For a 2022 Diamondback Release 5C, the dropper post is routed internally through the frame , not with an external cable zip‑tied along the tubes.

Quick Scoop

On the Release 5C carbon frame, all control cables (including the dropper) are designed to run inside the frame :

  • The frame uses fully internal cable routing , which includes the dropper post line.
  • Reviews and launch coverage for the Release Carbon / 5C explicitly note that the dropper post cable is routed internally , while only the rear brake hose remains external on the frame.
  • The stock build uses a KS Lev Integra (internally actuated) post, which requires a cable entrance at the base of the seat tube , then through the main frame to the front of the bike.

In practical terms, that means:

  1. The cable housing starts at the bar-mounted remote.
  2. It enters the frame near the head tube at a cable port.
  3. It runs inside the downtube , then passes near or around the bottom bracket area.
  4. From there, it goes up inside the seat tube to the base of the dropper post, where it connects to the post’s actuator.

So if you’re looking at your actual bike:

  • Look for a small cable port/grommet on the side of the head tube or upper downtube where the dropper housing goes into the frame. This is where the housing starts its internal path.
  • Near the bottom of the seat tube , there’s normally an internal passage/port that lets the housing turn upward inside the tube to reach the dropper. Many riders describe this as “internal through the downtube, then up the seat tube.”

Simple routing picture in words

From the lever at the bars → into the frame at the head tube cable port → inside the downtube → around the bottom bracket area → into the bottom of the seat tube → up to the KS dropper inside the seat tube.

If you are swapping or installing a dropper:

  • Use an internally routed dropper post (like the stock KS Lev Integra) to match the frame’s design.
  • Reuse the existing internal path: you can often tape the new housing to the old one and pull it through, so you don’t have to “fish” blindly through the frame, a common technique in modern internal routing.

Bottom line: On the 2022 Diamondback Release 5C, the dropper post cable is internally routed from the bar to the frame, then through the downtube and up the inside of the seat tube to the post, using the built‑in internal cable ports.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.