Cockpit specialist PNW adds a new 50mm high-rise option to their comfy carbon Loam mountain bike handlebar for the confidence of a slightly more upright position for the toughest trails, plus a little extra comfort. We already liked the CBD-infused carbon PNW Loam bar when we tested the low-rise version a little over a year ago. And now, more sizes means more options. Since we last caught up with them, PNW even have updated the low- & mid-rise Loams with a 31.8mm clamp option for riders looking to upgrade without swapping stems…
PNW Loam carbon mountain bike bar adds 50mm hi-rise
Let’s keep this simple and straightforward. The carbon PNW Loam handlebar promises the perfect balance between comfort and predictable control. Their secret to that is CBD. Not cannabis, but a Compliant Bore Design. That’s essentially molding the carbon bar over an EPS core during manufacturing to better control internal dimensions & shaping. Thus, better control of how thick the carbon is throughout the bar, so PNW can provide more vertical deflection for comfort while maintaining low horizontal deflection for predictable steering.
We tested the 25mm low-rise x 35mm diameter clamp Loam bar back in late 2023, and came away with noticeably improved comfort, upgrading from an alloy bar of the same dimensions. Our editor-in-chief says, “The quality is excellent, the geometry is dialed, and visually it looks like an upgrade, as well.“
Tech details
- new 50mm hi-rise, available only in 35mm diameter clamp
- 25mm low- & 38mm mid-rise now available in either 31.8mm or 35mm clamp
- all bars are 800mm wide, and can be cut down to min 740mm
- 5° upsweep and 10° backsweep
- rated for all mountain bike riding, up to DH & eMTB
- EFBE Category 5 Tri-Test certified
- matte black finish with satin PNW logos – cement grey is standard
- 8 optional colorful decal sets also available: Safety orange, Moss green, Moto green, Pacific blue, Fruit Snacks (purple), Really red, Seafoam teal, Peanut Butter (brown)
PNW Loam carbon bar – Pricing, availability & options
The new 50mm hi-rise x 35mm clamp PNW Loam MTB bar sells for $159 / 189€. The recently added 31.8 clamp Loam bars sell for the same price – 25 or 38mm rise-only in the smaller clamp. European customers can even get some cheaper prices on the two lower rise 35mm clamp bars for the moment, too.
If you want to add that dash of color, PNW will give you a set of fresh decals to stick on yourself for an extra $5 / 6€. All sizes and colors are available now.
