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The Atherton S170 is no alloy look-a-like; Atherton has applied excellent engineering and delivered a mighty fine aluminium mountain bike.
...
By rhyswainwright
Get the full story here:
https://singletrackmag.com/2024/03/atherton-s170-review/
what might just be one of the finest aluminium mountain bike there has ever been
I'll stick with my GeoMetron.
I'm mixed about this Atherton. Like the idea of aluminium and the price doesn't seem outrageous at all, but there's something about the looks I'm not sure about! I should like it without question but the angle/arrangement at the bottom of the downtube isn't the finest looking angle.
the price doesn’t seem outrageous at all
Really ? A bike that starts at £5k ??
I think it looks much nicer than the carbon bikes, looks like the love child of an original PACE bike and an Orange.
The bottom bracket area does look its a bit of a plough, maybe its awesome for planting crops out in the fields?
It looks a bit CDT project, but I don't dislike it.
I'd still have preferred to see them come up with a conventionally constructed alu frame at Bird/Privateer prices (or a little above if they're licensing the DW link).
As it is, could you get a Geometron (like Ally's) for a similar price? And enjoy the best customer service in the industry.
Not a gripe, but it must be bloody hard to write a bike review these days- beyond a neutral handling bike with just the right balance of stability vs agility in the bike park environment and The initially linear rate progressively ramping up to offer support in the mid to latter part of the stroke through fast berms and compressions there's not really anything said about the ride and handling other than to compare it with the author's preferences. A few notes about design details and spec sheet and done.
As someone who only rides the bikes they own, presumably within a market segment most decent bikes are much of a muchness these days?
I like it, I cant do a bike like that justice but I still like it!
Really ? A bike that starts at £5k ??
I was more looking at the frame + shock price of £2.8k not being an outlier compared to similar stuff. Obviously depends how 'similar stuff' is defined, but for the type of bike/company/construction - can we still say 'boutique'? - I don't think it's that bad.
As it is, could you get a Geometron (like Ally’s) for a similar price?
Almost but not quite: £3.4k for a G1 inc EXT Storia, which is what I'd buy over this Atherton. Not that I've looked. Much. My older-but-immaculate G16 was <£1k inc a new CC coil shock.
I was liking until I saw the chainstay on the drive side .. from the none drive side .. Not a good looking piece of metal. And heavier than the gravatational pull of a small moon.
I like it - frame/shock price isn't too bad, especially when you consider it's hand built in the UK.
Might look at one if my Mega 290 ever gives up the ghost.
Can't see wheel size(s) in the review - I believe it's a mullet.
Tempted.... How noisy? no tube in tube routing so is it noisy?
Good first ride impression on Pinkbike, just a bit up from the story about why Bernard Kerr's bonded Pivot frame broke 🙂
Is bonding frames just a solution to a non-existant problem?
Maybe its just the camera angles but for a slack "hardcore" type frame it looks really squashed up with a short wheelbase (not checked the figures, I'm not that bothered!).
Like the rear end. Very neat. BB/lower shock mount area looks "industrial".
^It's bonded due to the type of aluminium used. Same as the Pole bikes.
It’s 38 lb with the high spec build. That’s means 40lb for the cheapest build. It’s clearly not meant to be pedalled anywhere at that weight
What are you getting v ibis ripmo af which has the same suspension platform and cost less for a complete bike than this frame
Always highly skeptical when a company makes their expensive bike with their ideal suspension platform which does exactly what they want and then makes another cheaper bike which also uses their ideal suspension platform which does exactly what they want but is completely different.
That aside, I love the looks, sure it's pretty clunky looking in places but it carries it well and it all seems functional (is it? I don't know, I'm not a bike engineer, but it's good enough that it looks functional and purposeful I think. I've seen similiar downtube/bb unions that are every bit as hideous but don't have a shock in the middle frinstance.
The article does mention that the hole covers etc are still a work in progress.
Reviews are sometimes confusing to me, it’s seems to be that a pricey, favoured brand, can turn out a heavy and flexible frame and call it compliant (or have 3d traction) and weight doesn’t matter, does it, yet a less favourable brand, it appears, would be criticised for it being a flexy boat anchor. Even in this article, veiled comparison is made with a the carbon version, suggesting that stiffness is lacking. But compliance is good.
Confused.
As an aside, those voids under the chain stays would be a mud magnet round here. Will need moto foam in them.
