PNW Loam Lever Dropper Post Lever Kit [Rider Review]

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Dropper post levers are one of those little details that can really make or break your dropper post experience. A crummy lever will leave you frustrated, and a nice, quality one like the PNW Loam will have you gladly reaching back for more. Nat has been enjoying his Loam lever for a while now, read on for more!

Overview

The PNW Loam Lever isn't a complex component and being that its sole function is to pull and release cable, you might call it boring compared to the other technology-laden bits and pieces found on a modern mountain bike. Because of its simplicity, you might also think that there's not much difference between the levers that control our dropper posts.

Well, I would disagree. Perhaps with some companies, the time, effort, and engineering go into the post itself, and the lever is simply an afterthought. Certainly, a dropper post's functionality and reliability are important but I feel like only in the last couple of years the levers themselves have begun to receive attention. Having used dropper posts (and thus levers) from Bontrager, Specialized, Whyte Bikes, Wolf Tooth, and Rock Shox, the PNW Loam Lever is king.

First Impressions

Why? Well, first off the rubber pad on the Loam Lever provides a better, more positive, less slippery place to push your thumb into. Now I'm not totally against putting my thump into slippery places but let's just say "slippery" is bad when it comes to dropper post levers :) Simple as that. Plus it allows for a splash of color and you can deny it all you want but you know, deep down, that proper color coordination (not too much mind you, but just enough) on your mountain bike is essential and directly proportionate to your level of self-confidence and sense of self-worth. We happen to dig the orange flavor.

It has a functional barrel adjuster to dial in cable tension. It comes in different mounting configurations—the tried and true clamp-to-your handlebar style (my preferred format) and the fancy integrated-with-your-brake-lever solutions for SRAM and Shimano brakes.

One of the shortcomings I've experienced in a number of the other levers I've used is the amount of play or wiggle in the lever mechanism itself. The lever that came with an early version of the Specialized Command Post had so much play that it would eat away at the cable and eventually saw right through it. Of course, this would usually happen at the most inconvenient time and in the most inconvenient place. The lever that came with the OEM dropper my Son's Whyte SR130 has so much play in it that it feels like it's going to fall off. To its credit, it hasn't yet fallen off but it does not instill confidence.

The PNW Loam Lever doesn't have much play in its levering action, which is nice.

Perhaps the worst, most offensive dropper post lever that I've ever encountered is the OEM, POS Bontrager unit that came on my youngest Son's Trek. This gem of componentry was so unrefined with razor-sharp edges, that it sliced his thumb open. I put electrical tape on the lever but it cut right through that as well after a few rides. I thought about filing the edges but ultimately found it more satisfying to put in the garbage can, where it truly belongs. So now my 10-year-old has a PNW Loam Lever on his bike and zero Band-Aids on his thumb.

Final Thoughts

In addition to the tactile feel and rainbow of available colors, what's good about the PNW Loam Lever is that it just works. We are currently a 2 Loam Lever household and I see more in our future.