Five years since buying my last full sus, I decided it was time for another.
I really wanted to build a 27.5+ so the Geometron was ruled out. Chris Porter is heroically forward thinking with regards to geometry but has an unfortunate blind spot when it comes to tyres.

The Pole ticked all the boxes – full 3″ tyre compatibility, slack, BB height slightly higher than the geometron hopefully avoiding some of the worst pedal strike issues.

Rims arrived yesterday so I built them up today. I’ve had a play around a small local hill and it feels good. First proper ride tomorrow!

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Terrible news … you’ve dropped a peg 😉

Awesome, I had a half day on one back in July. Really enjoyed it

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/riding-a-really-long-pole-all-day-long

Took the Pole to two favoured local riding spots today.
Thankfully, it’s fantastic. I was a tad worried it would be a wallowy, ungainly beast, but no, it was simply fantastic fun.

Point downhill, brakes off, keep some weight on the front and let rip 🙂
It’s very quick.

It’s like cheating on techy climbs, the front is so planted and easy to steer. The sus linkage works really well, no bobbing at all.
Delighted!

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You bracken need a trim.

You bracken need a trim.

Not as badly as the gorse, nettles and thistles though!

You taking that to Ciclo?
I recon it’d be the ultimate bike for the trails round there.
My B+ Hightower was a hoot last year.
The added slackness/length of the Pole will be just the ticket though.

Sunday Club run two weeks today 😀

I think this bike will be a lot of fun launching off the Valeta!

I think you’re right. 🙂

Really like the look of these… I bumped into a chap that was reviewing it for Enduro mag, he said something along the lines of “I went to manual over a log, and because it’s so bloody long, nothing happened. But that was OK because when I crashed into the log, it just rode over it”.

A couple of us out next week. Looking forward to Valeta too. 😀

The OP reminded me of something with this…

Chris Porter is heroically forward thinking with regards to geometry but has an unfortunate blind spot when it comes to tyres

Chris Porter:

You wouldn’t design a plus tire unless you could get away with riding basically a rubbish bike. Plus tires are, honestly, who thought of that? Let’s make paper thin, rock hard compound tires that are supposed to be ridden at low pressures. Of course they don’t work.

Full interview here- LINK

You don’t think that mountain biking’s most prolific bodger and tinkerer just didn’t even consider optimum tyre sizes did you?

EDIT: Forgot to say, your bike looks pretty cool by the way!

I’ve just noticed the mudguards 😕

And I’m sure he’ll hate it right up until he loves it or wants to sell it… Turns out 29ers do work, who knew that all that stuff about them not braking or pumping properly was gibberish? Everyone else, that’s who

Have you tried it with other wheels? (29ers)

I first built my current FS up with 650b+, then tried it as a 29er and the only time I went back was after I’d mullered a tyre, so had to swap the b+ wheels on to ride!

Looks like a great bike, though, I’d love to try a Pole.

And I’m sure he’ll hate it right up until he loves it or wants to sell it… Turns out 29ers do work, who knew that all that stuff about them not braking or pumping properly was gibberish? Everyone else, that’s who

This.

I’ve read every article and interview with CP going back over the past few years sharkattack, including that one.
Prolific tinkerer, geometry visionary and suspension genius he may be – but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t talk some pish at times.

If you want to smash g-out bikepark style turns then a 2.3 tyre at 30psi is probably just about the best tool for the job. What about roots and loose rock though? Tyre deformation is good. A proper wide rim means that rolling it off the rim is highly unlikely. Apparently CP likes a Crest rim to keep unsprung weight down though…

Surly DW tyres are the first plus tyre with a proper soft compound. They are ace, but I’ve put the NN’s on as the bike is going to Spain in a couple of weeks. Squidgy rubber is a bit overkill for the hot, gripp rock over there.

Haven’t tried 29er wheels papercut, today was my first outing on it.
I’ve no plans to build a 29er wheelset at the moment, I’ll probably borrow a set and give it a go sometime.

