Voima Sizing Questions/Views/Opinions

[Ou812]

I see you're in Surrey, it's worth a trip to Colchester to see Phil Seaton.
He is the UK Pole contact now and has both sizes for test rides.
01206 866400

Is this the soon to be UK Pole dealer they were talking about on EMBN a few episodes ago?

 

[Vanquisher]

Yeah, it did my head in for a while. The answer for me was to size for the reach that you like. If that's 470 go for s k2 if it's 450 go for a k1.

I like 450 reacg so sized for k1 and I'm glad I did.

The short tt Isn't ideal on the flat. But you get used to it. The short tt makes sense going up steep ups.

I mean, you're right, I do like 470 Reach but I liked 470 Reach in the context of the rest of that bike (Mondraker Level RR). Like the Mondraker Wheel base and Front Centre is significantly shorter than a K2 Voima, while the K2 Voima has a Reach of 480.

Current bike (Carbon Crafty XR) at 460 Reach is also good and a bit smaller Wheelbase than the Level RR. So, on that basis, I'm sure 470 Reach is my max.

Can you really take Reach out of context of the rest of the bike?? Basically, I'm thinking a 480 Reach COMBINED with a 1306 wheelbase on a K2 could be getting out of hand, yet people of my height and around my height (174cms) are saying it's good

 

[Vanquisher]

I think the new size guide on the Pole website has been adjusted now, and it's pretty accurate now for me.
I ride a medium in most bikes and I would say the K1 is a medium. View attachment 130924 View attachment 130924

Yeah, you're right. On paper, that paper, I'm a K1 but they USED to say, if you wanted speed and stability go K2. They've taken the 'playful' vs. 'speed' sizing dimension away now

 

[Vanquisher]

I see you're in Surrey, it's worth a trip to Colchester to see Phil Seaton.
He is the UK Pole contact now and has both sizes for test rides.
01206 866400

Yeah really interesting, I saw a post on YouTube where Phil offered me that. He said he had the bikes because he sponsored an E-EWS team. Interesting neither he nor Pole, who I've been talking to, have mentioned 'dealership' or 'representation' in the context of Seton Tuning Ltd. I have spoken to guy called Chris based in Scotland who said he was Pole UK's marketing manager. He was good and technically very well versed. Pole support put me in touch with him.
You are right though, I need to give Phil a call and see if the offer still stands and go up there for a minimum of a car park bounce. Conditions are so bad it would be hard to test and I'd always really rather test on my local tracks, where you know them so well, it's easy to make well judged bike comparisons

 

[JP-NZ]

I mean, you're right, I do like 470 Reach but I liked 470 Reach in the context of the rest of that bike (Mondraker Level RR). Like the Mondraker Wheel base and Front Centre is significantly shorter than a K2 Voima, while the K2 Voima has a Reach of 480.

Current bike (Carbon Crafty XR) at 460 Reach is also good and a bit smaller Wheelbase than the Level RR. So, on that basis, I'm sure 470 Reach is my max.

Not directly related to the voima but reach is reach, same as your craftyXR my Rail is 460 reach, I like 470 on my DH rig. Shorter is better for a trail bike IMO. I'm 179cm btw and I wouldn't go longer than 470 for my height

 

[Vanquisher]

Not directly related to the voima but reach is reach, same as your craftyXR my Rail is 460 reach, I like 470 on my DH rig. Shorter is better for a trail bike IMO. I'm 179cm btw and I wouldn't go longer than 470 for my height

That's a good point separating trail and DH bikes like that. I was also wondering if I should just view the Voima as a 190mm big hitter (which is essentially why I want it) for The Alps and such like and keep the Crafty as a "trail bike"

On that basis, you'd go with the K2 for the roomy cockpit, stability and speed over chunk, which is essentially what you want in a big hitter. Maybe the sizing difficulty only arises if you're trying to make it a one bike solution for all scenarios i.e. you'd get a K1 as an all-rounder and the best for the home-trails

 

[Plummet]

Yeah, you're right. On paper, that paper, I'm a K1 but they USED to say, if you wanted speed and stability go K2. They've taken the 'playful' vs. 'speed' sizing dimension away now

K1 is stupid stable. I dont see the need for more stability.

I mean, you're right, I do like 470 Reach but I liked 470 Reach in the context of the rest of that bike (Mondraker Level RR). Like the Mondraker Wheel base and Front Centre is significantly shorter than a K2 Voima, while the K2 Voima has a Reach of 480.

Current bike (Carbon Crafty XR) at 460 Reach is also good and a bit smaller Wheelbase than the Level RR. So, on that basis, I'm sure 470 Reach is my max.

Can you really take Reach out of context of the rest of the bike?? Basically, I'm thinking a 480 Reach COMBINED with a 1306 wheelbase on a K2 could be getting out of hand, yet people of my height and around my height (174cms) are saying it's good

Are you going full 29 or mullet? note that mullet will shorten reach by about 9mm.

So mullet reach K1 441, K2 471.

I still maintain size for the reach you like. Then you get a standing descending cockpit you enjoy. If in doubt downsize.
You can get away with a less efficient pedalling position on an ebike because the motor takes up the slack.

