Ok so I am CONSTANTLY fiddling with my seatpost height when riding. My Thompson seatpost looks like it fell off a truck and skidded down a rock cliff from all the scratches. I am finally ready to give in to the temptation of buying a dropper post. The reason I have held out this long is that they were so pricey. Plus I like to keep things as simple as possible. Plus I really don't need a $300 dollar problem on my hands.
Yesterday I decided to see what's out there and coming across the KS e 10 I thought. I'll bite. Reviews look decent enough and $130 is a risk I'm willing to take. There are two models; the one with the lever attatched to the post and the remote model. I know most of the droppers use a remote but I like the simplicity of the lever models.
Any advice on the best dropper post for cheap? If its over $180 I'm out.
Seriously, what is it with guys like you. You start with you don't want a problem, which I assume mean you want reliable, but then you go on to say you want cheap. Cheap and reliable don't usually go together- pick one.
That's usually true about the cheap + reliable part. It seems however that based on reviews, most of the dropper posts seem to have reliability issues. The Ks e 10 has 11 reviews so far on jenson usa and all are favorable but one. If I could find a more expensive post with conclusive evidence of goodreliability i may spring for it.
I just have too many hobbies and not enough cash to support them all. My offroad truck repairs just ate up enough dough to buy a couple of top of the line dropper posts. Its always something though...lol.
It's only a little over your budget, and you'll thank me. I have 2+ seasons on mine with no problems. Over 3k trouble free trail miles. Just do it. You'll be glad you did. You're welcome.
I'm in the same boat, looking for an entry level dropper. Seems like the only downside to the KS Eten is the weight, if that is a concern for you.
I'm tempted to go with the DNM ASP-R, which can be found on Amazon for $145. Lighter than the Eten and has 10mm more travel.
Everything I've read about droppers is that its not if they go bad but when. The DNM has a 2 year warranty, and worst case, you can always order another one. $145 is less than half the price of the cheapest "reliable" droppers anyway.
+1 for the KS eTen. I've had one for a bit under a year and no issues whatsoever. You'll probably use it more with the remote vs. lever...no taking your hands off the bars. As mentioned, it is definitely heavier than the more expensive options but still worth it.
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I have the dnm asp dropper post from amazon. I haven't tried any others but it looks a lot like the ks eten design. I've taken it on four trail rides so far and it works fine. There has been one instance where the remote failed because the lever under the seat got stuck and the seat wouldn't stay down but I just cleaned off the mud on the lever and greased it and it hasn't gotten stuck again yet.
I think when this dropper post stops working, I'd like to try the higher end ones. This dropper post is pretty heavy at 700g. And the remote is very basic and doesn't feel very responsive. However, I utilize the adjustable post a lot during my rides and it's true once you've used one, its hard to ride without it.
I'm aware that your post is almost a year old but I'd re-route that cable if I were you. It looks like it's rubbing on the shaft and over time that will most likely do some damage and make it so it won't work as well. Just my 2 cents.
I got the KS Super LEV but the price is over your budget.
One of things I like about it is the cable is stationary.
I just didn't want one more place a cable rubbed on the frame. I have enough of that sh*t already.
As far as lever on the seat vs remote.
You will often actuate the dropper while riding and many times removing the hand off the bars is not an option. Spend the extra money on the remote.
Another vote for the eTen...
Really it comes down to the law of compromises, are you willing to compromise something else so you can drop more coin on the more expensive post with the POSSIBILITY that it will be more "reliable"? Or are you willing to compromise and go with a cheaper product that will POSSIBILY be less reliable but you will be out less coin????
I have been running the eTen for over a month now, ran through a massive rainstorm with serious fsr grit from going down the road during the storm and the thing is still performing flawlessly. The only gripe I have is that the cable will occasionally come out of the mount on the seatpost which will not allow it to actuate properly. This causes the seat to slowly drop while you are on it, just fiddle with the cable to make sure it is mounted properly and in its slot and you are good to go.
