Lots of people can afford a $10.000 bike. The problem is its a bicycle and if you look at expensive ones their is no value in them. My 3 bikes cost $8000/$10.000/$10.000 NZD. They are custom for me but have little value for other people.
I put in an order for a Voima at the start in December last year.... Payed in full too, they told me they were waiting for parts.. Payed on my debit card too. Absolutley gutted/fuming :/
Wait, what, seems like that hard to use website, impossible to understand sizing, and $12k bikes with no customer service with online shaming customers for failures didn't pay off. Never woulda guessed lol. A simple google search will result in enough evidence for any responsible consumer to be like oh hell no I'm not buying from them and the fact this channel gave them this much sympathy has me dumbfounded.
Further to my last comment - it concerns me that there are a lot of people out there like myself that have lost enormous amounts of money on undelivered orders (which Leo didn't address), yet the site is STILL live now on the 18th April and still probably taking orders ... Where's the holding page with a message from Leo??? This simply isn't acceptable. More people will lose their hard earned cash. 😠
Someone wrote that thretening them with the finnish customer service or such helped them recieve their money back from a order where they hadnt gotten the bike
So so gutted to hear this Rob, Leo looks absolutely heartbroken. I hope he gets to read comments on your video, I wish him and all the Pole guys all the best for the future and I'm sure this won't be the end of his radical bike designs.
You should see how the people look who paid money to him and have still not received their bike yet. I like the innovation in the bike but as to Leo being sad, remember he was still taking money from people that he already knew would never get a bike. That's a dirty thing to do.
Friday 19th of April. Just looked on their website and I can order a new Voima. It says delivery will be in May. Comes with a five year warranty too for complete peace of mind, which is nice... The site needs closing down immediately.
Yeah, if they can't make it. They will send you nothing. But taking your money, for what? Close it would be wise. Zero info about refunds. Basically is a scam site now?
Good call. The direct communication and updates has always been one of the things I REALLY appreciated from Pole. It's a far different vibe than someone like Specialized or Trek.
In my opinion Leo fronting the public image of Pole has been a real factor limiting their success. He's a great rider and makes some fast bikes, but not the greatest person to build hype and positive image
Leo is a thief! he collected money from lots of orders without sending them.. and recent orders! It’s not going to happen like that! And not answering at customers mails
Unfortunately, as exciting and capable as these bikes were in the eMTB market. You have to question the operating ethics of some or all of the people involved. They were happy to take my deposit 2 months ago, customer support playing along with my enquiries about where my order was, instead of refunding me. Most notably, Chris Wright, their UK representative was pushing me to pay the full remaining balance "in order to secure a manufacturing slot" as late as March 27th. I recommend you all keep your eyes open for where such people land their next job in the bike industry and be extremely wary
Usually, when things like this are happening the people working customer facing roles are the last to know since, if info of a looming bankrupcy were to get out before it's absolutely necessary to file for, it would definitely kill the business even earlier.
Not saying that happened here but in general be careful with your sympathies for companies that go bankrupt. Give it a minute for story to be told in full.
Disappointingly little mention for those of us - like me - who have just unknowingly paid into an insolvent company who took my payment but now got nothing and will almost certainly lose that money. There should have been more focus on the gravity of that for people who paid and got nothing
@@christopherroberts22 I didn't expect you to have an actual answer :) btw I didn't buy in, but just funny to see the hindsight warriors in the comments.
So, let me get this straight. Pole announces bankruptcy. And they still taking orders. How the Hell did he not mentioned anything about the customers who already sent their money. Do they get a refund, or 'thx, for your money, bye'? Anything. What kind of communication is this?! Should be the first, and most important! Heck, I almost bought one. I was eyeing with a Voima couple of days ago. :O
I have failed more times than I have reached success- don’t look down upon yourself-you either reach the goal or learn never take an L as a loss… it’s learning
and for people like me who placed an order for a Voima in March, how is it going? because they already knew that in March things were not going well! and they took the order and collected my money! 9363 euros.. how do we do it?? He doesn't even talk about it!!
And their site is still taking orders. Yep, feel much more sorry for the people that have outstanding orders with them. Your bank may be able to reclaim the money. Good luck.
Get details of the administrator or receiver - the person (Lawyers) or company who is dealing with settling the trader’s debts. The names of those administrators will usually be on the website of the company that’s gone bust. You’ll need this information if you need to make a claim.
I see the same mistakes happening over and over, small growing company gets too ahead of itself and splashing cash it can't afford instead of doing the basics well it all comes down to piss poor management and priorities.
So upsetting - they have my order for a Sonni - this bike was going to be a game changer for me and I was so excited about it's arrival - I'm guessing I've lost all the money on the order ... I know that pales into insignificance in relation to the problems the guys at Pole have but it still hurts. 😥
I’m still amazed at the beauty and award winning Machine every time I ride it. Thank you Leo and Pole staff for creating such incredible and timeless bikes.
