Budget dropper posts

[Dantheman]

God damn it. The cartridge in my Contact Switch is on it's last legs. I thought I had a line on a replacement but now it looks like I'm SOL.

Any thoughts on whether I could use the unused FD mount on my Reign to get a cable into the seat tube?

[RootSkier]

Any advice? I guess I'm done with dropper posts, I can't afford an expensive one and the eTen seems to be a POS.

Danno, did you try disconnecting the cable from underneath the seat to see if you can make it stay in position without? Make sure there is no dirt or anything in or around the little lever, too.

If that works, it's a cable adjustment problem. I just had this happen for no reason I can understand but after adjusting (lengthening) the cable, it is as good as new.

[Lindahl]

Well, I would not recommend the KS eTen. Everyone seems to say that it is a great budget dropper, that the major tradeoff is just that it weighs more, and I was willing to accept the weight penalty.

Well, last year I was having issues with it, sometimes it would not stay in the up position. I could cycle it up and down a few times and then it would stay. The shop said I should keep riding it and let them know if it got worse (it was still in warranty). Well, I have had a rough non-biking spring, and pulled the bike out this weekend to go ride and it would not stay up or down (ie if you put weight on it, it would sink, but without weight, it would go up, regardless of what you did with the lever).

And, of course, it's now just slightly out of warranty. And the shop I went to says that nothing can be done, these can't be rebuilt, and that KS are bad with warranty stuff like this, and my best bet is to complain to KS, that individuals seem to get better results than shops.

That fucking sucks. Any advice? I guess I'm done with dropper posts, I can't afford an expensive one and the eTen seems to be a POS.

When the cartridge goes bad, the post won't return to being fully up.

It sounds like a cable tension (or friction) issue. Remove the cable from the underseat lever. If you can operate the post normally with that little lever then its cable tension. If the lever doesn't pop back up with a decent amount of force when you stop pushing it down, it could be the return spring for the button under the lever (it wears out over time, faster with lots of mud riding). The spring can also sometimes get backed up with dirt, and some triflow in there can get it working again if thats the case.

Cable tension is really really easy to fix at home. If you're anti-DIY take it to Pedal Pushers in Golden. They know the KS posts in and out and can tell you if its cable tension or the button spring.

Whatever shop you talked too has fucking morons working for them if they didn't suggest this over the phone (or fix it if you went there with it). You should call them out here so we know not to go there.

[Dantheman]

Any thoughts on whether I could use the unused FD mount on my Reign to get a cable into the seat tube?

Well hot damn, the bolt hole on the FD mount goes all the way through the frame and is large enough to fit cable housing. If I can figure out a way to get housing to make a 90* bend inside the seat tube I could run that Brand X post no problem.

[Lindahl]

That would probably create a lot of cable friction. Might not work very well.

[Dantheman]

It looks like it shouldn't be much if any worse than a v-brake noodle. Probably not recommended for a shifter cable but for a seat post I think it would work.

[D(C)]

I'm giving the X-Fusion Manic a try on my hardtail ($200 USD retail). Out of the box, quality is great. It has less lateral play and vertical sponginess than other posts I've tried new. Apparently you replace the cartridge if it shits the bed rather than overhauling, and new cartridges are cheap. We'll see how the post fares over time.

[toast2266]

Any thoughts on whether I could use the unused FD mount on my Reign to get a cable into the seat tube?

Carbon reign or metal reign?

If metal, maybe just drill a new hole at an oblique angle?

[Lindahl]

I'm giving the X-Fusion Manic a try on my hardtail ($200 USD retail). Out of the box, quality is great. It has less lateral play and vertical sponginess than other posts I've tried new. Apparently you replace the cartridge if it shits the bed rather than overhauling, and new cartridges are cheap. We'll see how the post fares over time.

Thats the one I'm most interested in if I ever get an internal routed post. Report back.

[radam]

It looks like it shouldn't be much if any worse than a v-brake noodle. Probably not recommended for a shifter cable but for a seat post I think it would work.

Just use a v-brake noodle to get it through the hole then. Or get some of that braided/segmented metal style shift housing.

[bagtagley]

My KS Lev rattles like a SOB, up and down. Works great otherwise, but it feels like my bike is falling apart. How to fix?

[jm2e]

Maybe replace the one way roller bearing and/or the brass bushings?https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...s.php?id=85110
https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...9&category=167

[Dantheman]

Carbon reign or metal reign?

If metal, maybe just drill a new hole at an oblique angle?

Metal. Breaking out the drill is always an option, but the frame is still under warranty (lifetime warranty and I'm the original owner with LBS receipts) and I'd prefer to avoid that.

Just use a v-brake noodle to get it through the hole then.

