* Dimensions in millimeters unless otherwise stated

Components

Recommended Components

COMPONENT Torque Values

These specifications are guidelines. Check component manuals for more details.

Recommended Chemicals

	We recommend the following chemicals:
Headset bearing installation	Park Tool HPG-1
Axle and linkage installation	Park Tool HPG-1
Frame cleaning (grease, fingerprints, dirt)	Muc-OFF biodegradable Nano Tech Bike Cleaner
Linkage bearings (for bearing outer race)	Loctite 641

	Do not use copper paste or any other product not mentioned in the instructions during the assembly.
	Avoid excessive use of brake cleaners and solvents.
	Do NOT grease seatpost

Assembly

Check Pole Bicycle Company on YouTube for more tips and instructions!

Check recommended chemicals and torque values from the previous chapter. The bike should be assembled by an experienced bike mechanic.

Preparations and Frame

First, remove the frame and all components from the shipping box and/or parts boxes. 

Attach the frame to a bike stand via the seatpost.

NEVER clamp the frame by the top tube.

Seatpost and Saddle

Install the saddle on the seatpost and snug up the railss

Place the dropper post cable end in the slot in the bottom of the post and pull the cable housing in place.

Insert the seatpost in the seat tube. Help the cable, by pulling slightly from the lever end.

Adjust the position and inclination of the saddle and tighten the rails.

Adjust the height of the seat and tighten the seat post clamp. Tighten the rearward bolt first, then tighten the forward one. 

Note the indicated minimum insertion depth on your seatpost.If you are using fixed seat post, insert it minimum of 100 mm deep

Rear Derailleur

Attach the included rear derailleur to the derailleur hanger. Make sure the b-tension adjuster is seated properly on the hanger tab and torque the derailleur fixing bolt to spec.

Fork

Insert lower headset bearing on the steerer tube. 

Apply a small amount of grease into both headset cups.

Slide the fork through the headtube. 

Place the upper bearing over the steerer tube and into its cup.

Assemble headset compression ring / dust cap and some of the included stem spacers on the headset.

Place the stem on the steerer tube and place the rest of the spacers on the steerer tube.

Torque the top cap to spec.

Line up your handlebars with the fork and torque up the stem pinch bolts to spec. Make sure to tighten the bolts  gradually and evenly. Finally tighten the top cap a little to keep it getting loose.

Double check stem tightness to avoid risk of injury!

Handlebar

Attach your rear brake lever loosely on the right side of the handlebar.Place your shifter on the handlebar, right of the right brake lever. Or with a matchmaker clamp together with brake lever.Attach your front brake lever loosely on the left side of the handlebar.Place your dropper lever on the left side of the handle bar.Slide on the grips and tighten to spec.Adjust everything to your preferred setting and tighten to spec.

Brakes

Assemble the rear brake caliper on its mount and screw the bolts in so that the caliper moves left and right freely.

After assembling the rear wheel, press the rear brake and tighten two bolts to spec while holding the brake.

Repeat the procedure on your front brake.

Place your front brake hose on the hose clamp located on the left fork leg. Tighten the crew to spec.

In case your brakes rub excessively you may center it manually by loosening one bolt at the time and tweaking the caliper by hand.

Front Wheel

Take out the brake pad spacer from the front brake caliper.

Apply a thin layer of grease on the Maxle front axle. 

Insert the front wheel in the fork paying attention to placing the brake rotor carefully between the brake pads.

Push the front axle to its place and tighten to spec. In case your fork has a quick release axle, adjust the lever following manufacturer instructions, so it’s parallel with the fork leg when properly fastened.

Rear Wheel

Take out the brake pad spacer from the rear brake calliper.

Put the rear derailleur to its service position by pushing the cage forward and locking it in place with the lock button.

Apply a thin layer of grease on the rear axle. 

Insert the rear wheel in place paying attention to placing the brake rotor carefully between the brake pads.

Push the rear axle to its place and tighten to spec.

Chain

Make sure the shifter is in its highest gear.

Put the rear derailleur to its service position by pushing the cage forward and locking it in place with the lock button.

Route the chain around the  smallest cog on the rear cassette into the rear derailleur paying attention to the guide tab and narrow wide tooth profile on the lower jockey.

Place the chain over the front sprocket through the chain guide minding the narrow wide tooth profile.

Connect the two ends of the chain with the masterlink paying attention to its orientation and pull on the chain until the master link clicks to place. 

Release the derailleur from its service lock by pushing the cage forwards and releasing it.