That was really sad! I have seriously been following them for the last month or so. Because I was just facinated with the bike and the production process! I do hope someone can help them out and get Pole up and running again!
Absolutely gutted about this. Hopefully someone can come in and finance them or buy them out. Some of the most incredible, unique bikes. They deserve to be a major player.
A bike review of a Pole bike was something that inspired me to start riding again after 20 years of being away. Although I wasn't in a position to purchase one, it was always a company and a bike I looked up to. So sorry to hear this is happening and wish all those connected with the company and their families good fortune in the future!
Part of the problem was the Covid turmoil where everyone bought bikes due to boredom to then realise that it takes a ton of time to develop the skills and endurance to enjoy MTBing as now the market is flooded with practically brand new , used bikes as most of these people quit after 2 or 3 rides. The other problem that nobody seems to mention is that E-Bikes are taking over as the average American is lazy these days. Residing in the small city of Manchester NH , where I ride through the city and all the local rail trails about 4-5 times a week to build up endurance for my bike packing and mountain biking adventures. I've noticed that about 50% of people are now riding E-bikes . The majority of the E-bikes that I see are not quality bike store bikes , as most are cheap Amazon E-bikes. Suspension bikes are also highly overpriced to the point of highway robbery, since you can get a brand new HONDA 250f Dirt Bike for $5,000, which requires considerably more material, parts, and labor to produce. They're also heavy and shipped in a wooden box crate, which isn't cheap. There's no full suspension bike on the planet that should cost more than $5,000, unless it is a one-of-a-kind custom frame build as MTB'ers have fallen victim to marketing. For example , why does one aluminum seatpost cost $35 and the other $150? Is it special Aluminum mined from the moon? No it has a fancy brand name and consumers think it'll make you go faster due to being brainwashed by marketing.
Damn. I can't thank you enough for your true innovative spirit and the vision you've brought about geometries these past 10 years. I hope the best for you Leo, and obviously for the whole Pole crew. It's really sad you're going down when so many bullshit mtb companies outsourcing their frames from TW continue to pop here and there.
Very disappointing news incredibly Interesting and beautiful designs..but .. the stories of people placing orders within the last 3-6 months or less, now with little to no chance of getting their bikes or possibly money back is very concerning, terribly disappointing and tends to reflect very badly on the ownership and management. There is no way they did not know this was coming as they kept accepting orders ..
The human face of how much some people give to their product. It is so easy to be critical or to assume that manufacturers are trying to exploit your wallet, but many of these companies are initially driven by someone with passion and total dedication. And don't forget that not everything can be said, since Leo does not own the company, and he wants a good outcome for his legacy. Scaling is really, really hard and fraught with pitfalls.
Nooo! Heartbreaking! Love my Evolink, was saving up for an Onni... All the best to you and yours. Leo, you have been a true visionary. Take this in your stride, regroup, start again. You have so much creativity to contribute to the world. You will get through this. All the best my man! -Collin
Ah, this is indeed a sad day. Pole really needs to be a presence on the bike manufacturing scene. Their beauty alone will be missed. I'm sure I speak for many, you are going to be sorely missed. 😢
Wow, that's really sad and shocking to hear. Especially after your recent video about the UK hub, and appearances that Pole was expanding. I could only imagine what Leo put into this company, and how hard it must be to let go. I've always loved their small unique style, and having a bike from Finland is pretty cool. Their engineering and manufacturing methods are second to none. When I first saw Rob's review I knew I had to have the Voima. It just made so much sense for the East Coast US to have a bike with tons of travel, a strong Bosch motor, and a high bottom bracket. ... Hopefully some miracle comes along where someone purchases the company, keeps Leo on as lead engineer, and the rest of the team as well. Maybe wishful thinking. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it's a shame that they were unable to make it work despite impressive growth. Leo is right; people are really getting crunched financially, our purchasing power is getting reduced by the minute, and the world is pretty unstable in general. Too bad he can't print endless money like the US government does. I always felt they struggled to get significantly positive press in the bike industry; something that I consider essential, especially for a small brand that is direct to consumer. I'm sure Leo can get hired but someone, but maybe not a bicycle industry in Finland, and undoubtedly many jobs will be lost. ... From a selfish perspective I'm sitting on a very expensive bike that I am still paying off, with a clear drop in value, even beyond what is already the case for a boutique bike in today's world. Hopefully there is still a chance to pickup some parts like bearings and maybe a swingarm for my Voima. If anything goes significantly wrong many customers will be sitting on a useless hunk of metal that cost several thousand dollars for just the frame. I'm not even sure what frame I could use the parts on, with such massive travel and all. I'm not blaming anyone, it's just legitimately a problem. ... It has been great to have an identity in Pole bicycles, an awesome CEO who is a heck of a racer, and a super loyal and helpful customer base. Fingers crossed and best wishes to everyone at Pole.
so sad to hear this pole bikes were amazing but honestly the bike industry is on its knees iv never seen it in such a mess its heart breaking to see it like this personally i can see more brands leaving .