Oh and contact BikerBob on here as I was able to get my remote version for $119 (+s/h) from him.
Thanks for the votes of confidence for the e ten. It seems to me as well that with the exeption of the gravity droppers, reliability is a crapshoot with droppers.
Gravity dropper has a track record for simplicity, reliability, and end-user serviceability. And the least expensive dropper posts I've seen are the Taiwanese Gravity Dropper "clones" from Tmars that are all over ebay. I picked up one for $90 USD (w/ free shipping!) from an Israeli vendor earlier this year because I needed a 27.2mm adjustable post for an older frame and it was dirt cheap--even if it was a turd, the $90 loss wouldn't sting much.
I only rode it for a few months before my upgraded '04 Ventana was stolen (bike thieves can fukn rot in hell), but the Tmars never failed once unlike my $390 first generation Spec Command Post (the ones with the bad air seals, causing loss of air pressure and inability to rise once lowered), that crapped out while on a road trip to UT and CO the first week I owned it. FWIW, my 1st gen Reverb has never given me any problems in 3 years of use, but it was also nearly $400 too.
I want a dropper post for my singlespeed, but since I don't need a topshelf model, I won't hesitate to buy another Tmars.
Another vote for the KS eten. I installed one on my Giant Anthem four months ago. I have over 20 rides with the eten and have not had any problems with it. It's a bit on the heavy side. I think I added about one pound onto my bike by switching from Giant seatpost to the KS eten. BTW, I weigh 170.
Overall, I am pretty happy with it. I have the lever under the saddle kind and I only paid $103 with free shipping.
Nice! I just ordered the eten with remote for my son. Their HQ is 15min from my work so if anything goes wrong it should be easy to take care of. Also keeping the standard post just incase
150 mm of travel
Less than that is a waste of money (edit: for anyone with an inseam of 30+"), IMO. My posts go from nearly full leg extension down to completely out of the way. Like many I started with less drop (Grav Dropper, Joplin), but once I used a post with sufficient drop, that was it. I have a 33" inseam. My favorite dropper is (9") RASE Black Mamba, but they are out of production seemingly.
ambidextrous lever
Lets you set it up to your liking. I prefer finger over thumb activation; some ambi levers like Spec Blacklite and Black Mamba allow for this. My ambi RS Lev doesn't work for finger.
No reliability issues with any of the posts mentioned. The Blacklite has been used extensively, including with a seat pack. Give it a few pounds extra air in that case. Wishing RASE would resurface.
RE your budget, I'm not helping you at all. For me, it would have been more econo to get the right dropper to begin with. Alas, I upgraded as better ones became available.
150 mm of travel
Less than that is a waste of money, IMO. My posts go from nearly full leg extension down to completely out of the way. Like many I started with less drop (Grav Dropper, Joplin), but once I used a post with sufficient drop, that was it. I have a 33" inseam. My favorite dropper is (9") RASE Black Mamba, but they are out of production seemingly.
ambidextrous lever
Lets you set it up to your liking. I prefer finger over thumb activation; some ambi levers like Spec Blacklite and Black Mamba allow for this. My ambi RS Lev doesn't work for finger.
No reliability issues with any of the posts mentioned. The Blacklite has been used extensively, including with a seat pack. Give it a few pounds extra air in that case. Wishing RASE would resurface.
RE your budget, I'm not helping you at all. For me, it would have been more econo to get the right dropper to begin with. Alas, I upgraded as better ones became available.
Oh... Like all shocks it requires regular maintenance. That seems to be the disconnect with most riders. A fixed post can outlast the frame. A dropper should be evaluated with fork overhaul.
Oy vey, Caballo, holding that stuff in is bad for ya, so you may just have saved your own life.
