Adjustable Seat Posts

link1896

Mr Greenfield
unfortunately no ... 27.2 doesn't share any common parts with the larger diameter posts ... you can share bits with other 27.2 posts (Eten, Cuxi) ... but not upwards in sizes.

I think I have an old 30.9 LEV in the workshop if you are budget constrained ... Its pretty ugly (anno is eatten away in large sections ... but it seems to be working alright with a new cart and bearings). I was going to use it on a frankenstein build I'm playing with when I'm really bored ... email alan@pushie.com.au if you want pictures and a price.


@Link^^^
at the top of its travel I'd aim for 190psi ... that translates to around 220- ish psi at the bottom of its travel ... max psi for a LEV is 250psi so would be similar for the DZ and SR carts ... which I think is at the top of its travel but not 100% certain sorry ... I'll ask one day.
presume you've seen the detailed thread in MTBR ???

I haven't tried the self build as we aren't allowed (Voids warranty) and we dont need to as we are supplied new carts ... but a couple of friends have tried it and all use the ball needle ... thinking out loud ... maybe some blu tack ... might pack in around the needle and hole and keep some of the back pressure from leaking out as you pump ???
Recharge success.

Used a scuba tank and regulator adjusted to 200 psi with a ball needle.

Snappy return at 200psi, can hear the oil cavitating as it's going through the valve.

 

waldog

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Recharge success.

Used a scuba tank and regulator adjusted to 200 psi with a ball needle.

Snappy return at 200psi, can hear the oil cavitating as it's going through the valve.

Which size pool noodle worked best?
 

moorey

call me Mia
Can one of the (other) mods please change thread title to 'The dropper post thread'. Adjustable post indeed. :rant:
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
Recharge success.

Used a scuba tank and regulator adjusted to 200 psi with a ball needle.

Snappy return at 200psi, can hear the oil cavitating as it's going through the valve.

What sort of Nancy-boy drinks a can of soft drink with a straw?
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
Which size pool noodle worked best?
Was going to wrap my frame in them before I go all red bull rampage on the weekend

What sort of Nancy-boy drinks a can of soft drink with a straw?
MIL because you've not advised how to dispose of bodies yet.


Going to modify the base assembly tomorrow with a hole to eliminate the vacuum that is generated on full travel post return that prevents the last 25-30mm of travel being achieved back to full height.
 
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link1896

Mr Greenfield
The cavitation noise could be bad :) ...

Hopefully it hasn't become a prostate softener.
It's not air in the oil, my first bleed attempt had air in the oil and was super noisy, and small raises don't produce this noise, only on full stroke raises.

Post is rock solid now.

Drilling a hole in the base has eliminated the vacuum generated by full stroke raises.

Next task is a remote lever.

 

komdotkom

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'm happy to report that the Vyron seems ok. There is a very small amount of 'twist' in the shaft, perhaps .25mm and there is a 1/2 second delay in the actuation of the post. I also don't like that they supplied Torx heads for the seat clamp, just one more tool to carry which shits me a bit.
The operation is fine, 215psi in the body and it gives a nice little thud when going back to its full length. Remote isn't as bad as I had first thought, I managed to get the positioning right and it's ok but I wasn't riding anything really rough so I suppose time will tell.
Generally, $350 well spent.
 

loc81

Likes Dirt
Hey guys I just bought a KS e-ten internal post for my second bike because money is too tight for a Lev. Price is good, KS is a solid brand so what is the difference between the two models? Any reviews of the e-ten are also appreciated.
 

Spike-X

Grumpy Old Sarah
Hey guys I just bought a KS e-ten internal post for my second bike because money is too tight for a Lev. Price is good, KS is a solid brand so what is the difference between the two models? Any reviews of the e-ten are also appreciated.
I've had one on my 29er for a couple of months now, with no issues at all so far. Seat goes up, seat goes down. What more do I want? Nothing, that's what.
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
I pretty much live on this page on the KS website.
http://kssuspension.com/support/tech-info/

All the parts diagrams, dimensions and service vids per model.

The trick with all droppers in maintenance ... the Etens being steel carts need just that little bit more awareness of how much water is touching the post. Water affects a couple of things in a couple of ways

i) Standing water.
After a particularly sloppy ride, or over zealous wash down water will defeat the Seal Wiper (which isn't a seal), flush out your lube, defeat th DU, get trapped in the roller bearing and then likely sit in your mast for a surprisingly long time. So even if you are out in the desert in drought conditions ... but you spray your post during a bike wash ... that water is likely going to stay in your mast for several days if not weeks.

If you don't use your bike for a few days - say your a weekend warrior ... what happens is the water in the roller bearing starts reacting with the copper rods, the stanchion coat on your cartridge. You have a few different metals here so not you get galvanic currents, facilitated by the water ... yep corrosion usually see as scoring marks on your stanchion under the seal collar ... or at the top of its travel if you left your saddle down.

Add a carbon frame into the material mix and all this accelerates with the added fun of having your post fused into your frame seatube.

The other thing that happens, particularly in hot weather is that the standing water trapped in the mast, boils during the day, condenses at night and cycles over and over until it can escape. Frequent rides helps get this trapped moisture out ... but leave it in there for a while and yep more corrosion this time in the pushrod well deep inside the cartridge ... what this does is corrode the actuator button deep in the cart and jams is open or shut so you either have a post that won't lock into position or is locked solid and can't compress.