Honestly gutted at this v sad news.... Just to think of what might have been 😭.....the Voima is a truly aspirational creation..... the most stunning of EMBs which could have easily doubled as a work of art... my dream bike in fact......its singularly daring & artistically sculpted lines made me look twice more than once! Simply jaw-dropping .... IMHO the best looking emb around at the moment.....I'm sure I'm not the only ebiker who has wished that I could have owned one of these outstanding Beasts. With an added belt drive & Pinion gear system & I would have exultantly blitzed the Trail to Paradise itself! RIP Pole. Thanks for taking the risk.
Can't imagine how hard this has been for Leo and his team who have poured heart and sole into the company. Pole's innovation and products are amazing. Best of luck - hopefully they will be able to regroup with an alternate investor/purchase option.
No way, thats shocking. They were making some of the most interesting and innovative bikes on the market, super sad to see. Tough times... Wish the team all the best.
Hey Rob, Why don’t you ask him “why is your website still up and you are still taking orders?” Then post the video of that response right away. If you don’t do this then I think that nobody will understand. It’s a sad story when a company goes bankrupt but it will be sadder if those that continue to place orders don’t know what’s going on or do not receive their product or a combination of those. What are your thoughts on this?
The checkout process is impossible. I checked almost immediately after I made this video as someone mentioned the same, and it was not possible to pay. Go try it - you are able to add to basket, but unable to complete the checkout / pay.
Considering the income in Finland, engineering and machining time of a frame like that and of course the raw material they need the price for the bike doesn’t seems to be overpriced to me. Especially not if you compare it to other name brand carbon bikes that produce is Asia. Also telling the guy in the video who’s obviously really upset about loosing his company that “he is the problem” is nothing but rude.
@@BiecherBender Agreed. The bikes are very expensive, but so are a lot of other bikes. The entry level package was actually pretty affordable, so it seems that the parts are just really expensive. When you have a small brand that is trying to grow, especially in a country like Finland who I would assume has good labor practices and wages, it's going to cost a little more.
@@aggropa agree as well, standard components from rock shox, fox, shimano get much cheaper when you buy a huge volume. That is another challenge for small brands.
@@BiecherBender he IS the problem. There is not a bike on the planet WORTH £10K, not one - this insane race to the top of the tech pile, for a concept that was perfected 40 years ago is MENTAL - we need good, reliable bikes that do the job of getting us around and around the trails - the mental part is I bet his bikes broke down all the time!
@@TetsugakuSan sorry but I don’t get your point at all. There are cheaper and very good options on the market. It’s like you are getting mad that there are premium options on the market. You do realise that you don’t have to buy these bikes, right :D Or explain me why a premium niche manufacturer is responsible for the prices on the market?
Sad news. All the best to the team of Pole. I hope the story goes on some day. Finland is perhaps one of the worst places to manufacture anything. Taxes are simply too high in Finland.
Leo- So my $1000 deposit? Thank goodness I never sent the balance until you produced a definitive ship date. Now I have a small fortune of parts sitting in a box in the garage. Should of went Nicolai as I was leaning towards.
Exactly the same for me. Fully paid for stock of the highest end components sat in storage waiting for the frame. I'm always cautious, so only paid the deposit about 2 months ago. Nevertheless their UK rep, Chris Wright, was pushing me for the full balance as late as March 27th. We're both now going to lose more money by having to sell the components on Pinkbike for much less than we paid
@@chasejiannalone8763I was between Nicolai and Pole 2 years ago. Pole didn't want make bigger frame for me so I went for Nicolai XXL, so happy with it. Nicolai has best customer support hands down.
Insolvency is not always the end. If restructuring can be carried out and the creditors can be satisfied with a sufficient quota like 20-25%, a company can certainly survive and start again. Insolvency due to a lack of equity is of course a different matter. In any case, I wish Pole all the best.
Few years I followed Pole. One test drive with Pole Voima last September stole my heart. And as an instant action I bought one. This is the bike that changes riding style in the way that each drive you get surprised how good can bike get while giving the confidence to the driver on the handle. Really hope that this is not the end but just a new beginning.
Gutted about this. I have a Pole Voima and it’s an incredible piece of engineering. I love it. Leo hang on in there. You’re a visionary and the bike industry needs people like you. 👊
Such a difficult thing in a man's life to see happen. I've been through so many job losses that things have reached a cumulative effect, but never owned or operated a business. It's my hope some inspiration comes to him and he's able to take on a profitable venture sooner than later.
Considering that ebikes are more expensive in general I suspect the push by Pole to make ebikes couldn't have helped since their cost is expensive.......how many can actually afford them? Pole has cool ideas but the practical reality of how you make a bike matters too. Cost effective is not something I think about with a Pole.
Cool bikes, too much money though. Hope the story continues and most of all, people who have bought but not yet received their bikes get their products or money back.
