NBD is always fun. Atherton incoming.

What I think/hope might be the last new bike day for a while, and coincidentally on the day that the S150 launched.

I have my forever road/gravel bike which is my Seven that still looks modern, rides beautifully and has been a Trigger’s Broom for the last 11 years.

I have no reason to change my hardtail which has been my Yeti ARC for a few years with thoroughly modern geometry and is just about the best hardtail I have ever ridden.

I have been searching for the same from a suspension bike for years, but standards, materials, geometry and kinematics have only really started to stabilise in the last few years. I was about to buy a Robot Bike Co bike just before they morphed into Atherton and after 15 weeks of waiting, I just got this built up.

It is (thankfully!) the best full suspension bike I have ever ridden, let alone owned. It’s an A130 BTW.

The geometry and kinematics are spot on. The materials and manufacturing are amazing. The whole experience with Atherton and the process has been a joy. Believe the hype. They really know how to ride, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into building a bike. Thankfully they have surrounded themselves with a team who know how to translate their input into something amazing.

Spec is a mix of bling and functional. The bling comes from the Trickstuff brakes, enhanced with Hopp carbon clamps with integrated trigger fittings because why not?! Chris King spinny bits should last for years and I am an evangelist for SRAM AXS Transmission. The functional comes from alloy rims, because I haven’t ridden carbon rims at 10 x the cost that get anywhere near the ride quality, alloy cockpit because it just works and forks transferred from my Santa Cruz because I couldn’t justify the expense of new forks given how marginal the improvements are these days. BTW, before anybody comments about needing a longer dropper, the exposed black part of the dropper was calculated to take my bike stand clamp so I don’t have to clamp the frame or the Kashima bit, and it drops plenty for me.

In terms of a ride report, the absolute best thing I can say is absolutely nothing. The bike disappears beneath you. It is silent. That is quite noticeable having ridden big carbon echo chambers for so long. There are no creaks, no noises and nothing makes a noise when it hits the downtube. It just works brilliantly. Climbing is devoid of bobbing and is supple. Descending is incredibly confidence inspiring. It just feels so natural and in tune with my riding style. Maybe, finally I have found my perfect match. After a few years on a mullet Santa Cruz (which was lovely), it does feel good to be back on a 29er. On reflection I think it works better for a trail bike that is pedalled. The mullet was great for mucking around, but not as good for trail riding, or ‘mountain biking’ as it used to be called back in the day!

I have enjoyed a first week of dry trails and crispy autumn leaves but that looks to have come to a soggy, sloppy end. Which is a shame because if I have one concern based on the design and some early rider feedback it is that the (many) pivot bearings are quite exposed and the natural mud zone seems to flick directly onto the shock. Time will tell tell, but for the moment this really has hit the sweet spot. For not much more than a high end ‘common’ carbon bike, and in some cases actually less, I cannot recommend Atherton highly enough. Well worth every one of the 151,200 minutes it took to arrive!

That looks lush

Well, isn’t that quite lovely! Since seeing one of these in the flesh my opinions have totally changed. Fantastic things. Enjoy!

Is it too late to edit and stick a full stop  between each photo ?

I noticed in the comments on the S150 launch that the A Series looks are a bit marmite. I absolutely love it (duh, I bought one!). The carbon/ti mix and good old straight tubes make for a real retro/modern feel (if that is even a thing?!).

I always lusted after a Specialized Epic back in the day and love the look of Bastion bikes too. Looking back at the Robot Bike Co. bikes, they still look fresh today to me. I have always liked something a bit off the beaten track and this ticks the box vs a Santa Cruz, Yeti, Pivot, Specialized, Trek etc.

And at the risk of stirring nationalistic debate, it is always good to support local manufacturing.

Is it too late to edit and stick a full stop  between each photo ?

Sadly yes. Why, what does that do?

noice!

Bike looks good but the grass needs attention, the brambles will take over soon and don’t start me on the valve alignment!

Not sure what I like best, the bike or the fact it has a bell on it!

I’m not surprised you had to sell your lawn mower to pay for that bad boy. Tidy.

Super cool.

In a world of homogenous bike designs this looks great.

That’s just great! Love what they’re doing with their bikes and UK manufacturing – it’s not easy to make it work!

So thats (at least) 3 of us on here that have Athertons.

I’m on an A130 as well.. coming up for a year old now.
pretty much echo what you say. It’s an amazing bike.

get onto the owners facebook page. Theres a chap who makes little link guards for the seatpost tube. They do help a bit.

bearings are a bit exposed. The rear chainstay ones are an absolute sod to change.. i did ask Atherton to look at making a specific puller for them. Let’s see what happens.

For me, in the peak, for the riding I do, mine is perfect.

welcome to the club!!

Nice. I’ve an A150.3 with AXS expected 1Q2025. Test rode the next size up at Dyfi and it was great.

Very nice that.

Apart from your valve cap on your shock is miss.

@MartynS

Also very nice and looks a touch better to my eyes with the black lugs.

That’s lovely. I liked the look of them even before seeing one in real life, then had a good prod around one on their stand at Ft Bill DH. A lovely finished off bike – nicer than the Hope HB916 on the opposite stand to my eyes, and that’s lovely too. No reason to doubt how they ride.

Enjoy!

Just a cheapie little pub runaround then?

Cripes that’s a beast, keep it well locked up.

Spec is a mix of bling and not quite as bling

FTFY – those “functional” bits are still tasty enough.

Really like the look of the Athertons. Personally I think the A series look better than the S. The 130 is probably my dream bike. Any idea what it’s weighing it at?

A friend of mine has a very bling A170. I wasn’t sure on them aesthetically, but they’re really really nice in the flesh. With the launch of the S150, I think I need a test ride to see if I like a mullet setup.

HTH!

Very fancy, hope you enjoy it OP.

Are you the fella that used to have about a dozen ti bikes which all looked the same? Did you melt them down and weigh them in to buy this? 😉

In a world where most bikes look roughly the same, it’s nice to see something different (I say that as an Orange rider).

These frames remind me a bit of those play construction sets you’d have as a kid, where you’d stick plastic tubes into green(?) lugs to build structures. Anyone get what I’m on about here?

Dang…that’s lovely. Always like an Atherton

The wait is excruciating, but worth it in the end. I love my A170. Is it ‘perfect’ – no. Does it make me smile every time I ride it – absolutely.

Sadly yes. Why, what does that do?

Would just make it easier to see each individual photo as there would be a gap between them. The nature of your camera angles, and the radical bike, make it tricky for an old duffer like me to actually work out which bit goes where 🙂

TBF it’s really just the last 2 or 3. I’m looking at it as 1 photo and it’s making my brain melt

Nice bike! I think some kind of A130 would be my limitless budget/lottery win full suss choice. I’d also keep the XM481 rims, although mostly in vain attempt to prove money hasn’t changed me 🙂

Very nice, that’s pretty much my dream bike/spec, I’m glad one of us could afford it 😉