The reviews on the PNW Loam carbon handlebars have been coming in for a bit now and they are all singing a similar tune. Some are saying it's the Goldilocks of carbon handlenbars. Some examples of what is being said are, it's just right, the best, the perfect bar, etc. I have been a big fan of PNW's Range Handlbars and have ridden them bolted onto 3 different bikes over the past couple of years. I've had them mounted on an Ibis Ripmo AF, a Revel Ranger and a Specialized Turbo Levo. They make a big difference in the way my hands and wrist feel at the end of a long ride. I feel like it has a lot to do with the geometry of the bars. PNW calls it their anti-fatigue geometry. They have 5 degrees upsweep and 10 degrees of backsweep. With as long as bikes have gotten, I feel like the geo on these also help keep bikes from feeling "too" long and keep steering more quick and direct and help the bikes feel more lively too. This geometry has been kept the same with their new carbon Loam bar. But I like the Loam bar even better than the aluminum Range bar. It's quite magical actually, and I am seeing why some are calling it the Goldilocks of carbon handlebars.
Piloting my Commencal Meta V5 with the PNW Loam bar has been an eye opening experience. The first thing I noticed when cruising through a jagged rock filled section of trail was how comfortable and quiet the bike felt. The noise and chatter I would normally feel coming up through the cockpit and into my hands, wrists and arms through this section of trail with other bars I have ridden was mostly non existent with the Loam bars from PNW. PNW wizards have worked the right amount of vertical compliance into this bar where it wards off demons of vibration, pushing them back into the ground, tossing them aside or transporting them back to another realm. This is all being done without the bars feeling soft and spongey. And it's not a dead feeling either. Other bars claiming to dampen vibration end up feeling dead and don't give any trail feedback to the rider. The bars are still stiff when you push the bike into corners or preload to pop off trailside bonus features or the frontside of a jump. Horizontal stiffness is there giving you the perfect amount of repsonse for a very direct feeling of being in absolute control of your bike. Whether you are steering the bike to turn or leaning the bike over to change direction, these bars give you a very direct and precise feel which also gives you confidence when railing through turns or just holding on through rough, technical bits of trail. The wizards at PNW have made all this happen from a proprietary potion they call CBD. Not the kind of CBD found in Snoop Dogg's dietary supplement of choice, but Compliant Bore Design. This kind of CBD refers to the unique inside shape, layup, and wall thickness of their Loam Carbon bar. This is what PNW says gives their carbon bar the benefit of shock absorption through vertical compliance while offering added horizontal stiffness and a consistent ride feel. PNW says this is only the first of products that will incorporate this CBD layup. I'm excited to see what they have up their sleeves!
The PNW Loam bars are made with a high quality pre-preg UD carbon fiber, which is seen in race cars and rocket ships. This is know for it's high strength, stiffness and durability, which means this bar isn't reserved for XC rides. This bar is rated for aggressive e-bike riding and DH riding.
The Loam bar is also nice to look at. I have opted for the stealth look with the black out black decals but you can get matchy matchy with 9 other sticker color kits to choose from.
Currently these bars come in a 35mm diameter only and there are two rise options of 25mm or 38mm. The bars come at 800mm in length and PNW says to not cut them down any shorter than 740mm. The Loam bar weighs in at 233g for those who are counting. Here are the complete specs below.
Pros:
great geometry
good mix of veritcal compliance and horizontal stiffnes
damp but not dead feel
color options with sticker packs
great price for a high end carbon bar
looks neat
Cons:
one diameter size option (for now)
only two rise options
In closing I would give this bar all the stars and would I recommend it to my mom. Get yours here.
Comments