In other news... RASE is resurfacing with an 8-inch non-hydra dropper. Here is some 411 that will be on the website rasebike.com at some point. It looks like right now they have a super small Q of 30.9 OD posts, and they are offering them only to people who don't type in all caps:
*********
Some features of the new model include:
● Super Strong 2-Bolt Clamp Design
● Up to 8" of on the fly smooth adjustability
● Excellent Cable Routing Design - Cable remains stationary at all times
● Uses off-the-shelf derailleur cable for simple replacement if ever necessary
● Zero Offset
● Available in size 30.9 & 31.6mm - sizes 30.0 & 27.2mm will be available at a later date
● Precision machined and assembled entirely in the U.S.A.
Some specifications of the new model include:
● The fully extended length from the bottom of the collar body is 11.89"[302mm].
● When the post is at full extent, there is still 3.10"[78.8mm] of the post inside the assembly.
● At the lowest position, the seat rails are 3.87"[88.1mm] from the top of the bike seat tube.
● At the lowest position, inserted length is 11.49"[291.8].
I have purchased (3) and may buy another. [(2) for me - on 2 different bikes - and (1) purchased for a friend.
Got a good deal on the first for $80 shipped (ebay) and after a couple of months of use without any issues, I purchased one for my other bike and another for a friend.
Been on our bikes since early 2014, and no issues.
For reference, make sure you get the TMARS with 3 adjustments (the one with 2 appears to have had issues because of the angle that the cable went into the post).
Also, once you get the TMARS, take it apart (VERY easy - look at the Gravity Dropper instructions as its the same set up), remove the "grease" that comes with it, put some "SuperLube" on all moving parts (same stuff Turner recommends for their zirks), put some oil in the cable housing, and you'll be good to go for quite some time.
Finally, although it would seem that you need a ton of slack in setting up the cable on the frame (to keep from binding), I found that a nice quick "bend" (not a kink) with a zip tie to the frame, works wonders to keep the lever actuation nice and smooth.
I have purchased (3) and may buy another. [(2) for me - on 2 different bikes - and (1) purchased for a friend.
Got a good deal on the first for $80 shipped (ebay) and after a couple of months of use without any issues, I purchased one for my other bike and another for a friend.
Been on our bikes since early 2014, and no issues.
For reference, make sure you get the TMARS with 3 adjustments (the one with 2 appears to have had issues because of the angle that the cable went into the post).
Also, once you get the TMARS, take it apart (VERY easy - look at the Gravity Dropper instructions as its the same set up), remove the "grease" that comes with it, put some "SuperLube" on all moving parts (same stuff Turner recommends for their zirks), put some oil in the cable housing, and you'll be good to go for quite some time.
Finally, although it would seem that you need a ton of slack in setting up the cable on the frame (to keep from binding), I found that a nice quick "bend" (not a kink) with a zip tie to the frame, works wonders to keep the lever actuation nice and smooth.
Over the weekend I installed the KS eten on my sons SC Nomad. The installation was super easy and it works great for a lower end dropper. Has me thinking of getting one........hummm???
I'm using a KS LEV DX (would have gotten the regular LEV but it was out of stock and I'm impatient), round these parts folks seem to prefer Reverb, LEV, and to a lesser extent the Gravity Droppers. I like the cable routing on the LEV posts. No clue on the e10 line, but I'd guess what you're really losing is adjustability, heavier weight, and the nice routing. Maybe a less fancy lever?
Just got the e ten today and installed it. Pouring rain so not much testing. I run it at max height so 385 is barely enough for my long legs on a 20" seat tube. I don't have anything to compare it to so I'm sure i'll be happy as long as it is reliable. 4" of drop was about all I was doing with my old post anyway because i always left it above the 'Thompson' logo so as not to scratch it off....lol.
Anyone experience frozen DNMs? I haven't even finished the install and I can't tell if its DOA or I am just missing something. I was able to extend it fine, add pressure, and compress it - but now it appears stuck w/ or w/o pressure.
I'm late coming in this thread, but I'm on the same boat, putting together my first 29er. I guess a LOT has changed in 2-3 years since I see RaceFace Aeffect or even the Bontrager Drop Line now at the < $200 price range with decent reviews. Not great, not bad, but fair.
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