Leo, I'm am so sorry. I have been trying to buy a Pole for a while but have had major setbacks in my life. I hope the best for you and your employees. The bike industry needs people like you and the people of Pole. I am very saddened by this news. I hope Pole can continue.
They should’ve stuck to making bikes with tubes. They were doing quite well. We don’t need to machine entire bike. We just need the machine with tubes or the latest version with tubes. I really hope that people have not bought these bikes and lost all their money. That’s a sad idea. I love the idea of the brand I followed them for a long time.
Exactly how I felt when Guerilla Gravity closed shop, which when I got my trail pistol, was completely my dream bike. Totally gutted! I'm very sorry for you to have to experience this as well!
This has been a longstanding issue with Pole. Long before their ebikes. Lots of red flags including piss poor customer service communication. I ordered the Loam Ranger Evolink in 2019 and eventually told them I would cancel my order and lo and behold they shipped it pretty much immediately. I suspect they were funding current orders with new orders hence the constant delays and refusal to provides accurate updates etc
the bike is beautiful.. but with all the bikes in the market, costing $5,000 i'm afraid we might start seeing more of this.. you can't sustain a company charging that much for a bicycle. (any company not just Pole)
Very sad. I was going to get the Sonni with all the best components for my Christmas present. Maybe they will find a way to come back. An incredible looking bike.
Pole isn’t the last that’s gonna fold this year I think. The amount of people who can afford $10,000 bikes is shrinking rapidly.
Lots of people can afford a $10.000 bike. The problem is its a bicycle and if you look at expensive ones their is no value in them. My 3 bikes cost $8000/$10.000/$10.000 NZD. They are custom for me but have little value for other people.
I agree.
@@robvanduren761 They still hold their value very very well.
I even saw an ad yesterday that asked $14,000 for their latest bike.....$14K is absolutely ridiculous.....simply will not last....
FYI, you could buy a low end build for around $6K. I looked at builds a while back but ended up building a different bike.
I put in an order for a Voima at the start in December last year.... Payed in full too, they told me they were waiting for parts.. Payed on my debit card too. Absolutley gutted/fuming :/
Not a word about the bikes ordered and paid for that will never be delivered.As a buyer, I am informed by UA-cam. No emails were answered.A shame
@@maximusdecimus7609 any luck in getting your money back?
This is so sad . The bikes look absolutely incredible. I’m really sorry for Leo and his team.
Wait, what, seems like that hard to use website, impossible to understand sizing, and $12k bikes with no customer service with online shaming customers for failures didn't pay off. Never woulda guessed lol. A simple google search will result in enough evidence for any responsible consumer to be like oh hell no I'm not buying from them and the fact this channel gave them this much sympathy has me dumbfounded.
🤣
😅
Further to my last comment - it concerns me that there are a lot of people out there like myself that have lost enormous amounts of money on undelivered orders (which Leo didn't address), yet the site is STILL live now on the 18th April and still probably taking orders ... Where's the holding page with a message from Leo??? This simply isn't acceptable. More people will lose their hard earned cash. 😠
I almost ordered one yesterday. Today I wanted to collect some more technical infomation and stumbled upon this video
Someone wrote that thretening them with the finnish customer service or such helped them recieve their money back from a order where they hadnt gotten the bike
So so gutted to hear this Rob, Leo looks absolutely heartbroken. I hope he gets to read comments on your video, I wish him and all the Pole guys all the best for the future and I'm sure this won't be the end of his radical bike designs.
You should see how the people look who paid money to him and have still not received their bike yet. I like the innovation in the bike but as to Leo being sad, remember he was still taking money from people that he already knew would never get a bike. That's a dirty thing to do.
Friday 19th of April. Just looked on their website and I can order a new Voima. It says delivery will be in May. Comes with a five year warranty too for complete peace of mind, which is nice...
The site needs closing down immediately.
Yeah, if they can't make it. They will send you nothing. But taking your money, for what? Close it would be wise. Zero info about refunds. Basically is a scam site now?
I've read a few comments already of people pressured to pay I'm full. Hopefully these fellow riders get what they pside for.
They'll gladly take your money 💰 and dissappear. 😮
Oh damn! Did not expect that!
All the best to Leo and all the staff!
Good on him for fronting up. So many don't!
Good call. The direct communication and updates has always been one of the things I REALLY appreciated from Pole. It's a far different vibe than someone like Specialized or Trek.
Not so sure about that really, seems to be blaming everyone and everything except what he did really.
@@aggropa 😂
In my opinion Leo fronting the public image of Pole has been a real factor limiting their success. He's a great rider and makes some fast bikes, but not the greatest person to build hype and positive image
So sad. I wish you all the best, Leo and the rest of Pole Staff.
Leo is a thief! he collected money from lots of orders without sending them.. and recent orders! It’s not going to happen like that! And not answering at customers mails
12000 euros , 10000 euros etc etc …
Its not sad. I ordered two Pole Voimas in March and now my money is gone
@@pizzabruletti Should have paid with a credit card. You would have gotten your money back with a simple reclamation to the credit company.
