What happens when you take an Atherton A.150 and give it a new linkage housed in a new lugged alloy frame? Well, that would be the new Atherton S.150.
The latest bike from the Atherton Bikes stable is their second alloy option, the DW4 link-equipped S.150. Pete gives his opening thoughts on the middle of the three builds available.
Photos by Pete Scullion.
Key features:
- Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate 160mm fork
- Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock
- SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drive
- Hayes Dominion A4 brakes
- Stans Flow mk4 wheels
- Fox Transfer Performance Elite dropper
- £5,499.00 RRP
- AthertonBikes.com
Launched earlier this year, the Atherton S.150 is the second alloy-framed, DW4 linked bike from the fastest family going. Alloy tubes are bonded to alloy lugs, and the DW4 link requires less maintenance whilst offering most of what the DW6 link offers. Like all the other Atherton Bikes, this is too build in Machynlleth by hand. The S.150 is ‘subtractive manufactured’ in that the custom butted 7075 tubes are bonded into CNC’d lugs with double lap shear joints. Apparently 7075 was Dan Atherton’s obsession as a yoof.
Like its bigger brother, the S.150’s 150mm travel is managed by a DW4 link and rolling on Mullet wheels, this bike is designed for some serious riding. The all-alloy frame though allows complete bikes to start at a similar price to the AM150 frameset whilst still being manufactured on-site in the UK. A straight through seat tube gives maximum dropper insertion and the usual massive spread of size options are available with 12 different reach sizes in 10mm increments on offer.
Three complete bikes and a frameset are available. Build 3 kicks things off at £4,499, the bike you see here, the S.150.2 is £5,499.00, rising to the range topper Build 1 at £5,999. The frame with a Rockshox Super Deluxe air unit is £2,799.
Geometry
The Atherton S.150 is available in sizes 1 – 12.
Reach on the 6 is 465mm with a seat tube of 420mm. Head angle is 64.5 degrees with an effective seat tube angle of 78.5 degrees. Chainstays are 435mm with a wheelbase of 1230mm.
Opening moves
The Atherton S.150.2 comes with a Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate and Super Deluxe Ultimate on damping duties, with mechanical SRAM GX Eagle handling drive train duties. Hayes Dominion A4s keep the Stans Flow wheels in check, with Continental Kryptotal Enduro rubber. Cockpit is an FSA affair with a Fox Transfer dropper.
Shock setup was easy, as the Rockshox units are familiar, the shock itself still coming with sag indicators. Luckily I have another test bike with Lyriks equipped so it was easy enough to just copy the settings over. The Hayes Dominions are an unknown quantity but I wound them in to suit and they felt potent from the off.
It’s far from heavy for an alloy bike, so getting it to the top of the first descent was a run of the mill affair. Getting the Hayes Dominion calipers centred, less so. With the brakes now spinning freely, the S.150 quietly went about putting my power into forward momentum with little fuss. Not the fastest, not the slowest. The Size 5 of 12 fit me a treat and I could slam the dropper to the top of the post for maximum descending confidence.
Once at the top of the hill, the S.150 continued it’s fuss-free attitude, being both planted and engaging, happy to plough or pop depending on preferences. One thing that it carries over from its bigger brother, the A.150 is the harder you ride, the happier it gets. That’s not to say it isn’t fun to cruise, but if you’ve a inkling to push on, the S.150 has well and truly got you covered.
Whilst the Dominion levers don’t quite come quite as close to the bar as I would like, the power available is high and rarely fades, and they’re helped in their work by the excellent Continental Kryptotal combo. Rockshox’s Ultimate dampers are a known quantity and do sterling service keeping the grip high and smoothing out the chatter.
First impressions are very promising indeed. The Atherton S.150 retains the high tempo DNA of its more expensive counterparts, without removing any of the ability to charge hard on proper terrain. Whilst five and a half grand for a bike isn’t pocket money, it’s a high spec, hard-charging bike that’s hand made in the UK.
