thanks for the replies 


Just discoverd a new problem while drooper shopping...

I have very little insertion into the seat tube for my seat post... Here we go:

...using the Thomson as the example:

Bike = Medium Yelli Screamy.

-Normal riding seat post length from collar to rails = 10" (254mm)
-Seatpost length total = 14.5" (365mm)

When I drop my post now I can only drop it about 4(100mm)" before the bottom of the post hits the braze-ons for my bottle cage inside the frame's seat tube. This leaves me 6" of seat post exposed above the collar. Its enough to get the job done but Id rather it be less... around 4". I live in Asheville and ride Pisgah trails weekly. I need to have my seat as low as she'll go.

I looked at the specs for the Lev, Reverb, and Thomson and Im not sure I can fit a 125mm dropper post on the bike and get the amount of drop I want.

If the post is 400mm(15") long and requires 100mm(4") of minimum insertion (which is all i can fit before bottoming the post out) that leaves 300mm(11") of post exposed above the collar. That is about an inch too high for it to be comfortable. Now factor in a 125mm(5") drop, that leaves me with 175mm (7") of seat tube exposed. Thats too much for me to be able to get back on the bike on my average rides.

I checked out the same specs on the Lev and its close enough to the Thomson to not matter. The post collar is bigger and the minimum insertion requirement is longer...

The Reverb has the shortest length at 380mm and using the same specs (assuming the Reverb requires the same min. instertion and collar is the same height) it would give me 5" of seat post exposed at full drop but still be too long (11") at full height for my normal riding exposed seat tube length...


I suck at math and so this could all be completely bogus haha

Any thoughts?



Thomson Specs:

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Using a Thompson dropper and after 7+ rides I've got play in a circler motion.....Thompson through several emails has been No help....purchased dec. 2013

I re-measured and looks like I actually have 8" of seatpost in the frame before hitting the bottle cage brazeons in the seat tube. I dont know where I came up with 4".

That leaves me able to run any dropper on the market with no clearance issues.

The post above are super helpful. The Lev 150mm would be ideal but Ive heard that customer service sucks and that the posts require some sort of mainteance after only 6 months. 6 months of use then waiting 6 months to get your post shipped back sounds lame.

Too bad to hear the same about Thomson. That would be the one I would get.

I guess its pick your poison. If your gonna have a drooper, pick the one that sucks the least. They all seem to have issues.

Looks like the Reverb from here.

I just bought the reverb, haven't gotten it yet but was shipped to me for $220 from CRC.  For that price I figured why not.

Banjopickin wrote on 12/07/14 at 1:46am:


KS Customer Service is best reached through email as they only have MAYBE a handful of people.
When I have emailed them, they've gone above and beyond for me.

As far as the servicing goes, I've had my LEV 125 since April of 2013.
I've never serviced it and I've never had any problems with it.
It has very slight lateral play, but nothing noticeable on the trail.
I bought the 30.9 and it has been used on many frames, and for 1500+ miles, again no service.

The only thing I've ever 'done' to it was to:
-clean off the stanchion area as much as possible as often as possible
-make sure the cable housing cap is secure in place
-every now and then, apply some stanchion lube

oh, and I had to use a pick once to pull out a piece of grit that got caught in the seal.

I love my LEV and based off my experience with my own, would not hesitate to purchase another.
But bike components, especially suspension type components, can vary greatly in build quality, and there can always be a bad apple in the bunch.

I've also used a Reverb and have had no issue with it either....

Banjopickin wrote on 12/05/14 at 4:06pm:


I have the ReVerb and the only big gripe I have is that very few people/shops will perform a full service without sending it back to SRAM/RS.  Given where you work, I can imagine that becomes less of an issue if you decide to tear it apart.

A smaller issue is sometimes when you want the seat to go down IMMEDIATELY, you find yourself either over the back or the front of the saddle and it can be a little  finicky if you aren't pushing/sitting down over the center of the post.  This maybe a bigger or small issue given that the "FORCE" I am using to push mine down is probably greater than yours.   

Also I heard they only work with 2x10 set ups, so you know. 

My Gravity droppers aren't....as purdy?  Muddy, wet, cold, just keeps ticking

My only complaint and its not even one... is that my gravity dropper doesn't have the full (unlimited) range.  Is that a complaint... no really... why?  Cause it has a mid stop of 1-2 inches depending on what you get and then all the way down.  Those stops are about perfect for all types of riding so really no need for a fully telescoping Hydraulic system like all the fancy smancy ones.  Issues with it... in almost 3 years of having it I've had to service it 1 time and did it myself and I'm by no means a a mechanic.  Gravity Dropper has all the parts needed for replacement if you do, they have all the video tutorials you need plus a handy dandy troubleshooting guide online which will help you service any/all issues with it.  So, yes, in 3 years I serviced it once and it took me about 5-10mins to go find out what was wrong, watch/read, then fix.

Last complaint... yes, it's not stealth and not as purdy... but, it just works!

49erRider wrote on 12/11/14 at 4:21pm:


I'll add a complaint to the Command Post. No matter how many times I rebuild and lube it, the damn thing is always stiff coming back up. It will get stuck in the middle position and not want to return to the top position without some inner thigh manipulation.

damn.................and I thought I got jacked for a 19 dollar Hite Rite, which I still have by the way.