PNW Coast Suspension Dropper Post - experience

[Alaskan]

@Alaskan : Can you tell me the outer diameter of the upper cylinder on your PNW Coast dropper? I want to try and adapt it to work with a Kinekt suspension seatpost. I need to find out if the upper cylinder of the PNW will fit inside one of the available Kinekt post diameters. I have enough seat clearance on my bike to allow a 4" drop so I should be able to make it work.

It will be an expensive experiment since it requires cutting up both a PNW dropper and a Kinekt seatpost.

Kinekt is a local company here in Bellingham. I ride regularly with the designer of the Kinkekt and part owner of the company. We have had that chat several times. There is no provision to mount the kinekt device on another seatpost. All of them come built onto their own integrated seat post. They have considered doing a dropper version but with the four inches or so that the parallelogram occupies, it would only work on bikes for very tall people or that have a lowered top tube. Building a Kinekt with a 80mm dropper is something they are considering but there are no immediate plans.

 

[6zfshdb]

Kinekt is a local company here in Bellingham. I ride regularly with the designer of the Kinkekt and part owner of the company. We have had that chat several times. There is no provision to mount the kinekt device on another seatpost. All of them come built onto their own integrated seat post. They have considered doing a dropper version but with the four inches or so that the parallelogram occupies, it would only work on bikes for very tall people or that have a lowered top tube. Building a Kinekt with a 80mm dropper is something they are considering but there are no immediate plans.

I understand this. I have a low seat tube on my bike with 4" of clearance below my existing Kinekt. I would like to cut off all but 2" of the Kinekt post and clamp or weld it to the top cylinder of the dropper. I realize it would mean cutting the top off the dropper. I need to know the outside diameter of the top tube of the dropper to see if I can make it work.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

30.9 mm.

 

[RandallS]

30.9 mm.

Its got to be smaller, as it fits into bottom tube, which is 30.9

 

[6zfshdb]

30.9 mm.

Thanks!!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Wait, let @RandallS measure it!

 

[6zfshdb]

Its got to be smaller, as it fits into bottom tube, which is 30.9

This depends on the bottom tube size. 27.2, 30.9 and 31.6 are available.

 

[FlatSix911]

Kinekt is a local company here in Bellingham. I ride regularly with the designer of the Kinkekt and part owner of the company. We have had that chat several times. There is no provision to mount the kinekt device on another seatpost. All of them come built onto their own integrated seat post. They have considered doing a dropper version but with the four inches or so that the parallelogram occupies, it would only work on bikes for very tall people or that have a lowered top tube. Building a Kinekt with a 80mm dropper is something they are considering but there are no immediate plans.

I would love to see an integrated dropper/suspension Seatpost... let the owner know there is market demand for this product.

 

[Alaskan]

I understand this. I have a low seat tube on my bike with 4" of clearance below my existing Kinekt. I would like to cut off all but 2" of the Kinekt post and clamp or weld it to the top cylinder of the dropper. I realize it would mean cutting the top off the dropper. I need to know the outside diameter of the top tube of the dropper to see if I can make it work.

Frankly this sounds like a Frankenpost that I could never sit on with any confidence or sense of safety. We're talking aluminum tubing, cut, heated up in the welding process and then cooled down, with weight and significant compression & lateral forces applied with impacts and loading with potential fatigue issues.

I would not trust my kiester on such an untested experiment. What you want is not made yet. I would wait until someone with engineering cred designs it, someone with manufacturing chops builds it and sends it back to the engineering guy for thorough repeated stress testing and gets a credible underwriter to approve all of the above. Too much potential for an unplanned colonoscopy and emergency room visit for my tender sensibilities.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I would love to see an integrated dropper/suspension Seatpost... let the owner know there is market demand for this product.

PNW Coast is an integrated dropper/suspension seat-post. Perfect as a dropper, the air spring concept works so-so here. The issue with PNW Coast is it is either bobbing on pedalling, or not performing its suspension function. For that reason I replaced it with Kinekt 2.1. As I knew Randall just needed a dropper, I gave him my PNW Coast.

 

[Marci jo]

PNW Coast review and recommendations.

@Stefan Mikes graciously gave me his dropper as he wasn't using it (went with a different one).
For reference, I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.

