PNW Components Debuts Recycled Dropper Program

May 11, 2020 at 9:45
by Daniel Sapp  

Today, PNW Components is rolling out their dropper post refurb/rehab program called "PNW Cycled". The goal of the program is to cut down on waste and give a second life to PNW's dropper posts, making them functional again with some rehab. The program aims to extend product life cycles, reduce waste, and offer more affordable options for riders.

The program allows riders the option to purchase previously used or blemished posts that have been newly refurbished. It also allows riders to trade in their older PNW dropper posts for a credit towards a new or used dropper.


bigquotesKnowing how much product gets thrown away in this industry just because it doesn’t look brand new is never something that has sat right with us.

While there are a number of resellers doing programs similar to this in the outdoor industry, from what we know, it's the first time this has been done by a brand in the bike industry. The program was inspired by outdoor industry companies such as Patagonia with their "Worn Wear" and The North Face's "Renewed" programs.

The idea for the program has been something the owners of PNW Components have been considering since the start of the company. With a lot of their product being sold online, it's easy for customers to order whatever they want from home, but it also creates an increase in returns and exchanges when someone orders the incorrect size or fit. This leaves an open box and/or potentially slightly used post that can't be sold "as new". When those posts come back, they will now become part of the PNW Cycled program.

All posts are checked when they come back in and refurbished when needed. The refurbished posts all include a 1-year warranty.

For more information, visit: cycled.pnwcomponents.com

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92 Comments

  • 248 3
 Could PNW get any cooler? Seriously?
  • 42 1
 Easily one of the best new MTB companies out there.
  • 7 0
 I bought a bachelor because it one of the only 34.9 posts out there and was nervous because I hadn't heard anything about PNW. The bachelor has been bullet proof and I love PNW philosophy of making excellent relatively inexpensive product! Can say enough good things and recommend them to everyone I can.
  • 10 0
 Well I’ve just decided on which company to buy my next dropper from
  • 2 0
 @enduroNZ: Couldn't be happer with mine.
  • 4 1
 @enduroNZ: I second that.. that is awesome.... I ll get an Alu frame as my next new bike too.. same reason...
  • 19 0
 Can you imagine if SRAM did this with Reverbs? They’d need a bigger warehouse to store the pile of droppers they’d have. They’d need to hire so many people unemployment would fall at least 2%!
  • 2 0
 TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 This really is cool!
  • 79 0
 Finally some one is using common sense. This will put you leaps ahead of other companies.
  • 7 0
 I ordered a new PNW dropper off Jenson a few weeks ago and I'm glad i did. Would have bought a renewed dropper too. I'm stoked they announced this program.
  • 75 0
 Imagine how much Sram could save on waste disposal if they did this with Reverbs.
  • 25 5
 Worse for the environment though since it will be people just endlessly returning them.
  • 18 0
 But they could could only offer a 1 week warranty...and is only valid if if it’s not installed on a bike.
  • 2 0
 Best comment
  • 3 0
 and every other product... imagine being able to get a relatively new drivetrain for a good margin below what it sells for brand new
  • 4 0
 Couldn't agree with you more!!! Good on ya PNW!
  • 4 1
 Shop at your local bike shop, and you'll get exactly that. I frequently buy take-off parts from complete bikes... I get it cheaper than online, and my lbs has an easier time to sell aftermarket stuff despite the ridiculous list prices (which the big online dealers don't pay).
  • 25 0
 Given that refurbished items are a norm in the consumer electronics world, I find it surprising the bike industry hasn't considered it until now. I have been perfectly happy with my refurbished Ninja blender, and I would be perfectly happy with a refurbished dropper post, as well. I hope more brands catch on.
  • 61 1
 You don't even know how much I love my refurbished vibr.... I mean... electronics.
  • 14 12
 after a couple of years, my Fox transfer got sticky and wouldn't return to full extension so I had to send it in for service. it cost $108 for the service including return shipping, plus $15 to ship it from MI to NC. For that kind of money, Fox could have thrown my dropper in the trash and sent me a new one at cost, and brought their total costs down by ordering a larger volume from whatever factory makes the post. I will say the fox post is the nicest i've used (TransX, Oneup, Specialized, Intense OEM post) but there's no world in which I'll service that post again. I went ahead and bought the Oneup 180mm dropper from Jenson for $105 and haven't looked back (I still use the fox post on a different bike but it's going in the scrap bin once it needs service again).
  • 7 0
 @OpeSorryAbootThat:
Just sell it for cheap or give it to someone instead of throwing it away.
  • 3 0
 @OpeSorryAbootThat: When I saw the service cost for the Transfer post I sold it. It did close to three years without a service and the performance was flawless. It rattled a bit and by the end it made a bit of a scraping sound but it always went up and down when I pressed the button. That post cost me about £300 including the remote.

