Dropper posts have exploded in popularity in recent years, but would it surprise you to learn that the first, or one of the first units came into being 17 years ago?
Kind Shock, or KS as it’s better known to most riders, is a Taiwanese manufacturer based in Tainan that specialises in dropper posts. BikeRadar visited the company’s headquarters this week and while we there, we were shown what’s claimed to be the oldest dropper in the world. (And no, the Hite Rite doesn’t count, internet smartypants.) Back in 1998, Kind Shock General Manager Martin Hsu took inspiration from the common office chair to create his first dropper, paving the way for KS’s future efforts in the field.
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Martin Hsu, seen here in the room where every KS post is assembled, was a man ahead of his time in 1998
This 'ur-dropper' looks slightly crude by today’s standards, but in design terms it’s remarkably similar to current offerings. It actually uses a control lever arrangement much like the one still employed by KS today for the company’s non-remote droppers.
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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