The World's Longest DH Bike: Isak Leivsson's Pole Machine 200 - Fort William World Cup 2018

Jun 1, 2018
by Mike Kazimer  

Pole Proto
BIKE CHECK
Isak Leivvson's Pole Machine 200


Norwegian Isak Leivsson will be racing at Fort William aboard what may be the longest downhill bike currently in existence* – the Pole Machine 200. It's still in the prototype stage, but the bike is constructed using the same techniques as its more trail-oriented sibling, with two machined pieces of 7075 aluminum bolted and bonded together to create this eye-catching frame.

The bike has 29” wheels, and the 200mm of travel is delivered by Pole's Evolink suspension design, which has a link that rotates around the bottom bracket, and another that connects the downtube to the seat stays. The polished frame itself is enough to turn heads, but the massive wheelbase is also hard to miss. It measures 1360mm, which dwarfs every other DH bike on the market. The chainstays are a sprawling 460mm, and the head angle is 63-degrees.
Rider: Isak Leivvson
Height: 187 cm (6' 2")
Weight: 85 kg (187 lb)

Bike: Pole Machine 200
Wheelbase: 1360mm wheelbase,
Chainstay length: 460mm chainstay
Head angle: 63°
Rear shock : Fox DHX2
Fork: Fox 40 GRIP2 200mm
Brakes: SRAM Code
Wheels: Newman Evolution G-30
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5" (25 psi front / 27 psi rear)
Weight: 18 kg / 39.7 lb

Even the handlebars are oversized – Isak has added in extentions to bring his bar width up to 830mm. It's probably a good thing that most of the trees in Scotland were cut down centuries ago... There also a stubby, 10mm stem in place, with a healthy stack of spacers underneath. At a hair under 40 pounds the Machine isn't especially light, but Isak says that that strength and durability are more important to him than counting grams.

Pole Proto
The Machine 200 uses Pole's Evolink suspension design.

Pole Proto
Pole Proto
Two sections of machined 7075 aluminum are bolted and bonded together to form the front triangle.


Pole Proto

Pole Proto
Pole Proto
There shouldn't be any lack of stability with those big wheels, long front center, and 460mm chainstays.


Pole Proto
Isak's running a short, 10mm stem.
Pole Proto
Extensions inserted into each end of the handlebar bring the length up to 830mm.


Pole Proto




* Nicolai's XXL G15 and G16 bikes do have longer wheelbase numbers, but when it comes to downhill bikes, at the moment it looks like the Machine is the longest.

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Bike Checks DH Bikes Pole Bicycles Pole Machine 200 Isak Leivsson


Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,733 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Kona Bicycles' Parent Company Appoints New CFO, Intends to Sell Brand
65011 views
Downhill Bikes of Sea Otter - Part 1
47778 views
Brian's Randoms from Sea Otter 2024
45616 views
Randoms Round 3: Dario's Treasures
44991 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line - Fort William is in 10 DAYS!
40230 views
Randoms Round 1 - Sea Otter 2024
38520 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Araxá XC World Cup 2024
38266 views
Spotted: Frameworks Racing DH Bike with Electronic Fox Shock & Unreleased Enve Rims
37547 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

277 Comments
  • 293 7
 Bet it feels pretty good to ride a Pole that long.
  • 16 5
 It's a pretty slick pole, that's for sure.
  • 143 3
 Nicest tandem I have ever seen.
  • 28 5
 I don't know, I feel like I would be too stretched out on it.
  • 8 3
 Front triangle can fit a long one too.
  • 8 2
 not much space to fit a bottle cage.....
  • 10 3
 This pole really hits the sweet spot
  • 10 2
 That pole definitely makes the other rides feel short.
  • 9 1
 Is it possible to run a stem in reverse to decrease reach?
I'd basically be laying flat to reach the bars from that biblical distance!
  • 12 1
 @wesfife155: Only 3 bottles can fit within the front triangle
  • 4 4
 @vtracer: HAHAHA good one, need to stay hydrated in a 3-4 minute race, or high,,,, that is the question.
  • 9 2
 Makes his hands look really small.
  • 40 8
 A pole that long should be black
  • 1 1
 Wow!! Off the gate.
  • 15 2
 As a sponsored rider, is he required to polish his Pole himself?
  • 17 1
 The longest Pole still doesn't quite hit Nicolai's G spot..
  • 9 0
 @ratedgg13: his mechanic polishes his pole after every ride
  • 3 2
 @Waldon83: It is been already developed:

www.pinkbike.com/news/ns-bikes-introduces-radical-new-geometry-for-mountain-bikes-2015.html
  • 3 12
flag RedBurn (Jun 2, 2018 at 4:23) (Below Threshold)
 18 kg. Bye
  • 2 2
 I think riding a pole that long would hurt after a while...
  • 2 2
 @Daver27: The "G Spot" is actually a production model made by Cove Bikes.
  • 2 2
 Yes we know Cove is run by teenagers hence the former models like slut, hooker, etc. I guess it's funny but I don't even want the Cove logo let alone a t-bag model logo.
  • 2 1
 @Andrewlunka: wack
  • 5 1
 Says the master of feces @fecalmaster:
  • 1 0
 @Armand74: Awesome ! A DONG on a Pole.... I'll have to change my name to Richard Cox
  • 1 0
 @Andrewlunka: annnnnd THATS racist.
  • 1 0
 The front triangles negitives space kinda looks like an.........eggplant
  • 75 1
 If shaq rode DH
  • 17 61
flag hubsession (Jun 1, 2018 at 14:49) (Below Threshold)
 Nope, just normal sized men wanting properly sized bikes.
  • 13 1
 He rides custom bikes. Custom rigid mountain bikes. Not so sure if the dirtysixer is meant for offroad, but check it out:

www.bicycling.com/news/a20050684/shaqs-new-custom-bike-is-huge-and-totally-awesome

We're all riding xxxxxs frames compared to that. There's another picture of him around on a custom Cannondale from the early 90's with 26" wheels and a frame modified for him. Looks mental, I wonder what it was like to ride.
  • 8 0
 @FindDigRideRepeat: You mean normal sized men wanting properly sized poles.
  • 3 1
 @FindDigRideRepeat: you mean properly sized men riding normal sized poles
  • 72 2
 I wish I had a Pole that long
  • 5 4
 Winner!
  • 5 14
flag andreyhabibi (Jun 1, 2018 at 14:49) (Below Threshold)
 Pole in my pants!
  • 4 3
 Lexington Steele is on the team for next season!
  • 2 0
 @jaame: Nice! I see you know your giant cocks.
  • 1 0
 @POWsLAYER: It takes one to know one!
  • 4 0
 @jaame: so many layers in that retort I love it! Also, I actually took his cock on film so this is ironic af
  • 2 0
 @POWsLAYER: Cool!
  • 51 2
 The first mountain bike to be produced with a wheelbase measured in light-years.
  • 196 0
 They had to raise the bottom bracket to compensate for the curvature of the earth
  • 7 0
 @blackthorne: Winner!!
  • 12 1
 @blackthorne: wait, haven’t we all decided that the earth is flat again? If it is curved how do we have a reference to measure head angle and seat angle?!
  • 4 1
 Parsecs. Specifically, twelve parsecs.
  • 51 1
 In Finland we have this unit called "poronkusema", which literally means the distance that a reindeer can run without urinating. It's also the length of this bike.
  • 8 0
 @hirvi: That should be the production name for it
  • 3 0
 @blackthorne the Earth is flat otherwise we'd have to raise the bottom brackets on all bikes already and Troy Brosnan would fall off training in Australia
  • 5 0
 @hirvi: Out of curiosity, how far can the average reindeer run without taking a piss? I tried converting poronkusema to miles or km but google was no help.
  • 5 0
 About 5-7,5km then you have to stop and rudolf needs to pee @gilby82:
  • 1 0
 @blackthorne: the earth is flat dude. Didn't you know?
  • 23 1
 The first XL DH bike actually designed for XL people.
  • 11 2
 Since when did 187cm become xl... it more just L I guess...
  • 5 0
 This bike has a 510mm reach which makes it an L according to Pole.
  • 39 25
 53.5 inches or nearly 4.5 feet wheelbase for all of us whose brains operate in inches and feet not metric. What tray style bike rack is that beast going to fit in?!

On a side note, being a therapist, it's very fascinating to me how I'm just fine at understanding things in metric but the emotional connection just isn't there. E.g., The dude's 200 kilos, "ok, meh." Versus, it's 440 lbs, "Whoa, that's huge!" Anybody relate to this?
  • 135 9
 no.
  • 137 4
 No, the imperial system is just weird. Sorry dude.
  • 46 2
 No
  • 137 4
 Nope. No 200 kilo / 440 lbs people here in Europe.
  • 16 42
flag preston67 (Jun 1, 2018 at 14:50) (Below Threshold)
 Yes i always have to convert that values before they mean anything to me. 30 degrees C ? is that comfortable ? Can I go swimming ? Hmm, let's see, 86 degrees oh yeah that's pretty hot. 80 kilos ? Oh yeah, let's see, oh oky so not too heavy. The one that kills me is "he's 1.87 meters tall". I'm like uh...Which reminds me, do guys in the rest of the world brag in metric ? That's like an Aerosmith song, "She was talking about my big 20cm"
  • 81 73
 @DHMF:

There's 2 types of countries: Those that use the metric system, and those that have been to the moon.

