PNW Components Cascade Dropper Post, 125/150/170mm Travel, External Routing

I finally fell in love with my fat tire, mtn ebike thanks to this dropper post. It was too small and I almost sold it. Now I get fullleg Extension and the fit is phenomenal

10/26/2018 Review:PNW Components. Never heard of this company before and I found out that BrandX, Tranzx, RaceFace Aeffect and other brands are from the same manufacturer and are cheaper by $50 compare to PNW. I knew this before I bought my dropper post but I invested that $50 since I've been reading about PNW's outstanding customer service compare to others. I hope I'll never have to reach out to them for warranty but only time will tell. So far the dropper has been PERFECT.I've been an active MTB/cyclist since 2003 and have had Gravity Dropper since 2010. I also have other dropper post such as (1) KS and (2) Specialized but I have at least (5) Gravity Dropper (Turbo, Descender, Classic). I initially wanted to buy the Fox Transfer but read a couple of reviews who had both FOX and PNW and they gave the edge to PNW. That's what got me sold.The dropper is very easy to install. Took me 15 minutes, not rushing. Ran the cable under top tube, on top of rear shock (Blur TRC) and used WolfTooth Remote. The remote is very easy to push. You can use your pinky to push the lever and there's not steps,stops or grainy feel to the lever unlike the GD. There's also no play. I didn't install the OE lever because I didn't like the up/down motion. I like the push-in motion like the shifters. The dropper itself is very solid, almost no play to the touch. It does require pressure to push on the saddle when you want to drop and there's also delay when you want the post fully extended. So if you're racing, this is noticeable but for leisure rides or Strava runs, it's ok.Doesn't slip down.No side to side play (well there is but maybe .5mm L/R)Easy to installEasy to push on the lever (pinky push)Not to mention it's $199 shipped!!12/20/2018 Review:PNW CascadeI bought the 125mm travel since my Gravity Dropper Turbo was maxed out at 100mm drop. The PNW Cascade has a low provide design compare to the Gravity Dropper Turbo which enables me to squeeze in an extra 25mm of travel.I like how the Cascade goes up and down smoothly with a consistent feel to it. It also doesn't move side to side when you're sitting and pedaling, although you can feel the side-to-side movement when held by hand but not much. Maybe 1mm side to side play unlike my 2019 Command Post IIRC. That post has 3mm side to side play and that's right out of the box! The Cascade is externally routed. I needed this for my bike that doesn't have internal routing, 2013 Santa Cruz Blur TRC. I replaced the remote with a mini-wolftooth lever, not the "light-action" version but the smaller version. Even though there isn't much leverage with the remote, the tension is very minimal. To be honest, there's almost no tension. It is very light to push unlike any other lever out there, and it's not coming from the lever! It's from the Dropper itself. I know because I also tried the stock lever and it feels the same as the wolftooth. You can push it with your pinky with ease! Dropping it, you just sit on it but it won't slam you all the way down. As a matter of fact, you may need to do a second butt bump to push the post to its lowest position. This only happens after few rides but eventually it'll go away. This is from your muscle memory and not from the Dropper since most of the Dropper post in the market are easy to push down and this one has a progressive feel to it. On the way up, its slow. Probably the slowest of all Dropper Post and this can't be adjusted. If I stand up and hit the lever, there is a delay before the saddle would reach the full extended travel. On any other Dropper, when I stand up, the saddle is right there following me as I reach the top. The Cascade has a slight delay and it's very noticeable when going over technical climbs. The Cascade doesn't feel heavy or light, it's probably in between the other big name brands. If heavy, maybe under 50g compared to big brands, so nothing to be concerned about for the weight.I've used the Dropper on dusty and wet ride and it's been very reliable. The feel of the post hasn't change from the day I bought it new. The Command Post, the feel changes depending on the weather and the GD gets clog up on wet rides. I now have 3 PNW's. 2x Rainier and 1x Cascade. I recommend this product to anyone not only because its good but because PNW has outstanding customer support!

Excellent dropper for those with an older frame that lacks internal routing. Great functionality, easy to install, relatively lightweight, and very affordable. Plus, PNW provides great customer service. I have PNW droppers on my full-suspension and hardtail MTBs.Only nitpick is the levers are way overpriced in contrast to the actual dropper. Guess they gotta make their money somehow. Even so, this dropper should work with most any mechanical lever and 1.2mm shifter cable.

As I move into my later years, it becomes a bit more difficult to throw my leg over my bike seat which is 42 inches above the pavement. Now I can do it easily and I couldn't be happier with this dropper seat post. It's also nice to be able to hit the trigger on the handlebar and lower it when I come to a stop so I'm not teetering on my tiptoes to keep the bike upright.Installation was straightforward once I brought up the online instructions. There are some very small parts so I'd recommend installing it on top of a piece of carpet so if you happen to drop one it doesn't ricochet off into never-ever land (as in, you'll never ever see it again). The small parts do require some patience to install but persistence will win out. I'd suggest not being too quick to cut off the excess length of the activator cable. Just roll it up and tape it, then take a couple of rides to be sure everything is where you want it. Even then I left a few inches of excess which would be needed to re-thread the cable if, for any reason, you had to disassemble the handlebar trigger and then reassemble.

I can't believe what a difference this product makes when going from a rigid seat post to a dropper. I live in a hilly, rocky area of northern New Jersey. All of my riding mates have been upgrading to $2500+ mountain bikes with tubeless tires and dropper seat posts. When we go down hills, I always had to be the last rider. Everyone else would get down the hills way before me. There was no way for me to keep up. Since I am not ready to replace my 2012 full suspension bike, I decided to give this product a try. Immediately, I was able to keep up with everyone. I was also able to adjust the seat so I could go over obstacles that I had not been able to make with years of failed attempts. My rides became faster and much more fun.Installation is fairly easy. If you know how to run and adjust cables you will be fine. Even though an experienced mechanic can install this product in about 15 minutes, a mechanic who does not have experience with this product may take an hour or two. Look on Youtube for installation videos to make the task easier. I found the video by Kyle Warner to be easy to follow.The post does add a little bit of weight to the bike, but the benefits are so much greater than the added weight. The post moves up and down smoothly. The coldest temperature that I have ridden with it so far was 35 degrees and there were no problems. There is some lateral movement in the seat, but the seat stabilizes once you start riding.I did have some questions for the company. My email was answered within hours, so I give them an A+ in customer service.If you don't want to get a new bike, but want something that will make a noticeable difference to your riding, this is the product to get.