Customer Review: KS LEV Integra Dropper Seatpost

This review was written by one of our customers, Mark Kovacic. Mark resides in Northern California where there are plenty of trails to be ridden and having a dropper post is a must. Check out his personal experience below with one of our favorite dropper seatposts, the KS LEV Integra.

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I have owned a few dropper seatposts and worked on other models for friends and found that they all have their pluses and faults. I have used both the externally routed KS LEV and DX models and they have worked flawlessly for me. When I bought a new frame with internal routing it was time to try the KS LEV Integra.  

I read a few reviews and there were several complaints, some of them founded and some comical.  The cable length is critical and if too long or short it just won't work correctly but it is no more of a hassle than adjusting a new front or rear derailleur for example. If you don't have the skills or patience then let a good mechanic do the job.

For me, the biggest hassle was routing the cable housing through the bottom bracket area on the Norco Optic frame but that is certainly no fault of the seatpost. The internal routing gives the bike a clean and uncluttered look which I think is worth the extra installation time. The actuation lever has a split clamp so you don't have to remove the grip to install. The lever can replace the inner lock ring on a ODI grip if you are using ODI lock on grips.

My bike has a 1x11 setup so there was plenty of room on the left side of the bars. If you have a 2x things will get busy over there. Make sure you leave the cable housing long enough so the cable doesn't get pulled from the bottom of the post if your handlebars get turned in a crash. My new frame had fittings that clamp the cable housing where it enters and exits so that will not be a problem.

The operation of my post is super smooth and it has none of the play or stuck down problems that others have reported. I love the way that you can stop at any position in the travel and the return speed is ideal for me. The air spring pressure is adjustable to change the return speed but I left mine at the stock setting.

It takes a while to find the correct lever position for comfort and convenience when you need to drop in a hurry. The cable has a barrel adjuster which could use a bit more friction since it seems to spin a little too easy.

Many of the negative reviews I have read are from a couple of years ago and I think KS has addressed many of the problems and perfected the product. I can't really comment on KS customer service since I have really never had a problem.

If you are new to droppers, you will probably forget you have one for a few rides but after you become accustomed you will wonder how you lived without one. I have many a riding buddy that scoffed at the idea until they tried one. Worldwide Cyclery has a good selection of dropper seatposts and great customer service.  For me the KS LEV Integra is the post I will be using until I am convinced there is something better on the market.