PNW Coast Suspension Dropper Post: Employee Review

Well ladies and gentlemen, as PNW does, they have broken the mold once again and come out with what some might consider the best thing to ever happen to their rump. For those who ride gravel, you know the feeling of a sore bum from a long day in the saddle and it is something I had just become accustomed to because that’s just life on the gravel bike.

Overview

Introducing the PNW Coast Dropper Post. This dropper post is designed to work with pretty much any bike (MTB or Gravel) but I seem to find it most useful on my Gravel bike (2019 Devinci Hatchet). Basically, this dropper post comes in 120mm or 100mm travel options but then has 40mm of tunable travel that allows the post to give for 40mm when you come across some unsuspected bumps.

• Diameters: 27.2, 30.9 or 31.6mm
• Drop Travel: 100 (27.2) or 120mm (30.9/31.6)
• Air Suspension: 40mm
• Cable Routing: Available with internal or external cable routing
• Cartridge: 2-chamber hydraulic and adjustable air
• Price: $179

First Impressions

I was skeptical at first that this may cause trouble with power transfer when pedaling, like the post may lower just from the weight of my body resulting in improper saddle height and painful knees but I was surprised to find that when I had the tunable air chamber set to the ideal PSI it never gives way at all until you need it. I find it most useful on rough climbs or fast flat sections where you are still pedaling with the post in the fully extended position.

Performance

This PNW post is an absolute game-changer when you find yourself in the middle of some rough stuff without much time to prepare or when you hit some bumps that just do not warrant dropping your post all the way down. Obviously, you do not find yourself in these perfect nightmarish conditions too often but when you do, having a little cushion for the tush is a game-changer. The occasional blow to the corn hole is really not a season-ender but when going into a 50-mile gravel ride, the last thing you want is to be sore down there before the ride really even starts!

Final Thoughts

Long story short, this dropper post has made it easier to ride rougher trails, further, faster and with confidence that I can still sit down for dinner and enjoy a beer without squirming in my chair to find a comfortable position.