Pole's New 'Onni' DH Bike - Sea Otter 2023

Apr 20, 2023
by Mike Kazimer  
photo

The Onni is the latest addition to Pole's lineup, a mixed-wheel aluminum downhill bike with 200mm of travel. As it turns out, it can also be turned into an extra-long travel enduro race machine, at least if your name is Leo Kokkonen.

For those who aren't familiar, Leo is Pole Bicycles' founder, and he hasn't been shy over the years about expressing his opinion that more travel and long, slack geometry is the way to go for almost all riding scenarios. He's going to be competing in the Trans Maderia enduro race next month, so he decided to take the new downhill bike, which hasn't been officially released yet, and build it up into the pedalable beast pictured here.

Getting it enduro ready involved installing SRAM's new Transmission drivetrain, an AXS wireless dropper post, a OneUp EDC tool in the Boxxer's steerer tube. and mounting a Fidlock bottle to the top tube.

photo

The Onni casts a striking profile even when it isn't shining in the California sun. The elevated chainstay design gives it a retro-futuristic look, sort of like what would happen if a frame from the 1990s was re-imagined for the modern era. Ensuring that the Onni was stout enough to handle the rigors of elite level DH racing was high on Pole's priority list, so they went with oversized bearings where the chainstays meet the seat tube.

It's also worth mentioning that Onni Rainio is a recent addition to Pole's race team. This isn't technically his pro model (Onni means 'luck' in Finnish), but having a bike with your name attached to it probably doesn't hurt.

photo
The overall frame shape will undoubtedly be polarizing (I personally think it looks cool) but the beauty of the head tube profile is hard to dispute.
photo
Leo's been experimenting with different mounting positions for a Fidlock bottle on the top of the frame. It's unlikely this will be on the production version, but you never know.

The frame only, without shock, weighs a claimed 3.5 kg. As pictured, including pedals and inserts, the Onni weighs 18.4 kg (40.6 lb). Going with a standard downhill drivetrain and a ditching the dropper post would lighten it up significantly – it shouldn't be hard to build up a dedicated DH version in the sub-17 kg range.

More details, including geometry, pricing, and availability will be released in the near future.




Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,719 articles

150 Comments
  • 127 1
 "I heard you like yokes on your shock" -xhibit
  • 4 0
 ha. well done.
  • 8 2
 Spelling Nazi here - Xzibit
  • 5 0
 You got to be yoking!
  • 106 0
 Bottom bracket looks like Grampa's nutsack
  • 61 0
 What a terrible day to have an imagination
  • 40 0
 Who's your Grampa? T1000?
  • 2 0
 @mattg95: I'm aroused now
  • 1 0
 Grandpa's have been dead for quite a number of years now, so I think things have changed.
  • 1 11
flag danielfloyd FL (Apr 21, 2023 at 12:23) (Below Threshold)
 I can confirm. His grandpa molested me
  • 3 1
 Once seen, cannot unsee
  • 1 0
 Thank you all for these comments. I almost spit my coffee out laughing. T1000, your killing me.
  • 2 0
 @PtDiddy: It's OK I was dying in the middle of the climbing gym really hoping nobody realized how immature I am.
  • 1 0
 “Bottom Sack” might be an appropriate name for it.
  • 1 0
 Don’t neglect the sack.
  • 84 2
 And not a cable tourist in sight… Smile
  • 41 0
 I hope cable tourism is the new "looks like a session"
  • 4 0
 @bananowy: instant classic
  • 1 3
 fuckin amateurs
  • 38 1
 Not to pick on, but… ‚Transmission drivetrain’ lands just in between ‚ATM machine’ and ‚VAT tax’ for me.
  • 7 1
 Can I offer you a cup of expresso or perhaps an Americano with milk?
  • 22 0
 This message brought to you by the department of redundancy department.
  • 2 1
 Except it is a proper noun for a type of transmission/ drive train rather than a misuse of an abbreviation. But point taken.
  • 40 7
 Downduro top tube water bottle mounts make me more angry to look at than I'd like to admit
  • 11 8
 @thewitchkingofagmar: dude, go outside and smell the air
  • 23 0
 Think of it as a DIY vasectomy tool...
  • 11 0
 Have you heard about cargo helmets?
  • 9 1
 I use a removable bottle mount above the top tube for some rides and it works just fine. If you’re riding with your crotch in front of the saddle and near the down tube then you’re doing something very wrong, if you’re anywhere close to that spot with your wang, you ain’t doing it right.
  • 1 0
 @therealnobody: Smells like napalm. It's just like I'm back in 'Nam.
  • 1 0
 @dthomp325: I guess that counts a tuck no hander as not doing it right.
  • 27 0
 The looks of this one surprisingly don't make me want to Voima-it.
  • 3 0
 I just like the looks of it. No I'm not going to buy it but the long and low shape gives me the impression that the handling will be nice. Low inertia along the axis between rear axle and head tube so easy to tilt the bike along that axle yet more stable along these other axles. It may not even work out like that as obviously there is more bolted to the bike than that (and the bb extends well below this line) but at least it looks fun.
  • 27 4
 A Pole from Finland Smile .