This can happen with all posts that use guide rods, internal pushrods ... which I believe is most of the common post brands, not just KS ... but Eten, Cruxi, E30i (found on treks) LEV Si, with steel components are a little more susceptible to rust over time

ii) Water mixed with Mud
Mud helps to accelerate the above in point i)

But what mud does to posts that use a DU bushing like KS is that the water separates out the grains in the mud ... allowing it to defeat the wiper, and get into the DU both at the top and bottom and on the stanchion and into the roller bearing rods. Its now sand paper.

Again it help accelerate i) above as it sands way the stanchion coat exposing either the alloy or steel of the cart, as well as adding minerals to the mix I guess.

But worse ... the grains start wearing down the protective coat of the Teflon used in the DU ... add more water and it acts like a sponge ... making the teflon swell so that it adds to the stiction in the system rather than make it slick. Relubing helps extend the lift of the DU ... but over time, the stiction gets worst, and the cart becomes over worked ... with older models the base plate of the cart can unwind itself as there is torque created in the system as the thing tries to rise and defeat all that extra friction.

Oil leak, loss of air, slower than usual return speed, can't get its full travel without some help (then when you pull it up, air is sucked in and you get the dreaded compression or Sponge Bob)

All of the above can be avoid with user awareness
i) water sucks ... not saying dont ride wet trails, but the more water the post gets exposed to ... the more often you need to service the post.
The more regularly you lube the post, the more protection you give its components, the longer the service intervals. But the more water, the more likely your lube gets flushed out etc etc.
- The natural answer is use a thicker lube ... nope, if you use too thick a lube or one that isn't viscous enough anyway ... you create other problems.
ii) Dont wash your post, keep your hose away from it ... just wipe it down, give it a quick 5 min lube job under the seal collar and store it extended
- extended means any corrosion on the stanchion will be under the DU bushing and has a lesser effect on the performance of the post. But also there is less air pressure in the cart when extended so over long periods of storage or inactivity, air is less likely to escape or migrate to the wrong places and create sponge bob again.

All sounds like too much effort ?

- 5min relube after wet rides and once a month in dry conditions
- 30 to 45min service process if you have access to a nice workstand, workbench with vice and soft jaws. The critical tool is a soft jaw to hold the inner cartridge shaft 8mm dia for Steel carts and 27.2 alloy ones, or 10mm for all the the alloy carts.

The good news for Eten etc is the inner shafter is harder to scratch and the actuation assembly at the bottom of the post is easier to unscrew. if you can get that off its a really easy post to service and clean, particularly with a blow gun / air compressor.



Here is the vid for the Eteni . Cruxi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJHZX_Fb-0w

soz for the novel
 

loc81

Likes Dirt
I pretty much live on this page on the KS website.
http://kssuspension.com/support/tech-info/

All the parts diagrams, dimensions and service..
That was extensive, but great info so thanks!
Sounds like the e-ten was a good choice for the money. I'd have to be very, very desperate to ride in the rain, and already do regular dust seal re-lubes on my other post, so if the e-ten is basically a slight weight penalty but all the KS goodness, I'm happy!

Do you hear or see any benefits of protecting the stanchion (like an inner tube?) on rides where water or mud is inevitable?
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
I wouldn't ... I reckon it would just accelerate wear or trap moisture.

I pawn slicko as much as KS but it really is awesome stuff ... A very small amount more often under the seal collar is the trick.

Good luck and thanks for choosing KS :)
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
A very small amount more often under the seal collar is the trick.

Good luck and thanks for choosing KS :)
Yes......too much and you'll create an air lock, and your cable cover at the post end will shoot into the bush like a bullet, the first time you drop the saddle :doh:
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
hee Heeee

get nail, put a little hole at the base of the KS cap ... Don't snap the o-ring

the nub on the finned ferrule should slot into the hole and add security ... Or get the new alloy ferrule that's been standard since 2015. ... Longer fin into the hole
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
....I pawn slicko as much as KS but it really is awesome stuff ... A very small amount more often under the seal collar is the trick.
I run a Giant dropper and I packed the crap of my collar with Slicko, it makes a difference, works well. I've also got a mate with a DNM post and gave that the slick treatment as well, and it improved the action as well.
 

loc81

Likes Dirt
I run a Giant dropper and I packed the crap of my collar with Slicko, it makes a difference, works well. I've also got a mate with a DNM post and gave that the slick treatment as well, and it improved the action as well.
Recently bought a Trance and slick honey is the only thing keeping it on my bike. They are a very simple posts internally, which is handy for servicing but the dust collar on it is disgraceful. If dirt or hell, even fog takes just a look at the post, it ends up inside it.
 

loc81

Likes Dirt
Good luck and thanks for choosing KS :)
A question for someone that deals with posts a lot:
I 100% agree about keeping water etc away from the post to maximize longevity, but why do all brands get such issues when a bikes front fork can swim in shit all day and stays sealed up like a ducks arse?
Is there something I'm missing out on here?
Why hasn't fork stanchion tech followed over the the dropper post?
 
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