First Look: KS LEV Carbon Integra 175mm dropper post

Is this the lightest full length dropper on the market?

KS LEV Carbon dropper post at a lofty 175mm

Rachael Wight

Jul 26 2017

The new KS Lev Carbon Integra might just be the lightest full-length dropper post on the market, packing 175mm of drop into a carbon fibre body, so we're pretty excited to get our hands on one, direct from Taiwan.

Our KS LEV Ci tips our scales at 560g in 31.6mm diameter and a length of 490mm with cable and lever attached. To put that into perspective a LEV Integra 150mm post has a claimed weight of 635g - sadly we don't have a 170mm RockShox Reverb around to benchmark it against. With the weight questions answered, we can carry on and discuss the other features of the post.

The LEV Ci's internals are housed in a carbon fibre mast where the bulk of the weight saving occurs. This carbon fibre outer tube is matched with a carbon fibre lower saddle rail cradle and titanium bolts.

KS use the tried and tested actuator mechanism that will be familiar from other posts under the brands name, it works using the same spring loaded arm located at the base of the post.

Internally the post also uses the same internals as previous LEV posts, an air spring and hydraulic cartridge which can be adjusted with a regular shock pump under the saddle rail cradle. We've got a 175mm length post in to test but it's also available in a drop of 65mm, 125mm and 150mm all with the same weight saving carbon outer.

Finally, but maybe most importantly, we were pleased to see our post come equipped with the ergonomic Southpaw lever. The post can also be bought to include KS's Recourse Ultralight lever and cable system which they say saves up to 28g over standard shifter set ups.

Price wise the LEV Ci in this 175mm guise comes in at £540, a fair chunk more than its alloy sister at £360. We've put this into the hands of Rachael to find a suitable test rig where this lengthy drop can be employed to its full potential and assess the weight saving value.

Author block

Previously Editor here at off-road.cc, Rachael is happiest on two wheels. Partial to a race or two Rachael also likes getting out into the hills with a big bunch of mates. In the past Rachael has written for publications such as, Enduro Mountain Bike Magazine, Mountain Biking UK, Bike Radar, New Zealand Mountain Biker and was also the online editor for Spoke magazine in New Zealand too. For as long as she's been riding, she has been equally happy getting stuck into a kit review as she is creating stories or doing the site admin. When she's not busy with all the above she's roasting coffee or coaching mountain biking in the Forest of Dean.

2 comments

Rachael Gurney 7 years 6 months ago

Hmmm, as a team that isn't that gifted in the height department we have to agree with you there. We'll find something to test it in but yes, it takes a bit of searching to find the right bike!

HJones5 7 years 6 months ago

If only bike companies would stop making bikes with road bike esque seat tube lengths - then we might be able to actually fit that thing on our bikes!