Pedals

The Pole Vikkelä does not come with pedals. We recommend Crankbrothers or Shimano pedals. Use a torque wrench when installing the pedals.
Check toe clearance between your shoes and front tire. There should be at least 100 mm clearance between shoes and the front tire.

Lights and Reflectors

We don’t supply the Pole Vikkelä with lights or reflectors due to the nature of its intended use. If you are using your Vikkelä on public roads, please comply with local and regional requirements for lighting and reflectors; we recommend using lights matching ISO 5742-1 and reflectors following E IV A specifications.

It is the sole responsibility of the rider to take adequate measures to comply with local and regional requirements regarding lights and reflectors. Pole Bicycles are not responsible for the rider/ owner’s choice and use of lights and reflector equipment.
Check your local requirements for lighting and reflectors.

Setup

To get the most out of your Pole Vikkelä, follow these instructions carefully!

Tire Pressure

Check that your tire pressures are suitable for the terrain. Tire sidewalls are marked with the minimum and maximum tire pressures. For example, 1.6 bar (23 psi) is a good starting pressure for tires. Next, adjust your tire pressure to your weight. Tire pressure plays a critical role in how your bike handles. Overinflated tires can cause a harsh ride, and you may also lose traction. Your tire pressure should be set as low as possible without puncturing, damaging rims, burping tubeless, or tires rolling sideways. Huck Norris is a great product that can help you lower tire pressure without damaging tires or rims.

Do not exceed the maximum inflation pressure stated or your tire or rim

Suspension Air Pressures

Before riding, check and adjust your shock seated SAG to 30%.

Suspension

Your bike should be responsive. If your suspension is set too soft, you will have performance issues like using too much travel, losing speed, or in the worst-case scenario, excess nose-diving during braking or jumping. When increasing the spring rate, you must remember to add more rebound damping (Turn rebound knob clockwise). If there is not enough rebound damping, the bike will feel like a pogo stick. Too much rebound damping and the suspension will feel dead and lifeless on the trail. Between these two scenarios is a responsive, stable, and playful setup. 

If you follow all of the above and encounter loss of traction at the front wheel, try to add one or two clicks of low-speed compression. The reason behind this might be that your fork is compressing too early in the corner. On a long bike, it’s not as easy to load the front end as much, so it’s easier to add more compression damping.

Fork 

Many suspension forks have a table printed on the lower legs that have recommended settings on setting up the air pressure using psi/kg(lbs) and the rider’s weight. The markings will help set up the forks at a basic level, but even if you aren’t an enthusiast tuner, you should pay attention to your bike and how it rides and adjust as required. You can get so much more from your bike after understanding why it has a 1000$ fork and not a 400$ fork. Fine-tuning is key to getting the best performance from your equipment.

Sag

The first step for a good setup with bicycle suspension is the sag. Rock Shox explains sag as; the amount of travel, measured as a percentage of total travel, that the suspension compresses when the rider, including gear, is on the bicycle in the normal riding position. Setting the correct sag allows the suspension to actuate effectively and efficiently. So in practice; Gear up, put your bike near something you can lean against, push the rubber band/o-ring on your fork’s stanchion down to the bottom, and gently climb on your bike. With fork sag, you should stand on your pedals to put a little bit more weight on the front wheel so that you are in a fast riding/attack position, ready to take on some hits. Carefully climb off the bike and check where the rubber band/o-ring has moved to. If the rubber band shows that the sag is between 10% to 20%, the bike will feel fast and grip nicely. However, on the other hand, the ride might feel too harsh for longer rides, and if the sag is too low, you might start to lose trail grip. If your sag is between 20% to 30%, you might lose a bit of the high-speed grip, but the ride will be much smoother. On the other hand, too much sag will cause the fork to bottom out on harder hits. Unfortunately, there is always a compromise, and there is no exception in the case of a full-suspension bike. Your fork setup is linked to your rear suspension if you have a full-suspension bike. The basic rule here is to adjust the suspension so that when you are bouncing on your bike, both the shock and fork should feel like they are traveling as much as possible. If it feels like your fork dives, you should add more air and vice versa.

Ok, that is the first step toward your fork tuning. However, there are a few more steps to take. For example, Rock Shox has several tuning options in their forks: rebound, low-speed compression, high-speed compression, threshold, and lockout. And if you have some other manufacturers fork, they may have some other names to add to the list.