I like all Pole designs, but I think this one is the best so far..

It is great that there are companies that have chosen a different way how to do things, especially with CNC machined alloy, suspension design, paint technology (although in this case it is not really a paint) and one should not forget the environmental aspect, as aluminium can be recycled ad infinitum, unlike carbon.

More of this please.
  • 19 0
 Rocky Mountain ETSX version 2.0
  • 2 0
 I knew it looked familiar!
  • 19 1
 looks tits, glad someone is out there pushing a different take, so many rigs look the same....good on ya Polay!
  • 18 0
 "What the past would look like, if the future had happened earlier"
  • 17 0
 Dropper an bottleholder? Yeah, the Downduro is born!!!
  • 2 0
 Finally! It would had stopped the dying of this market finally owning only one of these...
  • 24 11
 Hopefully, the frame weight is 3500g instead of the listed 3500kg. If not, I don't know what to say! Very cool design! Loving the idea of having a bike that's double-duty by nature, depending on the build specs.
  • 8 1
 The frame's claimed to weigh 3.5 kg.
  • 4 0
 @mikekazimer: Thanks for correcting it!
  • 3 1
 And then Dangerholm comes along and shaves off all but 3.5g and it still doesn't implode when he rides it
  • 2 0
 dammit, i was hoping it was gonna hug the ground.
  • 16 1
 Personally I think it looks butt ugly compared to the new Nukeproof
  • 15 0
 Ballsack BB hype
  • 9 0
 The best part about this bike is how they mounted the shock, with all these tales of shocks blowing up especially trunnion and long clevis mounts. This design helps take up some of those force by letting the shock rotate in two directions, obviously you simply just dont have enough room on trail bikes for a mount like this but on DH bikes and some enduro bikes.
  • 2 5
 To me this shock is shockingly rotating in only one direction. It is firmly fixed at the downtube. Unless you are counting on Pole's renowned machining tolerances to assume this poor shock will also be rota-twisted on his own axle One example of a properly floating shock would be Supreme v3.
  • 1 0
 @fneuf: Look again: two orthogonal pivots at the downtube end of the shock.
  • 10 0
 Aesthetically at least, this is a huge step up from the Voima and the Vikkela.
  • 2 1
 Agreed. That huge UFO of a seat stay was an abomination. Glad they've been able to mesh those lines together in a smaller and at least aesthetically more lightweight design. The hanging BB isn't my jam, though.
  • 9 2
 I think it actually looks great, which hasn't been the case with the previous Pole launches. Also appreciate the bold concept, going against the mainstream of downcountry bikes like every other brand.
  • 6 1
 "expressing his opinion that more travel and long, slack geometry is the way to go for almost all riding scenarios"

Reminds me a lot of the PB podcast of the santa cruz engineer talking about 29 being the best for the 5010 because he only rides squamish tech trails.

Yes these things are good if racing and tech is your main type of riding, seems like most companies are assuming these are the only types of riding because it's all they personally do.

It's funny seeing the Darkfest riders using custom smaller wheeled bikes, and even 6 year old frames. Look's like Nicolai is back on the older version demo too. There's a big void in the industry and race bikes aren't filling it.
  • 2 0
 That said, I'm not hating on this bike it looks rad AF if racing and tech is your thing. Not that literally every DH and Enduro bike right now except the slacker and furious are designed for just that...
  • 2 3
 There is next to zero overlap between what a darkfest rider requires from his rig, versus what an average consumer wants. Most people are better off on a long full 29er bike. They are safer for tech and jumping, and can corner just as well at recreational pace.
  • 3 1
 @8a71b4: speak for yourself people want jump bikes even if they aren't riding darkfest jumps a bike still jumps good for the same reasons. Just because you aren't good at riding and can't handle a smaller wheel bike doesn't mean the same for everyone else
  • 2 1
 @luckynugget: Its always funny how as soon as you post something contrary to popular belief, it always brings out the insecure joeys out like yourself out the woods that immediately start insulting peoples skill.

