Review: Atherton AM.150.1

Sep 5, 2022
by Seb Stott  



Atherton Bikes have taken their time with bringing a trail/enduro bike to the mass market. The Atherton company was launched in January 2019, and while they have been producing a few bikes before now, the AM.150 has only recently gone into volume production following many tweaks to the design and construction. Dan Roberts already tested an early version of the AM.150 for Pinkbike, but by the time he'd finished the bike had been updated so much that the review was no longer relevant to what customers could buy. Atherton has settled on the geometry and stiffness characteristics (for now) so it's time to see what the finished product is like.

Atherton describe the AM.150 as a "hard-hitting enduro bike... Inspired by Dan Atherton’s experience on the enduro circuit, it’s equally at home on a big mountain mission with your mates." But compared to many of the latest enduro bikes, the 65-degree head angle, 150/160 mm travel and 36 mm fork stanchions arguably put it somewhere in between the trail and enduro categories.

Atherton AM.150 Details

• Intended use: trail/enduro/all-mountain
• Suspension travel: 150mm (r) / 160mm (f)
• Wheel size: 29''
• Carbon tubes with 3D-printed titanium lugs
• Dave Weagle's DW6 suspension design
• 65° head angle, 77-79° seat angle
• 15.1 kg / 33.3 lb (DH tires, size 17)
• 22 frame sizes, 410 to 530 mm reach in 10 mm increments or custom geometry
• Lifetime frame warranty
• MSRP as tested: £7,750 / €7,636.20 / $8,395.83 (Euro and USD prices exclude duty & tax)
athertonbikes.com
bigquotesWe have been purposely taking our time and trying to grow at a natural pace we feel comfortable at. We want to deliver a product we love, in a way we are proud of.Gee Atherton
For now, at least, the AM.150 is the only single-crown bike in Atherton's range, so they've designed it to cater to a relatively broad range of riding. I'm not going to keep you waiting - they've done a great job.


bigquotesSensitivity at the start of the stroke is impressive, which is great for skimming across cambers or webs of roots without losing traction or momentum, but at the same time, there's loads of support holding you up when pushing into a corner. It's always measured with its use of travel, but it never feels harsh. Seb Stott



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Frame Details


While 3D printing seems to be everywhere these days, Atherton's application of the technology offers several benefits. Their additive manufacturing process (3D printing) means that the same machine can make lugs for any sized frame (not just the 22 "off-the-shelf" sizes but custom ones too) with only a change to the computer code it's fed.

Making a carbon frame the traditional way means investing in expensive moulds which are specific to each size. This limits the number of sizes a brand can produce and still make back the costs of molds (especially for smaller brands). It also makes it financially impossible to update the design regularly, which is something Atherton has taken full advantage of, even producing a new shorter frame for team rider Charlie Hatton in under a week between World Cup rounds.

The titanium lugs are made to order in a vast additive manufacturing machine at Atherton HQ in North Wales. This machine takes tiny titanium alloy particles in the 10-45um range and melts them together with four high-power lasers. It takes the AM machine 16 hours to build up the lugs for one bike out of about 3500 layers of melted titanium powder.

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The lugs for one bike come out of the machine on a single plate, which is then heat-treated for strength. The lugs are removed, CNC machined for bearing, headset and bottom bracket fittings, and finished by hand.

The carbon tubes are cut to size (each size has unique tubing lengths) from three-metre sections. These are then glued into the lugs, which feature double lap shear joints. This means the titanium lug fits snugly around both the outside and inside of the tube; the glue is allowed to squeeze its way out as the tube is inserted, ensuring no air bubbles. The lugs are bevelled at their ends, which reduces the stress risers that would otherwise occur at the point where the tube enters the joint.

While the straight, round tubes may look simple compared to the curvy carbon frames we’re used to seeing, the idea is that the titanium lugs deal with the areas where stresses are concentrated and multi-directional, meaning straight tubes with constant wall-thickness are the right tool for the job in-between. While the tubes are made in New Zealand, they are built to Atherton's specs. Since the first AM.150 bikes we rode, Atherton have gone for lighter tubes on the seatstay and chainstay, giving a lighter and more flexible back end.

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There's port-to-port internal routing, with internal sleeves guiding cables through the frame.
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Caliper bolts and shock bolts thread into separate hardware to save machining threads into the titanium lug.

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Mine was the 93rd AM.150, but there are many more now.

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Mud clearance is generous, especially on the bigger sizes with longer chainstays.
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The AM.150 frame not only passes the EFBE Catagory 4 lab tests (for All Mountain and Enduro usage) but also the Catagory 5 (Downhill) test for strength and durability.



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Geometry & Sizing


Atherton's website allows you to plug in your height, arm span and inside leg measurements, from which an algorithm will spit out what Atherton deems to be your ideal geometry numbers. For my measurements (191, 195 and 93 cm, respectively) this custom geometry appears on the right of the above image. This put me in between the 500 and 510 mm stock sizes, but I decided to go with the 510, whose geometry is shown on the left.

I'm not going to go through the numbers of all 22 stock frame sizes, but you can plug in your own numbers here and compare all the sizes here. It's worth noting that there are three chainstay lengths across the size range. Sizes 410 to 440 get 433 mm chainstays; 450 to 480 get 438 mm chainstays, and 490 to 530 get 443 mm chainstays. The effective seat angles go from 76 degrees in the smallest to 79 degrees in the tallest sizes. Headtube lengths go from 100 mm to 125 mm. For some reach numbers, there are two options for the seat tube and head tube lengths; for example, there's the 500-Regular or 500-Tall.

Going back to the custom sizing, I asked if it's possible to go beyond the geometry numbers suggested by the algorithm, for example, to mix and match a longer chainstay on a shorter frame (or visa-versa). This is what Dan Brown at Atherton had to say: "We strongly feel that our recommendations on geo are the best riding bikes for the given rider. However, if someone is adamant they want to go longer or shorter on rear ends we understand that riding styles sometimes contribute to geometry. Over time we would like to take riding styles into consideration when recommending frames but this is a body of work we are still developing."

As always, I measured my test bike's geometry numbers myself, and most were within spec, or as close as I can measure. The one discrepancy is with the effective seat tube angle, which I measure at 76.5 degrees to the top of the seat post at my pedalling height. The 78-degree figure in the geo chart comes from the angle of a line drawn from the BB to where the seat post is level with the top of the head tube.



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Suspension Design


Atherton bikes use a revised version of the DW6 suspension design that we first saw from Robot Bike Co back in 2016. The DW6 name refers to the designer - Dave Weagle - and the fact that it's a six-bar design. That means there are six frame members: the mainframe, rocker link, seatstay, and chainstay, plus two short links connecting the chainstay to the mainframe. These links cause the chainstay to pivot about a point in space (the centre of curvature) which moves as the suspension cycles, which wouldn't be possible if it was fixed to the frame on a physical pivot. This has knock-on effects on the overall kinematic.

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One obvious downside of this design is its complexity. Looking at the exploded diagrams, I counted eighteen frame bearings. I had a casual three-hour chat with Dave Weagle to understand the reason behind those extra links and pivots.

Ibis Ripley Photo by Dane Perras
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Despite appearances, the AM.150's suspension has more in common with a DW-link (left) than a Horst-link (right).

Essentially, he wanted to achieve similar performance to conventional four-bar DW link bikes (which use two short links and a triangulated swingarm, like you'd see on a Pivot, Ibis or an Iron Horse Sunday) but in a package that could be easily adapted to suit multiple frame geometries and chainstay lengths. The triangular swingarm of a DW4 design can't easily be adapted to custom geometries and the kinematics can't be so easily or independently tweaked either. At first glance, the DW6 looks more like a Horst-link than a DW link, and a Horst link would allow them to use the carbon tubes and 3D printed lugs needed for custom geometry, so I pressed Dave what specifically his DW link designs achieve that a Horst-link can't:

bigquotesSo Horst links and single pivots have essentially linear anti-squat curves. They can be constant, rising, or falling, just always close to linear. This means in practice that if you want enough early to mid travel pedaling support, then you need to accept higher amounts of anti-squat and chain growth late in the travel. The designer has to make a less-than-ideal compromise.

