Brands Doing Cool Things: Philanthropy and New Loam Grips from PNW [Video]

PNW has been cranking out a lot of new parts lately and here we have yet another new product, the PNW Loam Grips. PNW set out to create a grip that they thought could improve how your current grip fits into your hands. Building on their handlebar, the Range, and of course the amazing Loam Lever, PNW has your contact points up front covered. In classic PNW style, they have addressed issues with other popular products on the market, while giving you the savings to be able to spec it on your bike. 

PNW Loam Grips

Starting with most different aspect of this grip is the ergonomic layout. The Loam Grip features two contrasting patterns and these dueling motifs play an important ergonomic role. Thin strips run horizontally across the grip’s surface for enhanced traction and supple feel, while the thicker mountain pattern helps support the pad of your hand. The outermost part of the grip starts at 31mm and narrows down to 29.5mm on the inside, while the ribbed pattern changes from the outside to inside as well as on the bottom.

On the outside, you have a thicker raised rib in a large zig-zag pattern, which helps take the bumps and hits on your palm where you are holding on the tightest while the inside of your hand focuses on braking. Moving to the inside of the grip, you have a thinner ribbed pattern that moves side to side on the inside top, and all along the bottom of the grip. On the bottom with the thinner lateral ribs, there are a few “bars” that break up the thin long ribs and almost make the bottom feel like a waffle pattern. 

The last notable feature of the grip is that it uses a single clamp on the inside, allowing the grip rubber to get all the way to the end of the grip. This is possibly my favorite part of any grip, as you can place your hand on the outside of the bar while still having comfort. The rubber compound is what PNW calls the “Happy Camper” compound. Not too soft, not too hard, and able to give support but also take some vibration and rough terrain coming through the bike into the hands. 

Specs:

- Grip - 30mm to 29.5mm 

- Thicker ribs on the outside, with thinner ribs on the inside

- Single clamp design with rubber to the end of the grip

- Happy Camper rubber compound, not too hard, not too soft, just right

PNW Range Handlebar:

PNW teamed up with one of their pro riders, Kyle Warner, to make the PNW Range handlebar that not only suits him as a rider, but also addresses some issues of newer, more modern bikes. By doing that, the biggest difference you will see on this handlebar is the 10 degrees of back sweep. That's quite a bit, and I haven't seen that much sweep on handlebars since my XC days. With 30mm of rise, 10 degrees of back sweep, and 5 degrees of up sweep these bars help put the hands, arms and shoulders in a more natural position when riding these longer than ever, more modern bikes. 

The Range is made from a comfortable 2014-T73 heat treated alloy, and in a 31.8 clamping diameter. As an alloy handlebar, they are easily stiff enough in 31.8 and happen to be more forgiving as well. The last amazing feature of this handlebar is Kyle Warner wanted to give back to the mountain bike youth, so 5% of handlebar sales go back to NICA to fund our youth riding bikes. 

Specs:

- Material: 2014-T73 heat treated alloy

- 5° upsweep, 10° backsweep

- Rise: 30mm

- Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm

- Width: 780mm

- Weight: 334g

- 5% of sales to NICA

PNW Loam Lever:

While the Loam Lever isn't a brand new offering, it's still one of our best selling PNW products, as well as our best selling dropper remote. The Loam Lever is an under the bar, shifter style dropper remote that not only works great, but has lots of thought behind it. It features an injected molded thumb pad that helps keep it grippy in the worst conditions, along with having a wide range of adjustability so you can get it exactly where you need it. It comes in a sleek grey metal color, with a few different color options for the thumb pad: Orange, Teal, Grey, Black and Red. My favorite part is that with the same base lever, you can “match” it to your brake of choice from SRAM MMX, to Shimano ISPEC II & EV mount, as well as a standalone 22.2 clamp if you don't use these brakes. The Loam Lever completes the PNW cockpit feel. 

Specs:

- CNC machined body

- Injected molded thumb pad

- Five colors to choose from

- Large bearing in lever for smooth action

- Highly adjustable

- Direct mount for SRAM MMX, Shimano Ispec II & EV or 22.2 clamp

On The Trail:

With all three of these products mounted on your bike, you will for sure have a different feeling front end or cockpit than any of your riding buddies. All three of these parts from PNW, the Loam Grips, the Range Handlebar, and the Loam Lever, create a very thought out ergonomic feel that is not possible to get from any other companies.  It's hard to explain in words, but you feel naturally connected to the bike with this combo more so than lots of other setups out there. And it's not due to one part in particular. The handlebar does a great job of putting your hands and shoulders in a natural position and the grips help fatigue while providing comfort. Last the Loam Lever is adjustable and I personally like to get it under the handlebar as much as possible so I don't have to move my thumb too much from my attack position to actuate my dropper remote. After all, that is the point of a “shifter” style remote, right?

The bike really does change with these parts, and it's pretty crazy that it's taken this long to get these small changes to help fit our bodies to the bike just a little better. We are talking a couple of degrees and millimeters here and there, but at the end of the day, that makes up a bike and small gains can make big improvements. 

Final Thoughts:

All of this leads to a comfortable position where you can easily focus more on the trail and less on your parts, and for me that is the highest praise you can give any part. More fun, less thinking, that's what we all want, right? The combination of these three products from PNW help make your experience on your bike just that little bit better. You can use them individually, two or all three, but there is no denying that these parts will feel great on your bike.