@@Isytee not in the case of bancruptcy
Very very sad news. Beautiful machines. Some luckily people who managed to get one whilst it lasted.
This is incredibly sad to hear 😢. We need companies like this in the bike world
A simple google search will give enough results for any responsible consumer to never buy this product.
@@after387 yicks. Really sorry to hear this 😢. Id that was the case then no wonder they went bust. Sorry to hear you were treated badly
Not a company who f*cks their costomers over
Unfortunately, as exciting and capable as these bikes were in the eMTB market. You have to question the operating ethics of some or all of the people involved. They were happy to take my deposit 2 months ago, customer support playing along with my enquiries about where my order was, instead of refunding me. Most notably, Chris Wright, their UK representative was pushing me to pay the full remaining balance "in order to secure a manufacturing slot" as late as March 27th. I recommend you all keep your eyes open for where such people land their next job in the bike industry and be extremely wary
Where there is smoke........ very sad, I bet you are not the only one.
Chris Wright stopped responding to my emails when I would ask the status of my bike.
Usually, when things like this are happening the people working customer facing roles are the last to know since, if info of a looming bankrupcy were to get out before it's absolutely necessary to file for, it would definitely kill the business even earlier.
@@3literheater Exactly
Not saying that happened here but in general be careful with your sympathies for companies that go bankrupt. Give it a minute for story to be told in full.
They need to take their website down, I was going to order one. Can’t order one now knowing they are out of business and no support or warranties.
Disappointingly little mention for those of us - like me - who have just unknowingly paid into an insolvent company who took my payment but now got nothing and will almost certainly lose that money. There should have been more focus on the gravity of that for people who paid and got nothing
You should have done a little better due diligence ! I'm sure you can regail your bike friends with your tragic story, and get your monies worth ! 😂
@@christopherroberts22 Yeah OK ya fkn N0nce. Nobody knew 2 months ago
@@christopherroberts22 What kind of due diligence? Never buying from small companies?
@@Lefaseer awww .. blameless .. was you . Seems to me there's plenty if people on this thread who saw it coming ! I guess you're just lazy !
@@christopherroberts22 I didn't expect you to have an actual answer :) btw I didn't buy in, but just funny to see the hindsight warriors in the comments.
So, let me get this straight. Pole announces bankruptcy. And they still taking orders. How the Hell did he not mentioned anything about the customers who already sent their money. Do they get a refund, or 'thx, for your money, bye'? Anything. What kind of communication is this?! Should be the first, and most important! Heck, I almost bought one. I was eyeing with a Voima couple of days ago. :O
They have a long history of terrible customer service so none of this is surprising.
I didn't catch 1 thing about the customer. That tells me a lot.
I have failed more times than I have reached success- don’t look down upon yourself-you either reach the goal or learn never take an L as a loss… it’s learning
Everyone fails, after all if you don't fail you ain't trying hard enough
This guy is feeling sorry for him self and not a word about the LOSERS of money on undelivered product.
Such sad news …..
and for people like me who placed an order for a Voima in March, how is it going? because they already knew that in March things were not going well! and they took the order and collected my money! 9363 euros.. how do we do it?? He doesn't even talk about it!!
thts fkd up.
And their site is still taking orders. Yep, feel much more sorry for the people that have outstanding orders with them. Your bank may be able to reclaim the money. Good luck.
Get details of the administrator or receiver - the person (Lawyers) or company who is dealing with settling the trader’s debts. The names of those administrators will usually be on the website of the company that’s gone bust. You’ll need this information if you need to make a claim.
There scammers! All the promo lately is scamming too
@@easytiger6060thank you for your help 🙏
So sorry to hear Leo and Pole going through this.
I see the same mistakes happening over and over, small growing company gets too ahead of itself and splashing cash it can't afford instead of doing the basics well it all comes down to piss poor management and priorities.
Yup classic textbook business school case study
So upsetting - they have my order for a Sonni - this bike was going to be a game changer for me and I was so excited about it's arrival - I'm guessing I've lost all the money on the order ... I know that pales into insignificance in relation to the problems the guys at Pole have but it still hurts. 😥
I’m still amazed at the beauty and award winning Machine every time I ride it. Thank you Leo and Pole staff for creating such incredible and timeless bikes.
That was really sad! I have seriously been following them for the last month or so. Because I was just facinated with the bike and the production process! I do hope someone can help them out and get Pole up and running again!
Absolutely gutted about this. Hopefully someone can come in and finance them or buy them out. Some of the most incredible, unique bikes. They deserve to be a major player.
A bike review of a Pole bike was something that inspired me to start riding again after 20 years of being away. Although I wasn't in a position to purchase one, it was always a company and a bike I looked up to. So sorry to hear this is happening and wish all those connected with the company and their families good fortune in the future!