The DW link design really brought forward the idea of manipulating anti-squat via a linkage in a similar fashion to how motorcycles used linkages to manipulate leverage ratios. The hallmark of the DW link is really that linear anti-squat curve through the middle of the rear wheel travel with a significant dropoff in anti-squat late in the travel. That way you have all of the support that you need but with less chain growth late in the travel. So the bike stays firm under power but can easily blow off on the smallest bumps.
Dave Weagle

It's a similar story with anti-rise - the effect of the brake force on the suspension. The anti-rise levels are designed to be relatively high and consistent where it matters, helping the bike to resist dive without making the suspension harsher while braking.

Another important hallmark of Dave's designs, which he says hasn't changed much since the days of the Iron Horse Sunday, is the fact that the leverage ratio drops off quickly to start with, then levels off somewhat towards bottom-out. This is called a progressive-to-linear leverage curve, and it's something you'll see on a lot of bikes these days. Dave says he's been tweaking and experimenting with the leverage curve a lot over the years, including with the Athertons, but it's the same basic shape as it ever was.

The idea is to offer ample sensitivity at the start of the stroke, with enough support in the middle part of the travel without it being too firm towards bottom out. In terms of overall progression, it's nothing too wild. Interestingly, Dave mentioned that while a lot of pro racers think they need very progressive suspension designs, they often come round to a more modest amount of frame progression because if the leverage ratio drops too low, the shock has to move faster and it can struggle to flow enough oil at the speeds they are hitting things. Apparently, most of the Atherton DH team are now running a less progressive setup originally designed for Rachel.

As you may have guessed at this point, Dave and Atherton aren't keen to share specific numbers and charts, partly because they are part of their secret sauce and partly because they can be misinterpreted. Dave also warned me that off-the-shelf linkage modelling software can be inaccurate, particularly when it comes to more complex designs with short links.



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Specifications


Specifications
Release Date 2022
Price $8396
Travel 150mm (r), 160 mm (f)
Rear Shock Fox Float X2 Factory CS, 205x60mm
Fork Fox 36 Factory, Grip2 160mm
Headset FSA Semi-Integrated
Cassette SRAM XO1 Eagle, 10-52T
Crankarms SRAM XO1, carbon, 170 mm
Chainguide MRP AMG
Bottom Bracket SRAM DUB, BSA 73 mm
Pedals N/A
Rear Derailleur SRAM XO1 Eagle
Chain SRAM XO1 Eagle
Front Derailleur N/A
Shifter Pods SRAM XO1 Eagle
Handlebar Renthal Fatbar Carbon V2, 31.8*30*800 mm
Stem Renthal Apex, 50mm
Grips Renthal Lock-On Traction Ultratacky
Brakes SRAM Code RSC, 200/180mm rotors
Wheelset Stans Flow MK3 29
Hubs Stans
Spokes 32
Rim Stans Flow MK3 29
Tires Continental Kryptotal DH 29 x 2.4"
Seat WTB SL8 Team
Seatpost Fox Transfer, 200 mm



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The main thing which stands out component-wise is the tire choice. The DH-casing Continental tires weigh about 1,300g each, so are heavier than the tires typically fitted to trail and even enduro bikes. That's not a bad thing, but it's worth bearing in mind when comparing the weight figure to other bikes. Similarly, a proper chain guide with a skid plate adds a few grams but is well worth having for extra security and damage resistance.

One thing to note is the spec sheet says SRAM G2 brakes but, mercifully, my test bike came with Codes.







Test Bike Setup

When I first got hold of the bike, Atherton didn't have a setup guide to hand, so I started with my usual 30% sag on the shock, set the damping to as open as I could get away with without it becoming a handful and went from there. After some tweaking on the trail, I ended up with 180 psi in the shock, giving a touch under 30% sag. Damping settings were: LSC 9, LSR 13, HSC 7 and HSR 5 (all from closed). I also removed one of the volume spacers as I wasn't reaching full travel and I wanted to unlock a bit more forgiveness.

Towards the end of the test period, Atherton got in touch with a setup guide. They suggested aiming for 25% sag. For me, this corresponded to 200 psi. The damping suggestions were firmer too, particularly on rebound: LSC 9-11, LSR 6-8, HSC 4-5, HSR 3-4. I tried this setup but found it too firm and unresponsive at the rear, making the bike sit too high and transmit too much feedback for my liking. No doubt it would be great for sending bike-park jumps, but the trails near me are rooty, steep and chattery, but aren't known for big hucks, so I preferred a softer and more active setup.



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Seb Stott
Location: Tweed Valley, Scotland
Age: 30
Height: 6'3" / 191cm
Inseam: 37" / 93cm
Weight: 189 lbs / 86 kg, kitted
I set the fork to 98 psi, rebound a few clicks from fully open and compression varied depending on terrain, but generally close to open

I also ditched the 50 mm stem in favor of a 40 mm one and played around with bar height, settling on 30 mm of spacers under the 30 mm rise bar - kudos to Atherton for leaving some steerer tube to play with. Tire pressures were 22-23 psi (front) and 25-26 psi (rear). I also fitted some lighter tires (Maxxis Assegai and Dissector in their EXO casing) for a few rides.

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Climbing

The Atherton is a thoroughly competent climber. The suspension is nice and steady under power. There's some movement at certain cadences, but I put this down to the lighter damping setup I used, and it never feels like there's much energy being wasted or excessive wallowing. The 76.5-degree effective seat angle (at my pedalling height) is comfortable for most climbs. When things got steep and technical, I'd prefer a degree or two added to the seat angle for a more aggressive position, but the suspension never slouches or collapses when the bike is pointed upwards so it's totally manageable.

I did wonder if the high anti-squat suspension would make it hang up when pedalling over bumps, but this doesn't seem to be an issue. The stock tires roll slow (for a trail bike), but with trail-casing tires fitted the Atherton is a very capable pedal-all-day kind of bike.

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Descending


When it comes to describing how the AM.150 handles while descending, the word I keep coming back to is "solid".

Despite minimal chainstay protection, it's reassuringly quiet, which always helps instill a sense of calmness. The suspension is businesslike in the way it operates. Even with 30% sag and a volume spacer removed, there's loads of progression (I never felt it bottom-out) but at the same time, there's no sudden ramp-up of force making it feel like you've hit an invisible barrier before the end. Sensitivity near the start of the stroke is impressive, which is great for skimming across cambers or webs of roots without losing traction or momentum, but at the same time, there's plenty of support holding you up when pushing deeper into a corner. It's always measured with its use of travel, but it never feels harsh.

Much of the sense of composure comes from the suspension's built-in mechanical support (anti-squat and anti-rise) which stops it from slouching when you stamp on the pedals or pitching forwards when you jam on the brakes. The chassis feels stable and unfussy when things get hectic. This is partly why I preferred a less damped shock setup (especially on rebound) than recommended - you can run less damping for a more sensitive and lively feel without it becoming unsettled.

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Even with my softer than recommended settings, it doesn't isolate you from the trail as much as some enduro bikes, especially when it comes to bigger hits, but the AM.150 is designed to be more of an all-rounder, and this is just a consequence of that support later in the travel which feels so good when pushing into corners and compressions.

The geometry is well-rounded, with no unusual quirks to get used to. Combined with the supportive and stable suspension, this makes for a composed and predictable ride in most terrain. At 65-degrees, the head angle is at the steeper end of the spectrum these days. When riding trails with little gradient and lots of tight bermed corners, jumps and rollers, this is no bad thing; it reduces the wheel flop and makes the steering quicker. With the rear suspension rewarding pumping and pedalling, this makes it feel nice and responsive. It's easy to muscle through tight turns and generate speed through them.

