KS
KS has made dropper seatposts in Taiwan since 1999, and suspension too. A brand that thinks in systems: fork, post, remote and cockpit that work together on the same bike.
From contract manufacturing to the dropper post
Kind Shock was founded in 1983 in Taiwan, as a manufacturer for other brands. Its founder, Martin Hsu, developed shocks and seatposts there. In 1997, the company launched its own brand and its first shocks, and in 1999 it presented its first dropper seatpost. Kind Shock became KS. In 2020, the brand moved into a new headquarters north of Tainan, with much larger production workshops.
Every cartridge spends seven days under pressure
In Taiwan, the post cartridges are assembled in a pressurised area, where air and oil must never mix. Before sale, they stay compressed for seven days to check their reliability. Then come checks of hydraulic pressure, play, torsion and fatigue, in heat and cold alike. The LEV Ci, with a carbon mast and air-adjustable return, is presented by KS as World Cup proven, in XC and cyclo-cross alike.
A dropper post is chosen by measurement
Before choosing the travel, measure the exposed length with your saddle set at your riding height: from the seat tube collar to the top of the post head. It must fall between the minimum and maximum exposed lengths in the specifications, and the seat tube must offer enough straight depth for the inserted length. The remote is chosen separately: the KG Drop 1.0 under the bar tape of a road or gravel handlebar, the Southpaw under an MTB handlebar on a 1x bike.
Why MAAKE carries it
For its system logic. The GTC, KS's first gravel fork, smooths out rough tracks with 40 mm of air-sprung travel and locks out for tarmac. It goes with the LEV Ci and its remote, the Ether Carbon handlebar, with 18° of flare and 18 mm of rise, and the Ether Forged stem. On the MTB side, the Ether Carbon Riser handlebar is cut to your width. The GTC needs a frame designed for a suspension fork: see our forks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose the travel of a KS LEV Ci dropper post?
With the saddle at your height, measure the exposed length from the frame's seat clamp to the top of the post head: it must fall between the minimum and maximum exposed lengths given for each travel. Also check that the seat tube accepts the inserted length.
Does the KS LEV Ci come with a remote?
No, you choose it separately. The KG Drop 1.0 fits a road or gravel handlebar, the Southpaw goes under an MTB handlebar on a 1x setup.
Does a KS remote work with another dropper post?
Yes, with all KS posts and with other brands' posts that pull 10 mm of cable. Both remotes use a standard derailleur cable.