Smile
  • 60 2
 @Yourworstnightmare: What about Liberia and Myanmar?
  • 41 1
 It's fine if you grew up with it, but it's all based on dead Kings' thumbs and worms from the Middle Ages. Then Napoleon Bonaparte ripped through Europe, destroyed a bunch of stuff, and all the conquered countries adopted the Metric system (that early scientists had already established as a superior and unified system of measurement but couldn't get any other countries to abandon their individual long standing systems of measurement) since they had to start from scratch and it was so badass and cohesive. It was one of the great gifts that Napoleon gave to the world. The first being syphilis (I know, just to dozens of people, not to the world, nor was he the inventor Smile )
  • 16 0
 @preston67: Alomst everybody uses the metric system all the time. Even for bragging and dick comparisons!
  • 20 2
 @Yourworstnightmare: When NASA landed on the moon, they were using both metric and imperial system simultaneously Razz
  • 21 0
 @Yourworstnightmare: Please, look up the name "Wernher von Braun"
  • 36 0
 Metric is beautiful.
@preston67: 0c is kinda freezing, 100c is kinda boiling.
  • 20 1
 The Brits use "stone" for weight, never quite got that one...
  • 30 5
 I feel like the imperial system was made up by a bunch of farmers. "This has to be the hottest its been all year, lets call it 100 degrees". "This has to be coldest day yet, lets call it 0 degrees". "Your house is 5000 steps away from mine, lets call it 5000 yards". "That fence post is 4 of my feet back to back, lets call it 4 feet." "That nails as long as two of my thumbs side by side, lets call it two inches."
  • 14 5
 @Kickmehard: I think 0degF was defined as the lowest temperature Fahrenheit could achieve in his lab, 96degF as the rectal temperature of a cow. Pretty well defined I guess. Celcius choosing water as a reference seems pretty random.
  • 17 1
 @vinay: Wait, our system is based on the rectal temp of a cow? lol
  • 7 1
 @vinay: how many cow's rectums do you have to hand at your house.
  • 3 1
 @hubertje-ryu: Sure there is. Ever watch a strongman, or any weight lifting/body building competitions?
  • 13 5
 Freedom Units..
  • 6 2
 @Kickmehard: and, more on water. 1 litre weighs 1 kg and occupies 1cubic decimeter of space. Buggered how that figured that out.
  • 3 1
 @gordon2456: apologies, phone just went imperial....
  • 5 13
flag m1dg3t (Jun 1, 2018 at 16:01) (Below Threshold)
 @hexhamstu: Liberia, the home of Gadaffi? Myanmar, where they are currently carrying out a genocide of the Rohingya people?
  • 24 0
 @Yourworstnightmare:
sorry but imperial system is just dumb and makes 0 sense

Also moon missions were using metric as well
  • 7 0
 "all of us" You mean the only 2 other countries in the world besides the U.S. that use imperial measure? Big Grin
  • 12 1
 @vinay: it isn't random because rest of the system is also using water as a baseline

1kg of water is exactly 1l
1ml of water is exactly 1 cubic centimeter
  • 5 12
flag vinay FL (Jun 1, 2018 at 16:39) (Below Threshold)
 @Asmodai: Then they're consistently random.
  • 11 1
 @vinay:
really? Water is easily accessible for everyone and has consistent behaviour

unlike imperial it wasn't random pick
  • 7 4
 @Asmodai: I was trying really hard to make sure you understood I was taking the piss, but I'm running out of ideas.
  • 1 1
 I went to Myanmar twelve years ago and I don't remember all the signs being in miles. Being British, that is the sort of thing I would have remembered. What I'm saying is, do they really use imperial units? I'm doubtful of that myself.
  • 2 1
 @Asmodai:This is incredibly clever and consistent. The measures of weights and distance are actually tied together.
  • 2 9
flag wasea04 (Jun 1, 2018 at 18:21) (Below Threshold)
 @hubertje-ryu: Really? Zydrunas Savickas, Eddie Hall? WSM guys? I understand your attempt to marginalize Americans as fat people, but you kind of failed, man.
  • 1 2
 @m1dg3t: Just saw this, I made the same point to him.
  • 7 1
 @Yourworstnightmare: lunar landing never happened.

And 911 was an inside job.
  • 1 1
 @DrHeadshot: You do know I was just stirring the pot right? hahahahahahah
  • 2 5
 @chubby5000: it’s actually based on a foot in a boot so you can pace or measure quickly a finger tip and arms length wrist to elbow on the average it has a real purpose. You also forget or don’t know the benefits of a us standard thread which has many Benefits. Also I think you guys like the my blank is 18cm. If you’d like to know more about us standard threads let me know.
  • 1 1
 @MikerJ: why is that relevant honestly
  • 6 0
 @DHMF: oddly enough in Canada dick measurements are in Inches
  • 2 2
 @Asmodai: It makes 32 sense if converted to Imperial units.
  • 2 2
 Imperial pints FTW!!!
  • 2 0
 @Yourworstnightmare: Yeah but you buy it in grams. quarter ounces, kilo's, and even a lid if your old school.
  • 7 5
 No way should America switch to metric. If we give them an inch they will take a mile.
  • 3 8
flag jaame (Jun 1, 2018 at 21:50) (Below Threshold)
 @Flowcheckers: miles are miles better than kilometres
  • 13 0
 @gordon2456: no, the temperature scale was proposed by Lord Fahrenheit, a drunk English with more will than common sense. He picked the boiling point of water as the high mark and the freezing point of alcohol as the lowest one, and divided the interval in 180 segments, just because the sexagesimal system was used in trigonometry. So the asshat introduced THREE arbitrarietys in one single measuring unit. You had to measure exactly the boiling and freezing point of two different substances, and then divide by a number which happens to be a multiple of three, which kinda guarantees you'll end up with periodic numbers somehow.

