Atherton have released a YouTube series on the development of their new eeb.
Coming early 2026....
Episode 1 of 3:
I reckon that’s going to an Avinox motor. DJI microphones used in the video……🤔
My money is on Pinion MGU
So they've released a video about their new e-bike and you can't see what motor is in it?
Is it worth watching when I'm home in front of the telly?
So they've released a video about their new e-bike and you can't see what motor is in it?
Not unless they’re gonna release an e-bike with ‘Orbea’ written on the side.
I got the teaser email too. A little disappointed but not surprised by the lack of any actual information at this stage, will watch episode 2 as soon as it pops up
How do they 3d print or form the battery housing? Wonder if they go down the cotic route and have a loose battery?
interesting and big investment for a small company. Hope they don’t do a Deviate…
Yeah it's a bit light on details - or any information to be honest lol
Will be interesting to see what motor they use.
It's probably a toss up between the Avinox and the SRAM - can't see it being Shimano, although the fact that Cotic are using them might not completely rule them out.
I really hope it doesn't have an exposed battery, looks like in the sketches it does.
Be boring without a gearbox...
I think an external battery limits motor options, to Shimano and possibly Bosch (but they have pretty high MOQs).
An Avinox would be the best option IMO.
Comments about waiting for tech to catch up deffo feels like its pointing at Avinox. Sketches seem to be suggesting external battery though (which would make sense given the Atherton construction method?), although they did show lots of adjustments, etc. on those sketches...
The way they currently make bikes doesn’t compute with an internal battery. I’d bet too their ‘feedback’ suggests people don’t want an internal battery. I can’t see them making their own battery cell that would fit in one of their downtubes or seat tubes
In some ways I would be interested in an Atherton ebike, but then I bet it would be as ugly as the Cotic and bound to be really heavy
Yes weight isn’t everything but it’s bound to be 25kg + weight which is a lot lifting over styles / getting in the boot of a car
Price - bound to be £10k plus?
The way they currently make bikes doesn’t compute with an internal battery.
They can 3d print or CNC a motor housing in the same way they make lugs for the A and S series, they can bond a box section into lugs the same as they can bond tubes. Or they could do something different
Probably depends on where you ride, I've yet to see one in the wild, but I'm not at popular riding destinations much, so likely it is me not being in the right place.
They can 3d print or CNC a motor housing in the same way they make lugs for the A and S series
Im not sure the whole point of their bikes is that they are cheap to make the tubes because they are just all a circular shape and regular size.
Its got to be an external battery ie cotic 🤮
I prefer the look of the 2018 Canyon with an external battery to their current bikes and the Lapierre Overvolt GLP is another bike with an external battery that is more function over form
Price - bound to be £10k plus?
You could almost get a nice, regular, mountain bike for that!
That being said, I don’t think Athertons are the most, shall we say, ambitiously priced? Sure you can go to the moon with them, but they start sub £5k, and do C2W…
Given how few of the bikes you see in the real world I do wonder how they stay in business.
Given how few of the bikes you see in the real world I do wonder how they stay in business.
I've seen a fair few - usually 3 or 4 at the local DH race and few around the trails.
Also they only need to manufacture the lugs and finish bikes that they have orders for, no need to have dead stock sat around so they can run pretty efficiently compared to a brand that needs 'x' sizes each in 'y' colours just in case someone wants one. If your customers are happy to accept the leadtimes this results in, then it's a win-win - and most will be happy to.
I don't think they're short of orders.
My mate ordered his A150 at the Malverns and collected it last weekend. Don't think they started printing it until mid/end October.
So they've released a video about their new e-bike and you can't see what motor is in it?
No. They’ve released a video about the first steps of their journey into designing a new ebike.
My money would be on an Avinox MK2 motor, possibly a Maxon as they are easier to get in small quantities without signing up to large procurement contracts.
Im not sure the whole point of their bikes is that they are cheap to make the tubes because they are just all a circular shape and regular size.
Aren't the tubes filament wound over a mandrel? So could be any shape...
The Atherton’s could have a read of this motor comparison , a lot of work gone into that
Had an email about pre-sale for the new ebike.
