the FOX Transfer dropper post performs in demanding trail conditions and whether it is worth its weight in gold.
The new FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post in detail
The old FOX Transfer was limited to 200 mm of travel, but the FOX Transfer 2025 now extends up to 240 mm. At the same time, the overall height has been reduced. The new stack height, measured from the bottom of the collar to the centre of the saddle clamp, is now 35 mm instead of 40 mm. FOX have achieved this mainly by shortening the collar. Whereas the old collar was almost 22 mm high, about the height of a first year business student’s shirt collar, the new collar has shrunk to 17 mm.
The maximum insertion depth has changed only slightly. A FOX Transfer 2021 with 150 mm travel and 31.6 mm diameter comes in at 230 mm, the 2025 version at 224 mm. The length of the 28 mm cable actuator at the bottom end remains unchanged for the 2025 model. Weighing in at 701 g, the FOX is not particularly light either. The comparable OneUp Components Dropper V3 with 240 mm stroke is even shorter in terms of stack height, insertion depth and overall length and is also 90 g lighter.
However, the minimum insertion depth has been drastically reduced to just 10 cm for the 240 mm version. This would even allow Shaquille O’Neal to sit comfortably on an S-frame. Although there are very few mountain bikes with such short seat tubes that can benefit from such a low minimum insertion depth – the Pole Voima comes to mind – it does provide more design freedom for future bikes.
If you have an eMTB with a 34.9 mm seat tube, you’ll also benefit from the new FOX Transfer 2025. The larger diameter allows for a reduction in insertion depth by another 2–5 mm. While this might not seem like a significant difference, for some riders, it could be just enough reduction in length to consider switching to a version with more travel, especially when you take into account the new travel reduction feature of the FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post.
FOX include five small plastic spacers with the Transfer 2025. One spacer is 5 mm wide and reduces the travel by exactly that amount. Up to five spacers can be fitted to the new Transfer 2025 to reduce the travel by a maximum of 25 mm. If you need 30 mm less travel, just opt for the next shorter dropper. The FOX Transfer 2025 is available in travel lengths of 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 mm.
Installing the spacers is straightforward and requires no tools – even when the dropper is installed. Simply retract the dropper more than 25 mm, screw on the seatpost collar and thread the required number of spacers onto the seatpost. Different spacers are used depending on the diameter: orange for the 30.9 and 31.6 mm versions, green for the 34.9 mm version.
Another new feature of the FOX Transfer 2025 is the new “old” saddle clamp design. Instead of two bolts that you could hook into the upper saddle clamp, standard nuts are used again. As always, fitting the saddle is a bit of a fiddly job, but probably bearable because you normally don’t change your saddle very often.
The saddle clamp bolt heads are angled away from the dropper post tube to make them easier to reach with a 4 mm Allen key. However, if you want to quickly adjust the saddle angle on the trail with a multi-tool, this design still leaves little space and you run the risk of scratching the shiny Kashima finish.
The new internals of the FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post in detail
Unscrew the saddle clamp and you’ll immediately notice that the internals have also changed. The air spring has moved from the bottom of the seat post to the top and you are now greeted by a Shrader valve. The pressure range for filling the dropper in the extended position is indicated on the valve cap: 275–325 psi. The stiffness of the spring also varies with air pressure.
If you wanted to service and refill the old FOX Transfer, you either had to watch a 90-minute YouTube tutorial twice and buy special tools that cost as much as the seatpost itself – including a € 180 gas refill adapter to fill the FOX Transfer with nitrogen. Alternatively, you could take it to an (authorised) workshop for service. However, the new FOX Transfer doesn’t need a gas refill adapter – it can be filled with normal ambient air from a shock pump.
According to FOX, you can now service the new Transfer yourself using standard tools. This includes separating the dip tube from the stanchion tube and applying fresh grease to the bushings. All you have to do is unscrew the cable actuator with a 10 mm open-end spanner and remove the seatpost collar. And just like that, the seatpost separates into two larger parts.
However, we will have to wait for the official FOX manual to be released before we can assess how long a complete rebuild will take. With the previous FOX Transfer, this process involved a total of 55 steps, so let’s hope it’s quicker this time.
In any case, FOX have drastically extended the service interval for the new Transfer 2025. According to the manufacturer, a full service is now only required every 300 hours. This is thanks to a new seal design that should also result in less air loss and less internal friction.
The bushings have also been revised. The IGUS bushings have been replaced by Ekonol bushings, which are said to allow lower tolerances and better sliding properties.
