It seems like every week we’re posting about a new dropper post. But in addition to providing multiple options, all that competition ends up benefiting the consumer with lower prices and better performance. Case in point – check out the new PNW Loam Dropper Post. It’s better in almost every way compared to their previous Bachelor post, yet it’s also more affordable.
It seems that no matter what you’re looking for in a mountain bike dropper post, the new Loam post has you covered. Thanks to a new design, the Loam post is compatible with more frames than ever with material removed from both ends of the post.
At the head, excess material has been machined away to allow the stanchion to drop further into the seat post tube which helps to lower the overall stack height.
At the other end, the actuator has been shortened as well allowing for deeper insertion in some frames. Combined, the posts are 18mm shorter in overall length compared to the previous Bachelor post. That doesn’t sound like much, but for the riders who have found a dropper post just 5 or 10mm too long, that 18mm is great news.
The Loam post is offered in four travel lengths with 125, 150, 170, and 200mm travel options.
If you still find the post too long to get to your ideal saddle height, then there’s the internal travel adjustment. Introduced on their Rainier Gen 3 dropper, their tool-less travel adjustment system allows you to adjust the travel range in 5mm increments up to 30mm. So if you found your 170mm dropper post 4mm too long, you could adjust it to be a 165mm dropper post for the right fit.
Inside, you’ll find PNW’s alloy air cartridge with adjustable rebound with the same construction that makes PNW posts ideal for wet weather riding. That includes lower viscosity fluid in the sealed cartridge, seals made from more temperature stable rubber for better performance in the cold, and stanchion lube that is also rated for a wider temperature range. The rebound rate is controlled through the air pressure of the cartridge with a valve located under the saddle.
The sealed cartridge makes maintenance fairly easy, and the posts include a 3 year warranty just in case.
Better still? The posts have gotten lighter by about 40g thanks to the updated cartridge and stanchion. That equates to 456g for the 125mm post, and 576g for the 200mm post.
To add a bit of pop, the posts also include a machined channel in the mid cap that fits a silicone band. Posts ship with a black band, and replacements in multiple colors are $5 each.
Sold direct to consumer and at select retailers, the Loam post sells for $199 which is $40 less than the previous Bachelor post. Posts are available in 30.9, 31.6, and 34.9mm diameters and ship in a plastic-free box for easy recycling. Available now.
