The 27.2mm PNW Pine Dropper Post Improves any old XC, 'Cross, Gravel, or Kid's Bike

PNW Components Pine Dropper Post

Price: $199
Available from PNW Components and Amazon

We’ve tested most of the up-down sticks offered by PNW Components. Instead of a true review of the 27.2 PNW Pine dropper post, I’m going to focus on characteristics that set it apart from other 27.2mm dropper posts, and why it’s a sweet way to upgrade your older hardtail, ‘cross bike, kid’s frame, or a spankin’ new gravel whip.

The story starts with fit. There’s a dearth of 27.2mm diameter dropper post options available, and even fewer that work well. The narrower post makes it difficult to design an internal system that will hold up to regular use. PNW Components has simplified the guts, as writer Jeff Barber describes in his in-depth review of the PNW Rainier dropper post.

I’ve been pedaling around on the 27.2mm PNW Pine dropper for a while now, and it functions flawlessly. There’s nearly no wiggle at the head, and it drops as smoothly as it did on “new dropper day.”

The housing stays put, not scraping along the paint as the saddle rises and falls like it does with some external droppers.

Fully extended length is another key consideration in dropper fit, and the PNW Pine dropper is shorter than most narrow posts. There are two versions of this dropper, and the 90mm model has a total length of 355mm, while the post with 110mm of travel measures 400mm from head to base when fully extended.

I have the 90mm dropper, and it fits my Surly Karate Monkey frame and 30″ (76cm) inseam just right. The Pro Koryak dropper was too long for my inseam and frame, and offered 20mm less travel. The Thompson Elite I have on another old XC race bike is also too long for this Surly, and its functionality leaves loads to be desired. I had the Thompson dropper warrantied twice in the first two years, and it still doesn’t function properly.

The good ol’ dual bolt head works swell, as expected.

Finally, in addition to fitting short legs and frames with curvy seat tubes, the 27.2mm PNW Pine Dropper uses a fixed external cable that stays exactly where you zip tie it. Some externally cabled posts, the Thompson Elite for example, use a system where the cable head attaches to a lever just beneath the saddle, so any time the post is dropped the cable housing slides down with it, scratching paint and regularly catching on things. The externally routed RockShox Reverb hose moves similarly with the rise and fall, though that post doesn’t come in a 27.2mm diameter.

Check out our review of the PNW Loam Lever by writer Sam James.

27.2mm dropper posts

Here are some of the 27.2mm dropper posts available today.

Brand/Model	Cable routing	Drop	Minimum insertion	Total length	Post weight	Price
Brand-X Ascent CX Dropper	Internal	85/105mm	90mm (85mm model)	350/400mm	530g (85mm model)	$135
Kind Shock Lev	External	65-120mm	205-270mm	400mm (100mm model)	400-485g	$308 (100mm model)
PNW Components Pine Dropper	Internal (Rainier model) or external (Pine model)	90-110mm	100/120mm	355/400mm	409/530g	$199
Pro Kroyak Dropper	External	70mm		400mm	610g	$299.99
Thompson Elite	Internal/External	125mm	100mm	425mm	572g	$479.95

Final Thoughts

With 150mm posts on my other mountain bikes, I originally thought that 90mm of travel might feel inadequate. Instead, I have genuinely enjoyed having a dropper on this silly hardtail. Since I only ride it on dirt roads and tamer singletrack the shallow travel is perfect. It allows me to get a little looser than I otherwise would on my rigid bike, and to explore tracks that are a touch above the frame’s pay grade. Since this is also my commuter and grocery-getter, I appreciate being able to drop down with both feet on the ground at stoplights to better balance the vegetable load.