Interesting picture in the email:
Looks like the lower shock mount is in a different position, also can't see an external battery.
Definitely looks different to the normal S range:
Can't work out of the down tube is larger diameter, and cable entry point on head tube is different too.
I think theres some clver shadowing there to make the downtube not appear quite so huge - its definitely bigger.
Given how their lug is made, it doesnt have to be circular either - so I assume thats some sort of orunded off square/rectangular section downtube. It could be hiding a lot of volume in its width, not depth.
Looks like a cassette too. What a shame. No innovation from Atherton.
“Looks like a cassette too. What a shame. No innovation from Atherton.”
Although I like a gearbox conceptually, reviews and quite a bit of owner feedback talks about the loss of pedalling efficiency and the difficulty shifting under high load. And the reliability isn’t brilliant, whilst mechs and cassettes are easy to swap if they break.
Making MTBs in the UK is hard (how many brands actually make their bikes). Designing e-bikes is harder than normal MTBs. Adding a gearbox to that seems a recipe for delays and disasters!
I think that’s a much bigger downtube with the lower 20% or so hidden in shadow.
That avinox is already 1000w 120nm, why does it even need gears. They could just add another 500w of power or so and make it singlespeed.
Top tube looks very flat, with no lump or bump of any screen. So that rules out nobody.
One thing comes to mind maybe, do we think Atherton would have the resource to build their own battery, or will it be a stock size. Down tube does look slim side on, slimmer than that on an Amflow.
Would be nice if they released a bit more info for the pre-sale.
Would you put a deposit on a bike you haven't seen or have any details of?
“One thing comes to mind maybe, do we think Atherton would have the resource to build their own battery”
From what Cotic have said about custom battery development it seems something that will only be viable for a very high volume seller, which Atherton aren’t.
If you look at the shape of that downtube and where the logo is, I think it’s about the same thickness as the tyre’s height, which is v similar to the Forbidden and Amflow e-bikes’ proportions.
“One thing comes to mind maybe, do we think Atherton would have the resource to build their own battery”From what Cotic have said about custom battery development it seems something that will only be viable for a very high volume seller, which Atherton aren’t.
I used to work as a design engineer for one of the early EV manufacturers in the UK, the BMS system, its software, the pack design and the relevant testing were one of the most complex and costly part of the process.
I know someone who they could partner with to develop a custom battery but I doubt it would be cheap.
Although I like a gearbox conceptually, reviews and quite a bit of owner feedback talks about the loss of pedalling efficiency and the difficulty shifting under high load. And the reliability isn’t brilliant,
....I think that’s a much bigger downtube with the lower 20% or so hidden in shadow.
Really? Shifting on Rohloff/Pinion is *different* but you very quickly adapt. Trad gears, at least pre SRAM Transmission, don't really shift well under full load but we've all adapted over years of use. On an e-bike the motor can automatically ease off when it needs to. Shifting should be fine.
Reliability? Again, they've been around many years now and I've just not heard of many issues with either Rohloff or Pinion.
Shadow? I reckon. it doesn't look big enough. Custom in-frame come from a big Taiwan supplier (Trend Power manufacture for Specialized, Canyon, Yamaha, Decathlon, Merida, and I think Orbea). I suspect the issue for Atherton is always going to be order volumes on anything custom. You'd not want to be hanging on to a big stock of old tech batteries.
Building a bike without a cassette and derailleur would be a huge commercial mistake. There are a few loud fans of gearboxes... but if you want to actually build bikes for people to buy and ride, they're best put in the "one day, maybe" box.
Down tube looks big enough to hold a battery. There is no reason at all for them to use a bigger downtube than the S series unless it's for an internal battery. So it is internal. It'll be off the shelf... the only question is which one. Looking at the size of downtube, position of the lower shock mount, and the room given for a range extender... and given the size of Atherton getting all the ebike parts from one supplier in reasonable sized batches makes the most sense. I'm going to guess...
https://www.maxonbikedrive.com/en/air-s
chatgpt says it looks like this....
Personally I think they should have added some chainstay protection, and why did they weld it half way along the chainstay?
