Freeride ain't dead: 180cc freerider without an electric motor - what can the brand new Ghost Poacha do?
Laurin Lehner
· 07.05.2025
With the Poacha, Ghost presents a genuine freerider for use in the park. The carbon frame offers customisable geometry and is approved for double bridge forks. The Poacha is available in three equipment variants and starts at 4999 euros - all in the Mullet setup, which makes perfect sense in our eyes.
Oh yes: Have you wondered what the name is all about? It is a reference to Poacher - Poaching means "poaching" in German, but is also used among bikers when you track down and ride foreign trails.
Freeride platform
With the new Poacha, Ghost is positioning itself in the segment of uncompromising freeride bikes. The bike with 180 millimetres of travel at the front and rear also has to stand up to the two Ghost testimonial riders, Webshredder Korbi Engstler and city racer Tomas Slavik. The carbon frame has been tested at category 5 level and is compatible with double bridge forks.
Why no high pivot?
Ghost had a high-pivot bike in its programme when bikes with raised pulleys were still frowned upon - unlike today, when they are all the rage. The Ghost DH from 2011, for example, is all the more surprising that the Ghost designers have dispensed with this rear triangle design on the new Poacha. "The Poacha doesn't need a high pivot to do what it's supposed to do," says designer Tim Lenz. More on this in the Interview with Tim further down in the article.
Adjustable geometry
The reach adjustment allows fine tuning: the reach - and therefore the wheelbase - can be shortened or lengthened by five millimetres using the integrated Acros headset. However, due to the bonding, this is not an adjustment that can be made just before the ride.
Why with bonding? "Because otherwise it would rattle," says Product Manager Tim Lenz. The reach of 665 millimetres in frame size M (in the middle setting) fits the tester with a height of 1.78 metres very well. In contrast to the reach adjustment in the headset, the flip chip can also be adjusted directly on the trail.
The integrated flip chip allows the geometry to be adapted to the intended use and terrain. Delivered from the factory in the high setting, the Poacha can be converted to the low position if required - with a seven millimetre lower bottom bracket, one degree slacker seat angle and 0.5 degree slacker steering angle. We rode the Poacha in the steep setting and felt no desire for slacker geometry on the test terrain in Sicily - on rather tame, flat trails.
Ghost Poacha features
The new Ghost Poacha offers the following features as standard: It is Barspin-ready - without blocklock or downtube bumper -, coil-shock compatible and equipped with numerous frame protectors.
Thanks to approval for double-bridge forks with up to 200 millimetres of suspension travel, the Poacha is also equipped for tough downhill trails. For even more reserves in demanding terrain, the rear suspension travel can be extended to 190 millimetres by using a shock with a stroke of 75 millimetres instead of 70 millimetres.
Three equipment variants for different requirements
Ghost offers the Poacha in three equipment variants to appeal to different target groups. The basic model relies on favourable Rockshox suspension with Zeb Select at the front and Vivid Select at the rear. The Pro version upgrades to more precision with Fox 38 Factory Grip X2 forks and TRP DH-R Evo brakes.
As the top model, Ghost presents the Poacha Full Party, which represents the spearhead of the series with its RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork, Vivid Ultimate shock and wireless SRAM GX AXS T-Type drivetrain. All three model variants rely on the tried-and-tested Mullet set-up with tried-and-tested Continental Kryptotal tyres.