I briefly rode Gee Atherton's AM.150 at Dyfi bike park, which had the older tube set with a stiffer back end. Atherton say they updated the seatstay and chainstay since then, partly to add compliance on off-camber turns, although the bike I tested here still feels pretty stiff, which contributes to the solid and responsive feel when cornering hard.

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When it came to the steeper trails in the Tweed Valley, the steering wasn't as predictable and steady as many of the slacker bikes these days. This is particularly true when there's a steep section with a step or trough into a corner. I definitely wouldn't describe it as twitchy, but not quite as steadfast in those situations as bikes that are a couple of degrees slacker. This is why I gravitated towards a setup with a softer shock, higher bar and shorter stem. The Fox 36 fork may not be as stout as the 38 mm chassis forks found on most enduro bikes these days either, and this may contribute to this steering sensation, but when I've tested the Fox 36 and Fox 38 back-to-back I found the handling differences in corners to be small. It's over large bumps and holes where the stiffer fork performs better.

The AM.150's supportive suspension and relatively steep head angle put it closer to the trail category than most thoroughbred enduro race bikes. This is easily forgotten given the downhill tires and the downhill pedigree of the siblings it's named after. But while there are enduro bikes that are more comfortable in the rough and more stable in the steepest chutes, the AM.150 holds its own compared to those bikes while feeling more at home on mellower and flatter terrain. It's a highly versatile bike.



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Atherton AM.150.1
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Canyon Strive

How Does it Compare?

With ten millimeters more travel at each end, a burlier fork and a slacker head angle, the Canyon Strive is billed as a thoroughbred enduro racer while the Atherton is perhaps more of an all-rounder. But in many ways, they have a surprisingly similar ride feel. They also have similar componentry and I've been riding both a lot lately, making a direct comparison easier.

Suspension-wise, both feel exceptionally stable under braking, with less of the pitching you get with some bikes, and none of the harshness you get with others. Both pedal well too, although the Atherton feels a bit more efficient under power (when compared to the Strive in its "shred" mode). Both have a progressive-to-linear leverage ratio and a Fox Float X2 shock, which means they are both very good in terms of the "touchdown feel" and suppleness over small stones and roots. With 10 mm more travel, it's no surprise that the Canyon is more forgiving and smoother when things get nasty, but then the Atherton is slightly more supportive through the turns.

The most notable difference is the head angle. The Strive is two degrees slacker, which means these bikes sit at opposite ends of the normal range for aggressive trail/enduro bikes these days. As a result, the Strive is noticeably more relaxed when tipping into steep catch berms and carving through rocky sections. On the other hand, the Atherton feels more manageable and at home on flatter, flowing trails (especially with faster-rolling tires fitted). It's horses for courses, but personally, I prefer a slacker head angle.

The Atherton's climbing performance slots in between the Strive's "shred" and "pedal" modes. Although the seat tube angle is similar on paper, the Strive sits a bit higher and feels more upright when in its "pedal" mode.



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Fox 36 Factory fork
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Continental Kryptotal DH tires

Technical Report


Fox 36 Factory fork: The 36 is still a standout fork with excellent suppleness and support. Along with the head angle, the choice of the 36 over the 38 is suggestive of a trral bike rather than an enduro bike, but realistically the performance is near identical. The 38 only really starts to have an edge when you're battering through big rocks.

Continental Kryptotal DH tires: DH tires are at odds with the rounded nature of the bike, but they're standout performers in terms of traction, comfort and predictability. My views of them haven't changed much since my original review. They are heavier and slower than a trail tire, so arguably faster tires would suit the bike's intended use better, but nevertheless, they aren't a bad choice because the downhill performance is so good.

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Pros

+ Composed, quiet and solid feel on the descents.
+ Excellent small-bump sensitivity
+ Lots of support deeper in the stroke
+ Good climbing manners
+ Balanced stability and agility for all-round riding
+ All the sizing options

Cons

- Slacker bikes are easier to handle on certain features
- I'd prefer an even steeper seat angle




bigquotesIt's easy to go on and on about Atherton's innovative approach to sizing, manufacturing or suspension design. With all that uniqueness you might imagine the Atherton rides in a similarly unusual or quirky way. But when it comes to what really matters - the geometry, the suspension kinematics, the componentry - they've not gone too wild; they've just got the basics nailed.

That translates into a bike that's versatile, predictable and easy to ride on a wide range of terrain. It might not be the most surefooted when things get really steep and hectic, but it's got a great balance of agility and stability. On a spider chart of all the qualities you want a mid-travel bike to have, it would make a near-perfect circle. It just does everything well. So while some of the design aspects may be pretty left-field, on the trail it's a solid all-rounder.
Seb Stott





Author Info:
seb-stott avatar

Member since Dec 29, 2014
297 articles

250 Comments
  • 446 2
 Cheers guys, stoked you liked the 150! We've been testing it for over 3 years now. I probably spend a similar amount of time riding mine, as I do on my DH bike. Although my trail riding usually just consists of shuttling DH tracks, but just wearing my trail helmet
  • 51 0
 LOL, hence the DH tire spec!
  • 17 0
 you guys create a beautiful machine. Hope you have alot of sucess with it. Will you sell frame only?
  • 22 0
 @xenupy: yes!

email us for a chat: sales@athertonbikes.com
  • 4 0
 David Turner (and me!) would love the aesthetics of this bike!
  • 2 3
 Im glad its not just me who wears a helmet to fit the bike rather than the track im riding. My next bike will probably be a 160-170 mullet, but that will be at least 4 years away. Lets see what Atherton bikes have to offer then.
  • 1 0
 Completely understand Sebs setup. I ride the tweed valley weekly. I came down to visit a mate who lives 5 minutes from Dyfi a few weeks ago and we rode your most excellent bike park. My normal suspension settings would have felt great on fire in the booth, but due to them being way to soft on all the other trails and jumps, I’d already gone 15psi harder before we rode that trail which resulted in me crashing lol (could well have crashed anyway tbh). Truly amazing place you guys have built there.
  • 175 12
 That´s gotta be the most beautiful AM bike out there. This thing is a beauty

I like the no bullshit approach. Form, function and validated by none other than the Atherton family. If I had the money I would buy it in a heart beat.
  • 33 2
 It really reminds me of the '92 S-Works Epic Ultimate which was (still is) a stunning bike. The Atherton is like a space-age version of it.
www.bikeradar.com/features/throwback-thursday-1992-specialized-s-works-epic-ultimate
  • 6 43
flag Compositepro (Sep 5, 2022 at 9:07) (Below Threshold)
 so without reading the review what happened
  • 10 72
flag radman13 (Sep 5, 2022 at 9:34) (Below Threshold)
 whatcha smokin jamaica?
  • 20 12
 @radman13: next time you need to take a dump, use toilet like all the potty trained
  • 4 4
 And it looks even better in the flesh...
  • 13 13
 @Compositepro: My takeaway is well rounded, capable, but nothing really stands out, and geo probably should be updated (slackened).
  • 2 0
 @bigtim: I still remember drooling over this one. God, we are old
  • 19 0
 @mybaben: it says AM and should be considered at such. They should (soon apparently) release a EN bike with proper gravity Geo and 170mm of travel.
  • 7 33
flag mybaben (Sep 5, 2022 at 10:59) (Below Threshold)
 @Balgaroth: IMO 65' is still too steep for AM. It's okay for Trail. AM should be almost EWS worthy. Just my take.
  • 13 0
 @Balgaroth: final testing for this product is happening as i type! Keep an eye out, or email us!

