There is little doubt that one of the greatest steps forward in modern mountain biking and trail riding is the dropper post. A simple yet effective innovation that allowed us to climb well with the seat at an adequate height and then scoot it out of the way to get rowdy on the descent. For anyone that has yet to be converted….please stop reading and go to a cross country website (just joking!). We spent a a few months on Kind Shock’s more budget-friendly offering the Rage-i in a 190mm size, here’s our two cents….
By Mike Branch
Product: KS RAGE-i 190mm Dropper Post
RRP: $259.95 (AUD)
Available at: MTB Direct and all good bike stores
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The Nitty Gritty
The Rage-i is available in three clamp sizes 30.9, 31.6 and 34.9 with a range of travel options, from 75mm through to 190mm. This means that they have a post that will suit anyone’s needs. This post offers some exception value for money whilst delivering quality, no fuss function for a ranges of mountain biking needs.
- Alloy stanchion
- Weight optimized alloy mast
- Air sprung hydraulic cartridge
- Press fit bushing and dust wiper
- Designed for internal frame routing
- Short insertion length to travel ratio
- Compatible with all KS Southpaw, KG and Westy remotes
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TEST RESULTS
For the last two months we have been testing the KS Rage-i on a couple of different bikes in predominantly all-mountain and ‘enduro’ trail conditions; meaning this bit of kit got a fair workout and plenty of drop and rise to test it’s functionality. Overall the post performed well and we paired it with a couple of different remotes to test the compatibility, both of which worked well. We did find that the post tucked away very quickly and returned equally as well but it certainly didn’t feel as smooth as some other posts available at a higher price point. The cable actuation is good and we haven’t had to touch the post on either bike since installing it, meaning it’s pretty worry free maintenance so far, what you want in a post.
The Rage-i functions well and looks good on the bike, it is easy to install and ran well during the test period. A few things to note is that the post does weigh in on the heavy side (685g for 190mm 34.9) and those looking to shave a few hundred grams are best looking at shorter travel, higher price point posts. Whilst the overall length to travel ratio is good, it is still 10-20mm longer than some higher price point posts, so check your frame clearance before choosing your travel option.
The Final Word
To be honest we found the KS Rage-i a great value for money dropper post that delivered quality function in a great all-round package for it’s price point. You will be hard pressed to find a better dropper post for the price tag that has such long travel options. It’s a little hefty but for those of us that are lugging minions and long travel bikes up hills then there is really no issue with an extra few hundred grams or so. Would we whack it on another bike? Definitely, especially if paired with a quality southpaw remote like the PNW loam lever or Wolf Tooth ReMote dropper lever.