The whole "feels more natural than Celsius" is just contemporary bullshit created by those trying to get people to stick to the Fahrenheit scale.
  • 10 0
 @southoftheborder: nothing natural about Fahrenheit. It makes literally no sense at all.
  • 1 1
 @STR80: yes though the conversions didn't always go so well
  • 5 0
 @m1dg3t: Liberia? Gadaffi? Ha ha. (Libia).
  • 1 1
 No
  • 1 1
 @jaame: yup, but it's the running word across the pond. Somebody started a campaign relating the Fahrenheit scale to the temperature of human body a while ago.
  • 1 5
flag m1dg3t (Jun 2, 2018 at 6:33) (Below Threshold)
 @stumpymidget: Hey man - I'm a MTB'er, not an intellectual! LoL

Not sure why I got so many down votes? Must have a lot of Gadaffi fans who also enjoy/promote ethnic persecution/genocide?
  • 10 1
 @Yourworstnightmare:All NASA measurements are done in metric, and ya sure to the moon with american money but really done with Polish and German brain power.
  • 1 1
 @Kickmehard: for water but not for ethanol
  • 2 1
 @cartoon: Don't forget they were also given immunity. Operation 'Paperclip'
  • 2 0
 @m1dg3t: 10-4 dat...From making missiles for Hitler one year to making space rockets for USA the next year.
  • 4 0
 @poah: do you take ethanol to its boiling point often?
  • 2 2
 @southoftheborder:

you said "0c is kinda freezing, 100c is kinda boiling"

well that's only true for water. actually boiling ethanol* (78.5C) or freezing it (-114.5C) is irrelevant to your statement.


*as a scientist I have actually boiled ethanol on more than one occasion.
  • 3 1
 @poah: I would have thought my liberal use of "kinda" might have indicated that I was not being particularly scientific about it...
  • 3 0
 @Yourworstnightmare: NASA uses metric.
  • 3 4
 @Kickmehard: yeah but 0F is properly cold and 100F is truly hot. 0C is chilly, not cold and 100C is something you find on Venus.
  • 1 0
 @Yourworstnightmare: As a joke, it was flawless. You can sleep easy.
  • 1 0
 @poah: I didn't say that. In fact, I was only defining the Fahrenheit temperature scale because someone else up there didn't know where it came from. As a Physics student I also conducted experiments to verify the accuracy and application of each temperature scale back in the day. Plus ethanol is not a common substance in the real world. That's why water was chosen when defining the Celsius scale, and why Fahrenheit picked alcohol, which isn't pure ethanol but a mixture of several other alcoholic solutions and water. Back in the day they tried to relate the measuring units to everyday experience.

On your point, I wonder if we could define a new measuring unit based on today's common materials. I know campaigning for it would be a very difficult task, now that luckily we have come to just two big competing standards, but it might still be worth it.
  • 2 0
 @MonsterTruck: well, I didn't know I had a venusian kettle, pot and espresso maker at home. Thanks for the tip!
  • 1 0
 @ukr77: Oh, really? Thanks for telling me, good to know that before my trip to Whistler!
  • 2 5
 @wasea04: LOL and what did you expect? Europe's best modern day attributes are 1,500 year old buildings for the tourist trade. What American technology and inventions they don't buy, they recreate when the patents expire!
  • 7 2
 @rh00p: most US patents don't hold up in Europe.

A few inventions from Europe

Firearms
submarine
clock
TV
Steam engine
Jet Engine
Fridge
light bulb
Thermometer
the world wide web
  • 1 0
 @poah: you also brought sífilis to America
  • 1 0
 @Fill-Freakin: the good old internet says they use both and didnt switch to using mostly metric till 1990. One of the reasons we will never switch is that we have billions of dollars worth of tools in us standard. And there are mechanical benefits of using us standard a measuring system is not just distance, weight, length, temp it’s also threads and tools.
  • 1 3
 @poah: I’m gonna have to disagree on a few of those firearms really? The Chinese invented those but most of the innovations came from U.S think Winchester lever actions an almost perfect system that hasn’t changed much in over 150 years or the 1911 still one of the best guns ever. The tv was invented by an otherwise unsuccessful 42 year old scientist however at the same time a 15year old in Kansas build an even better tv in a barn they share the title but the French guy (I think can’t remember) always admitted that the kids was better. The World Wide Web one is weird I’d like to know more. The thermometer has been around thousands of years same with the clock as per the rest you might be correct but your list is getting short. when you list the steam engine your argument is a little dated.
  • 3 1
 @loganflores: steam engine and the advancements made by Watt are critical to the industrial revolution. TV was invented by Baird another scot who also did colour TV too. Firearms were invented long before america was colonised by westerns. the chinese are credited with gunpower and they made large canons but nothing hand held AFAIK. WWW was invented by Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee while at CERN
  • 1 1
 @southoftheborder: you mean Syphilis and the current hypothisis is that it was brought to Europe by Columbus
  • 1 0
 My high school is older than America. Of course the Europeans invented more stuff because they have had allot longer in which to do so. Also it could he argued that any American invention before 1600 was also European simply because most of the people there were still European.
  • 1 0
 @poah: the Chinese did make the first handheld gun they hollowed out a hardwood tree and made the handheld cannon. Thomas Savery invented the steem engine and I will not deny the importants of that for the industrial revolution as per inventions just because a gun existed doesn’t mean that all of the innovations in firearm tech are not inventions the revolver and lever action where massive you cannot compare a musket to a lever action they might as well be a different invention unlike a steam boat and a modern boat I don’t think you get across the Atlantic 14 times as fast. I also like that you mention jet engines while glossing over the invention of flight by Americans. That’s like saying well I invented the windshield wiper to the guy who made the first car.
  • 2 0
 @loganflores: The Wright bros did not invent aviation, they were merely the first to achieve it. Some Italian bloke came up with the concept, I believe
  • 2 1
 @loganflores: "I also like that you mention jet engines while glossing over the invention of flight by Americans"

