WHO IS SAM REYNOLDS?
Hailing from South East England, Sam Reynolds is one of the UK's top freeriders, specialising in dirt jumping and slopestyle. But with mates like World Cup downhiller Brendan Fairclough, he also likes to get up to speed in the hills, where he's been introducing the Collosus to some colossal jumps, gaps and drops.
WHY IS THIS A SUPER BIKE?
- Radical frame design looks like nothing else currently out there
- Proven in the 2014 Enduro World Series, with Polygon UR team ridersAurelien Giordanengoand Jamie Nicoll both finishing within the top20
- Capable of handling the abuse dished out by Reynolds, includingbeing dropped off a cliff!
An enduro bike fit for a slopestyle slayer
Famed for his aerial antics on the FMB World Tour, Sam Reynolds is a rider who pushes his bikes to the point of no return. The 160mm (6.3in) travel Collosus N9 represents a bit of a departure from his usual hardtails and freeride rigs though. "I've never owned or even ridden an enduro style bike before. I usually just slog my downhill bike up the climbs and wonder why I'm so unfit," says Sam. "It's so light I can power up climbs that previously I'd have to push up so I get back to the top quicker for, let's be honest, the fun bit, which is bombing downhill! It could be my favourite bike now."
Go big or go home
Sam's already been getting up to some hair-raising antics on the bike. "I take my role as Polygon's bike tester pretty seriously so I try to push the bike to its absolute limits, and it's kind of annoyed me that I haven't managed to break it," he says. "It took a 100m cartwheel down a steep rock face in Morzine, France, which took a 20-minute hike back down the mountain to recover. The only damage was a few scratches on the frame from rocks, and it's still rolling strong!"
Not only is the Collosus the Indonesian company's first foray into the world of enduro racing, but it's also been built using new manufacturing techniques aimed at delivering a bike that looks and feels like no other. Its unique appearance divides opinion, but that was always the plan.
"As a new player in the global bicycle market we realised that we needed to revamp our product performance from an aesthetic point of view," says Zendy Renan, Polygon's product development manager. "We wanted to create a bike that you'd either like or hate. The purpose was to gain traction by creating a buzz."
"I love how it's a bit of a Marmite bike," says Sam. "You either love the style or you hate it, but either way, people always seem to be pretty opinionated about it. I think it looks rad - like a spaceship or something!"
Enduro ambitions
Part of the reason for the bike's unique look is Polygon's FS3 suspension system - a 'floating shock' design aimed at making this long-travel machine pedal as efficiently as possible. "Our main goal was to optimise anti-squat (a force used by suspension designers to limit pedalling-induced bob) and minimise pedalling kickback around the 650b wheel size," says Zendy. "We increased anti-squat to around the 100% level even when the bike is reaching 40 to 60 per cent of its travel, because we found that enduro riders were pedalling hard not just on the flat sections but on the rough sections as well."
He adds: "We also adjusted the main pivot location [compared to the previous Collosus] in order to modify the wheel travel path and reduce chain growth in the last section of its travel, reducing pedal kickback and helping to reduce fatigue in the rider's legs on rougher trails."
So, will we see Sam hitting the enduro scene any time soon? "Well, I was going to say'absolutely not, but thinking about it, I've heard those Enduro World Series guys like to party and have fun so maybe I could go and check out a race or two? As long as there's a big enough jump somewhere on the course so I can throw in a few whips or flips so I don't get bored!"
ENDURO READY
With
its carbon frame, ISCG-05 chain guide tabs, 12x142mm rear end and
internal cable routing for a 'stealth' dropper seatpost, the Collosus N9
has all the features any enduro racer could ask for
FLAT OUT
The 'flattened' end to the swingarm has been designed to increase stiffness and provide a solid clamping area for the rear through-axle.
TAKING NO CHANCES
Sam runs a 1x10 drivetrain made up of an e*thirteen TRS crankset and LG1 chain guide paired with a Shimano cassette, chain, shifter and clutch rear mech, ensuring that his chain stays on over even the roughest terrain.
FLOATER
Aluminium links attached to the forward tips of the swingarm and chainstay compress the 'floating' rear shock from both ends, giving Polygon more control over the suspension curve and helping to isolate the damper from pedalling and braking forces.
HIP TO BE SQUARE
It's not just the rear end that looks unusual. The Collosus also has a huge rectangular head tube junction that helps to increase torsional stiffness - and to make the N9 stand out from the crowd.
DEMON DAMPING
"The bike's BOS suspension is next level. I can't even explain how good the Deville fork and Kirk shock are - you'll just have to try them to believe what I'm saying," says Sam about his special French dampers.
PRICE: 5799$ (with SRAM XX1 and Fox suspension)