Like imagine posting this video and thinking you are good at jumping.
www.pinkbike.com/video/546072
  • 1 0
 @8a71b4: I don't claim to be the best jumper but I obviously know how. I also led the build of every trail in that video, and people seem to like riding my trails and jumps so I must have some sort of idea what I'm doing.

If you said you preferred 29 inch wheels that would make sense as a personal opinion but you said everyone benifits from 29 and noone would benifit from similar bike setups to pro freeriders. Do you think all the riders at darkfest just woke up one day knowing how to do everything they do? Spending a day in a place like Kamloops bike ranch would be enough to show you that your view of the sport is very limited and you have no idea what normal people are doing on bikes. 29 sucks up steep lips, steals your pop, and makes it harder to flip, spin, ect.
  • 1 0
 @luckynugget:

>If you said you preferred 29 inch wheels that would make sense as a personal opinion but you said everyone benefits from 29 and noone would benifit from similar bike setups to pro freeriders.

Dunno how hard it is to read a comment that is literally right there, but I specifically said an average consumer, not everyone. The average consumer does not jump super steep lips that have high consequences, much less spin or flip. The main thing that a consumer wants is a bike that allows them to ride most of the trails on bikeparks with umps and tech. A long, slack 29er is stable, will get you out of trouble and save you from OTB. And, if someone wants to start jumping steeper lips or doing whips, its not like its impossible to do it or learn it on the 29er, there are plenty of kids whipping about bikes that are too big for them as they grow into them, no reason an adult can't learn all the same shit on a larger bike.

The main argument that really shows that 27.5 fans really are just hipsters is if the advantages of the smaller wheels mattered, then they would all be buying older 26 wheel DH frames (like in my profile pic ironically), because those supposed advantages are even larger. There is no science or engineering that says that 27.5 is the optimal wheel size that balances agility with roll efficiency. Bicycle history could have gone with 27.5 wheels first, then 29, then 32 (which is basically what 29+ bikes are), and yall would be SIMPing hard for 29 as the best DH wheel size. So if you wanna stick to your guns, you either go with smallest wheel commercially available, or you realize that your preferences are your own and have nothing to do with design of frames for mass consumer market.
  • 9 1
 This company is certainly Polarizing the industry.
  • 9 0
 I love it
  • 6 3
 Just needs a gearbox, inverted fork, TQ or similar motor
  • 3 0
 Perfect concept. Gearing is gearing. I can adapt to the geo of a DH bike in a climb but I can't adapt to the gearing of a 7 speed in a climb. I'd rather ride the fire rode to the top than push without compromising the full travel needed downhill runs and big hits. I simply put a 32t chainring on my Jedi and I pedal that thing everywhere. It rips any trail from Snowshoe to Ray's indoor. When I travel I can ride it through the city and hit any stair set of doom I please.
  • 7 0
 Cnc alu made in EU I like it!
  • 5 0
 Frame lines are not for everybody but the finish is spectacular. It looks really good,even with that pole as seat post hehehehe.
  • 6 0
 Yes! More Otter Clams please.
  • 6 1
 Looks like an old GT Bike with idrive
  • 7 0
 Looks like a cnc’d version of the Redalp.
  • 7 0
 Good on Pole for doing something different (well, compared with today's bikes). I quite like it.
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: Good eye!
  • 1 0
 Yep, i was thinking it looks like the Mongoose versions of the idrive after gt was bought out.
  • 5 0
 If BMW's current designers made bikes...
  • 3 0
 i'm starting to think i'm one of those guys who doesn't really have a "type". to me, this looks fantastic. but i also think the reeb steezl is gorgeous. maybe i'm a weirdo...
  • 4 0
 Looks (a little) better than their other bikes, but not much...
  • 3 2
 Someone didn't get the memo about the RM9 back in the day that's rear end was an absolute f*cking noodle.... I can literally feel the rear end winding up in a heavy compression/ corner from here....
#wontbecompetitive
  • 1 0
 2010ish Marin Quad Link and Rocky Mountain ETSX made a modern baby. Interesting. Both the Quad Link and ETSX were pretty effective suspension designs at the time... durability and flex of the ETSX maybe solved with this. hmm
  • 4 0
 Is it me or does it look like a high pivot but without an idler pulley??
  • 3 0
 Is that like a 10-pivot suspension platform? Lol. Say what you will, but I want to test ride that.
  • 4 1
 Im on the fence with this bike !
  • 1 0
 Can someone explain to me why there’s a yoke on the shock, vs rotating the shaft eyelet 90° and mounting to the frame? Is that a lateral compliance thing?
  • 12 1
 With that configuration the shock has degrees of freedom around two axis, thus making it "float" in a way between the mounting points. This should lessen unwanted stresses that the shock might otherwise be subjected to.
  • 1 1
 @jukka4130: is this not only necessary because the rest of the frame is questionably designed though?