That could work, or one of those Jagwire EZ Bend things. One potential problem I see is that both only have one female end. For it to really work it seems like I'd need female receptacles on both ends.

Or get some of that braided/segmented metal style shift housing.

So, this stuff?
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...able-kits.html
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categor...-braided-white

and this?
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categor...rake-kit-black

Man, that segmented stuff is pricey. The retro-style housing Velo sells looks like it might work: http://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...kit-brake.html

[D(C)]

Thats the one I'm most interested in if I ever get an internal routed post. Report back.

Will do.

[Dantheman]

You could just drill out the FD mount hole, or drill a new hole through the mount.... I know some people look down on drilling frames, but you can very easily and safely drill the seat tube, the FD mount is so meaty, you couldn't really fuck it up. besides not like a FD will ever get mounted there again.... Oh, never mind, I see your original owner /warranty comment. Fair point, I wouldn't drill that either. . I agree that the V-brake noodle would likely be fine for that application.

I suppose I could drill a larger/oblique hole, and if the warranty situation arises swap in a regular post and epoxy a cover plate onto the FD mount. Or, drill the seat tube in a more sensible location and liberally sticker that spot before I attempt the warranty claim. I have no idea how intensively warranty frames get inspected but I assume it's pretty thorough and they will consider it void if you give them even half a reason.

I'm probably worrying about the warranty issue way too much. I've technically voided it already by running a 160mm fork, though I could easily put the original fork back on before I took it in. I try not to tempt Murphy's Law though--drill frame today, break frame tomorrow

..as for budget posts. I second/third/forth all the positive comments about the contact dropper. I service most of my friends bikes and the contact posts have lasted the longest, without service, of any of the other posts In that fleet (Reverb, Crank Bros, Thompson).

I certainly got my money's worth on mine. Can't complain about $200 for 4 years of heavy use. It's too bad the new ones aren't really "budget" droppers any more. If I'm going to spend $300 on an externally routed dropper a Lev DX makes a lot more sense. It is also very annoying that they didn't build any backwards compatibility into the cartridges.

[Peruvian]

I've had my eTen for just under a year now and still like it. The external cable routing is more apt to get gummed up in all our mud so it does require a bit more maintenance. The return was getting very slow on mine, so I just had to take it off and remove the actuator lever and clean out a bunch of dirt/mud. I then sprayed a little lube onto the actuator button and cycled it a bunch. After install, I had to use the barrel adjustment to get just the right setting but now it seems to be working great again with decently fast action.

[D(C)]

Just checking in at the 2 month mark on my X-Fusion Manic. It works as well as the day I bought it, with no sag or additional play. That's not to say the cartridge won't explode without warning at some point, but so far, so good. A Reverb or Lev would have felt a bit squishy by now.

[Dantheman]

Put a Brand X Ascend on the Reign last week. Very impressive post for the price. Setup was easy. I'll update in a few months when I have more time on it.

[Dantheman]

Couple months now on the Brand X, still rock solid and loving it. Altachic's new bike came with a Lev Integra and the Southpaw remote. After playing around with the Lev a bit the only meaningful difference I can see between the Brand X and the Lev is that the Lev costs $200 more.

[grinch]

The pnw is the same as the brandx. They are rock solid and apparently good support from pnw(don't know haven't needed it). Mine has been working as it should. I have a lev integra on the new bike that shit the bed after a month(blown seal that's known to happen). It's working fine after the rebuild with more days than the initial warrantee so hoping its fine. Like to change it up for the 150mm pnw bachelor

[D(C)]

My Manic is doing great after 5 months of use. It's as smooth and sag-free as the day I bought it. I'd get one again.

I got my Lev Integra on my other bike warranty-serviced in the spring to fix a sag issue, and it is actually holding up well also.

[HankScorpio]

FSA has a new "budget" dropper out for about $250.



Is this just another rebranded post? Worth checking out?

I'm gotta replace my Race Face Turbine dropper with something. The stupid thing has been leaking air since I got it and it's a bitch to replace the cable so fuck that thing. On the other hand the Fox Transfer on my Hightower has been solid for since the start of the season, best dropper I've owned so far.

[XXX-er]

the new bike came with a fox Transfer,my first dropper post so I have no frame of reference but it seems to work flawlessly

[sethschmautz]

I have a KS i950r that seems to need a rebuild - I replaced the cable, but the rebound is pretty slow and doesn't always come all the way up. Looks like you can DIY (which doesn't affect the internal spring) or have KS do it for $125. I don't have the option of stealth routing. WWMD?

Seth

[creaky fossil]

Try this thread, see if you think the DIY is something you feel like doing. $125 goes pretty far! I plan to overhaul my LEV this winter.

Universal Cycles has what seems to be the full selection of KS parts. Go here, scroll down.