Crankbrothers Highline

£299.99 Weight 696g Stroke 100, 125, 160mm* Diameters 30.9, 31.6mm Max length 465mm Internal length 320mm

Crankbrothers couldn’t have had a worse reputation for dropper posts a few years ago, but the Highline has proved a truly outstanding option, in terms of user-friendly operation and reliability. At just under 700g, it’s no lightweight. There’s a lot of post south of the collar too, which could cause fit issues if you have to run it slammed to fit the 160m stroke between you and the bike. The nipple sits inside the post and it comes with the cable already installed. That makes fitting a breeze, as you just have to thread it through the outer, pull it tight and clamp it into the shifter-style remote. Just make sure to line up the arrows on the mechanism and main body. We had issues with cable tension on the first bike we tried it on, which had tight internal routing, and marked it down accordingly. But further use involving multiple samples, bikes and testers has thrown up no such problems, so we’re confident in raising the score. The hinged bar mount clamps onto a spherical section on the remote body for massive angle/position adjustability, and you can even get coloured paddle covers. If you need to remove the post from your bike, the bottom end unscrews complete with the cable and actuator, so you just screw it back in and you’re good to go. Top-quality Trelleborg sealing and igus glide bearings mean performance is impressively smooth, easily controlled and consistent even on the longest, dirtiest rides or after an extended rest, although the return speed isn’t adjustable. While there aren’t many Highlines out on the trails, every one we’ve used or spotted and asked about has been trouble free, even with minimal maintenance. The reasonable pricing is the same across all sizes and stroke lengths, and there’s a three-year warranty should you need it, too. www.extrauk.co.uk