people had flown before the wright brothers just not with an engine. I pointed out the jet because it was invented by Sir Frank Whittle who was not an American. The internal combustion engine was also invented by a European. my comments where directed to @rh00p who said "What American technology and inventions they don't buy, they recreate when the patents expire" Hence why I didn't mention any America inventions.
  • 3 2
 @poah: the British invented pretty much everything. The dinosaurs, English, drinking water, football, food, bikes, clothes, toilets, toilet paper, houses, to name but a few. I could go on, and I will. Bidets, croissants, bungalows, bananas, mangoes and skateboards. Shoes. Swords and shields. Watches. Time. Ships, trains and cars. Basically if it's worth having, we invented it.
  • 2 2
 @jaame: I can think of a zip line to Jupiter but if I can’t do it than I can’t say I invented it.
  • 1 4
 @poah: that’s not really what you were arguing last night you had a list of things you said Europe invented a good chunk of which are very old inventions you can’t argue where yours. Then talked about the importance of the steam engine to the industrial revolution. Your back tracking.
  • 4 1
 @loganflores: no wonder you yanks voted in trump, you can't read properly
  • 5 0
 @jaame: Don't f*ck around with croissants mate.
  • 1 3
 @poah: reread what you wrote your arguments are all over the place. It’s also very mature to blame trump on me personally. I didn’t vote for him. Someone from Scotland shouldn’t be talking smack about US politics. How’s that European Union going? You guys seem to have so much control of what goes on in your politics oh wait you don’t. Perhaps I’m incorrect you are still ruled by a queen correct?
  • 3 0
 @loganflores:
>Perhaps I’m incorrect you are still ruled by a queen correct?

yes you are, they are not ruled by queen
  • 2 0
 @loganflores: the queen runs the tourist office and the rest are essentially charity workers, military, sportspeople, socialites and definitely not alcoholic libertines. They have no power apart from attracting Americans to the UK like a wasp to a cornetto.
Which has no influence on the facts offered by @poah.
I believe the Europeans also invented the wheel and if it wasn't them it was definitely aliens.
  • 1 2
 @BenPea: was mostly joking I know the queen doesn’t have much power but read your own rules she has more power than you think and every tax payer pays a little bit into her bank account. Just saying. And the wheel really I only pay credit where it’s due. You didn’t invent the wheel.
  • 1 0
 @southoftheborder: If you want to make rso you do.
  • 1 0
 @Asmodai: are they not part of the monarchy of Great Britain?
  • 2 0
 @loganflores: the queen has ultimate power but never exercises it.

I thought the Greeks invented the wheel, and that is in Europe.
  • 1 1
 @jaame: The invention of the wheel as far as I known is unknown. I would guess several thousand years what with a log with a hole in it is a wheel probably much farther back. Also the Greeks you refer to were never a part of Europe they where their own empire.
  • 2 1
 @loganflores:
Royal family pays like 95% income tax and they own a lot.
they have positive budget contribution

being ruled by doesn't mean queen is law maker

also what do you mean Greece wasn't part of the Europe? have you ever seen a map?
  • 1 0
 @Asmodai: I thought 40% was the top rate of tax in the UK. Is the royal family paying more? If so, how do you know?

The queen May not make the laws, bit she has the power to pardon anyone for any crime as she sees fit. Of course in practice, there would be a big hooha if she started pardoning her friends for heinous crimes like previous monarchs might have done historically
  • 1 0
 @jaame:
yeah they do pay a lot more, it isnt normal income tax tho
tl;dr: they forfeit most of their income and in exchange, they are being paid Sovereign Grant (i guess you can call that a salary) and because they own a lot of stuff (as royal familly, besides their private investments) with addition of being tourist attraction they generate a lot more income to the budget than then they cost to run
  • 1 0
 @Asmodai: Haven't ever really looked into it, but I always thought whether the royal family pays tax or not is quite irrelevant as they're being paid and served pretty much exclusively through tax too. So whether they receive a bit more and pay tax or receive less and don't pay tax doesn't quite matter.
  • 2 0
 I love the Queen. Sterling work she does. What a horrible job to have to do. I would not wish that job on anyone, and yet she keeps soldiering on year after year without (public) complaint. It truly is an awful duty to be born with.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: it matters because the difference between them paying tax or not is huge
they own a lot of real estates in prime locations, shares in companies etc. if they were taxed as normal citizens UK budget would lose quite a big sum of money
the amount of money they receive from normal citizens is very small compared to their contributions
  • 2 0
 @Asmodai: Correct. Every business has costs and the house of Windsor is the biggest brand in the UK and one of the oldest in the world. Without it, the UK's foreign tourist industry would be more or less non-existent. Florida has Disney World, Britain has Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, royal weddings, spy photos of Kate's assets on sun-kissed balconies, Lady Di, and everything that bleeds from all that folklore into the rest of the country, good (loads of tourist money) and bad (people imagining that the empire still exists and that they are somehow superior to the peasants unfortunate enough to be born outside their green and plasant land - they don't have a monopoly on this feeling, I hasten to add, and I'm sure that people who are humble, inclusive and jolly nice are in the majority rather than the vocal minority).
The Queen goes where she is advised to go and says what is written for her, occasionally having a spontaneous conversation with an oik in the street when there's a parade. It's all marketing.
  • 1 1
 Don't think anybody uses the metric system anymore. Most countries uses SI-units now, and have been using it for probably 40-50 years.
  • 1 0
 @DrPaulus: metric system is part of SI units system
  • 1 0
 I love the confusion surrounding the whole matter. The metric system is typically considered the SI system. To add the confusion. In the metric system, a pound is a half kg, an ounce is a tenth of a kg and a Swedish mile is 10km, an acre a dam^2. Now of course there are many measurements that different between places, like the ell.

Despite all the hate against imperial measurements here, it strikes me how tire and suspension pressures here on PB are typically discussed in psi. I usually go by the half bar and call it good.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: An ounce is a tenth of a kg??? I've got a few phone calls to make.
  • 1 0
 @BenPea: Originally in many regions an ounce used to be 1/16th of a pound (whatever that pound was exactly). In current Dutch cooking recipes at least, an "ons" (which I translated as ounce) is 100g.
  • 1 1
 @Asmodai: Maybe the internet is wrong and she doesn’t make 61 million per year.
  • 2 0
 @vinay: oh man, we can't start blending imperial and metric. Next you'll be telling me the Americans use cups and sticks to measure cake ingredients. Now that would be f*cking dumb...
  • 1 0
 @loganflores: she's also a farmer and sells a lot of plates
  • 2 1
 @BenPea: "Without it, the UK's foreign tourist industry would be more or less non-existent."

STFU - what a load of bollox.
  • 1 0
 @poah: ok ok, the royals and Braveheart. I lived in the UK for a quarter century and I'm not sure people are visiting for the food, sunshine and beaches. The foreigners I saw there were either living/working there or on their way to a palace to take photos. The rest were the exception (Asian utd fans taking pictures of Old Trafford, whisky fans up north and refugees). I suppose you have people doing intensive English courses too. I could make up some stats, but I don't want to get silly.
  • 1 0
 @Yourworstnightmare: LOL
  • 1 0
 @BenPea: you already look silly
  • 1 0
 @poah: yep, that was the joke.
The trick now is to work out where I was taking the piss and what was serious. It's about a 50/50 split. But you don't have the time for that.
Did I mention Highlander? That was a massive boost for Scotland.
  • 1 1
 @BenPea: given you’re French you have enough problems to deal with
  • 1 0
 @poah: my grandfather was a machinist (fitter & turner) working with Whittle during WW2.
  • 15 0
 We need a picture of this and Minnaar's V10 side by side! That being said, this is a beautiful bike.
  • 4 3
 I love it, except the shock position. Deep down I have this feeling that metal is for men, and plastic toys are for kids.
  • 2 0
 I bet the Pole is longer even though I think Minaar is taller than Isak.
  • 13 0
 40LBS !!! That's not very Pole-light !!! Ok iam done...
  • 4 0
 That heavy it‘s even more stable - waggon wheel truck. Avoid tight corners if possible...
  • 13 2
 I think Mondraker has warped my sense of perspective. This doesn't look overly long anymore
  • 5 2
 29inch wheels and 'longer than a Geometron' looks in proportion again. It is quite amazing how DH bikes have suddenly leapt forward after what seems like forever of being more or less the same year after year.
  • 4 0
 @Fix-the-Spade: 13mm longer WB than the longest G19 yet 26mm SHORTER than the longest G16.
  • 3 1
 Weirdly it does look right.
  • 3 1
 @gonecoastal: And it’s only 93mm longer than my Nicolai GLF, and it’s long for 27,5 hardtail
  • 12 0
 This thing is triggering my Napoleonic complex.
  • 7 5
 The head angle looks quite steep. I hope they went under 60.
  • 1 1
 @WAKIdesigns: Nope. 63˚ Frown
  • 1 0
 @gonecoastal: 63* HA is too steep... lol
  • 1 1
 @mtbikeaddict: It is. I'd bin any bike above 63˚ HTA unless I'm riding bike paths
  • 2 1
 @gonecoastal: with a front centre that long you ain't ever going over the front no matter what the HA is.
  • 1 1
 @fartymarty: Tis only 510mm. Myself a near midget; is riding 502mm. Wink
  • 3 0
 Looks in proportion to the wheels. But then I'm the same height as this dude and riding a trail bike with a 1283mm WB and 515mm reach and it feels 'right', so maybe I'm weird.
  • 4 1
 You are not. Everyone else riding BMX sized bikes for years is what is weird Wink
  • 3 0
 Seems like if in a crash the riders weight was thrown into the middle of the top tube there would be a good chance of it folding downward. Tree contact could do the same thing as well.
  • 2 1
 I love this comment!
  • 3 1
 *** The PB asterisks are wrong***
MOJO Edition Nicolai G16 (not G15 as stated) is the longest production bike with a WB=1386mm. CS on that are 451mm.