Rebound

All good forks should have rebound adjustment. Rebound adjustment affects the speed of the fork extending after it compresses during a hit (e.g. how fast the fork bounces back from an impact). If you have adjusted the rebound so that the fork bounces back too rapidly, the bike might be hard to handle on rough trail sections, and you might lose control. On the other hand, if the rebound is adjusted too slow, the fork might not extend fast enough for the next hit or compression. There is no right or wrong setup here. Generally, a completely open or closed rebound is not a good setup. Otherwise, it mainly depends on how you ride and what makes you feel comfortable. The markings are slightly different for rebound adjustment, depending on the fork manufacturer. RockShox has a turtle and a rabbit, and it is straightforward to understand. The rabbit makes the fork bounce back faster and the turtle slower. However, Fox suspension uses + and – markings which are a little more confusing. The + symbol here doesn’t make the fork faster. Instead, it adds more resistance, so your fork has a slower rebound.

Low-Speed Compression (LSC)

The next step towards a better performing fork is low-speed compression (LSC) adjustment. LSC works, as the name suggests, at low speed when the shock is compressing slowly (you can still ride fast though!). First impressions of LSC adjustment you can feel when pedaling the bike. If it feels like your fork doesn’t carry the weight of the movement when you pedal, your LSC is adjusted too soft.

High-Speed Compression (HSC)

Most advanced forks have a high-speed compression (HSC) adjustment. HSC starts to work when the pressure rises too high for the LSC valve. This happens on square edged hits, when the shock or forks shaft speed increases rapidly.

Compression setup

As a rule of thumb, the less compression damping you can get away with, the more comfortable your bicycle feels. Unlike motorcycles, bikes have less sprung mass. Therefore you’ll do the most work on compressing the shocks on an impact. More work for you means a harsher ride. Also, with less compression damping, the higher frequency impacts negatively affect your body while riding.

Rear Shock 

We have designed Pole bikes so that the recommended sag for the shock is 30%. As described previously in the Fork section, sag is how much your fork/shock sinks into its travel by having your body weight on it. All rear shocks have a rubber o-ring around their stanchion tube which is used as a travel indicator. Coil shocks have a larger bumper rubber, which helps if your shock bottoms out.

Some examples: RockShox uses a red rubber o-ring. RockShox also has the measurements in the shock stanchion. EXT has a wider yellow bumper rubber which is also used as a travel indicator. With EXT, you need to estimate the 30% sag or measure it with tape. Cane Creek uses a similar system to RockShox with a black rubber o-ring. Again, you need to estimate the 30% sag or measure it with a tape measure like the EXT shock.

The basics of setting up the sag are the same with all shocks; Slide the travel indicator against the damper. There are many other adjustments to your shock other than the travel indicator in most cases. Usually, there is at least a rebound damping adjustment. At this point, we suggest that you either open all the adjustments or leave them set in the middle. The only exception is if your shock has a three-stage switch to select the lock-climb-open mode. To set the sag you must put the shock in open mode.

1. Sit on your saddle and carefully lift your feet for a second to put your whole weight on the bike. Try not to bounce when doing this.

2. If the travel indicator shows that the sag is over 30%, you will need to add more pressure to your shock. In the case of a coil, you should replace it with a stiffer rating spring.

Saddle

Your saddle position depends on your riding style. Position on the rails. If you ride uphills mostly, your saddle should be adjusted as far forward on the rails as possible. If you ride on flat sections, you want your saddle moved slightly further back to get better balance for pedaling. If you want a more upright posture for ergonomic reasons, push the saddle forwards.

Saddle angle. If you ride only lift-assisted trails, the saddle nose angle should be pointing upwards more. The reason for this is that your bike points downhill for the vast majority of the ride, and you want to be able to sit on a level saddle. If you ride flat trails, your saddle should be parallel to the ground. If you ride up and down mountains mostly, your saddle nose angle should be pointing downwards slightly. When climbing, this helps save energy by keeping your position on the saddle level. If you ride very steep sections, it helps if you lower the seat 20-30mm from your ideal pedaling position height.

Handlebar

When your seat is positioned correctly, handlebar height determines how much your body weight is distributed to the front wheel. If you feel that your front end is too light and the steering feels twitchy when ascending, remove one 5mm spacer at a time from under the stem on the steerer tube to the top of the stem. For some riders, it helps to move the handlebar higher to get more grip to the front wheel. If your riding style is more rear balanced, lifting the bars can give you more pressure on your front wheel due to better weight distribution. This is a good indicator for the right handlebar height for descending. The more upright you can stand without losing traction on the front wheel, the better. Make sure that your handlebar’s backsweep is also pointing in the right direction. The most common mistake is to turn the handlebars so that the backsweep becomes upsweep. Instead, the handlebars should be set horizontally towards your body.

