PNW Shifty Lever: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

If you don't hear any complaints about a particular mountain bike component doesn't necessarily mean it can't be improved. It can be underestimated how much a relatively inexpensive part or upgrade can make on a ride. One of our beloved customers shares their take on the PNW Shifty Lever for the SRAM X01/XX1 shifters. Check it out!

Overview

I originally was using the SRAM GX drive train with my setup and it was on my mind that I wanted to upgrade to the X01 shifter as the reviews I had read on it were excellent. However, I didn’t know if I could justify upgrading while my current shifter was working fine. Then PNW introduced the Shifty Lever. From that point, I was sold on not only upgrading to the better shifter but was determined to get my shift lever to match my dropper lever, which is the Loam Lever. The installation was a breeze and being able to set my lever angle was a new and welcomed feature. It did take a couple of rides before I got it set just perfectly but once I did it made it easier than ever to get to my shifter and still keeping it well out of the way from hitting my thumb. Not only did it change the look of the cockpit, which is what made me want to go with it in the first place but the texture of the lever feels great, I didn’t know I wanted the grip on the lever before but now I feel like I can never go back to a shifter without the Shifty Lever on it.

I now have a full PNW kit on my bike, Levers, Bars, Stem, and Dropper are all matching PNW kit, It looks great and rides even better. Having the matching levers feels awesome I have both set in equal positions just like my brake levers, no guessing involved. Before with the GX shifter, it was close to the same position but now they are in the exact same place on both sides. This was an upgrade that started out as purely aesthetic to get my cockpit matching but was happy to see that it functioned better than before. I get that the original lever would work just fine and this upgrade can be viewed as simply vanity but for the low price of the lever, it’s a great addition if you’re already running (or upgrading to) a higher-end shifter.

As you could imagine it matches all the other PNW colors so if getting your bike all matched is your think this is the way to go. This small addition to the PNW lineup really has gotten me to recommend PNW to all my riding buddies, even if they are just looking for just a dropper, it will open up the ability to add to their components easily and without having to research a bunch of different brands and hope that the color matches. It really helps that the other gear is great as well. The bars feel great, the grips feel great, the dropper is actually big enough for a big guy such as myself.

Final Thoughts

Small details like the Shifty Lever stand out to me and the quality of PNW components makes them an easy choice. If you’re running the Loam Lever do your bike a favor and get the matching Shifty, and while you’re at it you may as well get the rest of the PNW gear.