Published March 6, 2012 05:30PM
As one of the original players in the modern adjustable seat post game, Crankbrothers is showing the depth of their knowledge with its new cable actuated dropper post, the Kronolog. At first glance, the Kronolog appears to have a good shot at overcoming all other aftermarket posts. With a weight around 470 grams, the Kronolog is lighter than Specialized’s latest Command Post Blacklite and the RockShox Reverb. In addition, the Kronolog, only available in a 125mm model, offers more travel than the 75mm Blacklite as well as the 100mm Reverb. At $300 the it is a bit pricier than its competitors, but the added functionality could justify the splurge.
With dropper seatposts the major gains do not come from the weight of the product, but how it functions on the trail. Our chief complaint with both the Reverb and the Blacklite is that when the seat is dropped there is excess cable housing hanging loose around the rear shock that can snag a shoe or flap against your leg. The RockShox Reverb Stealth solved this issue with an internally routed hydraulic cable, but only certain Scott and Trek frames were drilled for a Reverb Stealth housing stop. The Kronolog fixes this issue as the cable is inserted at the top of the stationary portion of the post, making it easy for the user to secure the cable out of the riders way.
Another improved feature of the Kronolog is the keyed shaft, which eliminates any sort of rotational play in the post. The Kronolog uses an air-powered shock with a cable pull from the handlebar, though Crankbrothers claims that its lever has a very hydraulic feel.
Unlike the Blacklite, which locks into place at three preset points, this similar air-powered shock can stop anywhere within the 125mm range. The post can also have the travel lowered 20mm at a time, by inserting spacers. Furthermore, the air spring can have the pre-load and return speed adjusted to rider preferences. The only initial quarrel I have is with the size of the Kronolog lever. It looks rather bulky on the handlebars in every shot I have seen.
Crankbrothers claims that the Kronolog is twice as strong as any other adjustable post on the market. Should that hold true and it functions reliably at the claimed weight, then the Kronolog will be the benchmark for adjustable seatposts.