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Suspect quite a few people on here have the brand X dropper posts. Is there some trick to setting up the lever to not need mad long thumbs to push it enough? Or have I not gotten enough cable tension?
2nd question, do any of the aftermarket levers make a difference?
I've set a couple up and not had any problems. My son seems to manage ok with his and he's a big lad so doesn't have massive hands.
Check your cables again.
Mine was a bit fiddly to setup. Check the cable wraps around the guide in the lever. Also did you fit the bit of metal on the post itself?
What do you mean the bit of metal? The circular thingy that slots in? Did that.
Will pull it out and check.
Never had too much problem setting it up, but I have to say a PNW loam lever and a really good cable has made it feel ohhh so good!
The original Brand X levers from a few years ago were a bit floppy, but the 'v2' ones from past few years are decent. No problems with multiple ones here.
I don't find the lever throw any greater than my XT or XTR shifter.
I use the bontrager one. Never had any issues with pushing it
Yeah, thats the bit 👌
Brand x levers of both types I broadly found ok. The first one was nicer feeling but easy to break. The newer version feels more solid but a little agricultural. You should be able to set it up to function fine though - I’ve not got huge hands and no issues.
Both my bikes now have the ztto lever though as it’s definitely a nicer thing to use.
I always look at the pnw ones with the rubber inlay and think I’d like those but they’re too expensive for a small lever as far as I’m concerned.
I dropped the grub screw ..can everyone check their sheds as it’s not in mine.
Hmm so it looks like it might just be me. I do have a pretty big loop of outer so will maybe refit and see how that goes.
And yes, that grub screw is tiny!! I dropped it once but by some miracle found it again.
The brand X lever is a bit basic, I've used the bontrager line elite level too which is better, but I'm now using the new oneup V3 lever and it's lovely, really light action compared to others I've used.
Bonty one is nice actually.
I'm too tight to buy a new lever whilst the Brand X one is working fine. I'll replace it when I snap this one off in a crash, which with how haphazardly I ride could be anytime soon....
ZTTO ones on ebay are better than the ones they come with - probably not as good as some of ^ those though
I dropped the grub screw ..can everyone check their sheds as it’s not in mine.
I went to a fastener shop and bought a dozen so I can just chuck them wildly around now.
Haven’t lost one since of course.
I'd second the ZTTO lever either from ebay or aliexpress.
Nicer as the cable clamps at the lever end - which is always nice.
I have them on 3 bikes and work fine
Never had any issues with the brand x lever but the ztto from Ali express is much nicer
I've just bought a bike for my lad and it came with a BrandX dropper/remote but there was something missing from the lever. There's a little disc that goes in the middle that acts as a cam to support the cable as you press the lever. This has the effect of pulling more cable than it would otherwise. Make sure yours's is still present. I've just bodged one out of a penny which fitted quite nicely once filed to the right shape. Will find out if it worked when I put the bike back together.
ZTTO +1
or
repurposed XT left hand shifter...
I managed to break a ZTTO lever during the fitting process, after seeing all the good reviews of it on here I can only put this down to me either being incompetemt or buying the wrong size for the bars.
I have PNW Levers on both my bikes, expensive but reliable and most importantly, can be colour matched 🙂
It's possible to fit the Brand X lever band the wrong way 'round, so double check that. ZTTO or (assuming you want to support your LBS) the Bontrager, which can also connect to SRAM and Shimano lever clamps. Our ZTTOs haven't skipped a beat in about four years, but the Command Post lever on my hardtail is starting to get grumpy, and I'll be trying one of the Bonty ones instead.
2nd the lever bracket being the wrong way on the bars, I did that initially………….
I replaced my Brand X with a ZTTO like many above but when I bought a new Brand-X for another bike I used a Shimano lever which is easy to set up and works very well.
I''ve got a ZTTO on one bike and a Shimano one on the other. Both good, and iirc around similar price now (I got my ZTTO back when they were about a tenner, think they're more now?)
Nicer as the cable clamps at the lever end – which is always nice.
TBF, the current B-X one also clamps at the lever
repurposed XT left hand shifter.... so how does this work then? 90% sure I have a spare in the box.
I”ve got a ZTTO on one bike and a Shimano one on the other. Both good, and iirc around similar price now (I got my ZTTO back when they were about a tenner, think they’re more now?)
I wish I'd gone for the ZTTOs when they were a tenner - now around £25. Shimano one cheaper! But I'm happy enough with the Brand X lever.
I never use the inline cable adjuster but they aren't terrible...
Replaced 2x with ZTTO @£15 each which is much better but not rushing to replace the other for £30
Ztto ares about £12 on Ali express
I dropped the grub screw ..can everyone check their sheds as it’s not in mine.
A DMR V12 pin will work as a replacement, just a bit longer than the original
@Wildhunter2009 - lots of YouTube videos showing it. I’ve tried a bike with an old XTR lever and it felt really nice.
I’m using the BX one that came with my 200mm dropper without problems though.
+1 for ZTTO from AliExpress. It was about 20p extra for an "oil slick" one, which appay makes it the coolest dropper lever ever made 🙂