Reverb vs KS Lev Integra

Looking at either one of these for my new bike build. Which one would people recommend / has proven the most reliable

Cheers

Oli

reverb generally available more cheaply. bar lever reputedly a bit fragile. hydraulic faff.
lev has fixed cable, which is a cable, and is available with greater height adjustment.
let’s face it, who wouldn’t pay a bit more for a bit more length? 😉

Reverb. I have a KS integra and its a bit sticky compared to all the reverbs I have had.

My Reverb “rocks” side to side by about 2mm!!

I have a Lev with the Southpaw lever and it’s nice. Only 5 months old though and never owned a Reverb to compare long term. Hydraulic faff does put me off the Reverb a bit though. Southpaw lever would probably be enough to sway me to Lev, but as said above, Reverbs can be had very cheap in comparison.

don’t over estimate the “hydraulic faff”. had mine 3 years and yet to do anything more than top up the air chamber.

I have owned both and without doubt i would recommend the KS Lev Integra with Southpaw lever.

No bleeding ever, the actuation is so much smoother that my reverbs and the fact that you can pretty much fix and bodge a repair out on the trail or if the lever gets battered in transit which happens way more often than you would think. All you need is a cable.

Even the non Integra is better than the reverb and Thomson IMO as there is no cable drop when you drop the post due to the positioning of the cable routing point.

I’m on my 3rd warranty claim for a stealth reverb – getting hacked off with it now. However, when it’s working the action is really smooth and there’s minimal side-to-side play.

Even if the Lev is no more reliable it’s got to be easier to remove and refit with a mecahnical rather than the hydraulic remote. More robust and less faff for packing up the bike and travelling too. Both good reasons for choosing a Lev Integra over a Reverb Stealth.

I have both. In terms of action they feel pretty similar. I feel more confident in the Lev because a) its never gone wrong (the reverb has been for a warranty service due to stickiness) and b) its cable so 40% of it is trail repairable. Well I always carry a spare gear cable, but have yet to carry a bleed kit, despite wishing I had one on me a good few times.. I would happily buy either again, but would always aim for a Lev if possible.

Got both. Neither perfect, but the lev with southpaw is much better to use.

I had a ks integra which was great – until it decided to spew its oil down my seat tube took 3 months before i got my money back after failed warranty repairs , I’m back to using my 99% dependable gravity dropper – only thing thats ever gone wrong with that in 5 years of use was the levers cable snapped – and I was able to swap that my self in less than 5 mins..

I prefer the LEV, only because i find the standard lever much more ergonomic compared to the reverb especially when you are running shimano brakes and front shifter.

my understanding is the internals are pretty similar but that KS use quad rings vs orings, might last a fair bit better. that could be utter b****cks, haven’t taken apart either. generally across the board, RS sealing is naff.

Lev is at least £100 more (DX £270 ish vs reverb currently £165 at Tredz, retail), they’ve gone up to nearly £500 for the top end Lev with carbon bits now 😮 don’t recommend importing, want the 2 year UK warranty.

I have a Lev (cheapest DX one, who needs a rotating saddle head? forward’ll do me.. i know it’s for cable orientation) and don’t regret that yet, nearly a year old no problems so far touch wood. 1 thing, remote is sticky first push of every ride i should check that out not sure if cable or inside. and yep, KS remote is neat.

I sell both, both have their issues but to put it this way…

Most recent reverb return- send off and customer gets a new one in the post the same week.

Most recent Lev return – send it off and wait over 2 weeks to get back then after 2 rides customer says it is worse than it was before was sent off.

And I prefer the reverb when it is working too.