Best Polygon Bicycles
Great bike - great value – After first purchasing Helios 500 at Bicycles Online at Manly, and 10 days later had the chance to upgrading it to Helios 700, I now know the reason… Read more
why friends recommended me a carbon fiber frame bike. I've been a MTB rider for years, but needed a fast and light road bike for commuting to work.
I'm not an expert in road bikes, as this is the first time I've ever had one, but I found Helios 700 very responsive, light and fun bike to ride. It looks great and hope it will serve me well for years to come.
Shimano 105 is an ok system, more than good enough for commuting to work.
Bicycles Online have very helpful, A+ for great service. responsive, light, great wheelset
Great overall bike – Really nice package couldnt believe the price did a quick check on the net and the parts alone would have cost more really great service from Bikes… Read more
online Jake & Jono + nice sounding lady (no Name) allied did a fantastic job to 4 days to tassie. Bike is really worth a look, ride great, finish is tops and service from B/O first class Price - Price - Price & service from a top bike shop Havent found anything yet and dont think I will
Road Racer! – I was looking for a new bike to replace my 6 year old carbon-framed Orbea with 105 setup. At a price range of around $3000 I was looking at picking… Read more
up a similarly specced bike with a carbon frame. Basically what I was hoping was that I would get something a little bit lighter with a little more snap than my tired old warhorse.
Living in Manly I had seen the showroom for Bicycles Online and had also visited the website, so after plucking up some courage I stepped in and took the 900 for a short test ride. It was immediately obvious this bike had the required pep and was very light. The spec is ridiculous for the money in comparison to what is available in other local bike stores, with the wheels / drive train being worth the price on their own. I was sold then and there.
The frame appears really well made with internal cable routing and a sweet color scheme. I love the hexagonal shape of the top tube and the whole bike is SUPER light coming in at 7kgs, although it feels robust enough to handle my bulk (88kgs). Wheelset is the top of the line Fulcrum zeros, which are very fast rolling and the Dura-ace drive train operates noticeably better than the 105 gear on my Orbea.
On the flat the bike rolls along very smoothly and encourages a high pace / high cadence. Power is transmitted very quickly from pedal to wheel giving you a feeling of direct acceleration. However it also feels really comfy over longer 100km plus rides and feels like it doesn't burn your energy too quickly.
Going up hills the bike offers plenty and is equally happy if you sit in or rise up out of the saddle. It is way quicker than my old bike and really encourages you to push yourself hard.
On descents the steering is lively but direct and the wheels offer confidence. However, over bumpy ground the frame does transmit a lot of vibration and the front end can feel a bit skittish but this is only at 65kph plus. Under heavy braking there is some flex from the all carbon cockpit but the actual stopping power is very good.
I had one problem with a fixing bolt shearing on the front mech, which, as it turns out, is like a lightening strike - very, very rare as it is a none moving part. Happily when I took the bike back the guys changed it with no fuss and a lot of apologies. First class service.
The staff set the bike up for you when it arrives, and will give the bike a tuneup after the first 1000km or so. I think my local bike shop is better in terms of quality of mechanic, as the tune up is not as smooth as when I come out of the service at the local bike shop.
That said this company is not marketing itself as mechanics shop - they sell quality bikes cheap.
With that in mind the only downside as I see it is the slight level of skittishness at breakneck speeds downhill and a lack of publicity and / or reviews of the product for potential purchasers to see.
If you can get one, get one. CHEAP. Super light, quick and very responsive. Spec for the money is outstanding. Frame feels well built and has a good colour scheme. Good service Slightly bumpy and a bit skittish at very high speeds downhill. Lack of publicity / reviews mean that little information about product available to prospective purchasers.
Great bike at budget price – Looks great, good quality components and overall good value for money, 350km on it so far and no issues. Definately worth a look and a great ride at… Read more
a budget price. Also thanks to Bicycles Online, their help and communication throughout the sale and delivery is also worthy of a mention. Inexpensive
Great set up & ride! – I just did an adventure race on my new bike on the weekend. The bike went well. The set up worked really well. Good control downhill when you wanted… Read more
to pick up the pace & really good traction on the climbs. The more you ride the better the response as you adjust to this great set up. Get the right balance when you are in the right gear & you get a great responsive ride. After deliberating over which bike to go for the guys at bicyclesonline have certainly put me onto a winner. Thanks & cheers Great set up. Shimano Deore XT set up at a value price. Fox shocks are good. It takes a little getting used to after riding an old hardtail. Better & more enjoyable with every ride.
