Race Face produces two dropper posts – the Turbine, which sells for £399 and this newer Race Face Aeffect dropper post at £259.99.

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The AEffect initially looks good value but the price doesn’t include the 1x remote lever, that’s an extra £49.95, making this a £310 dropper. If you look through our line up you’ll see that price is in the ball park but the problem we have is the AEffect dropper is virtually identical to the Brand X Ascend dropper we tested previously – it’s the same weight, has the same two-bolt saddle clamps, forged zero offset head and even the activation mechanism on the bottom of the lower shaft. The remote levers are not an exact match but the one with the Brand X is included in the price, making that an overall difference of £170. And if you wander onto Chain Reaction Cycles you may even see the Brand X Ascend for as little as £100!

The Race Face AEffect is every bit as good as the Brand X. It’s easy to set up, infinitely adjustable, has minimal play due to bushing/guide block internals and has a smooth action and snappy return speed, which you can adjust by adding more air into the valve under the saddle clamps. On the Race Face the collar is a little taller, so it sits higher in the frame, but the lower shaft is shorter, so you have a bigger adjustment range.

The AEffect’s 1x specific remote lever is a modular design, so you can either attach it as standard or remove the clamp and bolt it directly to the SRAM brake lever. The paddle is at a fixed angle but there’s enough fore-aft adjustment to get it in a comfortable position. The post also comes with a better inner gear cable than Brand X, which should last longer before it needs replacing.

The obvious question is why is the Race Face so expensive? To be honest we really don’t know because Race Face hasn’t come back to us. Is it worth buying? Only if you absolutely have to have the Race Face name on your bike.