I’ve just noticed the mudguards

Something obscuring your vision? 😉

Bedmaker where are you based? I’m just wondering where you will be riding it/terrain.

do you see it as a ‘trail’ bike or for enduro enduroing only. I only got to test one at a bike park some am interested in how you think it is on ‘normal’ mtb trails. technical XC i guess

dble post

Very nice. Must be insanely stable with the lower BB and extra grip afforded by the plus tyres.

Full interview here- LINK

You don’t think that mountain biking’s most prolific bodger and tinkerer just didn’t even consider optimum tyre sizes did you?

To be fair, just got back from SSUK in Stavley, being able to rip down trails with pinch flat impunity on fat tyres past the 2.2-2.5″ ‘competition’ was great fun.

Yes a 750g plus tyres is likely a bit shit, but so is a 500g XC tyre. Scale up a proper tyre on the other hand and and it’s brilliant!

A mate of mine runs one of these and absolutely loves it. It does seem to be the perfect bike for pretty much everything, if a little heavy. I can imagine that with plus tyres it’s utterly destructive.

I’m sure it rides well but I can’t help looking at it and thinking it looks like someone REALLY heavy sat on it and it gave way a little.

But like I say, I’m sure it rides well and you can’t see it from the rider perspective anyway.

I’m based in the Highlands, this bike will complement a ti plus rigid bike, and a fatbike.
It would possibly be a bit overkill as an only bike if you mainly ride undulating Xc type stuff, although it pedals remarkably well.
Most of the trails I’ll use it on are of the winch and plummet type, it’s perfect for that sort of riding. Also big mountain days in Torridon and Cairngorms.

It’s a hefty Frame, no doubt about that, probably three pounds heavier than a carbon Hightower or something like that.
I guess the upside is that it adds to the super planted invincible feel in rough stuff.

bedmaker – Member
I’ve just noticed the mudguards
Something obscuring your vision?

No but I wish it would 😳 🙄

cheers bedmaker, it did seem a touch weighty agreed, although as you say not always a bad thing

f “I went to manual over a log, and because it’s so bloody long, nothing happened. But that was OK because when I crashed into the log, it just rode over it”.

Not attempting to be provocative, but is this a good thing? does it not mean you just have to find bigger stuff to plough over? does it make it more fun or just faster and easier?

Just seen on Pole’s facebook page that they are releasing a carbon version . Sorry wallet

lesgrandepotato – Member

Not attempting to be provocative, but is this a good thing?

I don’t know tbh! It was mostly an example of how it felt to ride.

Edit: not carbon. Phew

Not attempting to be provocative, but is this a good thing? does it not mean you just have to find bigger stuff to plough over? does it make it more fun or just faster and easier?

If your riding is mainly less techy then it probably does flatten things out too much and make it too easy in a negative way. I can think of trails I ride where I would much rather be on my rigid bike.

On rougher downhills though, it’s just faster. Fast is fun!

I found myself boosting off rises on one particular rocky descent yesterday – normally I’d never carry enough speed on the runup to them to allow that.

Lay off the brakes, trust the tyres and try not to poo yourself thinking about how fast the crash might be. 🙂

bedmaker – what size is that one? I’m really interested in them, or curious about them maybe and I’m not far out of the Highlands…..

It’s a medium. HAs a -1.5 slackset in and 160 fork so looks a little longer maybe.
I’ve got a 50mm stem on rather than the uber short ones seen on bikes of this type. Helps keep a bit of weight on the front tyre.

Welcome to have a spin if you’re up this way. Not a bike you’ll get the opportunity to try out very easily..

Thanks – think that the Pole medium is more of a Large or XLarge in other brands thinking! I’m often up in Inverness, Granton, Aviemore so maybe I’ll give you a shout.

Crazy slack bike and slack headset, I love your commitment.

If / when it’s new bike time these are fighting the Geometron for number one slot.

I’ll just leave this here:

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Posted by P2V Team on Monday, August 28, 2017

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