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rockhopper70
Full Member
Reviews are sometimes confusing to me, it’s seems to be that a pricey, favoured brand, can turn out a heavy and flexible frame and call it compliant (or have 3d traction) and weight doesn’t matter, does it, yet a less favourable brand, it appears, would be criticised for it being a flexy boat anchor. Even in this article, veiled comparison is made with a the carbon version, suggesting that stiffness is lacking. But compliance is good.
Confused.
<ununquote>
The future mags once reviewed the exact same stem twice in a year but being sold with different branding, and described it as "too flexy" the first time and "stiff and solid" the second time.
And in fairness, I loved my Soda because it was a noodle, other people would hate it for the exact things I liked. Reviews are always going to be subjective. Up to us to read them and think "well I don't like a soft feeling frame" or whatever- if I see comments about how efficiently a long travel bike pedals because of it's antisquat I know it's not for me even if the reviewer thinks that's a good thing, etc etc.
Cold drawn tubes welded together FTW.
Not a bike I'm interested in, but hoping to see a shorter travel, somewhat lighter 140-150mm version.
The suspension layout around the BB looks suspiciously like it's been setup to accommodate a motor in a future revision.
Looks wise I'm mixed, in the close up photos it is stunning, with all its fine details but from afar, the downtube/bottom bracket junction is very function over form. Which in general I do like on brands like Nicolai and Orange but on the Atherton it would take a bit of getting used to.
As with all reviews, the reviewer's riding style, personal preferences and terrain/location the bike will heavily influence the final outcome. Not to mention what side of the bed the reviewer got out of that morning.
Maybe all reviews should start with the reviewer's name, age, experience and how long they've been a cycling journalist. Maybe not as that would be really annoying (Guy Kesteven anyone?)
Looks like a lot of fancy engineering just for the sake of it. I can't believe the absolute pasting the new Privateer got for its looks and this is somehow better or more acceptable. It's a mess of pockets and holes and angles.
I'd buy a G1.
I can’t believe the absolute pasting the new Privateer got for its looks and this is somehow better or more acceptable
No hump > hump.
I quite like the industrial look of the bike, but i cirtainly prefer the cleaner look of the A series frames. Also a fan of lug and bonded frames and their advantages, same for the material choice - but It's in the wrong category of bike for me to be interested though, maybe it they had a lighter 130mm travel trail bike 🤔
Is bonding frames just a solution to a non-existant problem?
Feels like they're trying to retain a USP when it doesn't really make sense.
Surely a normal welded Taiwanese frame would be lighter and cheaper? They're not using the lugs to enable semi-custom sizing like on the carbon frames, are they?
No hump > hump.
Whatcha gon' do with all that junk
All that junk inside your trunk?
I'ma get, get, get, get you drunk
Get you love drunk off my hump
The suspension layout around the BB looks suspiciously like it’s been setup to accommodate a motor in a future revision.
What use is a motor though without a battery ?
Is bonding frames just a solution to a non-existant problem?
I can't see a company offering a welded frame in 18 different sizes - or using 7075 tubes. Not many able.to offer a full lifetime warranty on an alloy frame either.
As someone that's always been, at 5'10", between a large and medium frame, getting the correct size frame for me (custom ti) was an eye opener of how much of a compromise all other bikes I've owned has been.
It’s 38 lb with the high spec build. That’s means 40lb for the cheapest build. It’s clearly not meant to be pedalled anywhere at that weight
To be honest watching there YouTube sales pitch they are clearly aiming it a bike park riders, so weight not so much an issue.
Would be nice to see a proper 140/150mm trail bike that can actually be pedalled. But just get the impression their price would still be silly.
Not many able.to offer a full lifetime warranty on an alloy frame either.
Agreed, but what is lifetime these days? With standards changing that quickly you probably wouldnt get 20 years out of it
It’s 38 lb with the high spec build. That’s means 40lb for the cheapest build. It’s clearly not meant to be pedalled anywhere at that weight
To be honest watching there YouTube sales pitch they are clearly aiming it a bike park riders, so weight not so much an issue.
Would be nice to see a proper 140/150mm trail bike that can actually be pedalled. But just get the impression their price would still be silly. And I guess for now they are selling bikes that they are familiar with ie they run a bike park, not a trail centre
Not many able.to offer a full lifetime warranty on an alloy frame either.