Nice bike at a decent price - makes a great ebike – Bought to convert to an ebike with Bafang Mid Drive Motor. Conversion went well and the result is very pleasing Components all of decent quality and… Read more
frame geometry makes for a comfortable semi-upright ride. Topeak Super Tourist non-disk model rear rack can be made to fit with a little bush mechanics.
I actually can't believe how good this bike is – This bike blows me away. It rides brilliantly, very fast and also more comfortable than I expected for such a race focussed bike. I didn't get to… Read more
ride a Polygon before ordering, but I don't think that is anything to get hung up on.
I have to admit the main factor in my decision to go with the Helios 800 was actually due to the incredible value of all the parts fitted as standard, but once I pulled it out of the box it was the frame that really jumped out at me. The design and finish is awesome, and once I rode it I knew I had made the right choice. Great handling, stable and quick turning, and the power transmission is good too.
But the value is incredible, no other well built bike can touch this thing for the price. I really like the way the Bicycles Online website breaks it down against the competition, it makes the choice clearer!
I have only just bought it, but can't stop riding it. I totally recommend this bike. Fast! Looks great, rides even better. Love the frame, the wheels, hell all of it.
Completely defective on all levels – Firstly it took over 10 days to arrive. I had to chase this up after 5 days when it said it was delivered yet hadn’t been dispatched yet. Upon… Read more
arrival, packaging was notably very good and transported well. Putting this bike together was easy as this is my second purchase from bicycles online. After assembling, the problems began. Brakes very spongy and full travel will not lock. Rear shock had no air. Gears randomly change without input from lever. Finally was able to get enough air into rear shock to ride it. Lasts several hours then shock has lost all air. Today, rear axle completely worked its way loose on the trail and rear wheel twisted sideways and gouged inside of frame. Had to walk 2km back to my car to get tools to fix.
Have notified bicycles online and as I’m inside the 14 days free returns I have requested a complete refund all the while they insist I take bike to a bike shop to repair that has a three week lead time.
Do not buy from bicycles online unless your prepared ti be stuffed around and deceived
Good cheap bike with reasonable gear – I bought his bike second hand, for my son to sit alongside my Polygon Siskiu 7 - it is a 2016 model but hardly ridden. Original tyres have no visible… Read more
wear on them. No wear on anything. On the plus side the gear level is good for the price, tyres and rims are OK. Shimano shifters and derailers - hydraulic brakes are great. On the minus frame is a little heavy, and Suntour forks are just OK. Again OK for the price though ( price I’m talking is retail - I got it much cheaper ). A great bike for someone wanting to get into mountain biking with a reasonable bike without spending big bucks.
The do all big bike – The FRX is a do all bike. With a tweak of the suspension and geometry the FRX will get you around your local trails with the efficiency of a smaller… Read more
bike. As for bigger (downhill) tracks the FRX comes to life and can mix it with its bigger DH brothers, but the real feature is its cornering, it eats berms.
Straight out of the box the specs work with slick efficiency and make the FRX run like a $5k plus bike.
In simple there is nothing that can touch "bang for your bucks", bike on the market. The Internet pictures do not do this bike justice, it is a well finished quality product.