sales@athertonbikes.com
  • 30 3
 Choose your geometry and be a dick about it
  • 4 5
 @mybaben: good work fella I. Less than 20 words too
  • 8 1
 So all the cons are something that can be fixed if you buy a custom version, so basically it’s the perfect bike ?
  • 2 2
 @heavyp: LOL. Not sure. I didn't notice if you can spec your own geo...
  • 5 1
 @wheelsmith: I WON'T RIDE ANYTHING LESS THAN 62.5' HTA!!!!!!!
How was that? Wink
  • 2 4
 Reminds me of that one bike from a company called Trek…
  • 5 1
 @heavyp: Custom geometry is only perfect if you know what the perfect dimensions are for you. I've got a pretty decent idea of what I like, but I have no desire to spend a huge chunk of money betting that what I think I like will turn out perfect.
  • 5 19
flag wslee FL (Sep 5, 2022 at 17:32) (Below Threshold)
 The Canyon looks much better
  • 2 4
 Nothing happened them
  • 6 6
 @wslee: lol you upset the fanbois
  • 3 1
 @heavyp: £4,650.00 isnt a perfect price though. Specialized seemed to struggle to sell the S-Works enduro frame at £4k in the UK and dropped the price, even during the bike boom of covid.
  • 11 4
 @mybaben: IMO your opinion is near meaningless. super slack head angles are a crutch for poor bike design(mainly too short of a front center, and bad fore/aft weight balance). go look at and ride a Mondraker Foxy with a 66º head angle and tell me it needs to be slacker!

the Athertons and Dave likely know more about this than you.......
  • 1 0
 Having seen one in the flesh they do look really good.. much better than comes across in photos I find. I'd be well interested in the 170mm bike if my current bike needs replacing for some reason (I can't think of one at the moment but give me some time and I'll let you know I'm sure) Smile
  • 3 0
 @conoat: In that case why do DH bikes have shorter reach and slacker HA than enduro/AM bikes at equivalent size, Mondraker included ? The only reason why you wouldn't anything steeper than 63HA is because it can be unpractical if you enjoy pedaling up singletracks but there is no going around the fact that to go fast slacker is better. If you never rode a DH bike maybe you need to do that and then you can re-assess the Foxy (which is excellent for what it is). Also MX/SX bikes have experimented for much longer than us and have settled on +/-63HA for over two decades now so there is that too.
  • 2 1
 @Balgaroth: assume you mean slacker and not "steeper" than 63º....

yes I have ridden DH bikes. the thing about reach is that it is hugely dependant on stack. a DH bike has a ton more stack than an AM or enduro, so the reach is, on paper, less in a comparible size. On the bike it is different as you sag in far more. Secondly, a DH bike has a far different fore/aft balance(longer, slacker fork and longer stays), so they tend to be ridden a bit more off the back than a modern enduro/AM bike should be(I say should because there is obvious nuance and personal preference here. I am only speaking to the general layout and design intention).
  • 2 1
 @conoat: it needs to have a longer chainstay and a shorter front centre.
  • 2 0
 It's interesting to see the differences of opinion regarding how this bike looks. I've always been a fan of straight tubes and remember hating the first gen hydroformed Al frames and swoopy carbon frames. I also tend to love the aesthetic of steel frames. My opinions have mellowed with age but I agree- this is what a bike should look like. Obviously how it performs is way more important...
  • 1 1
 @Balgaroth: conoat is correct, the distance pedals to hands, then relation to front wheel matters for stability. When we don't need to pedal uphill a long fork and tilting the position back makes sense. If you're too far behind the front wheel it's easy to wash out
  • 2 0
 @Tristanssid: that's because bikes only grow forward. If CS were sized correctly your front wheel would still be loaded correctly. Also hand to pedal distance only gives you half the info as you could have very long reach and low stack that would yield the same distance than high stack and short reach. But one would actually be unrideable with a super heavy front and no way to lift it as you'd be too stretched to move. We should be reasoning by Front to Rear center ratio and stack, preferably at SAG. The day you will have a bike with CS proportional to the front center you will quickly want to have as long of a front center as possible as washing out isn't an issue anymore but you gain in OTB prevention in the steep. As such you can grow HA to gain front center as growing reach indefinitely is limited by your arm length. Also reach doesn't help for steep anyway as the front wheel is still below you just slightly more ahead.
  • 1 0
 @Balgaroth: I went for a ride on my long and low Mondraker, it was unrideable,went over the handlebars every bump.
Seriously though, you're weight is primarily centered at the BB, the proportions front to rear are important, I just think that going super slack isn't that important, it's all a balance, but the triangle that is BB, hands, front wheel contact point are the key metrics. I guess as I've got older I'll take the efficiency of my Foxy to let me right more, and the speed it carries through 90% or DH trails over the gains I got on my 170mm enduro bike I had before on the other 10%.
I spend a high percentage of my time climbing to enjoy a descent, so the climb needs to be comfortable for me
  • 1 0
 @Tristanssid: like I said I like the Foxy it is a good bike. Currently I have a Force 29 alu and while geo is somewhat similar it isn't an efficient climber and so for that kind of efficiency I'd rather have a proper DH geo as it is limiting especially in the (very) steep stuff. Personnal choice tho as I'd rather have a bike that pedal the same but burlier rather than having the same capacity that pedals better (like a Foxy). Only way I could settle for a Foxy or a AM bike would be if I bought a DH bike once again. Now aside from that yes I agree with that triangle just not with the pedal/hand distance being the holy graal of measurement. I would add that chainstays are way too often being dismissed on the long sizes and just kept short for the wrong reasons that the marketing dpt at Spé spat out a while back and that everybody keep on repeating without taking the time to test long CS for themselves to see if it was true. Paul Aston is currently testing and disproving that terribly flawed arguement so hopefully soon this will be a thing of the past to actually have a balanced front to back geo. Your triang is more rear axle/bb/front axle with your wiegth being somewhere above the bb, handlebar is there to hold the thing all else shuld be done by legs/hips.
  • 1 0
 @Balgaroth: The DH Bike is AM.200. Pretty sure the AM stands for Atherton Model or something.
  • 1 0
 @Solodini: yeah ... or you know ... I am just using the abbreviation commonly used in the industry to talk about All-Mountain bikes in general ...
  • 1 0
 @Balgaroth: the comment I clicked reply on was where you said "it says AM and should be considered at such. They should (soon apparently) release a EN bike with proper gravity Geo and 170mm of travel."
I wasn't trying to mock you, merely discussing the naming convention not relating to the intentions of the bike.
  • 1 0
 @Solodini: alright fair enough
  • 64 3
 This is a gorgeous bike. Kinda seems unfair to compare it to a full enduro bike. Would love a comparison to an Ibis Ripmo, or Stumpy Evo. Pinkbike needs to do an All Mountain bike shootout.
  • 68 2
 the Evo is in this Enduro mag test ... enduro-mtb.com/en/the-best-trail-bike-mtb-review ( we won ;-)
  • 3 32
flag dynastar (Sep 5, 2022 at 11:16) (Below Threshold)
 My concern was that athertons are a main continental team sponsor and enduro - very German - seem to be very much on that fence so for me the review was biased.
  • 18 2
 @dynastar: Isn't Canyon, Rose, YT and Focus also German? I also do not trust enduro-mtb much, but this bike seams legit. Athertons for sure have put a lot of testing into this one and the amount of R&D is very important.
  • 17 1
 @lkubica: what's the issue with Enduro mag? I always feel their reviews are well reasoned. But if there's something I've been missing, I'm keen to know about it!
  • 17 1
 @mountainsofsussex: I agree. Huge amounts of information about the riders, area and tests. I get excited every time I see their group tests.
  • 7 0
 It’s reads like another Ripmo, with more bearings than a CBF. It also sounds like it will benefit from a -1 zero stack headset to change the headtube to 64 and the seat angle to 77. Perfect bike for the east coast (US), specially for those of us who refuse to ride ebikes. I’ll love to demo one.
  • 9 0
 Seems like the Ripmo would be a very logical point of comparison- 160 front/150 rear dw-link bike with a 65 degree head tube.
  • 6 1
 @PJSANAB: Putting an angleset on a bike which is available with custom geometry seems totally backwards to me. Why not just get the right bike in the first place?
  • 3 3
 @Ttimer: is says custom sizing but the geometry, specifically the head tube angle doesn’t change. This particular bike tested would have benefited from the angleset.
Which is the right bike? Please tell me, I need to stop buying the incorrect bike all the time.
  • 3 3
 @PJSANAB: From the response in the article, it sounds like they would let you go beyond the prerecorded geometry, if you insist on it.
Not sure what you want to tell me with your snarky second line? It sounds like you know quite well which bike you want.
  • 4 0
 @Ttimer: Exactly, this is a type of company you should first contact with instead of moaning. The hefty price for custom geometry is most probably cause by the need of designing new lugs, because the angles tubes leave the lugs change. So it is very probable that they can do a custom HA, they definitely can do it technically, it is just a matter of prices. For some reason they do not offer it, but those are business reasons not technical reasons. Maybe also the problem is stress testing, changing HA can negatively impact on frame durability so maybe it requires changes in tubing which they would like to avoid (not to mention additional testing required so they give you a safe product).
  • 1 0
 @lkubica: at least they do a lot of (lab) measurements for things like brakes, instead of solely relying on reviewer's feelings and impressions.
  • 4 1
 @Mac1987: But Germans do have a habit of promoting their stuff in magazines. I remember reading car magazines in early 2000, all car related press in Poland was owned by Germans and surprise, their cars always won, of course there were tables, points, it all looked very professional and unbiased. The same with a a German Bike magazine (or whatever it was/is called, don't buy paper stouff for many yeas now). So I don't completely trust Germans, this enduro-mtb seems ok, they do a lot of tests but I don't read it.
  • 4 0
 If my choices were down to a Ripmo or Atherton, i'm getting the Ripmo AF and upgrading to a Cascade Component rear link with all that extra money saved.
  • 2 0
 @lkubica: to be fair, it’s not like other brands at the time had much to offer. Even in those days BMW, Audi, and VW offered much better vehicles than the French, Italian, and American companies.
  • 3 0
 @lkubica: true, we have the same magazines here in the Netherlands. However, they are usually honest with measurements. If a German car loses based on those measurements, it's usually countered with something subjective like "build quality" or "ergonomics" (although VW *used* to be very good at this). So if I want to know how powerful a brake is, I don't care about all subjective reviews and just read the Enduro mag measurements of braking power at the disc @ a fixed force at the lever. If I want to know how a bike feels, I read several reviews from different countries (because British and Canadian reviews can sometimes be a bit chauvinistic as well).
  • 2 0
 @lkubica: they gave a focus jam a pretty bad review although the founder of enduro-mag is a friend of one of the focus bikes engineers. they are legit.
  • 43 2
 I’m a little surprised at the Strive comparison. Looking at the numbers I immediately thought of the Stumpjumpet Evo, which Specialized bills as a rugged trail bike that can handle enduro racing. The Atherton looks similarly intentioned.
  • 5 0
 i agree, that would have been a better comparison
  • 15 0
 Canyon Spectral is much more similar to this than the Strive
  • 23 1
 @Paco77: Canyon spectral ( 2 of them) and the stumpjumper Evo were both in this recent test with us ... enduro-mtb.com/en/the-best-trail-bike-mtb-review
were also very close to releasing two new models - the 130mm mentioned in the comments and a something that you guys asking for more travel are going to love...
  • 1 0
 Yea, you probably have the cheapest mass produced frame vs a bespoke, handbuilt offering
  • 9 0
 Well he did in fact explain that: "they have similar componentry and I've been riding both a lot lately". Remember bike reviewers aren't computers with photographic memories. If he hasn't ridden a bike in, let's say, a year, doing a comparison is going to be fraught with foggy recolections. Also, I'd say you don't always have to draw comparisons to the closest possible alternative. Comparsions to a bike with differing characteristics could allow you to draw some interesting disctinctions – which is exactly what Seb was aiming for here I think.
  • 4 3
 @rich-2000: it’s not bespoke unless you choose your own geo. It’s Modular mass production. Stick standard tubes into standard lugs
  • 12 0
 @chrismac70: they are "standard lugs" but because they are made by additive manufacturing everything is still made to order (we don't carry stock) so we can offer a lot of standard sizes, in fact 23.

