The challenge with longer travel dropper posts is that the shaft typically needs to be longer, too. Which means your seat tube needs to be straighter for longer. The new e*Thirteen TRS+ 170mm dropper seatpost manages to increase travel while shortening the body, helping you eke out bigger drops on more frames.
The new 170mm travel option is their first with the new, shorter set of internals and remote connector. The lower body on this model is 8mm shorter than the 150mm dropper post, despite the longer travel. They did this by revising the bushing layout and shortening (and simplifying) the connection point on the bottom.
It keeps the fully mechanical rebuildable design and uses a simple ball and spring with a cam mechanism to catch and release the stanchion.
e*Thirteen is of the pre-defined travel increments camp, offering fixed positions at 170-150-120-0 millimeter settings. That’s a bit shorter initial drop than the 150mm post, which puts you in a good climbing position on aggressive technical trails.
It uses an easy-to-adjust two-bolt clamp system for the saddle, and a under-mounted thumb shifter remote lever that fits where your old front derailleur shifter was.
Retail is a very reasonable $270-$280 for post and lever, or get the lever on its own for $70 to use with most other brand dropper posts.