Agreed, but what is lifetime these days? With standards changing that quickly you probably wouldnt get 20 years out of it
noeffsgiven
Oh no, it’s got the worst down tube/BB shelf I’ve seen so far with no protection on it either, I wish that design trend would fro, it’s not just ugly it’s also inviting rocks to hit it.
Agreed
THIS is how you do a DW Link DT/ST/BB junction
Surely a normal welded Taiwanese frame would be lighter and cheaper? They’re not using the lugs to enable semi-custom sizing like on the carbon frames, are they?
Or perhaps they wanted to make the frame in the UK but couldn't due to the lack of skilled aluminium welders in this country? Even if they had got someone like Fivelands to make the frame there is still a premium over Taiwan. And no Taiwanese factory will want to deal with all those sizes. Now one can argue what's the point of some many size options on a long travel MTB, but that's another argument.
We've been making prototype blanking covers for it for a while but yesterday was the first time we got to see it. Personally I like the industrial look and would prefer that frame over a mid range far eastern carbon one.
And no Taiwanese factory will want to deal with all those sizes.
Are they doing all the sizes in aluminium? In that case I retract my criticism.
Though I do think a range of Taiwanese welded frames in S, M, L & XL might have been a better idea to make the brand more attainable.
Or perhaps they wanted to make the frame in the UK but couldn’t due to the lack of skilled aluminium welders in this country?
The Athertons took over Robot Bike Co as a starting point, and bonded lug frames was how they were making bikes. It's an interesting way to manufacture, glue rather than weld, one off geometry is possible etc. Sometimes it just comes down to a USP, doing something different. I like them.
Watched the video and am nonplussed…
My Geometron G1 offers more adaptability and probable performance and can be ridden everywhere….
🤷🏻
I like it. I like the geometry. I like the range of sizes. I’m confident that the suspension will do the right things in terms of pedalling, braking and how it uses the travel (the DW6 AM170 does and DW4 should be barely any different - I’m sure DW6 was to allow custom geometry inc chainstay length with their AM manufacturing technique). I like that it’s made of aluminium.
I like that it allows them to continue UK manufacturing at a larger scale and more affordable price. I suspect that it’ll be very strong and durable - partly because the Athertons own Dyfi and like to ride stupidly gnarly stuff and enormous jumps and partly because this construction method looks really strong and fatigue resistant.
I don’t ride gnarly enough terrain often enough or get enough air to justify a bike like this but if I had more riding time then I’d be interested in a shorter travel version.
The obvious route they could have taken would have been a Taiwanese-made welded hydroformed alloy DW-link frame - basically an Atherton Ibis HD6. This approach means no hydroforming, no welding, no realignment, no heat treatment, no final realignment, no painting. Just cut the tubes to length and glue them into the machined parts, with all the parts anodised before assembly. Even the tube cutting is simpler because you don’t need to shape the ends for how they meet another cylindrical shape.
Without the Taiwanese supply chains and expertise, this approach makes a lot of sense. And then you get loads of sizes so we can all have a bike that fits. And probably much longer fatigue life, especially for a park bike (I’m not a serial frame snapper but I’m impressed/scared at the rate some riders go through frames!)
What are you getting v ibis ripmo af which has the same suspension platform and cost less for a complete bike than this frame
Well you get 12 sizes to choose from, not the 2 left in stock
I don’t think the Athertons can be expected to compete with made in the far east bikes in the sale at 38% off
This sort of bike has no relevance to my cycling. But I hope it does well for the people who buy it. Whilst it’s not cheap I hope that buyers can come away with a bike that works well for this price point, continues to work well into the future and gives owners a sense of buying into something.
Maybe they will do a far east frame. But you’re entering a different world. I like that for the moment they’ve stuck with their USP. From memory 7xxx aluminium is weakened by welding so wear they are doing makes sense. I’m holding out for the bikes being really strong and hence the weight
THIS is how you do a DW Link DT/ST/BB junction
Ah, Sam Hill ripping it up on an Iron Horse Sunday was just a beautiful thing to watch. I still think it’s one of the best looking DH bikes ever made (along with the Transition TR450).
I'd love one, but bigger priorities currently.
Wouldn't shock me if the boy races a 200 one day
I think an alloy copy of the carbon ones would've been a better option, ball burnished like the old GT zaskars and LTSs, imagine an anodised one with next years red Zebs, that would be a sexy looking bike.
So the lugs are machines? And it's bonded aluminium tubes? My worry over whatever 'lifetime' actually is wouldn't be the aluminium but whatever epoxy is in those joints and how long it's going to last. Still they must have some faith to be launching it in a higher travel bike pitched at bike park riding.