MOJO G19 longest frame WB=1347. CS=452 on 650b wheels.
  • 3 0
 Well, the G15 has a wheelbase of 1375 mm, which is longer than the Pole, so the footnote is still technically correct. But yes, the G16 is even longer.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: geometronbikes.co.uk/G15Geo.html

That's the geo chart a mere mortal is dealing with. Then the G16 shows longer; with the MOJO Edition longer than the Nicolai version.

I've heard that a few seasons ago Jack Reading was racing a prototype version of the G16 which turning into the G19 DH frame. I'd have loved to hear about the numbers on that beast.
  • 5 2
 Hmm, longest DH bike in the world, still a shorter reach than my trail bike!
  • 7 4
 Best looking bike DH bike ever! I am guessing the reach must be around 540mm. I want one!
  • 2 0
 The reach is 510mm, according to the singletrackworld article about it.
  • 1 0
 @wesu: which doesn't even seem that crazy given how far back the bars are behind the headtube. i bet the effective reach is the same as a similar sized Transition or Kona enduro bike
  • 1 0
 @wesu: That's actually not that bad. The reach of a Large Guerrilla Gravity Smash is 490mm. It's the combination of 200mm DH fork and the long chainstays that really make this thing unique.
  • 1 0
 @wesu: Strange. I have the Evolink 176 with 520mm reach, 63º headangle and 460mm chainstays with a 1340mm wheelbase. I thought this would be longer but perhaps it is because mine has zero bb drop.
  • 4 1
 10mm stem with 830mm handlebar. So basically the rider’s hands are aft of the steer tube. Not ideal for stability, it it?
  • 7 5
 Yeah, you know you're right. Pole clearly know nothing. Have you thought of giving them a call to let them know?
  • 6 1
 What might be twitchy on a shorter wheelbase could translate to very responsive and fast steering on such a long wheelbase.
  • 2 1
 Sigmund Freud would encourage all his patients to ride this Pole. But in all seriousness, what a absolutely gorgeous bike. Hopefully I can afford it.
  • 3 0
 what are these bar extensions you talk of here. Wouldn't mind trying some
  • 1 0
 Where would you fit them? Wink
  • 1 0
 Same! I have some awesome 780mm bar but 800mm is my sweet spot. I need to add 10mm "safely" to each end.

Anyone know what those bar extension are???????
  • 1 0
 Get a friend with a machine shop to make you a couple of them out of grillon. 22.2 external diameter on the extension segment, about 5cm long for the insert part, and the same outer diameter as the interior of your handlebars. Been using them since 680mm was considered a "DH-worthy" width to extend my handlebar to 730mm, then on a 720 to get to 760, and so on...
  • 1 0
 @PLANDS00: I have some Pro grips thay add a couple of cms each side. There must be others too. There was a discussion about it a while ago.
  • 1 0
 @ColquhounerHooner: Obviously on the pole like in this article
  • 1 0
 SMAC makes an 820mm bar.
  • 1 0
 This has a shorter wb than my 130mm trail bike albeit slacker. Is the reasoning size of people or ride in general? Is the longest one sized around a 180cm person?
  • 3 0
 Finally bikes for tall people, or people with excessively long limbs
  • 1 1
 I'm 1,98m tall (yes that's metric ladies and gentlemen) It suits me perfectly!
Most bikes are only in kids sizes.
  • 2 0
 A bike for big guys, should be nice for 6'6"-7' guys.
I'm about 6' and I think that sounds way too huge.
  • 2 0
 i would love to own a machine Smile
  • 2 0
 Finally on par with dirt bikes. Wooo!
  • 2 0
 Pole bikes: Because corners are for wusses.
  • 1 0
 10mm shorter than my G16, and Im not even pro. Did research happen at any point here?
  • 2 0
 Give it to Greg Minaar for a test
  • 1 0
 Minnaar likes short bikes...lol
  • 1 0
 So the back wheel is in John O'Groats and the front wheel is in Lands End. Sounds epic!!!
  • 2 1
 I like how there are more and more asymetric frame designs while the new Demo is normal again.
  • 1 3
 Asymmetric will always ruin an otherwise good design. Only asymmetric people buy it so it kills sales. I'm sure specialized realized the mistake they made on the SJ which is why they tried hyping it up so much.
  • 4 0
 @casman86:
Asymmetric people? All people are asymmetric
  • 2 0
 fuckin wild man, love it!
  • 1 0
 can someone explain to me the deal with frames just going to one side of the shock?
  • 3 2
 Because they can and it looks good. No science behind it.
  • 4 1
 Go into a bike shop (with a time machine, honestly) and see how many rear shocks on the big bikes you can adjust all the knobs easily. Or imagine having to take the shock off weekly.