The only shifting I've had that worked under load was Rapid Rise but no one seemed to like that (Except for me. Not the flappy levers, the mk2 with normal shifters in XTR flavour).
mk2 with normal shifters in XTR flavour
They were awesome. Rapid Rise with a clutch... please.
chatgpt says it looks like this....
So many obvious "not an Atherton" mistakes there that it's not even worth discussing (or posting).
Isn't there a massive hole in the head tube/top tube junction from how it's CNC'd, perfect spot for the display I would guess.
Could be interested in an Atherton e-bike - but only if it was both:
- Made in the same way as the Atherton's A series bikes.
- Not a full-fat bike, but a a light e-bike that weighs 18kg max.
The promo shots Atherton has released - looks more like their S series models in terms of engineering.
I loved Rapid Rise, seemed to be a much for sensible use of the mech spring. Very quick to adapt to it as well...
It's an S-series - S-170, Avinox motor, 3 builds starting at £7k, middle £8k, top £9k
Avinox? Yawn. It’s got to be the best motor option for their marketing/sales team though.
It's an S-series - S-170, Avinox motor, 3 builds starting at £7k, middle £8k, top £9k
To be fair that’s competitive in the market place.
Looks like an external battery. I hope it’s removable I’d be intrigued to see if it looks as ugly as the Cotic
It's an S-series - S-170, Avinox motor, 3 builds starting at £7k, middle £8k, top £9k
Looks like an external battery. I hope it’s removable I’d be intrigued to see if it looks as ugly as the Cotic
It states integrated (not hot removals).
Which is a good thing. The world doesn’t need another bike like the Cotic.
Ah ok it looked external in the vid cad bits
Where can you find specs ?
edit: now all on their website…
although they do not confirm battery size. Is it the same on all Avinox bikes?
Edit : it is 800wh 3.74kg or 600wh 2.87kg
Its certainly not going to be at the lighter end of ebikes
Hopefully they will do a shorter travel in future. 180mm is too much for what I want
It's an S-series - S-170, Avinox motor, 3 builds starting at £7k, middle £8k, top £9k
Looks like an external battery. I hope it’s removable I’d be intrigued to see if it looks as ugly as the Cotic
It states integrated (not hot removals).
Which is a good thing. The world doesn’t need another bike like the Cotic.
Unless your bike lives indoors or you have a heated garage/shed/electric blanket to wrap around the downtube then removable batteries are a must for our climate. Lithium plating will occur on any lithium ion battery that gets charged up in an environment with an ambient temp of less than 8 degrees celsius. Unless you're not arsed and are one of those who only keeps a bike 18-24 months before selling it on the damage won't really be noticeable until a bit further down the line.
But yeah I agree there is methods of having removable batteries that isn't as offensive looking as the cotic, I like whytes approach where it slides in from underneath the down tube.
Lithium plating will occur on any lithium ion battery that gets charged up in an environment with an ambient temp of less than 8 degrees celsius
Thats interesting to know.
We are lucky that we have a big kitchen so my eeb has predominantly lived in the kitchen since new, and gets charged in there.
I am sorting some storage in the garage though, its joined to the house and has the boiler in there so hopefully doesnt get too cold.
Re removal battery - before buying an ebike I was against removable as it adds 500g or so for the extra stuff needed to make it removable. I would now totally sacrifice 500g for a battery that could be taken out to be charged. Also means you could fly with your bike.
Defo is something that manufacturers should do more, but maybe even in this case its down to the battery supplier, not the frame builder
Which is a good thing. The world doesn’t need another bike like the Cotic.
Best ebike of 2025 though 😜
£18 for a heated blanket thing for wrapping around the downtube/battery for charging in a colder climate - stupid Amazon link.
On the Atherton, all that info and not a single mention of weight (unless I missed it). Weight is key for me on an eMTB - only ridden a small number but I chose to buy a mid-power 20.5kg eMTB. Will the S170e be lighter than an Amflow PL? Unlikely I guess being alu and built to take a beating from an Atherton...