Genuine question, despite the ironic tone.
  • 1 1
 probably because the frame is made from two machined halves sandwiched with glue... I can imagine that having a 'traditional' shock mount could result in weird stresses trying to pry the halves apart.
  • 2 0
 @jukka4130: and I can confirm it works well. I had an X2 on my Voima and it worked flawlessly with no aeration issues after 800 miles on it.
  • 2 0
 @fneuf: If you look back closely, this particular design or something very similar to it has been used in Pole's lineup since the launch of the Machine frame. My assumption is that it's used because of the advantages listed, not related to the material or or how the frame it's manufactured.
  • 3 0
 Looks like a cat that just got scared
  • 1 0
 I hope there is an awful lot of uplift in that race. I wouldnt want to ride a 40lb bike up a couple of thousand metres every day
  • 3 0
 U cannot use mix of white and yellow letter maxxis.
  • 2 1
 Since the stamina's got pulled and they have made ugly a.f. frames since I geuss I'll keep riding the machine!
  • 4 2
 That's a big pole to sit on
  • 3 1
 how do you with balls that big?
  • 3 0
 Looks like a Boot'R
  • 2 1
 It´s unique that´s for sure ... It´ll take some getting used to but I think this could grow on me
  • 4 1
 I kind of quite like it.
  • 2 1
 I can't get over the combination of Torx and Allen head fasteners. Please just pick one and be consistent.
  • 1 0
 The outer Torx is a cap, and it has a self extracting Allen under it, like on a crank arm. So no need to take the caps off, just the Allen is loosened for disassembly.
  • 2 0
 Looks like a design from the 90's made with modern techniques.
  • 1 0
 Dare I say..looks like a...Mongoose Black Diamond Double (if you squint)
  • 1 0
 Dropper and bottlecage, so what is it? UpDownhill bike?
  • 2 3
 Are we not talking about how the entire frame appears to be machined? Maybe that's old news for Pole (I dunno) but that's pretty remarkable.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer make @mikelevy ride that Pole E-bike all around Laguna Seca
  • 1 0
 Doesn't look like a Session.
  • 1 3
 News flash: Richie Rude now rides a pole DH because it has a water bottle mount. No more sharing the precious PED juice. He was heard telling Jared Graves "get your own juice guy"
  • 1 0
 that is one grotesque machine
  • 1 0
 Can you cook a pizza in it ?
  • 3 3
 They remembered to make everything good but to make it not ugly
  • 3 4
 ugliest thing I have seen in a long time
  • 1 1
 Voima is not 200mm or mullet
  • 1 2
 why does this kind of suspension works now and hasn´t worked in the early 2000s???
  • 1 1
 How much extra for a headtube badge?
  • 2 1
 This thing is chad
  • 4 4
 Looks only a blind mother could love
  • 1 0
 I ride pole.
  • 2 2
 I don't know how they did it... but they somehow made an even uglier bike
  • 2 2
 orange called and they want their bike back!
  • 2 4
 images.app.goo.gl/wNvKG5uEWHdvVWbk9
I knew it reminded me something as much ugly!
  • 7 7
 That gon break
  • 1 1
 oh my
  • 1 1
 Silver fecalith.
  • 9 10
 Fully fugly
  • 5 11
flag dchill (Apr 21, 2023 at 4:46) (Below Threshold)
 Agreed that is some gross shit right there
  • 8 10
 Pole has gone from progressive geometry to progressively uglier.
  • 5 6
 Hideous!
  • 3 4
 Looks like a Mongoose
  • 1 0
 It does give a Boot'R vibe.
  • 2 5
 The chainstay intersecting half way the seatstay is a really bad design. It's either weak, or extremely heavy.
  • 1 0
 People here don't agree apparently. But there is a reason we always go back to the triangle designs.
  • 1 3
 My eyes! Typically billet aluminum fascinates me. The poles do not..
  • 1 3
 How long does it last?
(sn*gger)
  • 8 11
 Looks shit. Beaten with the ugly pole
  • 5 8
 I puked a little in my mouth when I saw this abomination
  • 2 4
 Vile
  • 3 6
 So ugly :-/
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