If you don't want a narrow minded downhill type bike the FRX is the perfect machine. You won't be disappointed, buy one today. Adjustability and specs
Polygon Path 3
End to end review, from discovery to using the 2016 Polygon Path 3 - 29er City Bike – I have been commuting to work for two years now (Gold Coast), the round trip being 38km, it’s by no means flat route so there is a quite a bit of… Read more
gear changing and getting off the saddle. My previous bike before the Polygon Path 3, was a specialized mountain bike converted into a ‘hybrid’. I bought this specialized bike 18 years ago, the best money I ever spent. I used this specialized bike to commute to work in London UK (through 3 winters) as well as weekend off road fun. Thought this history would be relevant for the review of the Polygon Path 3. Just to add, I have been road cycling on and off for 30 years
Approximately two months ago I decided it was time to upgrade to a new bike. I stumbled across [link removed] and found the Polygon Path 3. The price was just right - on a tight budget. After using Bicyclesonline sizing up guide, emailing and phone correspondence, which was OUTSTANDING, I committed to purchasing this 2016 Polygon Path 3 - 29er City Bike. The bike came as advertised, and was very easy to assembly with all tools provided - I was impressed. Just to add, I purchased the pannier rack (https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polygon-heist-path-carrier-rack-fits-disc-brakes) as well, as I have panniers. The assembly took approximately one hour. My clip-in pedals and seat bottle holder were transferred from the old specialised bike without any issues. My ortlieb panniers required only minor adjustments to fit on the new rack and do not interfere with the rear derailer or disc brakes at all.
On my first day using the 2016 Polygon Path 3 - 29er City Bike to commute to work I was VERY IMPRESSED. It was quick, the difference is wheel size from 26” to 29” makes a HUGE difference (very similar tyres on specialized). The bike is very smooth and responsive, and the geometry is very similar to my specialised bike which made for an easy transition (http://cyclingtips.com/2011/02/the-geometry-of-bike-handling/ ). The disc breaks as great - my first.
Lastly my previous bike had front shocks where this Polygon Path 3 does not, so you feel it a bit more in the hands and arms but a happy trade-off as the bike is more responsive and ergonomic handlebar grips help as well.
This is an outstanding value for money bike and highly recommend it.
Just A Really Good Practical Bike! – Fell in love with it from my first test ride! Shows importance for shops to offer test rides.. Pricier than what I intended for my budget for a… Read more
practical commuter bike. But well worth it! Smooth ride for town riding! Toddlers love it too with the installed child seat. Cheers!
Love it – Love it, love it, love it, A small mod on mine 2.1 tyers front and back ,used a 27.5 back to accommodate the 2.1 , did I tell you I love it , am… Read more
racing it this weekend in a 160 km grevel race , and the end of next month in a 300 km gravle race , If i win them might ask for a sponership Mr Polygon.
Value for money and superb parts – Great bike for trail and road. Excellent components and value for money. Shimano parts work smoothly . Excellent disc brakes. Gear systems enables to… Read more
climb up long uphill 15km stretch. Very comfortable bike. Made in Indonesia bike and therefore comparatively cheaper than other manufacturers. I would recommend a Polygon bike and you will not go wrong
Polygon Collosus CRX "A colossal impact into the XCM Marathon scene" – The over bearing feeling I've had from racing the CRX is the confidence it has given me. At times I struggle with confidence in my ability to hit… Read more
lines hard and fast on technical single track. I have found myself passing through single track with confidence; freeing me up to focus on racing and hitting smooth lines. As tight single track is something I need to work on for the Australian Marathons, it is great to have a predictable and trustworthy bike underneath me.
I think the stiffer front end, due to the thru-axle, really helps in giving the bike a natural flow, without a ‘twitchy’ feeling. It definitely improves braking efficiency and when coupled with the XTR brakes, makes for a perfect meld. When gearing up for a big effort on the road or punchy climb, the thu-axle stiffness is really noticed – no loss of energy there. Its great to find a bike dominating over rock gardens etc. the suspension is perfect for this, with oodles of rear traction on rockier and trickier climbs.
