Bike Check: 18 Bikes Full Suspension Prototypes

Peak District based 18 Bikes had two prototypes on display at Bespoked Manchester. Matt talked us through them. These two bikes are the first prototyp …

By stwhannah

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Bike Check: 18 Bikes Full Suspension Prototypes

They do have a lovely head badge.

I’m intrigued to see where this goes.
I’m a steel fan, but still struggling to get my head around such a slim looking rear end…

I’ve always liked what 18 Bikes are doing, and it helps they are a lovely bunch of blokes too. I go out of my way to use them as a bike shop when I need stuff doing.

Yes, lovely guys I got to know back when I was doing Nicolai.

That’s properly lovely work – especially to see someone making a one off e-bike proto like that (though the biggest issue I can see is the battery – theres a good reason manufacturers moved from ‘bottle cage’ type batteries to integrating them into the downtube.  On the old Orbea Wild running the Bosch battery on top of the downtube made a big difference to the way the bike feels to ride, even more so if you did it without the downtube battery in place.

Saw these IRL. They were very prototype-looking. Which is great for Bespoked. I liked the skeletal steel look, But that idler cog and the shock connected to the top tube aren’t my thing. Could easily see trying one out though…

At Bespoked what I was pleased/disturbed by was how neat the Atherton bikes looked IRL. The pictures I’ve seen over the past couple of years have been “Orange++”. But seeing them on the stand – wow! I could imagine buying one. Obviously, not deserving one…but they looked so neat! The lack of bottle bosses on the carbon ones aside.

I feel a little daft at the moment but when I read the title I thought it was 18 different prototype suspension bikes. Was a little disappointed when I could only find one, but in a lot of detail ?