I installed it on my HT Fathom, and I will readily admit that for both urban rides and trail/MTB rides, it's a fantastic device.
The suspension is nowhere as good as my Suntour NCX, but it's passable and does help a little on the bigger bumps.
I'm still playing with air pressures to get the right amount of suspension, without the dreaded "bobbing" while pedaling.

But the convenience of dropping the seat at ANY stop, whether it be at a traffic light or road crossing, or halfway up a slope (for whatever reason) it's something that I don't think I will EVER ride without again.
Heck, I've ridden down some sketchy slopes lately, covered in snow and ice, with both feet down for stability, and not felt the least bit concerned about safety. With the photo below, the steepness doesn't show up, and I did a lovely skid turn at the switchback halfway down.

View attachment 72518

Installing the dropper was pretty easy, and I would strongly suggest you reconsider the actuator location.
Externally routed cable, and a switch on the handlebars will allow you to operate the seat without taking your hands of the handlebars and away from the brake..

I don't use cable ties (pictures may show a couple, but they've been removed) - I use hook and loop tape (Velcro) and it allows me to remove everything in a couple of minutes should I want to.

.View attachment 72519View attachment 72520View attachment 72521View attachment 72522View attachment 72523View attachment 72524View attachment 72525View attachment 72526

Good luck with whatever you decide - I am of the opinion that your desire for a dropper is absolutely spot on - but, in my opinion, I'd rethink the control method and move to a lever.

Ride on...

Can’t wait for the Cirrus Kinect folks to invent a dropper suspension seat post.

 

[Alaskan]

Can’t wait for the Cirrus Kinect folks to invent a dropper suspension seat post.

I would love to have that on my Trek Allant 9.9. I have the Kinekt on there now. It has a lower top tube so there is at least 70 mm of drop room available...enough to make a real difference.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Can’t wait for the Cirrus Kinect folks to invent a dropper suspension seat post.

That might be rather difficult. The spring casing would take a lot of available travel of the post necessary for dropping the seat.

@Alaskan: You could ask your friend why not.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

OneUp Components V2 dropper post. The motto: "No other post can get your saddle lower."

Dropper posts are typically used together with the rear-damper suspension, that's the point.

 

[Alaskan]

PNW Coast is an integrated dropper/suspension seat-post. Perfect as a dropper, the air spring concept works so-so here. The issue with PNW Coast is it is either bobbing on pedalling, or not performing its suspension function. For that reason I replaced it with Kinekt 2.1. As I knew Randall just needed a dropper, I gave him my PNW Coast.

I use the PNW Coast on my Riese & Muller Delite Mountain. Given that the bike already has a very good Fox suspension, I am not looking to the post to provide a robust suspension effect. I have it pumped up to the point that it mostly remains solid and only engages, giving me an added 30mm of compliance when I impact a larger flaw in my path, helping the bike's suspension take the sting out of a big rut or pothole.

 

[6zfshdb]

There has to be a way to take advantage of all the clearance I have below my Kinekt. I know it would be a limited market since most bikes / bikers don't have this much seat post showing. Someone should be able to design a dropper with an upper tube that would accept a seatpost instead of just a saddle. The seatpost would have to be cut down to make it work.

 

[FlatSix911]

There has to be a way to take advantage of all the clearance I have below my Kinekt. I know it would be a limited market since most bikes / bikers don't have this much seat post showing.
Someone should be able to design a dropper with an upper tube that would accept a seatpost instead of just a saddle. The seatpost would have to be cut down to make it work.

View attachment 72657

Looks like you have a belt and suspenders solution for your suspension Seatpost.

 

[FlatSix911]

View attachment 72648
OneUp Components V2 dropper post. The motto: "No other post can get your saddle lower."

Dropper posts are typically used together with the rear-damper suspension, that's the point.

The V2 looks like a nice low stack height that is perfect for a short standover position.

You may want to add an angled shim to position the rear light beam parallel to the road.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You may want to add an angled shim to position the rear light beam parallel to the road.

That is a rather unfortunate situation I avoid. Normally, the rear light is positioned on the post tube and the beam points in the proper direction (yes, an additional rubber wedge has been provided if needed) but I slammed the seat to the very bottom (which I normally don't do) and the light slid up too much.

 

[FlatSix911]

A good review of the PNW Coast dropper suspension post compared to the Bodyfloat.