Exclusive first ride review of the 2022 Pole Voima – A downhiller’s ebike?

Golden CNC porn! The Pole Voima is guaranteed to turn heads with its unique looks and construction. With the Bosch Smart System, a 750 Wh battery and a whopping 190 mm travel, it should be ultra-capable, especially on the descents. Read on to find out the Finnish rocket fares.

Founded by Leo Kokkonen, the Finnish boutique brand have always done things their own way, shaking up the industry a few years back with the Pole Stamina enduro bike. Now, they’ve introduced its electric counterpart, the € 11,240 Voima, which relies on the same unique manufacturing process. Named after the Finnish word for power or force, the Voima is Pole’s first ebike, made in Finland with custom build options available via their online configurator – but more on that later. According to Pole, the Voima was developed for a versatile range of uses, suitable for everything from the occasional lap on your home trails to full-on downhill tracks.

The unique CNC manufacturing process of the 2022 Pole Voima

Today, carbon is the frame material of choice for most manufacturers in the high-end segment. However, Pole have decided to swim against the current, relying exclusively on aluminium. As explained in our insightful article, it’s not just carbon that comes in different grades but also aluminium – which is why you can’t say that either one is generally better or worse. Ultimately, what matters more than the material itself is that it gets used and processed correctly. Since Leo Kokkonen developed a unique manufacturing process for Pole’s aluminium frames, we also got his opinion on the matter in the above-mentioned article.

You won’t find a single weld seam on the Voima: unlike conventional frames, it isn’t made of tubes that are welded together. Instead, the frame halves are CNC machined from solid aluminium blocks and then bonded together with a special adhesive. As such, a large part of the manufacturing process can be done by machines. There’s no need for elaborate carbon layups, which require a lot of manual labour. Since there’s no welding, Pole can use the much harder 7075 T6 grade aluminium, which is very difficult to weld. Moreover, changes in the frame design are a lot quicker and easier to implement via the CNC program.

The 2022 Pole Voima in detail

The first thing you’ll notice is the eye-catching golden anodising – if you want to attract attention, this should do it! Those who prefer a slightly more subtle look can go with the Raw Clear or Storm Grey options instead. The main frame features curved lines, and the elevated rear swing arm looks more like the rocker arm on a motorcycle since it doesn’t have your typical chainstays. The fluted finish is due to the CNC machining, adding another dimension to the bike’s fascinating look – WOW! With the Pole Voima, you’ll stand out whether you want to or not, especially if you choose the eye-catching True Gold color.

For the anodising to survive the trails unscathed, the complete frame is wrapped in a protective film, which gets cut to the exact size for every part of the frame. This is good, but it feels a bit like wrapping a beautifully designed iPhone in a thick case as you lose some of the look and feel. There’s a flexible protector made of Polyethylene (PE) on the bottom of the downtube and the drive side of the rear linkage, which would otherwise be exposed to flying debris and chainslap. During long rides on hot days, you’ll be happy about the bottle cage bosses on the down tube, above which you’ll find two more bosses for your tools and spares.

The cockpit looks a bit cluttered due to the large number of cables and separate clamps for the motor controls, dropper post level and brakes. Fortunately, the cables are routed into the frame at the head tube. They only appear briefly as they transition from the front to the rear end before re-entering the frame and being routed to their endpoint.

The Bosch Smart System in the 2022 Pole Voima

The powerful 85 Nm Bosch Performance Line CX motor is completely enclosed by the burly aluminium frame. It’s powered by a large 750 Wh Bosch PowerTube battery. The battery is hidden inside the downtube behind a solid aluminium cover, CNC machined of course. It can be removed for charging and has a lock for theft prevention. Pole have opted against the use of a display for the motor, relying exclusively on the Bosch LED remote, capable of displaying important basics such as the battery level and support mode. If you want more information, you can always connect your smartphone via the eBike Flow app. For those who can’t do without a display, the Bosch Kiox 300 is available as an optional extra in the online configurator for an additional € 150.

The components of the 2022 Pole Voima on test

The online configurator lets you customise the Pole Voima to suit your preferences. Pole leave it to you to choose the suspension, drivetrain, brakes, wheels, seat post and cockpit. The most affordable build starts at € 8,056, though you can also order the frameset by itself if you don’t want a complete bike. While some manufacturers like NICOLAI ship their bikes almost ready to ride, in a huge box with the handlebar straight and the rear wheel in place, you’ll have to be handy with a screwdriver when ordering from Pole. The fork and other components still need to be fitted after receiving the bike. Our € 11,240 test bike featuring the € 250 gold anodising came with RockShox suspension. The 2023 ZEB Ultimate fork provides 190 mm travel, and the Charger 3.0 damper lets you adjust the high- and low-speed compression and rebound settings. At the rear, the RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock also provides 190 mm travel, low-speed rebound and compression adjustment, and a two-stage lockout lever for the climbs. The shock is rotated by 90°, which Pole’s designers did to get the reservoir out of the way and provide enough room in the front triangle for a water bottle.

The SRAM CODE RSC four-piston brakes were paired with a 220 mm rotor up front and a 200 mm version at the rear, providing plenty of stopping power. They let you adjust the lever reach without tools and the so-called SwingLink technology reduces the amount of force required for braking. The drivetrain consisted of a SRAM X01 Eagle derailleur combined with a 10–52 t GX Eagle cassette, offering clean and crisp shifting. The shifter was also supplied by SRAM’s X01 range, and we had a small chain guide to keep the chain in place.