Levers and Triggers

Check your brake lever position. You should be able to reach the levers with your index fingers. The brake levers can be moved along and rotated around the handlebars, and the lever’s ‘reach’ can be adjusted with a tool or by hand. The brake lever position depends on riding style and hand size. The brake levers should be adjusted level to the ground more than pointing downwards. Adjusting your levers right helps your arms relax and shifts your weight from the front of the bike when braking on descents.

Riding

Maximum weight for Pole Vikkelä  is 140 kg (bike, rider and equipment).

Normal Operation

Before riding, check the bike visually, check tire pressures and test the brakes and suspension for any odd behaviour. Be careful especially when braking, turning, at high speeds or jumping.

Check your component manufacturer for instructions on proper usage.

• Do not use child-seats, bicycle trailers or trailer bicycles with the Pole Vikkelä.
• Study usage of your quick-release pedals if used. Note that in unexpected events these pedals can cause you to fall more easily.
• Bike components, such as brakes, can reach high temperatures when riding. Be careful when touching the components after a ride.

Maintenance

	Do not use repair stands or other equipment to clamp your frame. Lift and hang the bike from the handlebars and saddle.
	Never use high heat on the frame. It may damage the electrophoretic coating or adhesive.

Cleaning After Riding

After every use of the product, we recommend a thorough wash using generous amounts of clean water. After washing, clean your bicycle with a soft cloth and a bicycle cleaner or a solution of soap and water. Do not use industrial solvents or harsh chemicals that can damage the coatings and surfaces, or moving parts. Do not aim high-pressure water directly at bearings, suspension components or stickers.

Periodical Maintenance

Bicycle service requires special knowledge and tools and should be performed by a professional bicycle mechanic. This user manual is to be used in conjunction with the manuals supplied by the component manufacturers. If you did not receive the manual provided by the component manufacturer, you can download the materials from the Internet or contact your professional mechanic. Consult your professional mechanic to create a maintenance plan and refer to the Maintenance Schedule as a guide for frequent inspection, service, and replacement of parts.

Maintenance Schedule

This list provides some guidelines on maintenance but is not to be considered a complete inspection. Following these guidelines will help maintain the performance of your bicycle and prevent more serious problems from arising. It is important to remember that service intervals can vary depending on climate, trail conditions, and riding frequency. For service instructions for your specific components, visit the manufacturer’s website. If you detect any problems with your bike, and you are not able to repair them, take your bike to your authorised mechanic for service.

Before Every Ride
1. Check the frame and fork for signs of stress:scratches, cracks, dents, deformation or discoloration. Inspect the chainstay guard and ensure it is correctly and securely attached.
2. Check that the wheels are true/straight.
3. Check the tire pressure.
4. Check the brakes, including brake pads and brake lines.
5. Check that both wheels are secure.
6. Check that the handlebar and stem are correctly positioned and inspect for signs of stress: scratches, cracks, dents, deformities, and discoloration.
7. Check that the suspension settings are right for you.
8. Check that the lighting system and reflectors are in good working order.
9. Check that the saddle and seatpost are correctly positioned and tightened.
10. Check for smooth shifting operation.
11. Lubricate the chain.

Weekly
1. Check that all bolts are tightened to proper torque specifications. Make sure to include pedals and any accessories or luggage carriers.
2. Check frame linkage axles tightening torques.
3. Check the rims and spokes for damage.
4. Clean the bicycle.5. Check the tires for damage and wear.
6. Clean dust seals on suspension.

Monthly
1. Check the shifter and brake cables for wear.
2. Check that the bottom bracket is tightened to the proper torque specifications.
3. Check that the headset is adjusted correctly.
4. Check that the chain is tensioned correctly.
5. Check the chainstay guard and bottom bracket guard (if applicable) for wear.
6. Check the brake pads thickness.

Every Three Months
1. Inspect the drivetrain for wear.
2. Inspect the crank arms and pedals.
3. Check tire sealant levels.
4. Inspect suspension parts for wear.

Annually
1. Annual servicing at your dealer: overhaul service and inspection of the frame, suspension, and all other components. Repair, service, and/or replace parts as needed.
2. Clean and lubricate all parts as recommended by your component manufacturer’s instructions or consult your dealer.
3. Check for service instructions and intervals for your frame at www.polebicycles.com.

All components are subjected to wear and high stresses. Materials and components may react to wear or stress fatigue in different ways. If thedesign life of a component has been exceeded, it may fail causing injuries.