Then I got a second hand bike with a Brand X Ascend post which you can buy for under £100 brand new and guess what... it also went up and down. Now I've got a Capra which came with the YT Postman (which I believe is the same as the Brand X) and so far it's done 800km, and also always goes up and down. Plus if it stops, I can take it apart myself (unlike Fox).

It seems to me the only reason to purchase a Fox post nowadays is if you just have to have that 2015-throwback Kashima coating.

I would be interested to try the new Fox remote though. It looks like a great lever.
  • 16 0
 Our sport needs MORE of this! Shame someone hasn't taken it a step further, and started doing OTHER brands, in addition to their own. How many riders out there have a box of half broken parts, or had to throw something out due to a small malfunction and replacement parts simple weren't available? On their own, our parts bins are usually pretty useless, but if a motivated company started collecting them, with knowledgable mechanics, you could keep more people riding and less waste out of landfills. For the sake of our planet, it would almost be nice to see some sort of "extended manufacturer responsability" with certain bike components. Hydraulic brakes, for instance, would be a BIG one! My latest battle to find a replacement for a cracked shimano caliper piston has been nothing short of a nightmare. Granted, COVID sure didn't help matters Razz
  • 3 0
 "On their own, our parts bins are usually pretty useless, but if a motivated company started collecting them, with knowledgable mechanics, you could keep more people riding and less waste out of landfills."

Many cities have bike co-ops/recyclerys that do exactly that. Usually geared more toward commuters than mtb enthusiasts.
  • 3 0
 @thegoodflow: They definitely do, and most are awesome. Edmonton has EBC which I frequent regularly, but only for older items. Unfortunately, I don't find them particuarly good for anything even relatively modern or things that require a higher level of mechanical ability.

I think certain high-cost, "higher tech" parts like fork stancions/lowers, hydraulic calipers/levers, etc. would be a nice thing to see more of on the used market. It could definitely make for a pretty solid income if a motivated mechanic became popular enough to be able to buy spares in bulk at lower costs than the average consumer and was able to create a loyal user base. Honestly, I've thought about it in the past, and if I wasn't a teacher already I just might!

#retirementgoals?
  • 1 0
 @thegoodflow: yup, i hella rep the BIKE KITCHEN for folks in norcal. you could have guessed the location based on my use of the word hella.
  • 16 1
 If this is anything like refurbished home theater gear works the stuff will be even better than brand new ones. I usually buy refurbished Denon and Marantz because the products get tested with a fine tooth comb and really makes them better than brand new because each one gets a real QC test.
  • 7 0
 Huge props to PNW! This should be throwdown challenge to the entire industry. I have been literally been hesitating to buy new pedals....because of what to do with the old "beyond repair" ones.

