Polygon Strattos S7D Review

Polygon offers excellent value road bikes, on paper, at a time of incredible price increases. At well under $2000 USD locally, the 105 equipped Strattos S7D is one of the least expensive carbon bikes to offer neat, aerodynamic cable routing through the headset and a host of other modern features. But how does it hold up against scrutiny?
www.polygonbikes.com/strattos...
#budgetbike #bikes #bikereview

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Really neat factory tour of Polygon bikes by one of their sponsored MTB riders: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zpqbe5V_a5aVitk

[@jasongoweser5152]

That's huge modern bike factory with capabilty to produce 1,000,000 bikes per year. Thanks for the link. I was hoping there'd coverage on the Polygon carbon bikes.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@jasongoweser5152 I'm curious about their carbon production too. I wonder if it is quietly off-shored or also done in house.

[@abhimawa1]

@@overbikedrandonneuringthey’re all done in-house. Some sort of Giant bicycle factory

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@abhimawa1 thank you for the insight. I was shortening the cables last week and got another peek in the bottom bracket area and was impressed with how clean it was.

[@abhimawa1]

@@overbikedrandonneuring no prob. I’m seriously thinking of getting one. Perhaps changing the: 1. Wheelset (e.g. farsports rim on DT hubs) 2. Cassette 3. Chainring (to 52-34?) 4. Some cockpit tweak. (Carbon handlebar with suitable width & seatpost) What do you think? Btw, when I spoke with one of Polygon’s staff, he seemed to speak highly of Polygon, saying something like they’re one of the few brands that made their bikes on their own factory, “unlike some famous brands” 😊

[@Raditram]

Polygon actually manufacturers other known brands such as Marin, Scott and some indie Scandinavian brand as well. They actually did a factory tour for a bunch of Indonesian bike youtubers, pretty cool.

[@sweetalert480]

overproud lu

[@abilfadhlurrahman3568]

where did you get this info? especially about the scott bike

[@Raditram]

@@abilfadhlurrahman3568 Scott is wayy back I think these days they only do Marins, the rest are probably secret or not known. You can actually watch the factory tour videos and pick out the boxes of bicycle for other brands, the reason I mentioned white is because I spot it in the video. The articles mentioning scott are mostly in Indonesians though, it went all they way back to 2010s so now they probably switch to the Taiwanese / Chinese OEM.

[@jasongoweser5152]

This will be my 1st roadbike, luckily I moved in Indonesia where the brand sell it through Polygon's outlets that are Rodalink bike outlets which also carries Marin brand that may be manufactured in house at Polygon, Eastern Java. Thanks for video.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

That's really cool to buy local there. I've always like Marin's offerings, even before I heard of Polygon. I keep having to talk myself out of the Polygon aero bike. Enjoy the ride!

[@jasongoweser5152]

@@overbikedrandonneuring I live 800 km away from Polygon manufacture plants, but only few blocks from Polygon outlets, Rodalink. In some big cities in Indonesia, they have Sunday Car Free Day until 10 am. Indonesians love their bikes!

[@mavericklimsk]

I am owning 2 older Polygon Helios bikes. I am loving them.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Nice to hear! I love the paint schemes on the current models. How do the Helios ride?

[@glennshewin9788]

I've had my Strattos 7 for almost 2 years now, and i can confidently say that they are a very good value for money bike, it's fast too, and reliable, although i did change out my bottom bracket for a good quality one (C Bear) The wheels are little on the heavy side but a very strong.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Mine is still trucking along strong. I usually hop from bike to bike regularly trying to optimize this or that. With how its set up now, I've never been more content with a bike and haven't been shopping around much at all. My 'Road bike to Audax crusher' video details these changes if you are interested. Thanks for tuning in!

[@rasselkhaima]

I have this exact same bike, been riding i for 4 months now. The only complainin i have is the wheelset. It is super heavy. Will change to carbon wheelset soon. But other than that. Bike is superb and bang for the buck!

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

They are hefty, but still good for everything outside of performance riding. I'm happy to keep mine around as spares. Which wheels will you get? Glad you are enjoying the Strattos!

[@rasselkhaima]

@@overbikedrandonneuring planning to go for lun hyper

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

​@@rasselkhaima Right on! Their new models seem like a big improvement over when I was wheel shopping. Good value if you can avoid import duty too.

[@caseypleasant1922]

Seems like a great bike to get into a carbon frame for not too much money

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

I agree, especially for riders whose conditions are suited by the little rotors and tall gearing.

[@oldschool9449]

Polygon Helios are beast bike 🔥🔥

[@theduelist5706]

My neighbor has this same bike, nice bike. Reminds me of a Klein.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

That is quite the compliment. I would love if Polygon continued in that direction with their paint style.

[@theduelist5706]

@@overbikedrandonneuring I am considering the S5D Alloy, need another bike and don't want to break the bank. Did you get an XL, I think the L would be better fit for me. But there's a freakin shortage...

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@theduelist5706 Seems like a good value choice if you live in a flat area. Love the paint job. I picked up an XL instead of L because I knew I would be slamming the saddle forward and shortening the stem to use clip-on aero bars. Gave me the proper stack and a longer front-center. If you would normally ride an L and do normal road riding, I wouldn't recommend sizing up. Canyon Endurace AL or Merida Scultura 400 Disc/ Scultura Endurance 400 Disc are other options in that price class that may your size. Good luck navigating the shortages!

[@theduelist5706]

@@overbikedrandonneuring I have hills but but my older road bikes are steel, Columbus forks...so Alloy would be a treat. I am afraid of carbon since I have a tendency to break things, like stems and pedals. I like the Italian bikes, and German cars. Looked at Canyon, but not sure about the German bikes...Want 105s all around and Canyon has some ugly colors and experiencing scarity as well. Plus $$$

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

​@@theduelist5706 I understand that. I break bike stuff too. I've only cracked steel frames though (2). If you are on a budget, hydraulic brake Tiagra/GRX 400 are excellent and underrated. A bit of extra capacity on their GS derailleurs too if you like extra low gearing.

[@lefousuisse]

I buy the S7D for my girlfriend and i'm excited to ride with her ^^

[@gangstarrrom02]

Hello! Nice review! Are you sure about it can fit 32 tires (front and back)?

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Thanks! My current tires are 30c Conti GP 5000STR and the inner rim width on aftermarket wheels is 25mm. The tires measure 32.8mm wide front and back. There is 4mm clearance on either side at the fork. The rear chainstays have 3mm clearance which is as close as I will go. So the frame fits 32mm width as measured, but a 32c tire may inflate too wide on wide modern rims. Otherwise, the bike is approaching 10,000km and the frame, headset, and 105 components have performed well. Everything else was swapped out to preferred components. Hope this helps.

[@SuppleKingdom]

How has the Stratos been holding up for you? I have been eyeing this bike for a while but I have not seen any long term reviews on the frame.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Hi David, so far so good. It's only done 5400km, so not enough to satisfy a review for reliability yet. Most components have been swapped out to match my fit and riding conditions (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoGQfoiJaryhqq8), so I can't comment on most components' reliability. The bar tape was poor. The BB was swapped to Shimano because the FSA one didn't interface well the the crankset (a known FSA issue). The BB face needed some sanding for clearcoat overspray lumps. No creaks from the frame and the internally routed hoses and cables are silent. Seat post clamp hasn't slipped when torqued to spec, but it must be torqued to spec, so be careful with roadside adjustments. The frame continues to impress me with how neutral and average it is. Stiff enough to confidently handle my high weight in cornering and hard braking, but not overly stiff; handling is responsive without being twitchy; the stack/reach/spacers allow the full range of fits I enjoy. It's easy to not think about when riding, which is a good thing for my use case. Polygon's choice to spec an 11-30 cassette, short cage derailleur, and 140mm rotors on an entry level non-race bike still baffles me.

[@Traccionhumana]

whats you think about the 100k limit weight? i'm in 90 kilogram and if you take the bike weight and the water bottles and bikepacking, got over limit

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

I am also 90kg, so my total weight fully loaded is up to 105kg for randonneuring. I thought Polygon bikes typically had 110kg limit. Would that suit you? www.polygonbikes.com/faq/

[@comedyman112]

6:50 what did you mean? What cassette do you want? Some road bikes like van rysel edr cf stop ar 28 teeth

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Cassette size is limited by the rear derailleur. The Strattos came with a 105 SS short cage derailleur, which maxes out at 30t. In my followup video on this bike, I changed to a 105 GS mid cage derailleur, 11-40 cassette (out of official spec), and a GRX 46/30 crankset to better suit my riding context. I am 90kg and ride very long, hilly courses, so the new setup works really well. I completed a 600km ride with 5700 meters elevation this weekend and was often happy to have a low gearing option. Here's the In my followup video on this bike: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoGQfoiJaryhqq8

[@everettbergeson343]

How tall are you? I'm looking at buying one of these but am between sizes (5'11, so between L and XL)

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

I'm 6'1" with shorter legs and a longer torso. I got the XL over the L for the extra stack height knowing I would shorten the stem to get an endurance fit and slam the saddle forward for aero bars. The L would have been my choice for a standard fit.

[@markdimapiles3489]

Please i need help. I am looking for a carbon all rounder. Is the pardua brand ok? Robin Super Sport. Please hope you can help

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Hi Mark, I am unfamiliar with the Pardus brand. A link to this particular bike shows it looks very similar to the Strattos, but has a different component mix. The shifters and derailleurs are the only 105 components they use, while the brakes are low quality Nutt mechanical brakes. The crankset is also an Aliexpress type crank which is fine, but so is the bottom bracket. I would avoid this bike due to the component mix being so off-balance. A full Tiagra or GRX 400 bike with hydraulic brakes would be preferable and should be priced similarly. Also, if you have a strict budget, carbon frame isn't the best use of the budget. At a price point lower than this Polygon, I would tend to recommend the Canyon Endurace AL 6 or similar bikes.

[@jackdaniels2127]

Seems like decent bike after 2 rides

[@IsaacAdler]

Any idea on what the stock wheels weight? I can't figure out why the bike is so heavy.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

2120g according to my records. It's typical for any bike specking alloy wheels (outside of Canyon and Specialized), but still an easy place to save weight. Swapping to high end road tires and tubeless or TPU tubes is another 300g of easy savings. This is also in line with common practice.

[@IsaacAdler]

@@overbikedrandonneuring yea I have a nice set of Hunts that I would bring over from my current bike, really tempted.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@IsaacAdler I have 8000km on mine so far and still quite happy with its performance. It wasn't exactly a turnkey bike though. The 'Road bike to Audax Crusher' video goes through the details, but as a 'frameset + 105 groupset + spare wheelset' package, it worked out to be a better value than something from Elves, Trifox, or Yoeleo.

[@DiegoGonzalez-uj8qn]

The bike behind you its a polygon too ?? (With Claris )

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Local brand here in Korea named Elfama. Their Epoca bike is a good value aluminum rim brake bike with sizing options for short riders. My wife loved the paint scheme, which we later learned was a copy of a Specialized/SWorks Tarmac from a few years ago.

[@user-ee3uv8jz1n]

Very good looking bike, but ~10kg weight is quite heavy for carbon road bike.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Agreed. But at this price point , wheels, tubes, and tires almost always add excessive weight to otherwise okay bikes. I drop 1.1kg from the Polygon when swapping to my budget carbon wheels. Looks even better too.

[@user-ee3uv8jz1n]

@@overbikedrandonneuring look at my 7.2 bike for 1000$ at my page)

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@user-ee3uv8jz1n Very nice! You maximized low cost and low weight for that build. I hope the bike and components are durable for you. What type of riding will you be doing?

[@user-ee3uv8jz1n]

@@overbikedrandonneuring I do training and built this bike to participate in competitions (amateur league). The groupset was tested for 3000+ km at my previous bike, so it is good) can't say anything about the wheels)

[@GhettoSuguru]

Mate what's the widest tyres you can fit on this ?

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

33mm measured width. Depending on inner rim width, that may be a 30c or 32c tire nominally.

[@RajendraPrasad_Raaj]

What is the max tyre clerance?

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

32mm measured width. That gives about 3mm clearance on either side of the tire. Be careful, as 32c tires inflate wider than 32mm on wide modern rims. I run 30c tires that inflate to 31.5mm on aftermarket wheels.

[@henryojeda2890]

Any long term ownership opinions?

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Hi Henry, you can see in my video 'From road bike to audax crusher' the changes I've made to the Polygon. It's barely recognizable from stock, but that was my plan all along. Polygon's component choices didn't suit me at all, so I changed more than I would have on other bikes, but it was still a better value. I'm at 4300km so far. The frame fits me well, holds all the parts I want, has handling within a suitable window, and has shown no problematic quirks or faults yet. Nabbed a few Strava KOMs too. 105 has been flawless as expected. The top tube took a ding when it fell on the corner of a brick bus stop bench 275km into a 400km brevet. Looks like surface damage, and I hope that's all it is. I have a 600km brevet in 2 weeks that will be a really good test. I'll do a 10,000km update video whenever that milestone gets hit. Cheers!

[@henryojeda2890]

Thanks for the fast reply!! I'll check out that video to see what tweaks you did. Im a MTBer predominantly and Im looking into a road bike for some variety and 'endurance' training. Im familiar with the brand from MTB, they are known for really good value at the low-mid ranges and it looks like it has transferred over to their road lines as well. I think im leaning more toward their Helios (price on the Strattos is gonna be hard to beat) since im more of a 'go fast and big' guy and less of a long range rider, but I'll check out your other vids and see how you mixed it up. Glad to see their carbon is up for the job aswell, as that was my main concern since they dont have any carbon MTB offerings and you just never know. Keep up the good work. Review was great!

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@henryojeda2890 Cheers! If you are training and maybe doing some group rides, I bet the Helios would be great. I was just lusting over it a few nights ago and had to remind myself it doesn't fit the actual riding I do.

[@johnallan6367]

Are Polygon bikes available to ship to the US?

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Yes, they are distributed by bikesonline.com

[@sitdayo]

can i ride this bike while im having 120kg weight ?

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Max weight is not listed, but most road bikes are built for 110kg if I remember correctly. Check out the Giant Revolt series. It has a higher max load capacity (136kg, via Giant UK), lower gearing, and larger tire clearance, all of which are great qualities for heavier riders. A friend who is similar weight swears by Schwalbe Almotion tire for road riding.

[@sitdayo]

@@overbikedrandonneuring it is bad if i still force to use s7d with my current weight ? because its hard to find 58 size here in my country indonesia

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

@@sitdayo It is unlikely to have immediate problems, but components like the wheels will wear significantly faster when their rated load is exceeded. A heavier friend of mine had problems with breaking spokes on lightweight wheels designed for light riders. Many gravel bikes have geometry with long front end and short stem. You can buy a smaller size and swap to a road length stem for a good fit. I ride S7D in XL size, but used to ride a M size Merida Silex because it was the only model available locally near my preferred stack/reach. I swapped to a 100 stem. The Silex has 120kg rating.

[@sweetalert480]

polygon is from malaysia

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

www.youtube.com/@PolygonBikesMedia/about

[@xaein9515]

Errr... Malaysian here, no, Polygon is from Indonesia.

[@sweetalert480]

@@xaein9515 you tak cinta Malaysia ke?

[@xaein9515]

@@sweetalert480 apa kaitan cintakan Malaysia dgn brand Polygon? Dah terang lagi bersuluh Polygon tu made in Indonesia and mmg barangan Indonesia. Takkan mau claim sebarangan, tak malu kah?

[@xaein9515]

Been using a Strattos S8D (2021), but heavily modified, only the frame, the shifters, rd and brakes remained the same.

[@overbikedrandonneuring]

Nice! How have you altered yours to suit your needs? Mine is barely recognizable now: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoGQfoiJaryhqq8

[@xaein9515]

@@overbikedrandonneuring I ride it on roads only, got mtb for the other stuff. Changed the wheels and mix in some Durace parts, change the saddle and seatpost too and managed to bring the weight down to 7.6ish kg.