Any form of crack, scratches or change of colouring in highly stressed areasindicate that the life of the component has been reached and it should bereplaced.

Use only genuine replacement parts!
preferably using identical parts when replacing worn or broken parts.

Most parts have product identification information and more details can be found in this manual, refer to chapter ‘Components’. If unavailable or you have additional questions contact our support for more details at helpdesk@polebicycles.com.

Brake Maintenance and Pad Replacement

Inspect disc brake pads for wear every month. When the thickness of the backing plate and pad material is 3 mm or less, they are worn and need to be replaced with new disc brake pads. If you notice any impared performance, sticking brakes, or non-typical noise check brakes. Contact your local bike shop, manufacturer manuals or Pole support for further information.

Pad Replacement
1. Remove wheel.
2. Remove pin with needle pliers.
3. Remove pad retention bolt from the caliper with 2.5mm allen key.
4. Remove the brake pads and pad H-spring from the caliper.
5. Push pistons back with a soft tool.
6. Install new pads and spring.
7. Install pad retention bolt with 2.5mm allen key.
8. Insert safety pin.
9. Install wheel and test ride.

Gear Adjustment

Typically gear adjustment is not commonly needed, with a new bike there might be more frequent need. Typically it is needed to adjust only cable tightness as it sets and stretches over time. The cable is adjusted from the trigger end on the handlebar. Small adjustments of 0.5-1 turns are usually sufficient.

With Sram AXS shifter, press and hold the AXS button underside the shifter and simultaneously press the paddle downwards, or upwards to make an adjustment. 

Check the manufacturer manuals and website for more information on adjustment on low and high limit screw adjustments. Check your local bike shop or Pole Bicycles support for further recommendations.

Handlebar and Stem

Check rigidness and tightness of the handlebar and surrounding components. They are critical to ensure proper steering and braking performance.

Wheelset

Check wheels visually for any cracks or deformations. If the wheel isn’t true or there are loose spokes contact your local bike shop for assistance.

Spare Parts

Use only genuine replacement parts!Prefer using identical parts when replacing worn or broken parts.

Most parts have product identification information and more details can be found in this manual, refer to chapter “Components”. If unavailable or you have additional questions contact our support for more details.

Incidental Damage

Do not let your bicycle fall. Do not set your bicycle down with the frame or derailleur touching the ground. Use care with car racks and work stands. Clamping devices, such as those found on a work stand or car carrier, can cause damage to the paint or tubes of bicycle frames. To hold the bicycle for repairs, clamp the seatpost. To hold the bicycle for transportation on a motor vehicle, clamp the bicycle by the wheels or fork. If you accidentally apply a bending force to the fork, do not ride the bicycle until your retailer has inspected the fork for damage. The finish, or paint, on your bicycle can be damaged by chemicals (including some sports drinks) or abrasive contact. Dirt can scratch or remove paint (and even frame material), especially where a cable rubs or a strap is placed around a tube. Keep the bicycle clean. Use adhesive tape to prevent rubbing in critical spots.

Transport

When packaging your bicycle for travel, use a hard case or carton that will protect it from damage. Attach padding to all of the frame and fork tubes. Use a rigid block to protect the fork tips and maintain structural support of the fork lowers. If the bicycle is not packaged correctly, it could be easily damaged in transit. If you are not sure, ask your local bicycle accessory or service retailer to package your bicycle for you. For our travels, we use EVOC BIKE TRAVEL BAG PRO.

Storage

Store your bicycle in a dry shelter where it will not be an obstruction and has protection from dangerous conditions. Do not park your bicycle near electric motors; ozone from motors can damage rubber and paint. Rain, salty water or snow can cause the metal on your bicycle to corrode. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can fade the paint and crack the rubber or plastic on your bicycle. Before you put away your bicycle for an extended time, clean and service it. Hang your bicycle off the ground with the tires at approximately half the recommended inflation pressure. Before you ride your bicycle again, be sure it operates correctly.

Recycling And Regulatory Information

Battery and Electrical Components

Do not dispose of batteries, chargers or other electrical components in household trash! Check your local regulations on recycling the items.

Frame

Frame is AW-7075 aluminum with a thin layer of electrophoretic clear coat. Check your local regulations and recommendations on recycling aluminum. Bearings and bushings also contain steel and other materials.

Components

Most bicycle components have high metal content and can be recycled as metal. Check your local regulations on any restrictions and recommendations.

Tires and Inner Tubes

Check your local regulations and availability for recycling bicycle tires.