Short & sweet: The Ghost Poacha in detail
Frame
- Material: LC-Carbon
- Rear suspension travel: 180 mm (can be extended to 190 mm)
- Front suspension travel: 180 mm (double bridge possible)
- Category: 5
- Permissible total weight: 120 kg
- Frame weight (size L, painted): 3.8 kg
- Total weight: 17.5 kg (frame size L)
Geometry
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Reach Adjust: +/- 5 mm
- Flip Chip: High/Low position
- Steering angle (Low): 63.5 degrees
- Seat angle (Low): 76 degrees
- Bottom bracket height (Low): -7 mm
Equipment variants & prices:
Ghost Poacha (base)
- Price: 4999 Euro
- Equipment details: Rockshox Zeb Select, Rockshox Vivid Select
- Weight: 17.5 kilos without pedals
Ghost Poacha Pro
- Price: 6499 Euro
- Equipment details: Fox 38 Factory Grip X2, Fox Float X2 Factory, TRP DH-R Evo brakes
- Weight: 17.5 kilos without pedals
Ghost Poacha Full Party
- Price: 8000 Euro
- Equipment details: Rockshox Zeb Ultimate, Rockshox Vivid Ultimate, Sram GX AXS T-Type drivetrain
- Weight: 17.6 kilos without pedals
Features
- Mullet setup (29" front, 27.5" rear)
- Continental Kryptotal tyres
- Double bridge release up to 200 mm
- Coil-shock compatible
- Integrated frame protectors
- Screw-on points for accessories
First test impression: How the Ghost Poacha rides
Yay, they still exist - freeriders without a motor! The Ghost Poacha in the full party version is a true freerider with playful geometry and solid suspension. We rode the bike in frame size M with a height of 1.78 metres - it was a very good fit.
The Poacha is lively - as long as the trail is steep enough. On flat sections, you have to actively push to maintain speed. This is certainly also due to the considerable weight. The Vivid rear shock felt much better with a lot of compression than in the basic setup.
Admittedly: We would have preferred to test it in a bike park instead of on a tame enduro track at the presentation in Sicily. Nevertheless, we can attest to the bike's clear freeride genes. Great: The bike is easy to pull onto the rear wheel.
It also offers a very efficient platform (almost on a block), and you sit comfortably in the centre of the bike on the climbs. It makes sense for a freerider who wants to pedal comfortably on forest roads to the trail entrance. We like!
The Ghost Poacha is a successful freerider - playful and agile. The bike is ideal for use in the bike park. Thanks to its solid uphill characteristics, occasional enduro use is also possible, even if the weight is nominally rather high. The Poacha is less suitable for classic up & down trails - but as a freerider it doesn't have to be. - Laurin Lehner, tester
Interview with designer Tim Lenz
BIKE: Tim, almost all scene insiders agree: bikes without a motor currently only have a future in the 140 millimetre travel range. You are now launching a freerider with 180 millimetres without a motor - why?
Tim Lenz: We want the bike to appeal to the fun-loving community - and that's exactly what a bike like this is needed for. Our team of athletes plays a central role in this: the demand came directly from them and we tackled the project together with a lot of passion. Their feedback from the real world contributed significantly to the development.
And we firmly believe that there are many riders out there who are looking for exactly that - a robust, potent bike without a motor that is built for maximum fun in the bike park. And even if many scene insiders predict otherwise: I don't share this opinion. Even if we look at who or what is currently out and about in the bike park. The future will show where the journey will take us.
The Ghost Poacha is a completely new development. The platform is ready - will there soon be an e-version?
Yes, that's right - the platform is a completely new development and therefore extremely versatile. It opens up many exciting possibilities for us, even beyond the current model. Will there perhaps be an e-version in the future? I can't and don't want to say anything about that at the moment - let's wait and see.
Ghost already had a high-pivot bike in its portfolio in 2011 with the Ghost DH. Little in demand back then - now absolutely on trend. Why did you do without it on the Poacha?
Because we deliberately didn't want to build a race bike. The Poacha is aimed at the weekend warrior who is out and about in the bike park, wants to have fun and is looking for a reliable, robust bike. In this area of use, a high-pivot rear triangle offers no real advantages - on the contrary, it is more maintenance-intensive due to its design. For what the Poacha is supposed to do, a classic concept was simply the better choice.
Wouldn't aluminium have been the more logical material for this application?
Of course, this is debatable - aluminium undoubtedly has its advantages. In our case, however, there was a lot in favour of carbon: above all, the complex kinematics layout could be implemented much more precisely and efficiently with carbon. And in terms of weight and price-performance ratio, carbon was also the more coherent choice for this project.
What do you mean, carbon was cheaper than aluminium?
Yes, that surprises many - but aluminium is not automatically the cheaper solution. It depends very much on the design. With complex frame designs such as the Poacha, carbon can not only achieve more functionally, but may also be more cost-efficient. This has enabled us to realise an attractive pricing - the Poacha starts at 4999 euros.
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Laurin Lehner
Editor
