2023 Polygon

XTRADA 24

Xtrada literally translates to crossroads. And that can be interpreted a couple of different ways. Did Polygon intend the Xtrada 5 to meet at the intersection between on and off road riding? Or did it simply take the wrong road when speccing the 2×10 drivetrain?  We’re convinced it’s the latter. Because if you ignore the front derailleur for a second and take a closer look at the frame design, it’s clear that the Xtrada 5 has the most modern layout in class.  Best hardtail mountain bikes: reviewed and rated by experts Not only does this 29er have the slackest steering geometry for stability at speed, but it also has the lowest top tube and shortest seat tube. So if your feet do get blown off the pedals, you have a way better chance of riding home with your private parts intact.  Shift your focus to the rear of the bike and you’ll instantly notice a big disparity in size between the chainstays and the seatstays. The chunky chainstays provide direct power transfer from the pedals to the rear wheel, while the slender seat stays deliver a modicum of comfort from bumps transmitted from the rear wheel. Comfort that’s enhanced further by the slender 27.2in seat post when sat down pedalling.  The frame also has internal routing for a dropper post, and given the increased availability of affordable 27.2in droppers, it doesn’t spell the death knell it once did for a trail bike.  Best mountain bikes under £1000: brilliant bargain bikes Suspension Up front, the Xtrada 5 gets a 120mm travel Suntour XCM-HLO Coil fork, which is identical to the fork on the Jamis. It’s friction damped but it’s still pretty sensitive so it does a good job of eliminating a lot of the trail chatter before it gets transmitted to your hands. The fork gets a tapered steerer tube to bolster steering precision but the lower legs are an open dropout design so use a traditional quick release skewer rather than a stiffer bolt-thru axle. Flick the lock out lever on fork for a stint of blacktop and the mechanical top-out clunk when you hit a bump serves as a poignant reminder to open up the fork again as soon as you get off road.  Components The Entity 760mm bar and stubby 45mm stem enhanced the control and blend perfectly with the frame dimensions, even if the stem is somewhat at odds with the more XC focused 2×10 drivetrain.  Now, having two chainrings up front definitely gives the Xtrada 5 the widest gear range in test. Just don’t take that as a plus point, though, unless of course you plan on using the Polygon exclusively for commuting duties. Get the Xtrada off road and on trails that aren’t billiard table smooth, you are guaranteed to find the chain dangling off the chainset at the bottom of every descent. It’s mega frustrating, and not something we usually have to deal with as all modern mountain bikes have 1x drivetrains. It should …Continue reading »

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