components: Test: Ritchey WCS KITE - Lightweight dropper post with a robust interior

Ritchey WCS KITE Dropper: Processing

First impression after taking it out of the packaging: Pretty classy and really light! Everything looks extremely solid, small notes on the support and the cable entry on the underside should probably help with assembly. The saddle clamp is sufficiently dimensioned without appearing too bulky. A highlight is definitely the weight: Without cable and remote, the post with 125mm stroke weighs just 444g and is therefore around 100g lighter than the average of the other dropper posts.

The remote also makes a very good impression: Beautifully milled, made entirely of metal with a pleasant ribbing so that you don't slip off even in the heat of the moment. We'll get to assembly in a moment - the remote control can be mounted above the handlebars both trigger style and as an additional lever. In the packaging we also find the corresponding cable and an outer sleeve with matching Jagwire end caps and instructions.

Ritchey WCS KITE Dropper: assembly

First of all: Anyone who has already mounted a dropper post with mechanical linkage will immediately find their way around the Ritchey. In a pinch, the instructions, which are good in and of themselves, also help, but they should be a few centimeters larger. In any case, the very good fit between all parts is positive: The drawbar slips easily into the corresponding groove at the end of the support, the end cap sits securely in the corresponding opening. The latter is particularly commendable, since the cable sits securely with it and does not slip out of the opening when the support is inserted.

The good impression continues at the other end of the line – i.e. on the handlebars or the remote: the lever can be mounted in many different angles and positions using a clever mechanism. So you can easily adapt it to your own needs and the individual cockpit. All you have to do is loosen one screw.

A small point of criticism is the anodizing of the post itself, which does not seem to be very resistant: clear traces are visible after pulling it out once and the black color says goodbye. So caution is advised here.

Ritchey WCS KITE Dropper: Function

After the quick and painless assembly, it's time for the function test. Unfortunately, the Ritchey WCS KITE is not infinitely lockable and our 125mm version only offers three positions: all the way in, all the way out and an intermediate position with a drop of 35mm. We would have preferred a "real" middle position at around 70mm, because 35mm lowering only makes a decisive difference in a few situations.

The operating forces on the lever are pleasingly low and the support can be released without much pressure. Unfortunately, the release speed cannot be dosed - at a certain point the support pops up. The wording already suggests: The extension speed is extremely fast - for our taste zu fast. Anyone who is not already sitting on the saddle when it is released will make an extremely painful acquaintance with the saddle. Even reducing the air pressure in the cartridge (according to the instructions only 10 psi anyway) brought no improvement here.

A big advantage of the support, however, is its simple internal structure and the associated simple maintainability: the inner workings are mechanical (that's probably why the three-position lock) and the instructions provide a lot of help if you want to carry out repairs or maintenance. thumbs up for that.