Overall – CRX Colossus is a great bike, specs galore and amazing bang for your buck!The descending/single track ability really adds to a rider’s confidence with predictability and reliability. Mechanical problems have been zero, so great to have a reliable ride. An extra bonus is the suspension really does save the body energy for a last 20km hit out to the finish! Specs galore, great price, efficiency on rough or rocky ground, Weight: 10.6kg dually is pretty good! Not much apart from changing; seat post clamp to non-quick release, changed handle bar grips, 2.2 front tire
kicking – awesome front end, frisky, alot of character in the rear. responsive to effort, good solid feel, stable in the air, landing is heavy but charming in… Read more
the run-off.
classy look and feel, decent build, turns heads,easy glide and turns well altogether a range of handling, taking it needs experience judgements. quality free brake pads not included
Very well equipped lightweight bike – I have own this bike for 3 months having bought a 2011 model virtually unused. The specifications and equipment attracted me. With a Topeak Super… Read more
Tourist rack the bike looks like a retro Dutch bike. All matt black including the spokes. It is equipped with:- Hydraulic dics brakes, Hub dynamo, 11 speed Shimano hub gears, carbon belt drive and sprung front forks plus more. But its light due to the Polygon frame. Fast over the ground due to the gearing and ability to soak up rough surfaces.
The only downsde is the geometry of the frame. Great on a cycleway but no city hybrid able to pick its way around potholes, gutters and parked cars. Good straight liner, not nibble.
2022 Polygon XTRADA 5
2022 Polygon Xtrada 5 [2x10]- Pros, Cons, Disappointments – POLYGON XTRADA 5 29" LARGE - BIKE REVIEW - purchased 1-6-22 (Aust) This is specifically the 2x10 geared version (2 Chain-rings, 10-Speed), It has… Read more
twin 36-22T chain rings paired with Shimano 11-42T 10 speed rear cassette delivering 20 gears.
update: 18-jun-24 (2 years after purchase):
FAULTY REAR AXLE 2 years after my original review (below) My Xtrada5 has developed a wobble in the rear Deore Cassette after very low usage. This causes the chain to jump on the smaller outermost sprockets (the highest 2 gears) of the rear cassette. I suspect the rear axle (QR Hub) is bent. The wobble in the rear cassette is more pronounced on the outermost sprockets (naturally) so the chain doesn't seat properly on some of the teeth on these sprockets. It also barely contacts the side of the neighboring sprocket at one point in every revolution. End result is the chain lifts then slams down again under pedal pressure. These are also the smallest 2 sprockets so the chain is already in a tight radius. Here is a review by another owner from the Polygon website:
-------------------------------- "Marvin Australia Australia Faulty rear hubs
Rear hubs wobbled causing the cassette to wobble after 1 month of use commuting to work in roads. Haven't even used it in trails yet. 2022 Polygon Xtrada 5 2x10 - Mountain Bike" --------------------------------
Mine Xtrada5 has low usage as I ride other bikes - no ledges/jumps - apart from potholes. The Xtrada5 doesn't have the stronger thicker thru-axles of the dearer Xtrada7. The Xtrada5 has the weaker Quick Release hubs stretched out to 141mm on the rear doing double duty as an extra wide 'Boost QR rear axle'.
original review: OVERVIEW: BicyclesOnline (26-6-22) - customer service, shipping, packaging, delivery was excellent. The gears/derailleur are awfully matched and perform very poorly (see below). The bike is heavy for an alloy XC - versatile but sluggish - unless downhill - with trail oriented specs (67 deg head angle) but feels like the most inefficient MTB I've ever pedaled (all 29inchers with 2.25" tyres feel sluggish to me - but these wheels sets are heavier). The riding position felt a little pushed forward for a Large bike with a high Stack and I know this is designed to achieve trail-like handling and easier climbing but for me it was awkward pedaling. There was so little adjustment in the seat I couldn't get the seat back far enough for that sweet spot on the downstroke. The crappy gears and the inefficient pedaling made this heavy 29er a lot of hard work.
