KS Suspension previewed a new ultralight LEV Carbon dropper seatpost at the Taipei Cycle Show, aimed at weight-conscious cross-country riders. With a target weight of just 380g (without cable and remote) it's about 130-200g lighter than most current offerings.
Weight was decreased through several means. First off, travel is limited to just 65mm, which reduces the amount of material overlap while providing a useful amount of drop for tackling technical sections in typical cross-country routes.
Secondly, the fixed section of the post and the cradles on the two-bolt head are made of carbon fiber, while the bolts are titanium. Thirdly, the internal structure is slightly simplified with a hidden, top-mounted air valve tucked underneath the head.
As with the standard KS LEV seatpost, the cable is fixed to the lower half of the seatpost, meaning the cable and housing will stay fixed as the saddle moves up and down. The accompanying remote is similarly tidy and also uses a carbon fiber paddle, although the clamp is resized for use with 31.8mm-diameter road bars.
KS says the LEV Carbon is still in the testing phase and the new post won't be available until some time in 2014. Target price will be around US$600 and projected sizes will include 30.9mm and 31.6mm diameters – sorry, folks, no 27.2mm this time around.
The cable will be mounted to a fixed location on the new LEV Carbon
For more information on KS products see kssuspension.com.