Disclosed herein are insulin analog dimers having unique insulin receptor agonist activity based on insulin polypeptide sequences, the site of dimerization and the length of the dimerization linker that connects the two insulin polypeptides. In accordance with one embodiment the first and second insulin polypeptide are independently a two chain insulin analog or a single chain analog and the first and second insulin polypeptides are linked to one another via a B29-B29′, B1-C8, B1-B1 or C8-C8 linkage.