Looks like it could be a contender for best ebike of 2026 then! And the price actually seems pretty reasonable for what it is. Being an Atherton it should have sorted geometry and ride feel (they don't seem like the kind of people who'd settle for "just ok"), with what seems to be the best motor currently available. I'm still not in the market for an ebike unfortunately, but would love to have a go on one of these!
although they do not confirm battery size. Is it the same on all Avinox bikes?
Edit : it is 800wh 3.74kg or 600wh 2.87kg
There are rumours of new Avinox batteries due soon, the tech hasn’t moved on in a way that they can make needle moving differences, but supposedly they will be 700/900wh.
I think you saw the part where they show the new range extender.
Google suggests the following for weights:
Avinox motor is around 2.5 kg, 800Wh battery about 3.5kg.
Standard S170 is around 17.5kg.
So looks to be around 23.5kg??
It's an S-series - S-170, Avinox motor, 3 builds starting at £7k, middle £8k, top £9k
Looks like an external battery. I hope it’s removable I’d be intrigued to see if it looks as ugly as the Cotic
It states integrated (not hot removals).
Which is a good thing. The world doesn’t need another bike like the Cotic.
Unless your bike lives indoors or you have a heated garage/shed/electric blanket to wrap around the downtube then removable batteries are a must for our climate. Lithium plating will occur on any lithium ion battery that gets charged up in an environment with an ambient temp of less than 8 degrees celsius. Unless you're not arsed and are one of those who only keeps a bike 18-24 months before selling it on the damage won't really be noticeable until a bit further down the line.
But yeah I agree there is methods of having removable batteries that isn't as offensive looking as the cotic, I like whytes approach where it slides in from underneath the down tube.
I must be in the can’t be arsed club then, as we have 4 e-bikes in the garage & I’ve never once given a thought to any of the above.
One of them is a 6 year old Trek Rail, which is coming up to 24,000km on its original battery & motor, which we use as a nursery commuter bike. I think the only thing holding it together is mud now - it’s so mistreated it doesn’t even live inside the garage, it spends most of its life leaning against the wood shed & if it needs a charge it gets chucked against the wood pile & charged there.
The battery is removable apparently in a similar way to the Whyte at least that's what it says in the Pinkbike article
The battery is removable apparently in a similar way to the Whyte at least that's what it says in the Pinkbike article
Batteries are movable from all e-bikes . Most it’s not a design feature though ie designed to take the battery out to ride / travel
Most it means dropping the motor and not cocking things up
If it truly is removable then that’s a huge positive
Battery on the Whyte Kado is fairly easy to remove. Pull the rubber bung out of the catch on the skid plate battery cover, pull the catch, open the cover, disconnect the connector from the battery, undo a bolt, slide battery out.
@funkydunc if you remove the battery and fly with your bike what battery are you going to use at the other end?
I was also confused by the Cotic style battery so if that isn't the case then this bike will be on the list for some time in the future as a lad I know raves about his Atherton. Removable battery would also be a bonus because my garage gets cold and damp.
@Simon, I was thinking about this. The Gen 5 Bosch batteries (600 and 800wh) are standard across all new Gen5 motor bikes from what I can see, so if you were flying somewhere you could just rent a battery in the size of choice. Bike shops, resorts or bike holiday providers could set up this as a service. I think Avinox batteries are generally not removable, but let’s see.
you remove the battery and fly with your bike what battery are you going to use at the other end?
as above it would be great if you could rent a battery at the other end
+ I’ve stayed places over night in the uk where I’d leave the bike in the car and bring the battery in to charge. Many places don’t let/like you bringing bikes in
Can you not just take the battery in hand luggage like you would any other battery, or are they size restricted? I fly fairly regularly for work with a bag full of camera gear and a load of batteries, never any issues there but they're a lot smaller!
I think there's a battery capacity restriction.
And that's the first batch of 50 sold out completely already!
No, I'm not one of them. Anyone on here one of the fifty?
Why's the formatting gone to **** 1/2 way down this thread?
Which is a good thing. The world doesn’t need another bike like the Cotic.
Best ebike of 2025 though 😜
But only for a about a week before we were told about that Merida that was the best bike of the year.
Back to Atherton, at the risk of normalising 7 grand bikes, seems a decent price when compared to mainstream brands, nevermind the Yetis of this world.