PNW Bachelor Dropper Seatpost: Employee Review (Is it the Best I've Ever Ridden?)

Dropper posts have been that one mosquito of the bike industry that you just can’t kill since their creation. Harsh statement, but fitting. Many companies have tried and failed when it comes to designing a functional and reliable dropper post that doesn’t fail at one point or another. Much like a lot of creations in this world, a lot of the droppers on the market are far from perfect but they are closer to ideal than they have ever been. With my time on many different dropper posts throughout the years, I have had both good and bad experiences, and even some experiences I would even consider to be quite ugly. I recently had the chance to meet Aaron and Emily from PNW Components up at Whistler this summer and I knew I had to give their products a try. I have never seen two people so dedicated to something they created, and with the passion they expressed towards mountain biking I knew they must have a good product. I decided to hop on a PNW Components Bachelor Seatpost.

My experience with dropper posts as stated earlier has been hit or miss, and yes I will drop some names. If anyone reading this can remember the Race Face Turbine Dropper post then you might just know how bad that dropper turned out to be. Extremely fast and aggressive actuation that would end your ability to reproduce in the blink of an eye. The post had issues with cold weather, where it would often stop working and on occasion, the post would not stay extended. This dropper has since been replaced but we don't need to go into detail about that now. Other dropper posts however, like the Fox Transfer Post have been nothing but a dream.

PNW took a huge chance by jumping into the dropper seatpost game and I am sure they took a good look at what other companies were doing. I feel pretty confident saying that this is by far my most favorite dropper post to date. I don’t think I have recommended a dropper to more friends than the Bachelor Post. Some people may ask what makes this post so great and the explanation is pretty simple. Looking at the internals, the Bachelor uses an air cartridge, which differs from their Rainier post featuring a coil spring. The Bachelor’s air cartridge allows for an adjustable return rate. The post is also made out a lighter material, 7050 alloy.

Product Specs

• Material: 7050 Heat Treated Alloy
• Infinite Adjust allows you to set your saddle height anywhere in the travel
• Travel: 150mm or 170mm
• Adjustable air cartridge
• Includes lever kit (remote lever, cables/housing, all required hardware)
• Diameter: 30.9 or 31.6mm 
• Weight: 565g
• Post length: 150 Travel: 458mm / 170 Travel: 498mm
• 2-bolt micro adjust head w/ zero offset
• Ultra-light lever feel
• Internal cable routing only
• 3-year warranty

Installation

Installation is super easy. The post I am currently riding is a 30.9mm x 170mm Bachelor on an Evil Insurgent LB. Sporting a shorter standover than most bikes, the Evil needs a bit of a longer dropper. PNW gets a thumbs up for offering a 170mm post. Many of the big dogs in the dropper game still do not offer a 170mm post… cough *I’m looking at you, Fox* cough… but back to the installation. The post comes with everything you need in the box including a remote. If you are fortunate enough to have a frame with internal cable routing then it will only take you 10-15 minutes to get this post on your bike. If you have to go fishing around for the housing, well good luck! The post slides right into your seat tube with a super snug fit. Installing the saddle was quick and easy. The rails fit right in and a few simple turns with an allen wrench had her ready to go. Lever installation was quick but I soon replaced it with their new Loam Lever, but I will get into that in another review once I have more time on it.

After installation, I fell in love with how smooth the post actuated! It extended at a moderate speed that wasn’t too fast or too slow. No matter what weird angle I turned the bars and kinked the cable it still actuated just as it should. From here I took off on the trail for the first ride.

First Ride

The first ride on the post was nothing short of amazing. Whether I needed to descend or came up on a quick steep climb, the post moved fast enough for me to prepare. Usually, I always experience a little stretch in the cable on the first ride but I must have stretched it enough while installing the lever because I did not have any issues. It was all smooth sailing. Some posts tend to stick when left all the way down for long periods of time but riding some longer downhill trails close to home, I did not experience this issue. Even at the bike park!

Long-Term Use

I have been riding the post for a while now and whether I am on a short ride or a long ride, it seems to play a key part of the ride. I have ridden longer XC rides with brutal climbs and I have also ridden some more aggressive Enduro/DH rides that require me to constantly use the dropper. The actuation has stayed consistent since installation. Whenever I need to climb back up the hill to session a feature on the trail or I need to quickly drop it so I don’t get bucked on the descents and have some fun moving the bike around, the post does its job without question.

Aesthetics

I know I am not crazy when I say that the way a product looks is a big factor in whether or not I want to ride it. Everyone is like this even if they don’t readily admit it. I fell in love with how aggressive yet subtle the dropper looked. From the machining on the collar to the sleek clamp head, everything about the post just looks good. You have to admire the PNW logo etching, too. Nothing screams mountain biking like trees and a mountain!

Conclusion

Whether you are looking into getting your first dropper post or you are just looking to upgrade what you currently have, the PNW Bachelor post makes for a great time on the trails. With an easy installation, good looks and smooth functionality, you won’t find yourself needing another post. I trust that the Bachelor Post won’t leave me stranded or working harder than I need to. I am hooked on this and will most definitely be riding them for a while as well as recommend them to anyone in the market for a high-quality dropper post!