GOOD FEATURES: * An extremely well made frame - robust, attractively designed/contoured, smooth welded, internally cabled - looks better than advertised. The paintwork is excellent. * Some parts at this price point are good quality - the Tektro HD-M275 Hydraulic Disc brakes are effective and I find them better than Shimano M315 in the same price range. The Tektro's rotors were bolted on (the Shimano's rotors were merely riveted to my other bike). The handlebar is an exceptional 775mm wide and it really makes the steering nimble and responsive. The Deli Mitz tyres measured to their specified 2.25" - perfectly studded for loose dry or muddy trails. The 24mm Entity double walled rims and tyres made the bike feel more stable than my other MTB with its 19mm alex rims and 2" tyres. * The rear axle is a "plus" size and the frame is designed for a wider wheel option. * The Suntour XCT 120mm (30mm stanchions) are supportive with 100+ kg rider on XC trails. A little harsh but not under-sprung. Not tested on gnarly trails but for a bottom-end fork they perform OK for XC * Low gearing - I ordered the 2x10 (20 speed) version of this bike because it has much lower gearing compared to the upgraded 1x11 (11 speed) version. Plagued with chain slap and unreliable (SLOW) shifting. (refer below) * The bike has a higher Stack spec than any trail bike I can find (633mm on the Large) so the bars sit a little higher - you are not bent over as much but there is the OPTION to remove the stack spacers under the stem and lower the bars at least 2.5cm. I really liked this riding position. * Another exceptional geometry feature is the low stand-over height. The seat-tube is shorter than any other bike I know allowing the top tube to slope down more than other bikes. This makes the Large frame manageable due to stand-over height. At 5'10 the Medium frame size on my other bikes are slightly too small for me but I could barely stand over their their larger frames. * Polygon's short seat tube and low top bar makes their 29" MTB manageable on the trails, but that's all. I still prefer a 27.5" MTB for technical trails
BAD FEATURES
**HEAVIER THAN ADVERTISED The bike is heavy - definitely over 15.2 kilos (with plastic pedals) - not the 14.3 kgs advertised. Larger 29" wheels with bottom end tyres/tubes that offer value but no weight offsets.
**29" WHEEL SET LACKS NIMBLENESS The 29" wheel set is not as nimble as my 27.5" rocky mountain. I find the Xtrada comparatively cumbersome and sluggish on mountain trails even with the short stem and wide bars. Maybe this is due to the 29" wheels, longer wheel-base (1169mm) and longer stays (435mm) compared to my other bike (27.5"/1142/425). Still a nice bike to ride and i do like riding it despite the "unfit-for-purpose" gear set.
**2X10 GEAR SET HAS INADEQUATE DERAILLEUR AND FAULTY CHAIN TENSION The 2x10 gears specified above are awful - slow to change down and the slack chain tension makes the chain slap around like a loose string.
The rear Shimano Deore derailleur has trouble coping with the wider range of chain tension on the 2x10 setup - I should have got the 1x11. The double chain-rings create too much chain slack when the chain is on the smallest cogs front and rear (see pic). Notice how the chain almost touches the frame's chain-stay on the smallest sprocket- it bounces on the frame while riding. The Deore derailleur places virtually no tension on the chain at this gearing: the trailing arm on the rear derailleur almost folds up on itself. In the pic of my other bike (Rocky Mountain 2x9speed) you can see how the Acera derailleur is pulled down by the better chain tension on the smallest sprockets, and guides the chain closer to the sprockets. The Acera derailleur/gearset on the Rocky Mountain performs much better with smoother, faster gear changes than the higher spec Deore. Gear changes are slow and hesitant because the derailleur can not be set to manufacturer's settings. Shimano recommends adjusting "the guide pulley (on the derailleur) to be as close to the sprocket as possible but not so close that it touches", with the chain on the largest sprocket and smallest chain-ring. Shimano recommends a gap of around 10mm for smooth positive gear changes (as in photo of my other bike). But on the Xtrada the guide pulley was factory set more than 30mm from the largest sprocket (using the B-screw adjustment). See photos. There's a reason for this. If you set the derailleur any closer you reduce chain tension and this derailleur doesn't have the range of movement to keep the chain taught at the other end of the gear range. If set to the manufacturers settings the Xtrada's derailleur will malfunction on the smaller cogs. The chain has the correct number of links per documentation so I will have to remove a link and check for improvement.
**CRAMPED COCKPIT AND AWKWARD INEFFICIENT PEDALING POSITION Factors contributing to a cramped cockpit are: - virtually no set-back on the seatpost - very limited seat rail adjustment compared to other bikes - A steeper seat-tube angle than most trail bikes also places the rider forward - A small 32mm stem more suited to Trail than XC doesn't help the cockpit space (Reach) which is surprisingly small for this Large bike . The wider handlebars also bring the rider forward. - Fitting a longer stem will not solve the problem of feeling too far forward for efficient pedaling.