The spec variants of the new FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post in detail
As usual, the FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post is available in two variants. The names are derived from the FOX suspension models. The cheaper version is the FOX Transfer Performance Elite for € 369. It has a black anodised stanchion. The upmarket FOX Transfer Factory version comes with a Kashima-coated stanchion, allowing you to easily spot wealthy dentists on their bikes.
The Kashima coating is said to provide a lower sliding friction, making it more abrasion resistant, more durable and slightly less prone to scratching. From our practical experience with the FOX Factory suspension, we have not noticed any reduction in sliding friction – it is probably more the prestige factor of the golden colour that is appealing to buyers. The weak point of the Kashima coating: its colour has changed slightly compared to the previous product year. It is a little darker and more brownish and does not match the suspension forks from previous years. Our tip: treat yourself to a new FOX Factory fork to go with the new Transfer Factory dropper post 😉
The remotes are unchanged from last year and are not included. You can order the FOX Transfer dropper post lever 1x for € 83 in the FOX online shop. Check our size chart to see if the new FOX Transfer 2025 fits your frame. We explain how to find the right size here.
| Travel | 95–120 mm | 125–150 mm | 155–180 mm | 185–210 mm | 215–240 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total length 30.9 mm / 31.6 mm without cable pull actuator | 346 mm* | 411 mm* | 476 mm* | 541 mm* | 611 mm |
| Insertion depth 30.9 mm / 31.6 mm without cable pull actuator | 190 mm* | 224 mm* | 260 mm* | 295 mm* | 335 mm |
| Total length 34.9 mm without cable pull actuator | 344 mm* | 409 mm* | 474 mm* | 539 mm* | 606 mm* |
| Insertion depth 34,9 mm without cable pull actuator | 188 mm* | 222 mm* | 258 mm* | 293 mm* | 329 mm* |
| Weight (30.9 mm variant) | 475 g* | 528 g* | 585 g* | 636 g* | n/a |
| Weight (31.6 mm variant) | 492 g* | 549 g* | 608 g* | 667 g* | 701 g |
| Weight (34.9 mm variant) | 555 g* | 621 g* | 691 g* | 759 g* | 826 g* |
*Manufacturer’s specification
The FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post in review
Fitting the seat post is self-explanatory: Attach the cable, press it into the seat tube with a little grease and tighten the seat clamp to the manufacturer’s specified torque – done.
Once the seatpost is filled with the correct air pressure, it extends rapidly, marking the end of its upward journey with a distinct “clonk” sound. The FOX Transfer 2025 can be raised gradually by pressing the lever halfway and can be stopped at any point along its travel.
In our head-to-head comparison, the 2025 is noticeably easier to operate than a brand new FOX Transfer from the previous model year with the same lever and freshly laid cables – but that may have been an isolated case. We will keep you informed and update this article.
With the exception of one brief hiccup, the FOX Transfer extended smoothly during all of our test rides so far. When retracting, the air chamber provides a little more support towards the end of the travel. This means that heavier riders don’t go through the full 240 mm of travel when sitting down. However, it also makes manual retraction a little more difficult. Lighter riders should aim for the lower air pressure recommendation of 275 psi when setting up the dropper post.
When lowered while you’re in the saddle, the post retracts smoothly. As a test, we put all our weight on the rear edge of the saddle to apply maximum lateral force to the post. However, the FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post remained completely unfazed.
Even when extended, the post is remarkably stable. When sitting on it, you won’t notice any flex or play. Only when the saddle is turned by hand from above can the dropper be moved back and forth by what feels like a mere micrometre.
The extra freedom of movement provided by the dropper’s 240 mm travel is worth its weight in gold. For riders who spend a lot of time on technical terrain with steep sections, every extra centimetre of freedom of movement is invaluable.
Conclusion on the new FOX Transfer 2025 dropper post
The increased travel and slightly lower stack height of the new FOX Transfer 2025 is terrific. We also appreciate the longer service interval and the new air chamber design, which makes filling much easier. It’s a shame, however, that the insertion depth has only been reduced slightly. Nevertheless, thanks to the new travel reduction option, this dropper post is sure to find its way onto many new mountain bikes because its quality and performance leave nothing to be desired.
Tops
- plenty of travel
- tool-free travel reduction
- smooth adjustment and easy operation
- no flex even when fully extended
Flops
- a bit long and heavy
For more information visit ridefox.com
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Words: Rudolf Fischer Photos: Mike Hunger. Peter Walker