The 150 mm SDG TELLIS dropper post offers too little travel, and the super short seat tube prevents it from being inserted all the way into the frame. There’s a longer travel dropper post available in the configurator, but you won’t be able to insert it all the way either. The 20 mm rise and 760 mm wide SRAM Descendant 35 carbon handlebar lets you keep everything under control, which was paired with a 40 mm SRAM Descendant stem.

The robust, 30 mm wide Mavic E-Deemax 30 aluminium wheels were fitted with a 2.5″ MAXXIS ASSEGAI up front and a 2.4″ MAXXIS Minion DHR II at the rear. Both featured the soft MaxxGrip rubber compound, offering lots of grip. In addition, the robust Doubledown casing allows you to run lower tire pressures without risking a puncture while providing added damping when combined with Huck Norris tire inserts. Unfortunately, the tire inserts aren’t available in the online configurator.

The geometry of the 2022 Pole Voima

For the frame sizes, Pole rely on an in-house sizing system. Depending on the type of rider, you can choose from up to two sizes. The Pole Voima is available in 4 sizes from K1 to K4, which should cover riders measuring from 160 cm to 195 cm tall. We tested the Voima in frame size K2, which has a 480 mm reach and a rather tall stack height of 648 mm. The 360 mm seat tube is extremely short, which is why we couldn’t insert the seat post all the way. Nevertheless, the saddle was low enough when dropped to offer sufficient freedom of movement. The 80° seat tube angle is very steep, placing a lot of your weight on the front when seated. The chainstay length is static, so it remains the same for all frame sizes.

Sizes	K1	K2	K3	K4
Top tube	561 mm	591 mm	621 mm	651 mm
Seat tube	360 mm	360 mm	400 mm	420 mm
Head tube	125 mm	140 mm	140 mm	140 mm
Head angle	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°
Seat angle	80°	80°	80°	80°
Chainstays	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm
BB Drop	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm
Wheelbase	1283 mm	1313 mm	1343 mm	1368 mm
Reach	450 mm	480 mm	510 mm	535 mm
Stack	635 mm	648 mm	648 mm	648 mm

First ride review – The 2022 Pole Voima on the trail

On the way to the trailhead, you’ll notice the riding position is central but somewhat hand heavy when seated on the Pole Voima. It’s the steep 80° seat tube angle that’s mostly to blame here, pushing the rider forward. However, this riding position turns out to put you at an advantage on steep climbs as it keeps the front wheel planted and easy to control without having to shift your weight forward. On more technical climbs, the rear suspension responds sensitively, absorbing bumps and generating lots of traction.

As soon as you arrive at the top and make your way down the trail, you’ll immediately feel securely integrated with the bike. Thanks to the balanced weight distribution between the front and rear, you always have enough grip through the corners, even if they’re open and loose, and the handling feels intuitive. When the corners get tighter, fast direction changes require a lot of input from the rider. Instead of picking your way through technical sections, the Pole prefers taking the direct line over rocks and roots. Fortunately, the suspension offers tons of reserves. The Voima is very capable of swallowing big hits and it just keeps begging for more: the more rocks and roots, the better. The Pole really comes into its own at high speeds, offering composed handling that instils you with confidence. The burly aluminium frame and beefy stanchions keep the handling precise no matter how fast you’re going. As such, the Voima is a great option for those who want a big hitter for everything from their home trails to bike park laps or full speed DH runs without having to rely on a lift.

UNNO BOÖS Race versus Pole Voima

The Pole Voima is one of few real boutique eMTBs, joining the ranks of the recently introduced UNNO BOÖS Race featuring the Bosch Smart System, which we exclusively reviewed. Both have a unique, unmistakable look and character, though they do things very differently.

The carbon fibre UNNO BOÖS Race has a need for speed, delivering a high level of integration and carefully specced components at a very fair price of € 9,995. The unique design with the distinctive seat mast offers some advantages, though it also has its compromises in usability. It takes a few rides to get to grips with the character of the 22.7 kg (in size S2) bike, but there’s no holding it back once you do, composed and capable as you blast down the most demanding trails – the steeper the better! Nevertheless, it remains responsive enough for quick direction changes. Due to the centred riding position and the tall front end, you’ll remain comfortable on long rides, whereas the Voima is more hand-heavy.

The Voima is just as special and striking – not just with True Gold anodising. With its attention to detail, high-quality finish and exquisite CNC look, it’s every machinist’s dream. With a little more travel and weight (25.82 kg in K2) and a similar “plough through the middle” attitude, the Pole Voima loves fast, big-hitting descents, and it’s specced accordingly. It generates sufficient traction to make easy work of technical climbs and while it’s not a fan of tight corners and quick direction changes, it scores well in terms of composure and the suspension offers plenty of reserves. At € 10,800, the Finnish bike is a bit more expensive, but UNNO can price their bikes so competitively partly because they’ve outsourced their production to Asia. Both bikes benefit from an experienced rider – not just with the setup but also on the trail!

Our conclusion on the 2022 Pole Voima

Whether on the trail or during a post-ride beer, the Pole Voima will get you stoked with its unique look, high-quality workmanship and careful attention to detail. It offers a good selection of components that can be customised in the online configurator. Going uphill, it’s a capable climber, and there’s little holding it back on the descents. The handmade Pole Voima from Finland might not get you to the moon, but it’s a rocket ship nonetheless!

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Mike Hunger