So sad for Leo and the team, but from the ashes fresh shoots will grow 🌱
You guys have/had a great product. I'm sure you will rise again. Sorry for the bad luck for now.
Wishing the team all the best 💔 Never a good day.
Very sad. Wishing Leo and his team the very best.
Part of the problem was the Covid turmoil where everyone bought bikes due to boredom to then realise that it takes a ton of time to develop the skills and endurance to enjoy MTBing as now the market is flooded with practically brand new , used bikes as most of these people quit after 2 or 3 rides. The other problem that nobody seems to mention is that E-Bikes are taking over as the average American is lazy these days. Residing in the small city of Manchester NH , where I ride through the city and all the local rail trails about 4-5 times a week to build up endurance for my bike packing and mountain biking adventures. I've noticed that about 50% of people are now riding E-bikes . The majority of the E-bikes that I see are not quality bike store bikes , as most are cheap Amazon E-bikes.
Suspension bikes are also highly overpriced to the point of highway robbery, since you can get a brand new HONDA 250f Dirt Bike for $5,000, which requires considerably more material, parts, and labor to produce. They're also heavy and shipped in a wooden box crate, which isn't cheap. There's no full suspension bike on the planet that should cost more than $5,000, unless it is a one-of-a-kind custom frame build as MTB'ers have fallen victim to marketing.
For example , why does one aluminum seatpost cost $35 and the other $150? Is it special Aluminum mined from the moon? No it has a fancy brand name and consumers think it'll make you go faster due to being brainwashed by marketing.
Damn. I can't thank you enough for your true innovative spirit and the vision you've brought about geometries these past 10 years. I hope the best for you Leo, and obviously for the whole Pole crew. It's really sad you're going down when so many bullshit mtb companies outsourcing their frames from TW continue to pop here and there.
Really sad to hear Leo. All the best to you and those around you involved in difficult times. Take care.
So sad. You can tell Leo is devastated. All the best for the Pole team
Very disappointing news incredibly Interesting and beautiful designs..but .. the stories of people placing orders within the last 3-6 months or less, now with little to no chance of getting their bikes or possibly money back is very concerning, terribly disappointing and tends to reflect very badly on the ownership and management. There is no way they did not know this was coming as they kept accepting orders ..
The human face of how much some people give to their product. It is so easy to be critical or to assume that manufacturers are trying to exploit your wallet, but many of these companies are initially driven by someone with passion and total dedication. And don't forget that not everything can be said, since Leo does not own the company, and he wants a good outcome for his legacy. Scaling is really, really hard and fraught with pitfalls.
He was not one of the founders then?
Nooo! Heartbreaking!
Love my Evolink, was saving up for an Onni...
All the best to you and yours.
Leo, you have been a true visionary. Take this in your stride, regroup, start again. You have so much creativity to contribute to the world. You will get through this.
All the best my man!
-Collin
Ah, this is indeed a sad day. Pole really needs to be a presence on the bike manufacturing scene. Their beauty alone will be missed. I'm sure I speak for many, you are going to be sorely missed. 😢
Leo i'm about to buy a pole bike this october 2024....can i still get one?????
Wow, that's really sad and shocking to hear. Especially after your recent video about the UK hub, and appearances that Pole was expanding. I could only imagine what Leo put into this company, and how hard it must be to let go. I've always loved their small unique style, and having a bike from Finland is pretty cool. Their engineering and manufacturing methods are second to none. When I first saw Rob's review I knew I had to have the Voima. It just made so much sense for the East Coast US to have a bike with tons of travel, a strong Bosch motor, and a high bottom bracket. ... Hopefully some miracle comes along where someone purchases the company, keeps Leo on as lead engineer, and the rest of the team as well. Maybe wishful thinking. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it's a shame that they were unable to make it work despite impressive growth. Leo is right; people are really getting crunched financially, our purchasing power is getting reduced by the minute, and the world is pretty unstable in general. Too bad he can't print endless money like the US government does. I always felt they struggled to get significantly positive press in the bike industry; something that I consider essential, especially for a small brand that is direct to consumer. I'm sure Leo can get hired but someone, but maybe not a bicycle industry in Finland, and undoubtedly many jobs will be lost. ... From a selfish perspective I'm sitting on a very expensive bike that I am still paying off, with a clear drop in value, even beyond what is already the case for a boutique bike in today's world. Hopefully there is still a chance to pickup some parts like bearings and maybe a swingarm for my Voima. If anything goes significantly wrong many customers will be sitting on a useless hunk of metal that cost several thousand dollars for just the frame. I'm not even sure what frame I could use the parts on, with such massive travel and all. I'm not blaming anyone, it's just legitimately a problem. ... It has been great to have an identity in Pole bicycles, an awesome CEO who is a heck of a racer, and a super loyal and helpful customer base. Fingers crossed and best wishes to everyone at Pole.
