Atherton A.170.1 first-ride review: the only bike I’d buy, if I could afford it

Suspension

With 170mm of travel, the A.170’s DW6 rear suspension has six bars.

This, according to the brand, means it can dial in impressive small-bump smoothness, loads of progression and plenty of mid-stroke support to give the bike an “optimal ride height”.

The design should combine the benefits of Horst-link and twin-link layouts, with none of the disadvantages.

The chainstay pivot improves suspension performance on the brakes and the lower link for better pedalling efficiency, while the extra link gives more control over kinematics.

Setup

Helped by Atherton’s employees, I got the bike set up quickly.

The Fox 38 fork was inflated to 96.5psi, and I opened all the external compression and rebound adjusters.

At the rear, the 550lb spring was left installed, which gave me just over 30 per cent sag. Like the fork, I opened all the rebound and compression adjusters.

After a few shakedown runs, I didn’t see the need to change my setup, except for lifting the bar by swapping 10mm of stem spacers around.

I rode the size 11, but I think the 12’s taller stack would have been better suited to my preferences.

Atherton A.170.1 climbing performance

The steep seat tube angle places your hips well and truly over the bottom bracket.

Thanks to the 27.5in-only rear-wheel compatibility, the seat tube can be a single straight tube, rather than being kinked. This steepens the actual seat tube angle, getting it much closer to the effective figure.

This pays dividends on the trails, putting your body in an upright, relaxed riding position.

Your weight is focused through your backside rather than the palms of your hands, boosting comfort, and reducing shoulder and hand fatigue on longer ascents.

It’s got enduro bike DNA coursing through its very fibres, providing an awesomely comfortable and efficient place to winch up to your favourite trail heads.

Combine this delightfully balanced sitting position with supple, smooth suspension and comfort reigns supreme even on choppy, unsettling climbs.

The rear wheel sticks to the ground, tracing the trail’s every contour with a free-moving and supple action.

A coil spring and the bike’s separated pedalling and suspension action combine to give a high-pivot-like feel when powering over bumps; the rear wheel tracks up and over bumps, delivering forward motion directly into the palms of your hands.

In terms of grip, it feels similar to fitting a softer-compound tyre to your bike.

Uphill, then, the A.170 is a true winch-and-plummet rider’s dream; it’s smooth, calm and efficient.

Atherton A.170.1 descending performance

Downhill, riding the A.170 feels like the same sort of rush you’d get after downing five cans of Red Bull and 10 family bags of Haribo in one sitting.

The thrill, the excitement and the speed are so easy to access and tap into, it’ll blow your mind time and time again.

Pre-ride expectations of an unadulterated buzz are perfectly aligned with the reality of riding an A.170.

But if that makes it sound frenetic and unwieldy to ride, it shouldn’t.

It’s a true point-and-shoot bike, no matter the ferocity of the terrain. You can barrel blindly into gnarly rock sections and sprawling root mats safe in the knowledge the suspension will insulate you from the worst of it.

The front and rear wheels move up and out of the way of bumps and hits freely and willingly – but most importantly, evenly and predictably – helping generate traction in areas where there wouldn’t be any on other bikes.

Adopt an active riding style and you can generate grip from parts of the trail you’d normally wince or brace to hit; confidence is fostered in assertive abundance, helping you reach those higher speeds without so much as flinching.

Likewise, driving your wheels into rough, clapped-out terrain drives speed rather than fear. All the cards stack up in your favour when you’re on the A.170.

If you thought the suspension was smooth, it’s got a matching amount of ramp-up and mid-stroke support, culminating in the perfect performance trifecta.

Big hits don’t cause bump-stop bashing bottom-outs and you can remain straight-legged over even the worst bits of trail. It complements the least delicate rides astoundingly well, making up for a lack of skills or finesse.

Smoother riders will love the progression, too.

Knead rather than plough the terrain and the A.170 responds dutifully, bounding its way from line to line.

A balanced hand-to-feet relationship – once I’d got the stack to my preferred height – meant destabilising compensatory weight shifts were few and far between.

The neutrality of the bike’s geometry means you can be left to shred without having to get heavy-handed to keep it in check.

Rider and machine work in total symbiosis.