DH 2nd time pole lucky?
- Thread starter gippyz
- Start date
gippyz
Likes Dirt
yes i did.
gippyz
Likes Dirt
brave or stupid! i guess we'll find out!
pink poodle
私はイナゴです
I thought pole went bust?
gippyz
Likes Dirt
This is the blurb on their website:
"We are selling all our demo, prototype and Museum bikes to fund our company's next step. Here is piece of history. - No guarantee or warranty"
Maybe I am both brave and stupid.. but we'll find out..
pink poodle
私はイナゴです
Yeah...you'd have to be pretty keen to get on board with a blurb like that.
Enjoy the ride!
Enjoy the ride!
gippyz
Likes Dirt
I've been wanting a machine or stamina for a good 5 years now. The medium evolink 150 is way too big for midget me. As the title said, 2nd time lucky as the small evolink 158 didn't come through.
A mate recently bought an xl stamina and is now raving over it - he's now selling all his other analogue bikes. Even then I was still armh and umh over this one for few weeks..
We'll see. If it arrives, intact, there'll be a proper PYR.
pink poodle
私はイナゴです
There are some tricks you can learn to help with maintaining (and perhaps even improving) your stamina. Buy a copy of my ebook for more details.
gippyz
Likes Dirt
The frame arrived 2 weeks ago. Everything is ok except the seized BB on the non drive side. It was seized so badly that I took it to the bike shop.. even then they needed a heat gun, 3 people, tons of wd40 (or whatever bike specific stuff they used), hammer. $50 later, the bastard is out.
Had a a problem with the cane creek headset it came with. The bearing was not in good condition, expected as it's a used frame. Popped new bearing in and the headset just wouldn't tighten. Have to mix and match bearings from my other spares, which I luckily have. But God, I freaking hate cane creek headset now, especially after the spacer saga I had with the nomad, and now this. Anyway..
Had my proper rides this week at Silvan. Down lyre lyre, Igor, jj, downhill, temple. At first, I was scared shit going down. The bike just took off, and the brakes were having trouble stopping (4 piston slx caliper with xt levers). But once I got it under control, it's so damn stable. I couldn't believe how good it is. Never ridden anything like it.
Climbing is also good. It kept me upright through the steep singletrack. Had an oopsie when I tried to go over a wooden hump at bottom of Baker's climb. The bike is so long and I could time the back wheel lift right. But it'll get better.
It weighs a lot less than my nomad. Climbs better. Descent as well. Maybe doesn't corner as well, but give it time and it may be ok.
I set it up as a mullet now. I've run it as a full 27.5, but felt the smaller front wheel hold the bike back. This is a shame as I have good 27.5 fork for it. Alas. Nvm. I'm too midget to run it as a full 29er. The back wheel will be on my arse 99.9% of the downhilling time and I'll be on my next set of shorts, and a tyre tattoo on the bum that's worthy of a Maxxis fanboy. No thanks.
Currently it has mix of parts I took off my other bikes as I don't have enough to build one up properly yet. Somehow, parts like 29er forks and dropper post are hard to get hold of these days - at a good price that is. So a proper pyr will be made once I got everything.
Had a a problem with the cane creek headset it came with. The bearing was not in good condition, expected as it's a used frame. Popped new bearing in and the headset just wouldn't tighten. Have to mix and match bearings from my other spares, which I luckily have. But God, I freaking hate cane creek headset now, especially after the spacer saga I had with the nomad, and now this. Anyway..
Had my proper rides this week at Silvan. Down lyre lyre, Igor, jj, downhill, temple. At first, I was scared shit going down. The bike just took off, and the brakes were having trouble stopping (4 piston slx caliper with xt levers). But once I got it under control, it's so damn stable. I couldn't believe how good it is. Never ridden anything like it.
Climbing is also good. It kept me upright through the steep singletrack. Had an oopsie when I tried to go over a wooden hump at bottom of Baker's climb. The bike is so long and I could time the back wheel lift right. But it'll get better.