Voima is looooooong WB and staaaaaable as fuck. You dont need extra stability of a bigger size.

For the record, pole recommended a K2 for my size. I'm glad as hell I ignored their advice. K1 wb is longer than i would like, i ride a lot of tight stuff so a k2 would have been like a bus to get around the corners, i did testing on mates bikes with 475 reach and didnt like it. 450 felt sweet. So I went with k1.

With all that said about my downsizing. Its not about me. Its about what you like best. See if you can test any enduro style bike with a 480 reach. You will know if its too long or not.

Voima also has a long chainstay at 455. So Longer and longer make for super farm gate.

After I ordered the K1 Pole discontinued the K4 and released a K0. turning the K1 from a small into a medium size. I reckon the market spoke and super long bikes are not what the market want.

There is also a reason that the pole team riders and aggressive riders downsize from the Pole size recomendation. The recommended sizing is just too long and lacking responsiveness. For a non-aggressive person the extra longness of the recommended size adds to confidence, less aggressive riders aren't pushing the envelope so they dont find the limitation of the too long bike. Noting that most Voima owners aren't aggressive riders. So long stable suits them well.

 

[cozzy]

Is this the soon to be UK Pole dealer they were talking about on EMBN a few episodes ago?

Yes. On Facebook. Probably on instergram also but I don't have that.

 

[Vanquisher]

K1 is stupid stable. I dont see the need for more stability.

Are you going full 29 or mullet? note that mullet will shorten reach by about 9mm.

So mullet reach K1 441, K2 471.

I still maintain size for the reach you like. Then you get a standing descending cockpit you enjoy. If in doubt downsize.
You can get away with a less efficient pedalling position on an ebike because the motor takes up the slack.

Voima is looooooong WB and staaaaaable as fuck. You dont need extra stability of a bigger size.

For the record, pole recommended a K2 for my size. I'm glad as hell I ignored their advice. K1 wb is longer than i would like, i ride a lot of tight stuff so a k2 would have been like a bus to get around the corners, i did testing on mates bikes with 475 reach and didnt like it. 450 felt sweet. So I went with k1.

With all that said about my downsizing. Its not about me. Its about what you like best. See if you can test any enduro style bike with a 480 reach. You will know if its too long or not.

Voima also has a long chainstay at 455. So Longer and longer make for super farm gate.

After I ordered the K1 Pole discontinued the K4 and released a K0. turning the K1 from a small into a medium size. I reckon the market spoke and super long bikes are not what the market want.

There is also a reason that the pole team riders and aggressive riders downsize from the Pole size recomendation. The recommended sizing is just too long and lacking responsiveness. For a non-aggressive person the extra longness of the recommended size adds to confidence, less aggressive riders aren't pushing the envelope so they dont find the limitation of the too long bike. Noting that most Voima owners aren't aggressive riders. So long stable suits them well.

Some very good points there. Particularly reinforcing I shouldn't worry about sacrificing optimal speed / stability by going for the smaller option.

Going with your Reach argument, I'd be better going for the K1, as I can easily add a bit of Reach (if needed) to the 450 29er, whereas a 480 Reach K2 29er is going to be hard to 'reduce'.

455 chainstay is long. I realised when I got my first Mondraker that long stays (same at 455) do increase stability, which I like, but it certainly causes a very 'sticky' front wheel - another reason for the K1 I guess

 

[Blownoutrides]

Some very good points there. Particularly reinforcing I shouldn't worry about sacrificing optimal speed / stability by going for the smaller option.

Going with your Reach argument, I'd be better going for the K1, as I can easily add a bit of Reach (if needed) to the 450 29er, whereas a 480 Reach K2 29er is going to be hard to 'reduce'.

455 chainstay is long. I realised when I got my first Mondraker that long stays (same at 455) do increase stability, which I like, but it certainly causes a very 'sticky' front wheel - another reason for the K1 I guess

I can’t figure out why Pole’s chain stays don’t scale with the sizing.

 

[Plummet]

I can’t figure out why Pole’s chain stays don’t scale with the sizing.

Yeah, 455 is too long for my liking.

I do note that the sonni has a 448 chainstay, and has options for adjustable reach, im assuming through an adjustable headset.

I wish the voima had the same options as the sonni. I just dont like the dangling motor, no charge port or lack of bottle mount of the sonni.

 

[Plummet]

Some very good points there. Particularly reinforcing I shouldn't worry about sacrificing optimal speed / stability by going for the smaller option.

Going with your Reach argument, I'd be better going for the K1, as I can easily add a bit of Reach (if needed) to the 450 29er, whereas a 480 Reach K2 29er is going to be hard to 'reduce'.

455 chainstay is long. I realised when I got my first Mondraker that long stays (same at 455) do increase stability, which I like, but it certainly causes a very 'sticky' front wheel - another reason for the K1 I guess

Yep, The long chainstay improves stability and climbing ability. But good luck trying to manual it for more than a few meters. Its just too long and too heavy for non motor assisted manuals.