We found people didn't actually like the full custom option - it freaked them out having so many options!
  • 9 0
 @chrismac70: it's got 22 sizes. And if you disagree with their recommendations you can order "off-menu". While not fully custom, it's a whole heap better than virtually every brand. And while certainly not cheap, it's about £1000 cheaper than a X01 Hightower with only 5 sizes...
  • 2 0
 @Athertonbikesteam: something in the 130mm range you say…color me intrigued! I think your brand is spot on and look forward to riding one eventually.
  • 3 0
 @Robgow: I fully accept that. You trade the cost of the manufacturing process for flexibility in changing the design and not having to guess and bulk order lugs that might never be used
  • 38 0
 Did anyone else try to click that sizing chart box to change to a different size bike? Smile
  • 4 0
 I did.. derp lol
  • 3 0
 Yeah! I thought it was a cool new pinkbike feature
  • 5 0
 Yeah I knew it will be a picture but tried anyway
  • 28 1
 Thanks for explaining DW6 in the as much detail as you could. I had misconstrued that it was a 6th iteration of the standard DW link. Knowing that it’s a 6-bar linkage clears up a lot.
  • 1 4
 Yeah, and the goal was to have “all the support you need but with less chain growth”… yet looking at that video of derailleur extending seems like mission failed
  • 5 3
 Wonder why they didn't link it in the review...
  • 3 1
 You know that the RBC was heavily involved with the initial stages of Atherton bikes.

Can’t remember whether they bought the company or bought their own production facilities in the end.

Bike radar has a article covering it all.
  • 14 0
 @abdnthony: They did, right under "Suspension Design" It's no secret that the Atherton bikes are from the same design as RobotBikeCo, I assume they went bust and the Athertons came in and put more investment and a big name on the downtube.
  • 8 3
 @melonhead1145: I don't think robot went bust, but they were fully bought by the athertons and an investor. So robot bike co = Atherton bikes
  • 10 3
 @Tambo: Really? what would you call 120k in debt with a liquidation then , I would call it a Pheonix type affair but we all know the government made it illegal for your mates to buy a company for pence in the pound.
  • 5 4
 @thewanderingtramp: alright, settle down, I didn't know about that.
  • 3 0
 @Tambo: The old director is even a director in the new company
  • 1 1
 @thewanderingtramp: the entire original staff/founders are still there except one, as far as I'm aware?
  • 2 1
 @Tambo: alright, settle down, I didn't know about that.
  • 27 3
 And it's still cheaper then a Santa Cruz with comparable components. Some day they make a golden bike and for sure it will be cheaper than a SC.
  • 17 0
 In regards to all the bearings, you can't compare to the lifespan on normal bikes. The tolerances on the A150 are so good, that I'm 14 months in, about 2700km and 140,000m of descending and they all still feel smooth as new. All previous bikes I've owned will be on second or third sets by now. Even the lower shock-bush has no play.
  • 14 0
 I was really interested in this bike when it first came out, and it sounds like a rad option for taller riders. At 5-7 I’d be lucky to get a 150mm dropper, the seat tube insertion is woefully short.
  • 5 0
 At 6'2", I also think the seat tube insertion is woefully short. The seat tube length says 413mm, but now we need an effective seat tube length to even understand this thing.
  • 1 3
 Seems like as usual the tallest sizes are an afterthought.
  • 5 0
 @alexsin: Gee isn't exactly small so big sizes would most likely be used and tested by him. If it's good enough for Gee ...
  • 1 0
 @alexsin: I’m 6’5” and ride a 520xt. Absolutely perfect.
  • 9 0
 Looking at the geo charts I'm curious about some of the reg/tall versions available. For example the only difference between 490 reg and tall is that tall has a longer seat tube, all other numbers (particularly stack height) are the same.

