New mullet design and corresponding geometry offers a blend of hard-charging downhill ability, with suprisingly efficient pedalability, Atherton Bikes claims.
Dan Atherton says this, the new Atheron AM.170, is the one bike from the range he’d choose if he had to ride only the same one every weekend. But since Dan Atherton likes to ride some pretty darn chunky terrain, that tells you a lot about what this new bike is capable off; think enduro racing, all-mountain exploring, Oakley Line (at Dyfi Bike Park) conquering.
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Need to know:
- Enduro-ready, all-mountain lovin’ bike with 170mm rear travel
- Choose between 170mm or 180mm front travel
- Mixed wheelsize
- Straight through seat-tube
- 22 size options
- 3 builds plus frameset (and custom build option)
It is, Atherton says, “a big hitter in the bike park and a beast out on the trails.”
“I’m so stoked on this one,” he continues, “This bike is genuinely our best yet! It’s at home charging downhill but its pedalling ability suprised me from the first ride. If I had to choose just one bike from our range to ride every weekend, this would be the one!”
The new Atherton AM.170 takes lessons learned from Continental Atherton team member Andreas Kolb’s downhill mullet bike, which took four podiums last season, and adds a sprinkling of the climbing magic that the award-winning AM.150 offers. The move to mullet or mixed wheels sizes, with a 29er up front and 27.5 rear, means that designers were able to use a straight through seat-tube, which in turn means it’s possible to keep the saddle low for descents, but a good height and steeper seat angle for climbing efficiency.
Built, like other bikes in the Atherton Bikes stable, around legendary suspension designer Dave Weagle’s DW6 suspension platform, the bike combines titanium lugged and custom carbon tubing.
And, like the rest of the range, there’s an absolute massive size range – 22 options in fact – to ensure that every potential rider gets the exact right fit, with seat tube angles varying size-to-size to give an optimised climbing position.
”The AM.170 is offered in 22 different sizes, from 410mm to 530mm reach, which means every rider can order a perfect-fitting bike… there is even a custom-size option for milimetre-perfect match, though with 10mm increments betweensizes almost everybody will find a near perfect-fit from the standard size range.”
Charlie Hatton, taking over film duties from Dan Atherton, chief prototype tester currently out of action due to a broken wrist, commented that he was “super impressed with the capabilities of the new AM.170. It’s so stable whilst decending, it makes you just want to go faster. It feels like a mini downhill bike but the best part is you can climb back up and do run after run.”
Atherton Bikes AM.170 range and prices
As so much of what Atherton Bikes offers can be customised to the invidual, the sky is pretty much the limit here, but prices start from £4,500 for a frameset with Fox DHX2 Coil or Fox Float X2 shock, and there are three build options.
Full builds are offered with Stans Wheels, Continental Kryptotal tyres, FSA handblebars and stems, and Hayes Dominion brakes, and start at £6950 for Build 3, aimed at rugged durability with RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Choil or Air shock and Zeb Ultimate 170mm or 180mm forks, finished with SRAM GX drivetrain and GX Eagle crankset.
Build 2, at £7900, comes with a choice of Ohlins TTX22.M2 Coil or Air shock and Ohlins RXF38 forks (again 170mm or 180mm options). And the range topping Build 1 clocks in at £8200 with Fox Factory build; a choice of Fox Float X2 or DHX22 shock with Fox 38 (170/180mm) forks.
Atherton Bikes state that all the new AM.170 bikes and builds are comptible with the new SRAM direct mount drivetrains, which are available as an upgrade. In fact, customers are free to switch components, exclude components or upgrade components on their order as they desire.