I agree - the response seems a bit Sick bicycles although it may be correct. I'll wait to hear both sides of the story before forming an opinion...
I am still disappointed at the whole 'we sent a preproduction version' excuse though (not just aimed at Pole). Is it really that hard to double check the bike over before sending it off, when it is going to someone who could impact a huge proportion of your potential market? It's either stupid, lazy, or a lie, and none of those is great...
Pole is terrible at their PR, their virtue signaling sickens me, tech BS is on par if not beyond Italian roadie brands, their geo makes no sense for anything smaller than 160 bike if not 180... but I still give them the benefit of Doubt here. It’s a small company, they can’t just afford sending complete best samples left and right. They are as niche as it gets in high performance mtb market. No journalist in their right mind would skip a chance to ride Unno, Starling, Antidote or Pole. But they rightfully deserve to be given the opportunity to give the big boys a run for their money. Anything can Break, it’s just that when a Commencal cracks nobody cares. When Canyon or YTngets screwed up on first weekend away, people just laugh and forget about it. Owner gets warranty return, end of story. If they cracked a Stumojumper here, nobody would put to much emotional load to it
@Floho: Pole have really screwed up here. Don’t believe their story for a second, and this is a typical corporate “my customers are silly fools who’ll believe anything” type of response. Ridiculous. I will never buy anything form Pole and I think I won’t be alone in my opinion.
@WAKIdesigns: I agree somewhat, and personally think the Poles look great. Yetis and other bikes have broken before, and they all get the same treatment in the comments section in my experience. I just think the way this was dealt with by Leo/Pole came across poorly, perhaps through frustration or anger...
I think my main problem is that if they don't take the care to send out possibly the most important bike of the season / year in a fit state, can I trust their QC for a standard bike? I would certainly still consider them personally, but it does cause concern for a potential buyer in my opinion...
@MikeyMT: Loamie sold out on that shit anyway. Those bikes are too one dimensional. I need something a lot more well rounded and versatile. WTF am I going to do with a 1350+mm wheelbase?!
If broken bikes are scandalous and great for revenue, if only I'd taken a vid of the kid at CWX18 landing his pole sideways of everything possible then walking it down the bike park after he snapped it.
I ran into that kid while in the lodge at Thunder the other week. He showed me this crash and was blown away he wasn't more hurt. Props to him for giving it the beans!
Phil's going to have some broken bones on his conscience after that video I think, I imagine there will be a few kids that try it and mess it up haha. Good fuel for future Friday Fails!
Some of these guys need to realise that they ain’t captains, and they don’t need to go down with the ship. f*ck the bike off and bail without it, then tuck and roll where possible.
One hundred percent. A bent rim, twisted bars, and dings and scratches do not even come close to the cost of the ambulance ride to the hospital, let alone the surgery to put your shoulder back in it's socket.
I remember watching a rampage/freeride related video where Nell/ Sorge/ Zink/ can't remember exactly who , said always let the bike take the hit, IE stay on yer bike Danny!!
Obviously all crashes are different but sometimes it's best to hold on.
@JamesGTi: specially when you're learning backflips. I watch people ditch their bike when they're upside down then painfully reunite while lying on the ground!
@FloridaHasMTBToo: American's and their "healthcare". But I guess every country shouldn't deprive citizens with affordable, and modernized health institutions because they don't want an army of healthy, able bodied people! There's no profit in healthy people
Coming from motocross I learned almost always stay on your bike. Let the suspension take the hit. Obliviously all crashes are different but apart from an OTB I ride that thing out
@Bones695: well that’s not a good strategy on MTB, particularly when jumping... there is not a single good dirt jumper in the world who is not good at throwing the bike mid air. It’s evolution. These specimens simply prevail. Those who are not good at it and don’t learn, don’t get to jump anymore due to injuries
My buddy has some nasty footage of his crash on one of those hits. Both from the ground and go pro. Not sure if he’s up to have it on here yet. They actually named the drop after him as a result . Lampshade’s Leap. Resulted in a dislocated and broken hip socket.
@schwaaa31: The Real Lampshade? I know him from Highland. I had no idea he crashed. Explains why I haven't seen him all year. At least he has a rad story to tell.
@chriskneeland: Yup. The one and only. I was with him. It sucked. He was off the bike and out of work for a few months. Slowly getting back into some trail riding.
as a coach, i cant help but feel like literally 1 hour of coaching from a trained eye could make SO many peoples riding both better and safer! ah well, itl never happen for most riders, haha
Don't blame the shock for the rider hucking a trail bike to flat lol. That drop is smooth as a babys ass if you take the correct speed off it, or know how to squash drops.
That drop is going to claim more victims, it is not trail speed and is smaller than the first two features on that line. Hoping they rework that one because it sucks to start out flowing and speed, have to drag brakes, then have to get back on the gas for the dirt to dirt double...
Nah, I know the guy in the vid. He showed us high res super slo-mo of crash showing only the bolt breaking. Then presented the actual broken bolt for examination, even put his hand on a Bible and swore it was only the bolt that snapped.
@JamesGTi: haha, this happens to me too, i looked at the jumpline for several years and did it this year the first time, getting older and a bit slower but gain much more control and confidence with the years riding
man I love to drink some wine, smoke some weed and talk shit on PB comments. and for shure stay only in the below treshold kkkk. man PB is looking like that boring whatsapp group that only show stupid things like jack ass Recumbent bar spin, friday fails... soon will be videos of people getting shot and diying, car accidents with people flying thru the window and dying, chindren exploding things and gerring burn and so on.... now with Continental leaving the ebike thing kkkkk man I like ebike but who cares about Continental with ebikes? never herd about Continental engines... so friday fails realy nice, bike riders braking bones and maybe been paralized or with pain thru his entire life yeah lets lought about it no one on PB comments or PB staff never had a hard crash
I am still disappointed at the whole 'we sent a preproduction version' excuse though (not just aimed at Pole). Is it really that hard to double check the bike over before sending it off, when it is going to someone who could impact a huge proportion of your potential market? It's either stupid, lazy, or a lie, and none of those is great...
Lame response. Shifting the blame to PB. Someone at Pole F**ked up. Period.
It really hurts this brands credibility in my eyes at the very least.
I think my main problem is that if they don't take the care to send out possibly the most important bike of the season / year in a fit state, can I trust their QC for a standard bike? I would certainly still consider them personally, but it does cause concern for a potential buyer in my opinion...
Stumpy 2nd
Ibis 3rd
A lawyer, for that case (pun intended)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=adaIWstR0Eo&t=755s
I had been looking at it, I was glad to see Phil do it to see it was possible. Once I saw it was possible I had to go for it.
Obviously all crashes are different but sometimes it's best to hold on.
sud pension is obviously what u get when u retire from the soap biz.
Does this translate to "See Ma, I'm fine!" or just sound the same?
Superpower: able to snap a bike in a single huck.
Weakness: Overconfidence.
Villain or hero?
I kinda miss the "kurrrrva" days.
Props dude
You’re one that can actually say “well, I crashed on a huge jump”
bike riders braking bones and maybe been paralized or with pain thru his entire life yeah lets lought about it no one on PB comments or PB staff never had a hard crash