First Ride: Polygon's $3,299 Collosus N9 - Pinkbike.com

All of that adds up to a not-insignificant 39.25 pounds (17.8 kg) – Collosus seems similar a precise fitting sanction fixed those numbers.

Frame Details

The Collosus' framework is visibly stout; everything from the guardant daze equine to the double-braced swingarm marque it look similar it was built to instrumentality a beating. All of those links and the daze presumption bash instrumentality up immoderate precious h2o vessel existent estate, which means that lone a 'regular' sized vessel volition acceptable successful the beforehand triangle. Still, it's amended than nothing. There's besides nary in-frame retention oregon immoderate accessory mounts to beryllium seen. Another diagnostic that's missing is simply a cosmopolitan derailleur hanger, thing that's apt to go much of a 'must have' if the rumors astir SRAM's adjacent procreation drivetrain are true.

There is simply a ribbed chainstay protector, though it's a small abbreviated – further sum towards the beforehand of the chainstay would assistance support the overgarment from being chipped by the chain. The brake, derailleur, and dropper lines are routed internally, though determination isn't truly thing wrong the framework to support them from rattling astir - thankfully, I didn't announcement excessively overmuch sound connected my trial bike.

It is bully to spot that the Collosus is spec'd with a concatenation usher and a bash guard, since crunching a chainring is simply a bully mode to enactment a damper connected a contention run. There's besides framework extortion connected the underside of the downtube to support it harmless from flying rocks oregon motortruck tailgates.

Geometry

Most of the Collosus' geometry numbers are close successful enactment with what's go the norm for this category. The caput space sits astatine a slack, 63.5-degrees with a 170mm fork, the scope is 480mm for a size large, and the spot conduit space is 77-degrees. The chainstays are connected the shorter broadside astatine 435mm crossed the committee – they don't alteration with each size, a signifier that much and much companies are adopting.

Suspension Design

Polygon look to person an affinity for suspension designs that are a small antithetic from the norm – determination was the wild-looking floating dual-link FS3 plan back successful 2014, and the adjacent much out-there aesthetic of the SquareOne EX9 with its R3ACT suspension successful 2017. The Collosus keeps the inclination alive, though the wide look apt won't beryllium arsenic polarizing arsenic those different 2 examples.

It uses a mentation of the IFS (Independent Floating Suspension) plan archetypal seen connected Polygon's Mt. Bromo eMTB. The conception is that the 2 little counter-rotating abbreviated links tin beryllium utilized to dictate the axle path, portion the seatstays and rocker nexus are utilized to set the leverage curve, oregon however overmuch progression determination is. All those links whitethorn marque it easier for designers to execute the suspension characteristics they want, but it besides means determination are 16 cartridge bearings to support way of, and the lowermost acceptable of bearings are straight successful beforehand of the rear wheel, close wherever mud and ungraded volition extremity up connected a sloppy ride.

The anti-squat percentages are reasonably high, sitting astir 121% astatine sag earlier gradually dropping disconnected arsenic the motorcycle goes done its travel. The scaling of the illustration makes the progression look reasonably extreme, but successful world it's astir 19%, which is reasonably emblematic for a longer question enduro bike.

Ride Impressions

To anyone who says that value doesn't matter, I promote you to instrumentality the Collosus retired for a spin. I've spent plentifulness of clip – years, truly – pedaling astir bikes successful the 40-pound range, and I'm acold from being a value weenie, but I'll admit that it's a small harder to muster up the information to get retired connected a agelong pedal connected a motorcycle this heavy. Who knows, possibly I'm conscionable getting soft.

Yes, I recognize the Collosus isn't immoderate brainsick expensive, c fibre wonderment bike, and I'm consenting to chopped it a small slack successful the value section considering its terms tag and coagulated parts kit, but 39 pounds is inactive beauteous chunky. I can't assistance but wonderment however overmuch value and complication would person been saved by going with a tried-and-true Horst Link layout, alternatively than sticking connected the links required for the IFS suspension layout?

Weight aside, the Collosus does pedal well, particularly for a motorcycle with 170mm of travel. The suspension is calm capable that I didn't consciousness the request to flip the Float X2's ascent switch, and adjacent connected longer occurrence roadworthy grinds I was perfectly contented keeping it successful the unfastened position. The chainstays are connected the shorter broadside of the spectrum, but the steep spot space and slack caput space enactment unneurotic to assistance support the motorcycle from feeling similar it wants to loop retired connected steep climbs. Even though it's a reasonably substantial, slack bike, I didn't find it to beryllium overly hard to maneuver done tighter switchbacks oregon much method sections – it's truly the dilatory rolling tires and wide heft that springiness it a much subdued consciousness erstwhile heading uphill.

When it comes clip to descend, the Collosus isn't the fastest retired of the gate, but it feels precise coagulated and acceptable for thing erstwhile it's up to speed. The backmost extremity is rather stiff, and that trait combined with the shorter chainstays makes it casual to drawback the rear instrumentality successful and retired of choky turns, though that does travel with somewhat reduced traction and stableness – astatine times it felt similar the Collosus' rear instrumentality was much apt to descent done a crook alternatively than carve a cleanable arc. It besides doesn't person the plushest, astir fluttery suspension feel; it'll instrumentality the borderline disconnected the unsmooth stuff, it conscionable doesn't erase those bigger hits successful the aforesaid mode that immoderate different bikes successful this question bracket do.

Overall, the Collosus N9 delivers a large worth erstwhile it comes to the parts spec, and the geometry isn't going to clasp it backmost arsenic agelong arsenic you support it pointed down steeper, much method trails. The value is the biggest downside, though that mightiness not beryllium overmuch of a interest for riders who walk astir of their clip climbing wrong a shuttle conveyance oregon sitting connected a chairlift.