Race Face Aeffect Dropper 1x Lever

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Most reviews I’ve read mentioned that the Aeffect lever doesn’t hold the bar very securely, or that it feels flimsy. Indeed, it does feel flimsy compared to a Reverb lever for example, but it’s not a part that needs to be pushed hard against to get working. I have torqued the bolt to spec and never had any problem with it slipping on the handlebar, but since I had read those reviews before, I added a small strip of thin, clear adhesive vinyl underneath the clamp, and never felt anything move. I would suggest this to anyone, especially those with carbon handlebars, since it adds a bit of grip and also protects the bar’s finish at the same time.

 This isn’t the best feeling dropper lever, but it works fine when properly installed. That means greasing the barrel adjuster’s threads, loctiting the clamp’s bolt threads, and using Slick Honey, Slickoleum or similar grease on a nice quality shifter cable. The one that comes stock with the lever isn’t the best, but I’ve used it anyway and the quality isn’t as critical as for a shifter. I have pre-stretched the cable before finalizing its tension in the post’s base mechanism, screwed the barrel adjuster almost all in, and then adjusted the cable’s tension before fitting the dropper post in the frame. Since then I haven’t needed to tighten the barrel adjuster much, if at all. There are enough threads to get a few mm of adjustment and that should suffice to those who didn’t pre-stretch the cable and need to add tension.

 The only real negative thing about it for me would be the lever’s limited compatibility with some brake lever clamps. My Shimano M315 clamp’s shape didn’t fit well with this remote’s lever and I couldn’t place it exactly where I wanted it. I still managed to find a comfortable and easy-to reach location, but it’s a little farther than I would have liked. With a deeper bend on the paddle it would fit with pretty much anything I guess.

 There are many better dropper levers on the market (I’ve read great things from PNW’S Loam lever but it’s almost twice the price) but this one is good for people with less money to spend. If I was to replace mine, I’d probably try OneUp’s remote for not that much more, since it also fits with Shimano I-Spec II and Matchmaker clamps. Race Face’s own Turbine lever could also be a good alternative for a bit more money. It seems to be made with more durability and color options if that’s your thing, but I think that the brake lever’s compatibility would be a bit more restricted with the straight paddle.

 Visually and mechanically, the Race Face Aeffect dropper lever is pretty much exactly the same as Brand-X’s (ChainReactionCycles’ house brand) one : same shape, same clamp, same barrel adjuster and same finish. It’s also very similar to the PNW Cascade dropper post’s remote, except for the paddle which PNW seemed to get made in a different shape. 

 All in all, this is a simple, well-working and well-made dropper post lever. It functions well when properly installed and used but won’t be the best for ham-fisted mechanics or reckless people. It’s not a blingy lever by any means, but it would make an affordable replacement for someone who breaks their stock Race Face/Brand-X remote lever.