Just knowing i could return the old ones would make a huge difference to my decision making
  • 5 0
 Buy a hardtail frame, slowly put old parts on it- boom. You have a backup bike, or commuter.
  • 4 0
 Love PNW. The few things I've bought from them are great products (bars and stems). If I were in the market for a new dropper I'd buy one without hesitation.This new program is just icing on the cake and is a great example of how being "green" can also be good business.
  • 4 0
 Love PNW. Just bought a Bachelor dropper to replace my God awful Reverband couldn't be happier. The Loam lever is also great. I need grips and will also be trying theirs. This is a great idea and I was already glad to be a customer, now they can't get rid of me.
  • 3 0
 Very Cool! Hey, is it possible to do a "reverse search" on your site? I want a 200mm dropper, but I have to go through the various models (and they are out of stock). It'd be much easier if you had a feature to narrow down what a customer is looking for. Thanks!
  • 4 1
 I like PNW. Seems like good products and good policy.
One thing I noticed I didn’t like, is the warranty is only 1 Year for refurbished vs 3 on new. 40% discount for a 1/3 a time it’s covered. I wonder if it’s worth the discount? Are they good products or do they get a lot of warranty returns after a year?
Just asking???
  • 2 1
 I second this. The loss of 2-year warranty seems not worth 40% discount, if someone plans to use it more than a year. Sometime retails throw 10--20% discounts, and so the effective discount can be less than 40%.
  • 5 0
 This should be part of the business model for....every company that sells a product. PNW for the MVP.
  • 3 0
 This a great move, specially for how fast the industry "standards" and preferences move. For example, who wants an A1 Reverb? No one, but that doesn't mean it can't get recycled somehow.
  • 2 0
 What I like about the RS stuff is though, that it is fully serviceable.. Ok, you have to buy a few tools.. but between me and my mates family we own 6 Reverbs... after buying the tools, every service now costs me about 60usd.. Which is not too bad... bit of a mess though, and not everyone is into doing their own servicing...
  • 1 0
 @saladdodger: that's a fair point, and in that sense they've been ahead of the curve now that i think about it.
  • 1 0
 @saladdodger: But why do I want a post that requires a service every three rides? I would rather spend those precious minutes riding. I have spent ~1.5 hours servicing three PNW posts over 4 yrs.
  • 5 2
 I wouldn't have previously considered PNW (as they are just rebranded catalog parts), but this is legitimately cool, and will have me looking at them for this "reduce, reuse, recycle" mentality alone.
  • 2 0
 Care to elaborate on that? Didn’t Kyle Warner work with them on his handlebar?
  • 2 0
 10/10 would buy the discounted one. Losing 2 of the three year warranty isnt a big deal. My dad bought a used bike that had one of unknown age. It has 2mm of side to side play and when I serviced it it looked dirty. So I cleaned it put it back together and its going strong 2yrs later never an issue. Post is a cascade external routing. Probably a 5+ year old post and its amazing. I don't care if it's the same as other posts it just works.
  • 4 0
 I didn't seen mention of what the expected discount is on a recycled post. Did i miss it?
  • 13 0
 You get a 40% discount on a refurbished post!
  • 2 0
 @sdurant12: Wow! tup
  • 1 0
 unavailable
  • 4 1
 PNW are putting other bigger brands to shame. A small business in the PNW making brands like Fox and Rock Shox look like a corporate sloth.
  • 1 0
 I hesitated on the ridge 31.6 and it’s out of stock already. Wondering why they don’t integrate the recycled droppers into the regular store. I was trying to get the red loam lever and grips but I would have to make a separate order for the grips or contact service perhaps.
  • 1 0
 Its great but when customers need to exchange a frame with us because its the wrong size we don't just stick them in the bin.... They go into the system as factory seconds/exchanges. Im sure alot of small manufacturers do the same.
  • 3 0
 Taking a lead in something that really matters!! So many other products this could apply to....especially if they STOP CREATING NEW STANDARDS FOR LITTLE REASON eh? ;-)
  • 2 0
 This is nice! Solid argument to buy posts from them! I never understood how can i dispose broken mtb parts, so typically left this for the bike shops as spare parts
  • 4 0
 Good on ya PNW Components, this is awesome!
  • 3 0
 It's about time. The auto parts industry has done this for decades when you turn in your old part for a 'core value'
  • 3 0
 Serious thumbs up to PNW Components for this. They're sold out on the size I need, but I'll be watching their site closely.
  • 4 0
 confirmed prices are on point.

RIP buy/sell section of dropper posts.
  • 4 0
 I really like the idea!
  • 2 0
 I'm just shocked that they would accept a slightly used post because you ordered the wrong size. Top notch customer service!
  • 3 0
 This is really cool, will it be available to the uk??

Thanks very much.
  • 3 0
 Pretty cool, saves almost $100 on the Bachelor post!
  • 3 0
 More of this! More of this! More!
  • 2 0
 I love my PNW post and loam lever! Definitely going to buy another pnw dropper + loam lever for my new hardtail.
  • 2 0
 It's a great way to get a piece of gear for a reduced price and keep perfectly good stuff out of the landfill.
  • 2 0
 Hey Race Face, your move.
  • 2 0
 Only us and Canada shipping:/
  • 11 0
 Make friends. I could use some caviar.
  • 2 0
 Please start shipping to Europe, PNW!
  • 2 1
 Reverb users refurbish their droppers over the time too til they get a Fox Transfer.
  • 1 0
 Can anybody tell me the brand of those adjustable pliers wrench's? Looking for a cheaper alternative to knipex!
  • 1 0
 Looks like Knipex to me, pricey but super good
  • 1 0
 Dude YES those are knockoff Knipex! Where? WANT!
  • 1 0
 Quite opposite, they're the more expensive Knipex pliers with better grips: www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&isMobile=&parentID=1358&groupID=1500
  • 1 0
 @kaku: Yep an dthey are worth the few £/$ more if you use then a lot
  • 2 0
 Fucking awesome. This needs to matter more.
  • 1 0
 Imagine SRAM doing that with the Reverb. They would get inundated with defective droppers.
  • 1 0
 Now what should I be doing with my 2 Kind Lev droppers that are sitting in boxes in my garage.
  • 1 0
 wow, fantastic. Making me a life long customer .
  • 1 0
 I wonder how many reverbs get tossed in the dumpster each year, erhm
  • 1 1
 We're all going to die of Coronavirus anyway, why try and save the earth. JK! this is super cool, I love what PNW is doing.
  • 1 0
 Many more companies need to sit up and take notice
  • 1 0
 Can't wait till they start making suspension products!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Is there a Canadian pricing?
  • 1 0
 Just bought one. Friggin rad.
  • 1 0
 This is great.
  • 1 0
 no kidding
  • 1 0
 cry in europe
  • 1 0
 Super move.
  • 1 1
 This company FREAKING ROCKS!
  • 1 0
 Awesome
  • 1 0
 Excellent!
  • 1 0
 role model. period
  • 1 0
 Thank you guys





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