We wholeheartedly believe that all forms of bikes are worthy of riding, which is why you’ll find us pedaling around town, or in the mountains, on bikes of all disciplines, ranging from downhill rigs to good ole’ commuters. If it has two wheels and a pair of pedals, it’ll quickly put a smile on our faces and we’ll be making memories shortly after swinging a leg over the top tube. That’s why we developed the Coast Drop Bar and Stem.
Now, these aren’t your average road bike handlebars. While developing these bars, we leaned on our knowledge of body geometry and its riding benefits for mountain biking in order to address the pain points we've had while rolling around on our gravel bikes. What exactly do we mean? Well it all starts with a wide bar. For starters, you’ll look hella cool rolling deep with your crew, arms out wide, but being extra rad is not the only benefit. Riders embrace wider mountain bike bars because the width provides further control and stability, and we’ve found that the same can be said for the wider drop bar.
To go along with the extra width, the Coast Bar boasts exaggerated flare, shallower drop and shorter reach. Through these features this bar provides a more agile platform, allowing you to pump the bike while sprinting up in the hoods and maintaining a comfortable cruising altitude when you’re down in your drops. We opted for 6061 alloy to mitigate vibrations while remaining light and poppy.
And it’s not just the bar that’s pretty fancy. We designed the Coast Stem to go in tandem with this drop bar. We offer the stem in sizing options running from 60 to 100mm to encourage a good pairing with our wider drop bar. If that’s shorter than you’re used to, here’s why; imagine Superman flying (when he doesn’t have his fist in front for take off) his chest is pushed forward with his arms wide by his sides. Is this ideal biking body positioning? Well no, it is not. With the wider bars your chest will be pulled forward if you run an average length stem (in the 100mm+ range). These shorter stems allow for an ergonomic body position when combined with the geometry of our drop bar. The stem also has a detachable mount* compatible with certain action cameras, and a variety of headlight brands to help you escape into the night.
In regards to sizing your new Coast Drop Bar and Stem, there is no exact rule that will tell you which size is best and in the end the decision will come down to personal preference. However, a basic guideline is for every 20mm wider your bar is, your stem should be 10mm shorter. For example, if you're currently riding a 42cm bar and your stem is 110mm, the 80mm Coast Stem would be our recommendation if you select the 48cm Coast Drop Bar. Following this same calculation, we would suggest the 60mm Coast Stem when selecting the 52cm Coast Drop Bar. If this feels like a confusing riddle, don’t hesitate to give us a shout and our customer service team can help you - ping us at info@pnwcomponents.com. Again, a lot of it comes down to personal preference and what feels right for your body and bike set up.
Treat yourself with a new drop bar and stem and let us know what you think. If you’re anything like our team, you believe our adage that wider burritos are always better and so are wider bars.
*Many light companies have adapters for this GoPro mount that allow you to attach lights to the front of your stem. When purchasing a light the specs should confirm it works with a GoPro adapter. Always double check everything is compatible before making the purchase. A few of our favorite compatible lights can be found at Light & Motion, Lezyne, and Nightrider. Enjoy your adventures after dusk and before dawn with this mount.