Wouldn't you just always pick the shorter seat tube and use a longer dropper? What benefit is there from a longer seat tube?

www.athertonbikes.com/media/athertons/tech-sheets/AM.150_GeoChart%20(REV.A%20-%2017.01.2022).pdfREV.A%20-%2017.01.2022
  • 3 0
 Do they really think the guy who fits 470 reach requires the same rear center and same head tube length as the 530 guy? That doesn't make a lot of sense.
  • 7 1
 It’s OK, you can say geeometry, we won’t judge
  • 7 0
 The different seat tube lengths for our sizes are there to accommodate for the largest possible range of seated heights. For some sizes this requires a change in head tube length (and therefore stack) to keep things balanced but for others it's just a change in length to make sure everyone can get the insertion they need at their seated height.
  • 4 0
 No, because there is something like maximum post insertion and with long enough dropper there is no difference between say 400 and 450 ST, other than that 400 looks simply dumb and have much less support (longer part of dropper is exposed). This short ST trend on large frames is amusing, because it works mainly for hardtails and Knolly, all other recent bikes have kinks in the ST which means that there is a limit of sensible ST length.
  • 11 1
 Long time reader. Seb, Kaz and Henry are the reasons I come to the site.

Serb’s articles are truly informative, detailed, systematic, and reliable. I feel like I learn a ton from his articles.

Great review.
  • 7 0
 "and 36 mm fork stanchions arguably put it somewhere in between the trail and enduro categories"

Yeah, every one knows if your forks aren't thiccc enough and you try to ride in the "enduro" category, you'll just die! They should put bright orange warning labels: "Do NOT go full-enduro on this fork, warranty will be void and death may ensue". It doesn't matter if you're light and don't require or want the extra stiffness and weight, or if your fork is skinny but made differently to still have sufficient performance for you. If you're missing 2mm, you're f*cked!
  • 10 0
 One of the best reviews I’ve read period, very detailed!! Good work seb.
  • 13 4
 I wish they would stop speccing dog crap FSA headsets on these fancy builds. At least throw us a CC40.
  • 1 0
 Amen
  • 5 0
 I read the enduro mag review and now this, bike sounds rad. The linkage really seems to work, I love the wide variety of sizing, the geo recommendations seem spot on. Just a bad ass mountain bike for mountain biking, what's not to love?
  • 12 8
 Even though the pros outweigh the cons the review is not the ‘OMG ITS AMAZING’ that I was expecting it to be.

Been following the whole Atherton bikes development for years and I can’t get rid of the feeling that there is something missing from the whole project.
Could just be that it’s all been done on the quiet unlike other builders who tend to splash their bikes all over media.
  • 27 1
 worth reading the recent enduro mag test and detailed review too - the AM.150 beat 13 more established brands to the top spot /Best in Test enduro-mtb.com/en/the-best-trail-bike-mtb-review " The Atherton AM.150 is the best trail bike of 2022"
  • 3 0
 @Athertonbikesteam: will have a read
  • 6 13
flag thewanderingtramp (Sep 5, 2022 at 10:24) (Below Threshold)
 Exactly years have gone by and nuthin new other than the pheonixing of a defunct co.
  • 3 0
 I agree. Lots of technology but nothing really new resulting from it
  • 19 1
 I don't think I've ever seen PB have a "this bike is perfect" review. They always have to add a few things they didn't like to be fair. Overall it seemed like a pretty well reviewed bike.
  • 2 1
 What do you expect? All bikes are pretty good nowadays. Unless someone comes up with a radically new way of keeping rubber on the ground, there won't be any "OMG ITS AMAZING" reviews anymore.
  • 2 1
 An industrial designer for starters then a media hype manager second.
  • 5 1
 awesome bike, i'm waiting for the 170 version with 64 ha.
but that style is exactly what i want. frameset below 4k please. and chainstay little shorter than 445 @athertonbikesteam
  • 16 0
 you might want top drop us a line on sales@athertonbikes.com ... shhhhhh
  • 3 0
 Good all-around geometry, with a lot of stack/reach options. Fits a water bottle without the big, stupid downtube belly most modern bikes have that gets dented on 3-4 foot ledge ups. Price isn't cheap, but in line with other high-end stuff.

I'd love to try one. If it was in the budget, I'd likely buy one. THIS is what a premium bike should look/ride like!!!!
  • 7 1
 Nice to see a company not jumping off the deep end (or shallow end)with head angle. 65 is just great for about everything.
  • 7 1
 The seat tube needs to be straight, Seatpost are huge now and need a lot of insertion.
  • 5 0
 Those suspension compression tests would be a lot more interesting to me if they were done with a fixed BB and a moving rear axle.
  • 5 2
 At £7750 you could buy yourself hopes new HB916 which is arguably better specced and a hell of a lot nicer to look at imo oh and you'll save yourself £255 wayhay!

but seriously in order to buy one of these you have to really really want the technology behind the frame construction, otherwise I don't see the attraction and ultimately don't see any benefit to the tech used other than to stand out
  • 1 0
 Do they still use proprietary standards?
  • 14 0
 Hi. Two main benefits of our frame construction approach:

1. better frame fit as 23 standard sizes

2. extreme strength and durability

On this second point, we put all of our frames through the EFBE Category 5 (DH) test, as well as the Category 4 (enduro). The first frame we had tested with them had been used by Dan A in Dyfi for 6 months prior to testing, and still passed all 8 tests (many manufacturers use a new frame for each individual test).

Additionally, we have our bikes constantly being hammered by the WC race team and Dyfi dig crew, so know in real world conditions just how tough our bikes are.

The Athertons took a big leap of faith putting their name behind a new technology (it would have been a lot easier to go down the traditional material/manufacturing route) but they did this because they saw first hand just how tough the frames are.

But don't take my word for it - come and ride one at Dyfi!
  • 1 0
 @Robgow: as a trail / enduro bike why make it heavier so it can pass dh tests?
  • 1 0
 @Robgow: Can you advise what warranty is offered on the frames? If 'lifetime', then what is the life expectancy?
  • 2 0
 @chrismac70: To add in a perspective, not necessarily argue for them. But myself and a ton of my homies who grew up riding dh bikes really enjoy having a bike you can flog the hell out of and not have to worry about the longevity of the bike. Most everyone I know has snapped multiple trail bike frames from big manufacturers, so I appreciate the perspective of them overbuilding the strength of their trail bike.

I see this AM.150 as the "dh rider's trail bike", something that feels different enough to provide a nice experience, but still comfortable to push your limits on
  • 5 0
 @chrismac70: because we design the bikes that we want to ride, and we know that it is really fun hammering this lighter more nimble bike in the park and we want to be able to do this in complete confidence.

The DW6 is so efficient that a few extra grams in the tubes quickly become irrelevant when you start pedalling.

But that's just us! We quickly learnt that you can't please everyone so the best thing to do is design products that we believe in. Cheers.
  • 1 0
 @Warren569: yes, it is lifetime warranty.

We genuinely expect the bikes to last forever, albeit aside from excessive crash damage (though our carbon tubes are actually very repairable if they do take a big hit).

We believe this because we use a design principle called "infinite life". This means that the frames will never be stressed beyond the Fatigue Limit (or Endurance Limit) for the individual parts and materials.