The minute I rode this bike I felt awkward pedaling - my knees were too far forward of the pedals and I had to push myself back on the bike seat to get my knees over the pedal on the down-stroke. With very little set-back on the seat post (almost as bad as a dropper post) and very little seat rail adjustment I ended up sitting way back on the rear edge of the seat to get my knees in the 'sweet spot' over the ball of my foot for efficient pedaling. This would not be such a problem if the crank axle was 10-20mm further forward. 29" wheels have more rolling resistance so the poor pedaling efficiency makes it hard going. The deficient gears take too long to change at the low end making it difficult to maintain momentum when climbing.
I am 179cm tall and my inseam (leg length) is 80cm (groin to heal): less than the average 83cm for my height. If I had longer legs my knees would be even further forward of the crank-set making it even more tiresome to pedal.
COMPROMISED FRAME DESIGN Polygon have tried to mimic trail bike geometry with a slack head-tube (67deg compared to a more responsive 69+ for an XC bike ). The Xtrada shifts the rider closer to the front wheel using a combination of steeper seat tube, short stem, wide bars. Shifting the rider forward DOES make the handling more responsive. I feel the Xtrada's 75 degree seat tube angle is unnecessary and places the rider too far forward. Most trail bikes position the seat post further back (my Rocky mountain has a 73 degree seat-tube angle). Placing the riders weight forward is marketed as a benefit for climbing hills - but not if it makes pedaling inefficient. I actually love the Xtrada's slacker head angle and trail geometry - that's why I bought the bike. But the forward positioning comes with a major flaw - the forward riding position makes the pedals feel too far back even with the longer 75mm cranks. I found pedaling awkward and tiring unless I pushed myself back on the seat to get over the pedals - I wished there was more seat adjustment. SOLUTION? A more adjustable seat rail and a larger offset on the seat post would solve this problem. But the Xtrada's small seat-tube diameter (27.2mm ID) does not give the rider many options for choosing an aftermarket seat post (including a dropper post with a set-back saddle clamp). Its almost impossible to find a 27.2mm dropper post and many droppers do not have any set-back. The real solution is a more efficiently designed frame (pedal position) and a more adjustable seat position.
ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED BEFORE RIDING The bike was easy to put together (handlebars and pedals) - it arrived perfectly pre-assembled with a quality tool set and needed only slight adjustment to derailleur cable tensions for smooth gear changes. The wheels were fairly true out of the box. There was a little scraping of the rear brake pads (slight rotor wobble that can be easily straightened). This is normal. So I rotated the rear wheel to the point where the rotor scraped the pad, loosened the brake housing bolts, squeezed the brakes firmly as I re-tightened the bolts - problem solved. I messed around with the handlebar rotation to get it right for me - and re-positioned the brake and gear levers. Then I cleaned the brake rotors with a scouring pad and alcohol, found a steep hill, and broke-in the brakes correctly to avoid problems later on.
SUMMARY I am mostly disappointed with the gearing on this bike. Compatible and proper functioning gears (efficient gearing) would make the inefficient frame design more manageable, especially for climbing. The chain tension/derailleur problem is disgraceful and i do not wonder why manufacturers are phasing out double crank-sets. As cassettes get larger with more gears and larger sprockets the derailleurs are becoming less capable of handling the range of movement (i.e. the range of chain tensions) imposed by multiple chain rings. Polygon should never have fitted this bike with a 'sub-optimal' 2x10 gear set. Inefficient pedal position is caused by a short-sighted frame design. Steepening the seat-tube and pushing the rider forward relative to the crank axle defeats the purpose of making the bike climb easier - it makes it harder to pedal. The lack of seat-post offset and seat-rail adjustment does not help the rider achieve correct knee placement for pedaling efficiency The slack head angle and other Trail Bike design features are positive for the bikes handling and versatility. The Xtrada handled well (for a big 29" wheel bike) on both XC and the small technical trails but lacked the nimbleness and responsiveness of a 27.5" wheel MTB with similar trail-oriented geometry. Overall a big disappointment.