PNW Range Handlebar: Employee Review

PNW Components’ Range handlebar felt more unique than I had expected and it wasn’t a bad thing. So many companies focus on making what everyone else is making to fit in with the market. Not PNW. They teamed up with Kyle Warner to create something different and something that perfectly fit the modern era of “long” bikes.

The Difference

What sets the PNW Range Bars apart from the rest of the competition is not limited to its geometry but also the material used to produce a handlebar like this. PNW decided to use a 2014 Aluminum Alloy and a 31.8mm diameter to help resemble a carbon bar’s “chatter absorbing qualities for a much more affordable and durable package.” We found this to be true after months of riding the handlebars.

The 10° backsweep and 5° upsweep really do make the difference on the modern bikes we ride today. With Bikes making the move to longer, lower, slacker, we see many riders downsizing their frame choice and riding shorter stem lengths to combat an extensive reach that doesn’t quite work for them and their riding style. Although many see the benefits of a “modern” bike, many still enjoy what we were riding these past couple of years. Looking at the handlebar you would think the backsweep is a little aggressive and it might feel like you’re riding a Harley but the Range Handlebars do put you in a comfortable position in my opinion. A 30mm rise leaves you with enough leverage to pick up and play around with the front end of the bike and a weight of 334g doesn’t weigh you down as much as you would expect from an alloy handlebar.

PNW also offers the Range handlebar in 4 color options to perfectly match their Loam Grips and Loam Lever for a perfectly matching cockpit. It might just be me but having everything match is a must!

Differing Opinions

Although the Handlebar did resemble a similar feel to a carbon handlebar, our West Coast GM, Alex Robbins, did have an opinion against the alloy handlebar:

“The thing I noticed the most was the 10-degree backsweep compared to the 7 & 8-degree that I have become used to. Having the bars come a little farther back gave me a more comfortable feel on the trail and better control over the whole bike altogether when comparing it to the ENVE M7 handlebar I've had on my bike for months. Unfortunately, my hands are little babies and I felt more fatigued and had more feedback going from riding my carbon ENVE handlebars to the aluminum PNW bars. If we lived in a perfect world and those PNW bars were made in carbon they would definitely be my go-to handlebar.” – Alex Robbins

Which does make a lot of sense, alloy will never be carbon. You can get them close but there will always be a difference between them. We often get to used to what we ride and trying something this different might not feel right. For me, the bars felt incredible. I am not exactly the biggest fan of the modern geometry we are beginning to see on newer bikes so being able to combat that with a handlebar on top of adjusting stem length is a win for me. Not to mention the 30mm Rise keeps my bike plenty playful, which is a must-have on any of my bikes. Having switched between carbon and alloy handlebars often, I do find myself going back to alloy. I felt as though I can feel the trail more which helps with my confidence and understanding of what I am riding.

Conclusion

“The PNW Components Range Handlebar is a must-try in our books. Just looking at the geometry can skew your opinion but you really need to give them a try. Not everyone is going to love them right off the bat but as more and more bikes are formed around aggressive geometry, I can see riders beginning to respect this bar a lot more for what it offers to the rider. Hopefully one day we can see a carbon version of the bar to please even more riders.” - Reamonn Ryan

This article was written / authored by Reamonn Ryan. Reamonn has worked in the bicycle industry for 6 years now and currently runs our Instagram account along with testing products, editing video content, and writing blogs like this one you just read. Reamonn was a die hard BMX kid for over 10 years and once he started at Worldwide Cyclery made the switch to mountain bikes where he can send stuff better than most guys at the shop. If you like any of our Instagram posts or have gotten any responses from your DM's it was most likely from Reamonn, so give him a thanks. As with all of our employees, Reamonn is a key part of making Worldwide Cyclery the "Best Damn Bike Shop in the World".