In practise this means that you can repeatedly load our parts to our maximum defined stress (which are equivalent to extreme DH riding) and they will never fatigue.
  • 1 0
 @KolaPanda: what he said

cheers!
  • 4 1
 Those bikes have surely something going on... You can see it on RB TV and live too: the bikes are fast and moving around very little. Saw it in person in Val Di Sole last weekend: fast and composed (and silent) more than many others... I'd put it right there with Loic's Demo (look at the slow-mo around and you'll see). Props to the Athertons!
  • 1 0
 No joke. Curious where they placed in the constructors.
  • 4 0
 I've seen these being smashed about at Dyfi under Dan, Gee, etc... they seem to work alright. If i were in the market I'd have one.
  • 4 5
 Any bike under one of them would be a quick bike its why pinkbike reviews for average joe riders are fucking pointless
  • 3 0
 @thewanderingtramp: kinda' my point. Joe public is asking for 3mm here, +1° there. Most of us would be better served by a decent set up & some professional coaching.
  • 1 0
 @chriss78: agree completely
  • 5 0
 Each bike comes infused with one straind of Racheals hair, granting it super natural powers.
  • 2 0
 I would be interested to know why they dont profile the tubes in terms of wall thickness along their length. I presume is a cost saving measure so they can buy long lengths of it and just cut the required length off the end
  • 17 0
 That is definitely one reason! Another is that we have prioritized strength and durability over trimming grams here and there. A tube that is optimised for "in ride stresses" may be adequate under normal riding loads, but we know that bikes get crashed!

Our tubes have been designed with a "zero growth" principle which gives added resilience to impact damage. There is a slight weight penalty that comes with this, but we think it is well worth it.

Strength and durability are at the top of our design requirements for every product.
  • 3 0
 @Robgow: but doesn’t that mean as you go down in travel, you end up with pretty heavy short travel bikes?

That’s probably why my bike, the Revved GG Pistola, isn’t more popular. With the Spur, Epic Evo, Spark Trail, and a few other whippets in the market, a 7.5lbs frame/shock with “only” 130mm seems overly burly. I could rock a 160mm Gnarvana and only add a few grams.
  • 19 1
 @PHeller: to some extent this is true, but a couple of really important points to consider:

1. the carbon tubes actually make up a relatively small proportion of overall weight so the net result of this approach is very minimal

2. we actually have a number of different carbon layup specs which we vary across products. These changes are actually driven by flex/compliance performance, but a consequence is a lighter tube on less aggressive bikes.

3. Most importantly, our principle testers are called Dan, Gee and Rachel! They don't care what travel a bike is - they are going to ride it how they want and expect it to take what they throw at it, again and again!

Cheers
  • 9 4
 No stem cable routing. Pass
  • 3 0
 This steep chute picture is comical.. i like steep trails but here is looks like free falling.. I think the photographer got carriedd away ;-). BTW, the bike is gorgeous
  • 1 0
 Iam really curious about the long travel bike coming. The bike looks wonderfull and just by the way, can you imagine all the producers giving us their feedback and answering questions under every review?
Thanks for sharing all the details Atherton Bikes!
  • 2 1
 @Robgow out of interest any chance of a model with a pinion gearbox? or the option to have it custom printed. I've been rolling on one for almost 5 years now and I don't want to go back, but not many makers on the market for them! With the 3d printing of the lugs it would be a great option.
  • 3 1
 Hi. We'd personally love to do a gearbox bike.

Anything is possible with AM (additive manufacturing) but we are a small team so need to prioritise project very carefully. But it is definitely on the cards - we have a long journey ahead of us! Cheers
  • 1 0
 @Robgow: thanks so much for getting back to me. Makes total sense to focus on the bigger core market. I've been rolling on my deviate gearbox and its just been superb through all conditions so hopefully when one of you guys have some spare time to spin up the cad project you can take a look Smile
All the best with the new bikes, looking really positive!
  • 1 0
 @mtbhd: Thanks dude.
  • 1 0
 @Athertonbikesteam Bike looks awesome. And sounds like it rides great. I have two questions which might be interesting for the general public to get answers to.

1. Clearly there are not a lot of these bikes around to demo. If you were to suggest a similar bike to demo (to get a feel for suspension and ride) what would it be? Ibis Ripmo?

2. The review mentioned it takes 16 hours (!) to print a set of lugs. Do you have multiple printers? If not wouldn't this mean you can only make ~500 frames a year?

Thanks
  • 1 0
 Looks like a great trail bike option. Similar in spec and intent to the Ripmo. The model on review fits into “Enduro” category only due to the build, with DH casing tires. Fit lighter weight faster rolling tires and it comes alive as a capable trail bike. Go slacker on the HTA and it will climb awkwardly, feel too slow and ponderous on flatter/tighter terrain. Not every mountain bike needs to be a pedal-able DH sled. Nice work Atherton Bikes!
  • 1 0
 @Robgow:
@chrismac70: I felt exactly the same until I took one for a test at the Dyfi bike park. My local trail is Cannock which is very pedally and so I wanted something that was equally as good on this type of trail but I could also take to the Alps for high alpine natural terrain riding, which is steep, very rocky and has a tendency to break bikes. After riding it at Dyfi, it climbed way better than I expected but the confidence it gave immediately when going down was a revelation. Solid, nimble, poppy and flickable were the words I kept repeating.
The stability at speed on the motorway section at the bottom had me laughing out loud.
I've ridden a lot of trail and enduro bikes and it had a unique feel of mid way between the two which is exactly what I want. In short, I'm sold
  • 2 1
 They need to purchase a media blaster or parts tumbler. Finish on the lugs is not acceptable. People love to see CNC tool paths. No one wants to see Ra 250-500 sintered metal parts.
  • 3 0
 Additively manufactured titanium is highly porous. They’d need to use body filler to fill the textured lugs to make them look smooth. This would just make the bike heavier and more expensive. I personally like the natural textured appearance. The bike shows off its unique manufacturing method.
  • 1 0
 @KnowMtB: I design and manufacture multiple parts with 3D printed metal. You can easily achieve better surface finish than this without bondo with either of the methods I mentioned or a myriad of others. Appearance is subjective yes. But if my $4k frame showed up with finish quality like is shown here I'd be pretty disappointed.
  • 2 1
 I'd like to see them list the top tube length in the geometry. It is not listed on the website. Top tube length really shows how the frame will fit when seated and climbing which is the most time spent on the bike.
  • 4 0
 We'll look into it. Cheers
  • 1 0
 Is their a 27” bike with external cable guides and a threaded bottom bracket. Been looking for a bike in this spec but may need to do what you guys are doing and just make my own like you guys.
  • 3 0
 Good looking bike for sure.
  • 3 2
 can't get over how they look like bamboo bikes or the early bonded/pressfit "lugged" aluminum or aluminum/carbon construction road bikes.
  • 3 0
 Beautiful bike. If it weren't for conservative numbers I would.
  • 6 0
 Longer travel enduro offering coming shortly... Dan A's ghastly masterpiece!
  • 1 0
 I was curious about the total cost for a frame after currency conversion, shipping, and import taxes. 450gbp for shipping or is that shipping plus taxes?
  • 2 0
 Beautiful yet tough looking, good on the Atherton's for doing what they're doing.
  • 3 1
 Be nice to see an updated review of the Arrival vs some of these other 160/150 bikes. Beauty bike either way!
  • 2 0
 The thumbnail immediately reminded me of my old Turner 6-Pack Wink