It weighs a lot less than my nomad. Climbs better. Descent as well. Maybe doesn't corner as well, but give it time and it may be ok.
I set it up as a mullet now. I've run it as a full 27.5, but felt the smaller front wheel hold the bike back. This is a shame as I have good 27.5 fork for it. Alas. Nvm. I'm too midget to run it as a full 29er. The back wheel will be on my arse 99.9% of the downhilling time and I'll be on my next set of shorts, and a tyre tattoo on the bum that's worthy of a Maxxis fanboy. No thanks.
Currently it has mix of parts I took off my other bikes as I don't have enough to build one up properly yet. Somehow, parts like 29er forks and dropper post are hard to get hold of these days - at a good price that is. So a proper pyr will be made once I got everything.
gippyz
Likes Dirt
Also shout out to Leo for making the wiring all external and super duper neat. I never liked internal cabling, but not a fan of the external wiring on some frames. This one, is a gem. Neat as anything. Easy to install. No more brake hose cutting and wasting olives. I still fail to see the appeal of internal wiring system.
Asininedrivel
caviar connoisseur
The bashguard had a bad time the first time I tackled that bit on the Forbidden. I don't think long + low bikes plus that feature are an ideal pairing.
caad9
Likes Bikes and Dirt
That log is super pointless, I have ridden over it hundreds of times and it never added value to a ride
gippyz
Likes Dirt
Finally got around to uploading these pics. I think I finally got the build I'm pretty happy with. Wishing for longer dropper, but heck, it rides so well as it is now. So here goes the specs.
Frame - Pole Machine K1
Rear shock - X2 230x65
Front shock/fork - Fox 38 180
Handlebars - Deity black label 25mm rise 760mm wide
Stem - ztto 35mm
Headset - cane creek
Grips - ODI
Saddle - Fabric
Seatpost - Bikeyoke divine 125mm
Front brake - SLX dual pot caliper/XT lever
Rear brake - SLX dual pot caliper/XT lever
Cranks - SLX 165mm
Pedals - Nukeproof horizon
Rear derailleur - Deore 11spd
Rear shifter - Deore 11spd
Front wheel - ztto 29er
Rear wheel - syntace hub laced to wtb i29
Tyres - vee ruber 27.5x2.35 rear / maxxis assegai 2.5wt front.
The frame originally came with RS super deluxe which is ok. I bought an x2 from summit last year for my nukeproof that happens to be the same size. It barely fits the frame, with only a smidgen clearance. There was a little notch by the bottom eyelet that i have to cut for it to fit. Weirdly with this frame, one end of the shock require an adaptor while the other (the one at the top tube) is bare.
Height wise, I'm borderline medium/small. I always find small bike a tad too short on the top tube and medium too long. It has been a struggle finding the right size bike for myself. The closest being my banshee spitfire 3.2 and nomad, even they are a bit on the small side for me. This one, fits like a glove. So comfortable to ride with 35mm stem and saddle smack bang in the middle.
The bike is meant to be a full 29er, but i never liked the idea of running 29er at the back. Tested it with full 27.5, and felt the smaller wheel held the bike back. So I built it as a mullet. Originally had a 170mm fox 38 fork, which rode well. But then i have a spare 180mm 27.5 grip2 fox lying around. So I thought why not just swap the lowers. Never looked back since.
Interesting, the bike has also changed the way i rode my other bikes. I was always riding my rear too hard. Can't do that on this bike as it'll ride awkward. Since riding this bike, I've gotten used to riding my fork harder now and it has somehow improved my overall riding.
Problem with this is Leo doesn't make any spare parts for it anymore. So if i break anything (e.g., hanger) I'm toast. Hence, I'm in the market for another one (or a stamina) same size as a spare.
I think from now, I'll only entertain bikes that are a bit big for its sizing and stick with small. Will be keeping eyes on companies like Nicolai, etc.