What I do wonder is if they'll end up making a "mid-tier" frame with the machined Al lugs and bonded carbon tubes rather than the stupidly expensive sintered Ti novelty lugs.
Either way it's still a 'meh' for me, interesting as they are, the cost and technical novelty in something you're expecting to lob down rocky hills just doesn't appeal.
S not C.
S for subtractive
A for additive
Bern Kerrs’ bonded frame failed at Rotarua………….
Gee Athertons bonded frame didn’t fail at Rampage despite a massive crash…
So the lugs are machines? And it’s bonded aluminium tubes? My worry over whatever ‘lifetime’ actually is wouldn’t be the aluminium but whatever epoxy is in those joints and how long it’s going to last. Still they must have some faith to be launching it in a higher travel bike pitched at bike park riding.
I don't think people realise how often they've been in something that's assembled using bonded aluminum. Manufacturers of cars, aeroplanes, boats etc have been using the process for quite some time. It's been used in top level motorsports for yonks, but I obviously the service life is pretty short in that use case!Eg Iirc the Elise had been using it since it's first iteration. Merc, BMW and Audi use it on some of their cars AFAIK, and they can't really risk a large court case and the reputational damage of bits of chassis falling off. As to Aston, and as much as everything else breaks all the time on their cars, the chassis are usually one of the things that doesn't fall apart.
Kerr's failure was due to a bit of an iffy design and a cock up, it's an outlier. I'd have no qualms whatsoever about riding a glued together bike.
I would, however, have qualms about riding something this ugly, heavy and expensive:p My Ripmo AF is ugly and heavy, but it cost me less than the frameset for this (at pretty much full RRP) - i appreciate the manufacturing is not comparable, but I can't overlook that for the significant price difference.
I would, however, have qualms about riding something this ugly :p
Don't you ride a Ripmo AF 😀 (I have one too BTW)
Not too sure about the BB area but other than that I think the bike looks great. Going to start saving up now for when they make a 120mm version.
Bernard kerr's pivot failed due to a mistake with the corrosion treatment on the alloy, apparently the glue stayed firmly attached to the carbon tubes but completely came away from the alloy lugs, I've had similar issues with Araldite doing that after a few years 😀, hopefully the Athertons have got it dialled with it being alloy to alloy.
It's lucky for Pivot those bikes are just prototypes, for a future standard carbon-framed bike.
Unless they were planning to bring the lugged carbon frames to production in future?
I'd be very confident in one of Atherton frames, seeing how they've been thrashed by Kolb, Hatton, Dan, Rachel, Gee and others.
"I’d be very confident in one of Atherton frames, seeing how they’ve been thrashed by Kolb, Hatton, Dan, Rachel, Gee and others" absolutely... they get hammered day after day after day by riders like those and plenty more at Dyfi... I'd be completely confident in buying one.
I believe that the shorter travel versions will be released later in the year - much like they did with the 'A' series bikes.
Also agree that may be do the machined lug with carbon tubes.
Bernard kerr’s pivot failed due to a mistake with the corrosion treatment on the alloy, apparently the glue stayed firmly attached to the carbon tubes but completely came away from the alloy lugs
I doubt we’ll ever get the full detail of what’s happened, but abrading the treated metal before bonding is standard practice with equipment we build. Otherwise this happens.
Details of what happened…
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/why-did-bernard-kerrs-prototype-frame-break-at-crankworx-roturua.html
Bernard kerr’s pivot failed due to a mistake with the corrosion treatment on the alloy, apparently the glue stayed firmly attached to the carbon tubes but completely came away from the alloy lug
Funny that he never mentioned about his bike falling apart in his Vlog, cant think why ?
Edit: Sorry thinking of completely difference event !
chiefgrooveguru
This approach means no hydroforming, no welding, no realignment, no heat treatment, no final realignment, no painting. Just cut the tubes to length and glue them into the machined parts, with all the parts anodised before assembly. Even the tube cutting is simpler because you don’t need to shape the ends for how they meet another cylindrical shape.
Wow, so without all the need for that, it must be really cheap.....
oh
Jokes aside, i think it looks ace. I'd seriously consider it, if I didn't already have a G1 that fills the exact same niche
I don't have anything to say about bonding and lugs, but weirdly the S170 reminds me of the old Blur 4X. No inferences or owt, it just does:
