The 2024 Polygon Siskiu T6
This Polygon Siskiu T6 review will cover everything from the good, the bad, and the mehh about their new budget Siskiu offering. I’ll also cover the Siskiu T6 vs T7 or T8 and why you’d want to stick with the T6 or go with a pricier model. I’ll include the detailed specs at the end as well.
It’s no secret that Polygon makes some of the best bang for buck mountain bikes in the direct consumer space but with the Siskiu T6 they’ve taken that to the next level. This bike is probably hands down the best budget full suspension mountain bike on the market right now.
As always, lets start at the end with our final verdict.
Polygon Siskiu T6 Review Final Verdict:
Is the Polygon Siskiu T6 worth buying?
Yeah, at this price you’ll be hard pressed to find another bike as capable. The frame is a solid platform to upgrade down the line meaning you get a bike that can grow with you.
Update 2/5/2025: The Polygon Siskiu T6 is on sale right now for $1,199 which makes it pretty much the BEST deal on an entry level full suspension on the market. Pick it up here.
What are the limitations of this bike?
Honestly, not much, especially for a beginner/intermediate rider. Out of the box you can throw this thing down most trails and it will hold up just fine.
Is it worth going with the Siskiu T7 or Siskiu T8 over the T6?
It really depends on your budget. If you have the budget now I would consider looking into the T7 and T8. I’ll cover this more in depth below.
Where can you buy the Polygon Siskiu T6?
BikesOnline is the North American Distributor for Polygon Bikes, you can find the bike here: 2024 Polygon Siskiu T6
The Good:
Let’s get into the meat and bones of this Polygon Siskiu T6 review starting off with the good stuff.
The Frame
The first thing that is a huge positive for the Siskiu T6 is the frame. This bike is built off of the same platform as the Siskiu T7 and T8 which have been tested to the bone and have proven that these bikes can do almost anything.
The Siskiu T platform will allow you upgrade the T6 from an entry level ripper to a race ready machine and that is something that is often overlooked with many budget bikes. Look who are we kidding, even “budget” bikes are stupid expensive, you don’t want to buy a bike that hits it’s limits a year or two into riding and that’s what’s great about the T6.
For proof, check out this video of professional rider Dan Wolfe riding like a maniac on his Polygon Siskiu T8. With 140mm/135mm of travel and a 65.5 degree head tube angle this bike has infinite potential. I’ll make a post about how to upgrade the Polygon Siskiu T6 in the near future so stay check back.
The Suspension
Straight out of the box you get a RockShox Recon Silver RL which means you’re getting a beefy 15x110mm through-axle, modern post mounts for your brakes, and RockShox’s Motion Control damper system with low speed compression adjustment, rebound control, and full lockout. In the rear you have the X-Fusion 02 Pro R which is definitely a budget option but will hold up to plenty of abuse and I personally think its a better option compared to its Suntour Equivalent.
Shocks are also readily available on the 2nd hand market. Since the frame has the incredibly common 210x55mm shock length, you could easily score something like a Fox Float DPS for $150, possibly less on the used market.
The Dropper Post
I love that they still included a 150mm (170mm on size L-XL) dropper from TranzX on this bike. Dropper posts are a game changer if you’ve never tried one and even though this dropper is definitely a budget option, you’re going to love that it’s there.
The Saddle
Its a small piece but important so I thought I’d make note of it. The bike comes with a WTB Volt saddle which is by far the best saddle in the game. I don’t care what anyone says. My cheeks let out a small cry of joy when they meet the cushy goodness of the Volt.
The Bad:
Now lets get into the not-so-good of the Polygon Siskiu T6 review, there’s not much so it won’t take long.
The Cassette
The Siskiu T6 comes with a 1×10 drivetrain which definitely isn’t a bad thing. There’s a lot of gears that I could do without on my 1×12 and I’ve ridden some 1×10’s that I’ve loved (for instance this MicroShift Advent X). The problem comes with the range on the stock cassette. The Shimano Deore CS-M4100 is a 11-42T cassette which basically the biggest cog has 42 teeth.
Though its not the end of the world in most situations, if you’re trying to get up some really steep stuff you might wish you had a bit more range back there, especially if you have weak legs like me. The actual derailleur and shifter have allow for a 46T cog to fit in the back so it would have been cool to see Polygon throw that slightly more expensive cassette on there.
The Hubs
Considering the very minimal price difference in hubs, it is surprising that Polygon wouldn’t go for a Deore hub set for the bike. Unlike the cassette that’s easily replaceable, getting a new hub can be kind of a pain as you have to get your wheel rebuilt. Small gripe for sure but would have been cool to see Polygon step up here.
The Just Alright:
Alright, we’re getting to the end of the Polygon Siskiu T6 review. Let’s cover the things that are just okay on the bike.
The Brakes
Out of the box, the bike comes with Shimano MT-201 which is a 2-piston caliper. This will be fine for most people in most situations BUT if you’re a heavier rider or you’re looking for maximum control down some scarily steep stuff, you might want some more power out of the brakes. Getting a pair of take off 4-piston brakes is easy and cheap and I’ll cover that in my upgrade tutorial coming soon.
The Tires
Like many of Polygon’s bikes, the Siskiu T6 comes with V-Tires. They aren’t awful but they aren’t great. Definitely not something I’d be looking at switching right away but once they wear out, I would recommend trying Maxxis or Schwalbe tires. There’s a reason they dominate the industry.
Full Specs:
Alright, this is the end of my Polygon Siskiu T6 review. Let’s go through the full spec sheet real quick. You can also find more info here on the BikesOnline page.
| Component | Build Spec |
| Frame | ALX TRAIL FRAME 140MM TRAVEL (27.5”) / 135MM TRAVEL (29”), TAPER H/T |
| Fork | Rockshox Recon Silver-RL 150mm (27.5”) / 140mm (29”) Travel |
| Rear Shock | X-Fusion 02 PRO R, Rebound, 210x55mm |
| Shifter | Shimano Deore SL-M4100-R, 10-Speed |
| Crank Set | Shimano MT-5100 32T |
| Cassette | Shimano Deore CS-M4100, 10-Speed, 11-42T |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano Deore RD-M5120-SGS, 10-Speed |
| Wheel Set | Entity, Alloy Double Wall, 35mm Inner, 32H, Tubeless ready |
| Brake Caliper | Shimano MT-201, Hydraulic Disc Brake |
| Rotor | SHIMANO SM-RT54 180mm CENTER-LOCK |