Sport And Biking Talk: Polygon’s Square One EX bike

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Polygon’s Square One EX bike

The new Square One from Polygon rolls on 27.5” wheels and has 180mm of travel, but it’s not marketed as an enduro rig.

In the cycling industry, people like to throw around terms like revolutionary or game changer. Another common trope is the quiver killer. Well folks, you’re going to want to buckle up for the latest from Polygon.

Their new 180mm travel 27.5” bike features a suspension unlike anything we’ve ever seen. They claim it pedals like a 120mm bike, yet performs better than some downhill bikes.

The R3ACT 2PLAY system borrows familiar elements (can anyone say Maverick or Yeti) but packages it in a unique way.

Technology

What sets the Polygon frame apart in a crowded market place is the aforementioned suspension system. It was designed by a 3rd party named NAILD, which is helmed by Daryl Voss. You’ve probably never heard that name before, but he’s been lurking behind the scenes for roughly decades. He helped develop internal routing while working for Klein in the early 90s and has worked on a number of suspension productions in the interim.

Over that period, he’s been tinkering with the suspension platform you see before you today. He calls it R3ACT-2Play. It’s kind of a mouthful to pronounce and yes, it is spelled with numbers instead of letters. But there’s a reason. The 3 refers to Newton’s third law. If you don’t remember your high school physics, for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.

Inside the massive swingarm lies a hidden sliding mechanism.

This suspension is comprised of a monostay swingarm that houses a hidden sliding element. It connects to the front triangle forward of the bottom bracket. As the bike moves through its travel, the slider pivots to achieve the ideal anti-squat. It does not act as a secondary shock, etc… Just above the slider is an aluminum rocker link.

This suspension system is provided by NAILD as a complete package (included a NAILD rear skewer). They then work with brands who license the technology to dial in specifics, such as wheel size, travel, and intended use. Currently they’re working with two brands. Polygon is the first but a second will be launching shortly.

The Square One is available in three sizes: M., L. & XL.

Geometry

With 180mm of travel, the Polygon seems destined to be labeled #enduro, but that’s not how it is being marketed. In fact, Polygon refuses to put the bike in any given category that exists today. They feel that this new suspension platform performs so well, the Square One can do anything or be anything you want. That’s code for quiver killer.

To back those claims, they’ve given the bike versatile geometry. It has a relatively slack 66 head angle, shorter 425mm chainstays, and a steeper 73.5 seat tube angle. On paper, that nets you a bike that’s plenty capable downhill but is claimed to climb like an WC XC rig. We won’t know if that’s true or not until we swing a leg over the new bike.

The Square One may have Enduro-esque geometry, but Polygon claims it can do it all.

Features

The Square One has a carbon front and rear triangle. The current design does not have room for a water bottle and is only compatible with 1x drivetrains. You do get internal cable routing and ISCG05 tabs.

Models/Availability

The Square One will be available this June, although you can preorder yours now. Pricing is TBD, but two models will be available at launch. Both models come equipped with Fox Suspension (36 up front, Float X2 rear), SRAM 1×12 drivetrains, KS dropper, and finishing kit from E13 and Raceface. The EX8 will be the more affordable version, while the EX9 ships with the XX1 level drivetrain and carbon wheels.

For more info, visit www.polygonbikes.com.

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