Bike Mag gear editor Ryan Palmer reviews six of the year’s most sought-after dropper posts as part of their annual Bible of Bike Tests gear guide. Read on to see how Rockshox, Thomson and KS all faired.

Excerpt and photos from Bike:

KS LEV Integra

Last year I pointed to the Kind Shock LEV as my favorite dropper post because of its smooth, frictionless infinite adjustability, smart ambidextrous lever and placement of the actuating mechanism on the seatpost instead of the head, allowing for zero cable movement… If your frame allows internal routing, the LEV Integra is worth checking out. MSRP $471 CAD.

Thomson Elite Dropper

The Elite is incredibly easy to set up. Cable tension isn’t a finite adjustment on this post. Just pull the cable taut, snug the bolt and it’s ready. I installed the post last June and haven’t touched it since. Movement is precise, nearly frictionless, and dampened to just the right speed. You don’t have to wait for it to come up, but it won’t tenderize your bits either…[T]his dropper definitely deserves the Thomson name. Look out soon for an internally routed version. MSRP $520 CAD.

RockShox Reverb Stealth

For the most part, the Reverb Stealth is every bit as good as the original. Even though it has been around a while, the Reverb is still the only hydraulically actuated seatpost, and despite the seeming complexity of a hydraulic system, the switch can be bled faster than changing the cable and housing on other posts…The Reverb Stealth is a fantastic dropper available in multiple post lengths and travel options up to 150 millimeters. MSRP $438 CAD.

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