It's a battle of the premium dropper post levers... CrankJoy tester Chad Davis took a look at the Wolf Tooth ReMote versus our PNW Loam Lever and wrote a great review of their positives and negatives. Take a look at his take of the most "gucci" levers on the market:
Two of the hottest dropper levers on the market now are finally giving some welcome refinement to our controls. These two levers both sport refined high leverage ratio’s (optional on ReMote) and super smooth sealed bearings that put them in a different class than other levers. Since I’ve had some folks asking about these two here’s a quick take on the Wolf Tooth ReMote VS PNW Loam dropper levers.
It’s great to have the option of these two since we’ve adapted to using this touch point nearly as much as we use shift levers. Comfort and ergonomics are now more important than ever. Most dropper levers are tiny, roll on bushings, are pinned together and use set screws to fasten the cable. The ReMote and Loam Lever take ergonomics and quality to the next level and as a result are two favorite upgrades to the stock levers that come on most bikes.
Wolf Tooth ReMote | $69.95
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- A masterpiece of CNC’d beauty
- Rolls on a sealed bearing and available in high leverage “light action” version
- No slip machined textured lever has plenty of grip
- Clamp options from Shimano IS, Matchmaker and stand-alone clamp
- Black anodized finish matches everything
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- Without gloves, the levers textured machining is abrasive – like sandpaper on the thumb
- Not the most comfortable lever to push
PNW Loam Lever | $69.00
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- Super smooth and high leverage makes actuating the dropper nearly effortless
- High-quality machining rolling on sealed bearing
- Ultra comfortable and grippy molded rubber thumb lever contact
- Clamp options from Shimano IS, Matchmaker and stand-alone clamp
- 3 colors options available for thumb rubbers to match your ride
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- Bronze color may not match your ride
- Some sharp edges on the back of the lever – not anything that could come in contact with the thumb, but noticeable when installing
Both the ReMote and the Loam Lever offer similar options and adjustments. Both can be adjusted in or out 5-10mm without moving the clamp on the handlebar. Multiple clamps are available if you prefer a handlebar clamp or cleaner matchmaker style mounting. Ergonomics and comfort are the two areas I believe the Loam lever pushes ahead of the ReMote. I prefer the angle of the Loam, the shape of the lever and the soft rubber thumb when I’m not wearing gloves. The ReMote has sharper angles and edges that don’t feel quite as comfy.
To sum things up I think both of these levers are ultra high quality and offer the best of what’s currently available for dropper levers. The Loam Lever’s injection molded rubber thumb pad and ergonomics are what my thumb likes over the ReMote. If you care more about how your lever looks and less about comfort, you might choose the more neutral colored black Wolf Tooth ReMote.
Check out the full post here.