Satchel Cronk
Pole Bicycles Ships to the United States
Pole has long been a brand of mythic notoriety. Whispers of bikes so long and so slack that on paper they seem ridiculous, leaving us wondering is there something to it?
We still don't know. But we did chat with the folks of Pole at Sea Otter and learned a few more details. Most notably, that the bikes are available to order through their website and they ship to the United States. Furthermore, the company will be doing a U.S. demo tour. Dreams do come true.
Smooth, clean machined aluminum.
by Satchel Cronk
Long and slack are two terms thrown around so often they have lost their meaning. Can a bike be categorized as long and slack when every bike is long and slack? What was once cutting-edge has become the norm. Except for Pole bikes. They truly are cutting edge. Don't believe me? Take a look at these numbers from Pole's newest bike: the Machine.
The Machine is a 29er with a 180-millimeter fork and 160 millimeters of rear-wheel travel. The head angle is 63.9 degrees, the seat-tube angle is 78 degrees, the reach is 510 millimeters on a large and the wheelbase is a whopping 1,335 millimeters on the same size. Find me another bike like that. I'll wait.
by Satchel Cronk
So the Machine has some gnarly numbers, but it goes further than that. The build process is equally unique. Originally, Pole was interested in creating a carbon Machine, but when the Finnish company did a little research, they found the process to be much worse for the environment than expected. So the company turned back to aluminum, but with a different take. Pole CNC machines the frame. The bike has the smooth lines of a carbon frame, but is one piece of aluminum. Rather, it's technically several pieces of aluminum bolted together. To keep it hollow, sections that would be tubular on traditional frames are made of two hollowed-out pieces fastened together with titanium bolts. The effect is a truly unique look. A really cool unique look.
Don't worry, the shock does have a reservoir, it's just mounted sideways.
by Satchel Cronk
The Machine is available in two different build kits, both with SRAM and RockShox parts, or as a frame-only option. The bike has a lifetime warranty for manufacturer defects, the frame retails for 2,782€ ($3,425), the TR (GX) build is 4,435€ ($5,461) and the EN (xx1/xo1) build is 5,604€ ($6,900). The Machine will begin shipping in June. Check it out here. Did I mention this bike is really cool?
The Evolink is the full-suspension mountain bike that put Pole on the map.
by Satchel Cronk
Pole's other full suspension rig doesn't have the same alluring machined look or creation process, but its numbers are equally impressive. The Evolink is a 29er available in three different travel options, 131, 140 or 158 millimeters, with forks to match. Rather than list the bike's numbers, here are the geo charts so you can see the jaw-dropping angles straight from the horse's mouth.
Like the Machine, the Evolink is also available in TR, EN and frame-only options. The frame goes for 1,975€ ($2,432), the TR build is 3,185€ ($3,922) and the EN build is 4,677€ ($5,759). Prices vary slightly based on travel. Check out the different models here.