It's ergonomics for mechanics more than riding performance.

And mainly, it looks rad, and looking rad is scientifically proven to make you go faster.
  • 2 0
 @LoganKM1982: is that right? I'd honestly think it would sway the engineering strength in it to one side even if its on a minor scale. Wouldn't a thought such a thing would be for convenience
  • 4 0
 @coadymacmillan: They can use two smaller, thinner tubes - one on each side of the shock. This is said to give the same strength at the same weight, but the tubes themselves become more prone to damage being thinner.
  • 1 0
 @coadymacmillan: I don't know. Did you read the article in dh in China? The frame with the engravings of every Chinese family name (I think? Corrections welcomed) looked like a mazeof stress risers to me. I mention it as an example of things that apparently work great but I would have thought were insane from an engineering standpoint. My yt tues has an asymmetric yoke on the chainstays and I sometimes wonder how thats okay.

The new specialized demo dropped the feature, so it must not have been that helpful. It does look good though.
  • 1 0
 It makes sense for them to assemble slightly quicker and use one less piece. Asymmetric always looks like utter shit though and most people would never buy it.
  • 1 0
 It is easier to manufacture, gives access to the shock and looks cool in that order.
  • 1 0
 @feeblesmith: If you think asymmetric anything looks better than symmetric, I wanna know how broke that brain?
  • 2 1
 With that weight he may as well be riding an old norco team dh from the mid 2000's
  • 2 1
 Imagine if Pole signed Gee as a rider, that really would hit the right spot.
  • 1 0
 Two pieces bolted and bonded together sounds strong and smart. Any other companies doing that?
  • 1 0
 Am I the only one who thinks fox shocks look way better without the orange spring?
  • 1 0
 Frames should be made long enough so that bar can be run behind the headset, just like a moto.
  • 1 0
 And all those bolts can be changed to Purple ones, or any other color, mmm...
  • 2 0
 Longer than most DH rider's Tacoma truckbed....
  • 1 0
 The only problem is possibly not being able to use some shocks? The spring is pretty close to the frame...
  • 1 0
 Why such a long bike have 27.5 wheels? Why not 29?
  • 2 0
 Treesak!! Send it dude!
  • 2 0
 I’m ‘Pole-axed’
  • 2 0
 Reach?
  • 1 0
 510mm, according to the singletrackworld article
  • 1 0
 @wesu: So 8mm longer than my midget bike. LOL
  • 5 4
 Sorry but that thing looks plain funny. Big Grin
  • 2 0
 F1
  • 1 0
 It would be carbon if F1..and electric.
  • 1 0
 @jrocksdh: f1 is all about geo bro
  • 6 7
 I love the design though the suspension looks amazing. And it is made of metal unlike all that glorified cloth and glue crap thats all the rage these days
  • 1 0
 He works on a pole..the Dh pole bike
  • 1 0
 We might get some NBA players to start riding with that size of bike.
  • 1 0
 “Longest machine, the Pole”
Thats what she said!
  • 3 1
 Bitch Polease!
  • 1 0
 How often does he polish his Pole?
  • 1 0
 That looks to be an OnOff 20-30mm stem, not the 10mm
  • 1 0
 4K, POLE make already trail version!!!
  • 1 2
 It’s nice looking but I think Pole has pushed the long and low standards to far. Who in their right mind needs 830mm bars too Eek
  • 1 0
 just need to buy the new specialized forearm extensions.
  • 1 0
 good luck fitting it on a tray mounted bike rack
  • 1 0
 I wonder if it'll fit in a Honda Fit lol
  • 1 0
 Now you can put 5 bottles on that frame
  • 1 0
 So many bad jokes. Nice bike though.
  • 1 0
 Would love to have this at the Fontana Winter Series
  • 1 0
 750,000mm reach...and STILL NO BOTTLE MOUNT???
  • 1 0
 Finally a bike that matches the length of my shaft
  • 1 0
 So where was he at the race? I didn't see any results from Isak.
  • 1 1
 Proper manuals all day looooooong.
  • 3 2
 Nice looking bike.
  • 1 0
 Hook and ladder truck...
  • 1 0
 Longesturd prognar
  • 1 0
 Sooooooo Longggg!!!
  • 1 0
 Lube and polish
  • 1 1
 Beautiful bike now they sorted the seat tube angle!
  • 1 0
 How about geometron g19?
  • 1 1
 Should be black
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.077903
Mobile Version of Website