Update here: So I had to wait for the external routing version to become available, got it about a month ago and it is amazing! Setting up / adjusting the preload is done via high pressure fork pump and the shock absorption response is fantastic. Once I got the preload pressure dialed in, I very rarely feel any bobbing of the seatpost when pedaling hard / climbing. And the drop feature is not only useful on nasty trail descents, I've found myself dropping the saddle a little bit on fast road descents as well. An unexpected benefit that I discovered is that when I have to hike-a-bike through a section of trail and I carry the bike from below the saddle, lowering the saddle makes it easier to carry the bike! Who knew???
Thanks for this. Still liking it now after a bit more time with it? I am tempted. How does it handle washboard dirt road sections? Can it deal with rapid, strong bumps?
Still love it! Between the seatpost and the Fox AX fork the ride is super plush. A lot of the FS roads that I ride on are serious washboard and always seem to be on a downhill section. I used to be very careful about picking the right line - now I just go.
I am in on this too. Was starting to look at externally routed dropper post options and had found one of the PNW’s as an option. I was interested in external routing as I was thinking (probably foolishly) that I might pull the dropper for big paved road days on the bike when I am also running a road oriented set of wheels and tires.
I could see using the dropper for sure, though, descending dirt roads. I feel it gets me in a way better position for that.
J. wrote:Still love it! Between the seatpost and the Fox AX fork the ride is super plush. A lot of the FS roads that I ride on are serious washboard and always seem to be on a downhill section. I used to be very careful about picking the right line - now I just go.
Nice. Considering one for my Kona Libre. Any idea on the weight?
[QUOTE username=Sunvalleylaw userid=7203107 postid=1311584252..... as I was thinking (probably foolishly) that I might pull the dropper for big paved road days on the bike when I am also running a road oriented set of wheels and tires. ... [/QUOTE]
Unless you can come up with a quick disconnect feature I don't think that you'll want to do that. I thought about that too until I installed it and decided once was enough!
FWIW: I'm using the wolftooth drop bar lever mounted just inside the left brake hood. I had a wolftooth lever made to mount on the top of the bars and used it a while but like the hood location better. If anyone wants the bar top lever, let me know - I'll make you a deal
I am unsure how PNW Coast Suspension will exactly work. I have seen videos of Redshoft's ShockStop seatpost in action, but the concept of the PNW is different, so seeing would hopefully make it clear as people's subjectivity can play too great a role in describing it, generally speaking. I like the idea of the suspension only working when hitting something worthwhile, not activated all the time.
I've had the Kinekt suspension post and the CaneCreek EE Silk post and in my opinion this is far superior. It's similar to a full squish mtn bike in that you set the pre-load / sag with the air pressure so that you don't bounce during your pedal stroke. You can do that in a sense with the spring / lever type posts but there were a lot of times I felt like I was pogo-ing on rough-ish roads, more so with the Kinekt than the EE Silk. If this hadn't come along I'd still be using the EE Silk, but this is better suspension and it's a dropper which really helps with some of the places I take my bike.
Sounds like it was written by a Redshift employee!
I've never used the redshift post, briefly tried the stem and hated it. But from the looks of the reviewers bike, he likes the stem (along with odd shaped bars and a shitload of steering tube extension). So it makes sense that he likes the seatpost. As for being harsh and not good for going fast on gravel, I personally think that's bullshit.
Oh ok. You said earlier "FWIW: I'm using the wolftooth drop bar lever mounted just inside the left brake hood." So I got confused.
Yes I think the Wolf Tooth option is in as bad position; not near any of your hand locations.
The reviews I've read for the PNW Coast's suspension vary wildly. Could it be people are setting it up with different pressure and aren't getting it set optimally? I've read on another forum that there a fine line with it being too much pressure and never activate and too little and it not spring back after activating. Like a 1-3 psi range.
So you think it would work on a washboard section of road? I'd love to see a video of it in action. Like the many videos of cameras attached to the back of people's bikes while riding the Redshift seatpost. There's nothing out there. I thought PNW would have that footage with their marketing push but instead their video is 3 people riding bikes to a drinking destination 😂
Yeah, sorry about that - I forgot where I got that lever from.
I've never experienced it being that sensitive to pressure.
As you can see the post is on my adventure bike and I've ridden that across a lot of different terrain, washboard, chunk rock ledges, all kinds of rough roads and I love it. I bought it because I feel like hydraulic suspensions are generally better than springs or cushy things and so far, it's been all I wanted. When I'm fully loaded, extra eight on the saddle from the seatbag, it still works. If it's not the best suspension seatpost, that's ok with me because it's the only one I know of that's a dropper post too, and that's as important to me as the squish factor. But for me it works, has worked, and I expect it will continue to work until the seals need serviced, if that even needs to be done.
It does seem the PNW Coast's design results in a different kind of suspension than Redshiift and eeSilk etc. The Canyon's VCLS 2.0 looks a good option too; less to go wrong.