Frame - Pole Machine K1
Rear shock - X2 230x65
Front shock/fork - Fox 38 180
Handlebars - Deity black label 25mm rise 760mm wide
Stem - ztto 35mm
Headset - cane creek
Grips - ODI
Saddle - Fabric
Seatpost - Bikeyoke divine 125mm
Front brake - SLX dual pot caliper/XT lever
Rear brake - SLX dual pot caliper/XT lever
Cranks - SLX 165mm
Pedals - Nukeproof horizon
Rear derailleur - Deore 11spd
Rear shifter - Deore 11spd
Front wheel - ztto 29er
Rear wheel - syntace hub laced to wtb i29
Tyres - vee ruber 27.5x2.35 rear / maxxis assegai 2.5wt front.
The frame originally came with RS super deluxe which is ok. I bought an x2 from summit last year for my nukeproof that happens to be the same size. It barely fits the frame, with only a smidgen clearance. There was a little notch by the bottom eyelet that i have to cut for it to fit. Weirdly with this frame, one end of the shock require an adaptor while the other (the one at the top tube) is bare.
Height wise, I'm borderline medium/small. I always find small bike a tad too short on the top tube and medium too long. It has been a struggle finding the right size bike for myself. The closest being my banshee spitfire 3.2 and nomad, even they are a bit on the small side for me. This one, fits like a glove. So comfortable to ride with 35mm stem and saddle smack bang in the middle.
The bike is meant to be a full 29er, but i never liked the idea of running 29er at the back. Tested it with full 27.5, and felt the smaller wheel held the bike back. So I built it as a mullet. Originally had a 170mm fox 38 fork, which rode well. But then i have a spare 180mm 27.5 grip2 fox lying around. So I thought why not just swap the lowers. Never looked back since.
Interesting, the bike has also changed the way i rode my other bikes. I was always riding my rear too hard. Can't do that on this bike as it'll ride awkward. Since riding this bike, I've gotten used to riding my fork harder now and it has somehow improved my overall riding.
Problem with this is Leo doesn't make any spare parts for it anymore. So if i break anything (e.g., hanger) I'm toast. Hence, I'm in the market for another one (or a stamina) same size as a spare.
I think from now, I'll only entertain bikes that are a bit big for its sizing and stick with small. Will be keeping eyes on companies like Nicolai, etc.
beeb
Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Shame Pole has such a checkered history. I reckon these are cool AF. Love that you've tinkered with lots of different setups to find what works for you. From memory these had quite a high BB so would lend themselves to a cheeky mullet swap well.
Also, I has a similar experience with my RAAW and a Carbonda FM1003 the long(ish for me) chainstays teaching me to ride the fork more. It's bloody effective once it 'clicks'.
Also, I has a similar experience with my RAAW and a Carbonda FM1003 the long(ish for me) chainstays teaching me to ride the fork more. It's bloody effective once it 'clicks'.
gippyz
Likes Dirt
Indeed. Leo is rebuilding the company. So let's see how he goes with it. The amount of chainstays breaking on Pole frames is insane. I've gotten to think it is a matter of when not if - hence i want a spare frame. He is still making chainstays for stamina, voima, and vikkela, but not machine or evolink. He designs nice frames, solid geo, but perhaps not the best engineer and PR person.
So it is the longer chainstays that forces you to ride the fork more! Never realised this. Now I understand why the Forbiddens are like this when i test rode it 2 years ago. Someone said to me Pole chainstay remains the same for all sizes. In fact, most frames are like this - I think Banshee is like this. Perhaps cheaper to manufacture as it is just one mold, but it doesn't make sense because it means the bigger frames will be ridden more on the rear then..
beeb
Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
I reckon he's probably a decent engineer, but was really pushing to minimise the weight of the machined sections. The bit that annoys me is how the customers ended up being the product testers and it took several iterations before getting resolved. Hard to believe some random local hack can munt multiple chainstays but the EWS pros were fine (admittedly the EWS pros probably have less "oopsies" moments "JRA", but you know what I mean...).
Size-specific geo is great, unless you don't like the weight balance the manufacturer has designed around. Some folk love long CS's, some folk like 'em short. Luckily there's heaps of bikes & geo options available nowadays (if you know what you're looking for).
