What is it?
In short, a device which lets you vary the angle of your saddle on the fly.
Why would you want to do that?
Most of us will set our saddle up so it's comfortable/efficient for pedalling along the flat. One exception might be someone who's only doing uplifts, so they'll set the saddle angled back to give them more space to move around on the descents. The majority of people reading this will be on EMTB's so presumably you're doing most of your own uplifts by pedalling.
The problem with a fixed saddle angle is that you won't have the most ideal saddle angle when you're climbing or descending.
Specialized tried to partially address this with the "Command post WU" a few years ago. Using a secondary inner shaft, the saddle would automatically angle backwards as you lowered the dropper. Advertised as a 150mm dropper, in reality it only dropped about 120mm and the rest was made up by the additional 25-30mm height drop of the rear of the saddle as it tilted backwards.
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What does that look like on the bike then?
The SwitchGrade gives you three selectable positions. -10° (tilting forwards), 0° (level), and +12° (tilting back).
In general use, that would mean with the dropper up, you'll most likely be using it in the level position and tilted forwards for climbing.
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In the dropper down position, you'd generally tilt it back so the rear of the saddle is tilted further back and down to give you more space to move around or for more body support (not sliding forwards) if you did sit whilst descending. Whilst tilted back, it also feels more natural if you do pedal in the down position.
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How does it feel to ride with?
Basically - AMAZING ! I don't need to say anymore. Don't try one or you WILL want one !!
For me, post down, it was nice to have the rearward tilt i'm used to with the WU. It's only when you don't have that you forget how much extra space there is to move around with the back of the saddle a few more CM's out of the way.
The biggest thing though is when climbing ! On an EMTB you find yourself regularly climbing more challenging and steeper trails than you would normally. Correct body position is vital, you're constantly adjusting to balance traction with control whilst trying to keep those hands lose and relaxed.
With the SwitchGrade tilted forwards, your body position and the angle of your spine are placed in a far more natural and efficient position for effective climbing. Climbs where you're normally working hard to keep the front down, whilst stopping the rear spinning up, are taken with relative ease ! You have more traction, more control and your grip relaxes as if you're on the flat. This gives you more energy to focus on your lines, more confidence and time to pick alternative lines and the more consistent traction enables you to climb faster and apply more power.
Ten degrees might not sound or look like much, but the difference it makes is unbelievable. It also feels like more. At the top of a climb when you change back to level, you have to check you've not tilted it backwards because it feels like such a huge difference.
How does it work?
The Switchgrade is mounted to the top of your dropper post as a replacement for the saddle clamps. There are 4 types of SwitchGrade depending on which dropper you're using. Installation takes about 5-10 minutes, or it did for me on a "type 2". The instructions are clear and every question you can think of has been covered on the website or in the instructions.
Basically, you remove the two upper seat post clamp bolts, remove the saddle/saddle clamps and re-mount the SwitchGrade in it's place. Then remove the saddle clamps (unscrewing on one side pushes both sides out), slide the saddle backwards over the SwitchGrade and re-mount the saddle clamps.
Then setup the saddle how you want it. One other nice additional feature is that with the SwitchGrade the clamps holding the saddle, which enable you to move it forwards and backwards, are now separate to the two bolts which set your saddles default tilt position, so configuring your saddle position is no longer the balancing act it is normally.
After only 5 minutes with the SwitchGrade it had me re-evaluating my whole saddle position, which was now notably easier to adjust.
Two things to keep in mind, the SwitchGrade is only compatible with 7mm rails, not 9mm and it will raise your stack height by 5-15mm depending on your dropper post. For me, it was 9mm.
Operating the SwitchGrade is straight forwards. A lever protrudes from the unit between the saddle rails towards the nose of the saddle. You just hold the nose of the saddle with your hand whilst using a finger to pull the lever then tilt the saddle to the desired position, release the lever and you're rewarded by a re-assuring click as it settles into it's new position.
The first few times whilst trying to do this on the move felt a bit unnatural but it soon became second nature, though you wouldn't want to do it if you were on technical terrain !!
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The SwitchGrade comes with all the mounting hardware you'd need for installation. There are also optional Shims available if you want to raise it in the droppers cradle to enable more tilt in the default position.
Weight/Price?
Mine weighed in at 167g + 25g for the fixings (short screws - saved 2g !
). The existing saddle clamps were 53g + 33g for fixings. In my case, a gain of 106g. For what it gives I'm more than happy with that !Priced at $284 Canadian, which is about US $208, €211 or £184 (excluding any taxes you may be charged). If that's expensive or not will depend on the individual.
In conclusion:
The SwitchGrade is meticulously thought out, designed and constructed. Even the website, instructions, diagrams are all top notch. I spent the first evening just playing with it and didn't really want to put it on the bike. For me, it's worth every penny. On an EMTB it just complements the dropper and makes the bike/rider massively more effective when climbing.
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