Mountain bikers looking for the technical advantages of a dropper post without the price tag of one of the higher-end options now have a budget option from KS.
The new eTen seatpost offers 100mm of drop via air sprung and hydraulically locked internals similar to the company's flagship LEV seatposts.
However, whereas the LEV has its guts built directly into the aluminum stanchion, the eTen uses a separate sealed steel cartridge for easier manufacturing. Also, the eTen uses a more basic microadjustable single-bolt seatpost head, as opposed to the LEV's twin-bolt setup.
Not surprisingly, the eTen is also quite a bit heavier at 643-723g depending on size. But on the upside it's also quite inexpensive. The cable actuated remote version is just US$175, while the manual variant is cheaper still at only US$150.
The KS LEV continues to be an appealing option for 2013