For me, the dropper is a bonus; I don't know if I need it or would use it, maybe rarely. The suspension is the main objective.
Here's another thread discussing the PNW Coast, for reference, for anyone reading this.
So I had dropped into this discussion as I was interested in an externally routed dropper post at reasonable cost and was interested in PNW. Didn’t realize this one had suspension built in too. I personally was not really wanting suspension, but just wanted the dropper feature for descending. Can anyone recommend a PNW model?
Sounds like it was written by a Redshift employee!
I've never used the redshift post, briefly tried the stem and hated it. But from the looks of the reviewers bike, he likes the stem (along with odd shaped bars and a shitload of steering tube extension). So it makes sense that he likes the seatpost. As for being harsh and not good for going fast on gravel, I personally think that's bullshit.
I'll take a photo of the lever and send later.
It never stops to amaze me how people can be soo judgemental about things and people there are really don't know.
I run my gravelbike.cc project for almost a year now and I am no employee of any brand or bike company. I am an independent reviewer who is on a journey to find the most comfortable yet fun to ride gravel bike. I tested many suspension seatpost already and shared my opinion about them on my website.
PNW suspension dropper post is in my opinion an interesting choice for those who really need a dropper but it is nowhere near the efficacy of things like Redshift suspension seatpost. That is based on hours, hours of testing different suspension solutions. Of couse everything is connected with the way you set up those things (both Redshift suspension and PNW can be almost lineary adjusted) but I experimented with those setting a lot and still could not make the PNW smooth enough to make it a great suspension seatpost. I was talking with PNW a lot about this and even they admit that it is not even fair to compare their rather simple suspension solution with a more sophisticated, dedicated suspension seatpost from the competiton. But they were curious of my results so they have sent me the test sample and are OK with the results I got.
But this is my opinion and everyone is entilted to have their one. Its like with saddles. Sometimes it is just a matter of personal preference. I in suspension look for smoothness, quick action and good ride feeling. When those things are considered I believe only Redshift suspension seatpost and Canyon VLCS 2.0 can be awarded. I use both but with my new titanium benchmark bike (which will be introduced soon on my website) I will use VCLS because I can't get enough setback on Redhisft suspension seatpost. Like I said, I like both: VCLS for the ride feel and Redshift for the best suspension efficacy (but at the cost of small bounciness). And yes, I use Redshift suspension stem, because it is the best solution I can get, but I already stated in two Specialized reviews, that I believe that FutureShock is a better solution. So please try to read more of my work first before you will judge me as a person.
But if you have any technical questions regardins suspension solutions that I have tested, I am more than happy to answer them!
You say "it never stops to amaze me how people can be soo judgemental about things and people there are really don't know" which in itself is judging me saying I don't know about the seatpost that others were asking me about. And yes, I still stand by the comment that the review sounds like RS product advertising. You have your bias, I have mine.
No, I haven't tried the RS post and won't since the stem was such a disappointment for me, to put it nicely. So I wasn't comparing the two but instead answering your comments that the PNW was useless on gravel. And to your comment that PNW is ok with your results seems a bit of a stretch since you basically say their product is crap.
And just for the record, I never once stated anything judging you as a person. But for someone who publishes product reviews you sure got offended easily.
J. wrote:You say "it never stops to amaze me how people can be soo judgemental about things and people there are really don't know" which in itself is judging me saying I don't know about the seatpost that others were asking me about. And yes, I still stand by the comment that the review sounds like RS product advertising. You have your bias, I have mine.
No, I haven't tried the RS post and won't since the stem was such a disappointment for me, to put it nicely. So I wasn't comparing the two but instead answering your comments that the PNW was useless on gravel. And to your comment that PNW is ok with your results seems a bit of a stretch since you basically say their product is crap.
And just for the record, I never once stated anything judging you as a person. But for someone who publishes product reviews you sure got offended easily.
So, you are basically saying that I should not be offended when someone is saying that I am a paid reviewer. Nice. And then you say that you will for sure don't like the suspension seatpost because you did not like the suspension stem from the same company. It says everything. Especially when you take into the consideration the small little fact that Redshift suspension stem is based on elastomers and suspension seatpost is based on springs so it is a completely different product. For your knowledge, I did tested every suspension seatpost that I could get (eeSilk, Kinekt, PNW, Redshift, VCLS you name it). So I believe that I have some right to say which is better in my opinion.
And no, I did not say that the PNW is crap. It is your interpretation. What I said is that even PNW acknowledge the fact that their product is no really a suspension seatpost but a dropper post with some suspension abilities. So it would be ridiculous from their side to be offended with my review saying that their product is not as good as the real suspension seatpost solutions like Redshift's one. Just ask them. Their product is designed to help with bigger bumps and not with high frequency gravel chatter.
Yet, if you feel good with PNW dropper post then good for you. Like I said, it is a matter of personal preference. Not everyone has to like everything the same. I just stated my opinion. You stated yours and it is up to others to make their own mind based on that.