Hopefully a rescue deal can be found like happened recently with Orange in the UK
Sad to hear this news. I have owned 3 Pole frames and have loved all of them. Wishing everyone at Pole the best.
so sad to hear this pole bikes were amazing but honestly the bike industry is on its knees iv never seen it in such a mess its heart breaking to see it like this personally i can see more brands leaving .
Socking news! Wish all best for Leo and Pole crew. Hopefully someone continues the story of Pole
Honestly gutted at this v sad news.... Just to think of what might have been 😭.....the Voima is a truly aspirational creation..... the most stunning of EMBs which could have easily doubled as a work of art... my dream bike in fact......its singularly daring & artistically sculpted lines made me look twice more than once! Simply jaw-dropping ....
IMHO the best looking emb around at the moment.....I'm sure I'm not the only ebiker who has wished that I could have owned one of these outstanding Beasts. With an added belt drive & Pinion gear system & I would have exultantly blitzed the Trail to Paradise itself!
RIP Pole.
Thanks for taking the risk.
Sad day for the industry
Can't imagine how hard this has been for Leo and his team who have poured heart and sole into the company. Pole's innovation and products are amazing. Best of luck - hopefully they will be able to regroup with an alternate investor/purchase option.
No way, thats shocking. They were making some of the most interesting and innovative bikes on the market, super sad to see. Tough times... Wish the team all the best.
This is sad news from such a brilliant bike company.
So sad!!!! My favourite bike manufacturer!!!
I am so saddened to hear this. The Pole was one of my favorites and holds high prestige. Good luck in the future.
Thanks for putting this out there on the Web. Let's see what we can do 🙏🏻
Hey Rob,
Why don’t you ask him “why is your website still up and you are still taking orders?” Then post the video of that response right away. If you don’t do this then I think that nobody will understand.
It’s a sad story when a company goes bankrupt but it will be sadder if those that continue to place orders don’t know what’s going on or do not receive their product or a combination of those.
What are your thoughts on this?
The checkout process is impossible. I checked almost immediately after I made this video as someone mentioned the same, and it was not possible to pay. Go try it - you are able to add to basket, but unable to complete the checkout / pay.
Bikes are STUPIDLY over priced. If you can't make a profit on a £10K bike, you're the issue. Absolutely insane state of affairs we are in.
Considering the income in Finland, engineering and machining time of a frame like that and of course the raw material they need the price for the bike doesn’t seems to be overpriced to me. Especially not if you compare it to other name brand carbon bikes that produce is Asia. Also telling the guy in the video who’s obviously really upset about loosing his company that “he is the problem” is nothing but rude.
@@BiecherBender Agreed. The bikes are very expensive, but so are a lot of other bikes. The entry level package was actually pretty affordable, so it seems that the parts are just really expensive. When you have a small brand that is trying to grow, especially in a country like Finland who I would assume has good labor practices and wages, it's going to cost a little more.
@@aggropa agree as well, standard components from rock shox, fox, shimano get much cheaper when you buy a huge volume. That is another challenge for small brands.
@@BiecherBender he IS the problem. There is not a bike on the planet WORTH £10K, not one - this insane race to the top of the tech pile, for a concept that was perfected 40 years ago is MENTAL - we need good, reliable bikes that do the job of getting us around and around the trails - the mental part is I bet his bikes broke down all the time!
@@TetsugakuSan sorry but I don’t get your point at all. There are cheaper and very good options on the market. It’s like you are getting mad that there are premium options on the market. You do realise that you don’t have to buy these bikes, right :D
Or explain me why a premium niche manufacturer is responsible for the prices on the market?
Sad news. All the best to the team of Pole. I hope the story goes on some day. Finland is perhaps one of the worst places to manufacture anything. Taxes are simply too high in Finland.
Leo- So my $1000 deposit? Thank goodness I never sent the balance until you produced a definitive ship date. Now I have a small fortune of parts sitting in a box in the garage. Should of went Nicolai as I was leaning towards.
Exactly the same for me. Fully paid for stock of the highest end components sat in storage waiting for the frame. I'm always cautious, so only paid the deposit about 2 months ago. Nevertheless their UK rep, Chris Wright, was pushing me for the full balance as late as March 27th. We're both now going to lose more money by having to sell the components on Pinkbike for much less than we paid
@@oliverbourne9599 Ill probably just order a Nicolai QLF and only resell the Seatpost
@@chasejiannalone8763I was between Nicolai and Pole 2 years ago. Pole didn't want make bigger frame for me so I went for Nicolai XXL, so happy with it. Nicolai has best customer support hands down.
Bankrupcy ? Sorry guys , wish you get back up again very innovative designs ! 👍👍👍💯 Do the bikes have to be so expensive ?
They still accepted a lot of orders even though they knew full well that they would go bankrupt.This is a lousy scam.
Insolvency is not always the end. If restructuring can be carried out and the creditors can be satisfied with a sufficient quota like 20-25%, a company can certainly survive and start again. Insolvency due to a lack of equity is of course a different matter. In any case, I wish Pole all the best.
