Pole

Earlier this year, we spent a few months aboard the Pole Machine. We were impressed at just how formidable the bike was as an all-around trail bike, not just on descents. In addition to having built a great bike, the Machine was also Pole’s first in-house CNC machined frame, which had performance advantages and allowed the Finnish brand to refine and design seamlessly from one bike to the next. Well, that “next bike” for Pole is the Stamina. Two travel configurations are available, with 180mm or 140mm setups featuring similar ride feel and geometry, but each slightly tweaked for intended use...

Over the past few years, wheel size, frame material, suspension design, geometry, and just about every other aspect of frame design has changed or been tweaked within any given brand. A quick glance at the pile of hub spacers in the toolbox only reinforces the reality that the only constant in the bike industry seems to be change. At Vital MTB, we believe that change is a good thing, but only if there is a discernible improvement over the products being replaced. If brands discover a better way of doing things we’re always keen to give something new a shot, especially if it makes riding more...