Great article!
  • 2 0
 Really like the design philosophy and choices behind this bike Would love to try out. But are they coming to Canada?
  • 1 0
 Have had mine for over a year now…. In Canada
  • 1 0
 @friendlyneighbourhoodsleuth: wow! How did you get it so early??
  • 2 0
 wasn't really into these, thought they look like scaffolding.. Saw one an, they look a LOT nicer in the flesh.
  • 1 0
 "65 degrees is on the steeper end of the spectrum" - You stop that, my Hardtail is 65 degrees and it's slack, dammit! Now I have to go get a -2 angleset to be cool again.
  • 2 1
 better -3 as hardtails get steeper in sag, opposed to a dualsuspension which gets (slightly) slacker in sag. My 64 fs bike feels way slacker than my 64 hardtail.
  • 2 0
 If I'm reading the CONS correctly, it's probably only a matter of time before bikes actually start coming with 80* STAs.
  • 2 0
 Been waiting for this one for hawt minute
  • 2 1
 I have the same glue the guy sports in the picture above. You know what I'm up to tonight, fellow pinkbikers!
  • 4 3
 It's a beautiful looking bike but I may be slightly biased as I have shares in the company.
  • 1 0
 Give me 440mm reach, 430mm chainstays, 29" fork, 27,5" wheels, ...........and now the Dollar.
  • 2 4
 Noted that there’s a 130 on the way but all the hype at the moment (in the none e-bike category) is closer to 120 with a Fox34 on the front. Most bikes are so capable now that I think most of us are overbiked. Currently riding a 130 and it feels like a monster truck and whilst fun smashing through everything it feels like cheating and lacks finesse. Bugger!, just argued myself back to my old Titus Racer X which was like shit off a shovel but required a bit of focus on the downs. Lovely looking bike though.
  • 1 0
 Wish it had titanium tubes welded into those lugs. It's already the best looking bike out there in silhouette
  • 1 0
 would be interesting to see how the frame performan on a test bench machine, doing an ISO test.
  • 1 0
 I think this and the WAO are two amazing looking bikes. Now if I could just get over my unfounded fear of carbon.
  • 1 0
 Out of interest what is your particular fear with carbon (i certainly get that carbon used in the wrong place in the wrong way can be a terrible choice of material)?

When it's kept in a simple shape (i.e. a simple tube instead of complex sharp shapes), and when it is only subjected to simple load cases (i.e. away from complex multi load scenarios like at a bottom bracket), and when it doesn't have inserts creating stress raisers (i.e. around pivot mounts) then it is very well suited.

Its also surprisingly repairable if it does take impact damage. Our race team have used frames that have had a rock strike and then been repaired. Again, simple forms that are subject to simple loads are easy to repair. Cheers.
  • 2 0
 @Robgow: I'm not the most agile rider. I tend to plow through stuff and get offline now and again, so to have my bike slide out into rocks or the bb getting a rock "tap" isn't completely uncommon. And I don't have disposable income for the highest end stuff so if I break something it will be awhile in the case of a frame or other bigger ticket items. I get these top end riders ride carbon and it can withstand the abuse, but they also seem to be able to get replacements that may or may not come out of pocket at full retail. My fears are more my unsmooth riding and breaking something it took a year to save for. I will ride with dents but cracks does not seem like the best idea.
  • 2 0
 @Whataboutism: All the areas at risk of unrepairable damage like bottom bracket are titanium. Carbon tubes are fairly easy to repair. For me, this is what makes this design ideal for MTB. Most carbon breakages I've seen recently are in the awkward places to repair, like derailleur hanger or cable guide mounts
  • 1 0
 @steviedsolve: Question for you and maybe @Robgow. If you do crack say a carbon tube and that tube be replaced with the same ti bits so only the tube itself is replaced? If so what is turnaround on something like that? Good point on the tubes I didn't really think about that
  • 1 0
 Trral bike, must be a new category. I'm joking but nice to see that I'm not the only one making spelling mistaces.
  • 1 0
 It is a great all mountain bike. Really like the simplicity look of the frame. It is just darn pricey.
  • 1 0
 Atherton bikes should hire Steve Peat, given his professional experience with both plumbing and MTB...
  • 1 0
 Do they offer a 140mm bike that can pair with a 150mm fork?
  • 5 0
 130 on its way. Comes with 140 and 150 fork option
  • 11 0
 Yes, in fact we are accepting pre-orders at sales@athertonbikes.com - email us for full specs. We are offering 2 versions the AM.130 which has a 140 mm fork for excellence on the climbs and more responsive steering on the flat and the AM.130.X (eXtra travel with a 150mm fork) which has a 0.5 degrees slacker head angle for extra stability on the rowdier descents. frame only, build 1 and build 2 options available.
  • 1 0
 I see they sent the test bike with a bottle cage already mounted. Touche.
  • 2 2
 Just wondering
USD > Euro
USD price > Euro price (excluding all taxes)
WTF, where did i go wrong?
  • 1 0
 Im glad the price isn't considered a con
  • 1 3
 gotta post some negative. I went looking sizes at site, put my measurements. I got reg 470 and custom numbers, but really 470 low was so close at custom it was laughable that they have balls give 470 reg and customs.
  • 5 0
 That's great! You're lucky that your perfect size happens to be very close to a standard size. We're certainly not trying to sell people custom geo if they don't need it (to be honest it is a pain in the ass for the design team to generate custom data so we try to avoid it at all costs!). We simply want people to be as informed as possible about how well fitted their bike will/can be. Cheers
  • 1 0
 Is this bike durable and serviceable by a home mechanic?
  • 4 0
 Yes! We select our components with durability top of mind, and all of our products are tested to the highest standard by EFBE test house. Simplicity is our guiding principle, and we believe that every customer benefits from this approach, from our port to port cable routing to our Universal Derailleur Hanger.
  • 1 0
 "Intended use: trail/enduro/all-mountain"

Mountain biking?
  • 1 1
 Watching Dan Atherton booost that thing to the moon is all you need to know about that bikes capability!
  • 1 0
 Holly crap they actually built a bike
  • 1 1
 Horizontal shock and it's mint....
  • 3 5
 Is it just me or does the HTA seem too steep. Between that and the STA the geo seems a bit dated.
  • 11 0
 This is a fair observation. We've deliberately kept the geo numbers on this product on the conservative side as it will shortly sit along side it's big ugly brother..... (longer travel enduro en route).

We've thought and tested very carefully around the different types of enduro style riders and think we've got a good balance between our two offerings. Keeps an eye out..
  • 2 10
flag mybaben (Sep 5, 2022 at 10:53) (Below Threshold)
 Definitely! Fortunately that seems like it would be an easy fix with their 3D printed mfg process! Hopefully they do that straight away. 65' is too steep for a 150mm bike in 2022.
  • 5 4
 @mybaben: so you are telling Gee, Rach and Dan they don't know what they are doing? Saying there preference after LOTS of testing is wrong? And/or saying The super custom high and bike should follow every single train that every other manufacturers doing? Wow. You must crazy fast and knowledgeable
  • 3 6
 @bman33: Take a deep breath fan boy. Those are YOUR words. I did NOT say they didn't know what they were doing. I said 65' is too steep for an aggressive all mountain bike. 64-64.5 would be my preference. PS. Seb would have liked it slacker as well...
  • 7 4
 @Robgow: The thing is, you're in an impossible situation which is of course, trying to please all of the people all of the time. The PB forum/comments has always been very focused on what person XYZ feels is perfect for them, full of keyboard sofasurfers who know exactly who to build the perfect bike... but never have and never will.
The fact that you're here in the comments section supporting your product, ideas and design says a lot about you both as people and as a company... Keep up the good work
  • 3 5
 @weeksy59: Or maybe look at it from a different perspective , no one is impressed by a DW back end constructed using 20 year old tech yet with a premium for it, The keyboard surfer might never have or will build anything but they arent the ones running a company selling anything either He/She knows what they want and this comapny like many others arent supplying it . The bicycle industry is one of the big culprits for smoke and mirrors.
  • 4 1
 @thewanderingtramp: Horst Link is 25+ years old and still used today in many modern bikes. Threadless headsets, even older. Telescoping forks....those came out what? 1950's? Disc brakes? 30 years old on MTB's at least. Endless other examples. Yes, this has a newer DW link, but it's improved /polished version for this particular application just as the other components I listed above. Not much is truly 'new' in the bike industry at this point other than electronics. 'New' doesn't always = good/better
  • 3 5
 An AM bike, Fox 36, and still 33+ lbs? I mean, sure, DH tires, but still...
  • 1 2
 persze...inkább veszek egy Husquarna fe 250 -et ennek az árán.
  • 1 2
 Surprised that some find this bike non-ugly.
  • 1 3
 Nice crush zone just above the bottom bracket at the seat tube.
  • 6 9
 Why so cheap???
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