I'm not surprised. CNC machining bike frames is never going to be a viable production method. It is way to expensive and time consuming.
Man, I could feel his pain! I hate hearing things like this, but appreciate his honesty and cander!
Always sad to see anything in the bike industry disappear. Can’t help but wonder how much the decisive appearance played a part.
I really hope someone takes over pole and keeps it going!
Gutted for Leo. Such a talent will go in in another form I hope. I can hear the depression in Leo’s voice :-(
Few years I followed Pole. One test drive with Pole Voima last September stole my heart. And as an instant action I bought one. This is the bike that changes riding style in the way that each drive you get surprised how good can bike get while giving the confidence to the driver on the handle. Really hope that this is not the end but just a new beginning.
That's very sad to hear.
Best of luck to Leo and his staff.
Sad to see another innovator falling sort due to the bike manufacturing climate . I hope this is not the end of the story !
Never pay upfront for anything, if a company can't float they're own production they're a charity, not a business.
What a sad ending. I wish the best for the company and all workers to rebirth very soon and stronger
Thank you, Leo, for the bikes! I will now go for a ride on my Taiga. ❤
This sucks big time!! Wishing all the best for everyone employed and involved. I was at one point considering a frame kit from Pole. 😢
Gutted about this. I have a Pole Voima and it’s an incredible piece of engineering. I love it. Leo hang on in there. You’re a visionary and the bike industry needs people like you. 👊
All the best for the team, hope one day they could came back again
Nooooo!!!
Their bikes were so unique, my dream bike was the gold Voima. So suck of Specialized, Giant, Trek….etc. we need these smaller brands
I love my POLE Voima.... now it's a collectors piece
Soon it will be worth a bag of chips.
Well they can become collectors items, like the wrist watch of bicycles they were. It was a pretty, but heavy frame, never saw the point.
Such a difficult thing in a man's life to see happen. I've been through so many job losses that things have reached a cumulative effect, but never owned or operated a business. It's my hope some inspiration comes to him and he's able to take on a profitable venture sooner than later.
Considering that ebikes are more expensive in general I suspect the push by Pole to make ebikes couldn't have helped since their cost is expensive.......how many can actually afford them? Pole has cool ideas but the practical reality of how you make a bike matters too. Cost effective is not something I think about with a Pole.
Can't believe this. Was saving up for a bike through them. They were the most unique bike company around.
Very sad news, great idea, unfortunately bad circumstances.
All the best to all the employees and the entrepreneurs!
Truly sad to loose such an innovator in the field
Funny that my critical comment on Leo is gone 🙂In short Leo is extremely arrogant, so maybe that contributed to the bankruptcy?
@@gisho9 Mine is back. Maybe a YT issue...
Really sad news as I watched your previous content on Pole and it looked like a quality product that was going places.
Cool bikes, too much money though. Hope the story continues and most of all, people who have bought but not yet received their bikes get their products or money back.
Jesus I'm glad I got my refund a few weeks ago. I ordered in November based on 3 weeks delivery. 5 months later no bike and I was then being ignored.
Leo, I'm am so sorry. I have been trying to buy a Pole for a while but have had major setbacks in my life. I hope the best for you and your employees. The bike industry needs people like you and the people of Pole. I am very saddened by this news. I hope Pole can continue.
😢 sad day as they are one of the leaders in inovation
That is really sad! I was hoping to place my order for my absolute dream bike, the Voima, in July. 😢
They should’ve stuck to making bikes with tubes. They were doing quite well. We don’t need to machine entire bike. We just need the machine with tubes or the latest version with tubes. I really hope that people have not bought these bikes and lost all their money. That’s a sad idea. I love the idea of the brand I followed them for a long time.
Glad I still own THREE Pole frames, they're FANTASTIC
IF YOUR COMPANY IS BANKRUPT AND YOU HAVE BIKES BUILT THEN GIVE THEM TO THE CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE GIVEN YOU THEIR MONEY!!!! 💰
Exactly how I felt when Guerilla Gravity closed shop, which when I got my trail pistol, was completely my dream bike. Totally gutted! I'm very sorry for you to have to experience this as well!
That really sucks. Such innovative bikes. Lets hope we see the team back again in some new future business.
This has been a longstanding issue with Pole. Long before their ebikes.
Lots of red flags including piss poor customer service communication.
I ordered the Loam Ranger Evolink in 2019 and eventually told them I would cancel my order and lo and behold they shipped it pretty much immediately.
I suspect they were funding current orders with new orders hence the constant delays and refusal to provides accurate updates etc
the bike is beautiful.. but with all the bikes in the market, costing $5,000 i'm afraid we might start seeing more of this.. you can't sustain a company charging that much for a bicycle. (any company not just Pole)
Terrible news 😞 Atherton's, here is your chance.
Please don't let them be bought up by a big corporation
Very sad. I was going to get the Sonni with all the best components for my Christmas present. Maybe they will find a way to come back. An incredible
looking bike.