PRO - Atherton Star Series - First Look!

Oct 29, 2009
by Si Paton  
PRO - Powers your performance, well that's what they tell me!

PRO is now acknowledged by Shimano Japan, for the first time in the brand’s history. The 2010 products are now subject to Shimano’s strict MPAN QC testing procedure, arguably one of the toughest and most stringent in the industry.

Now if it's good enough for the Athertons then it is good enough for you!First off none of these products have been tested by myself. This is a first look, in fact some of the items are pre-production only. Not for riding. That's how hot these items are.

The Atherton Star Series Direct Mount Stem.
photo
Fully machined Boxxer/Fox 40 Direct Mount Stem
photo
Made from AL7050 Alloy
photo
Low Profile 2 Piece Design
photo
Published weight 125grams. Actual weight 134grams excluding four mounting bolts
photo
You are going to see a lot more of this logo
photo
5mm Allen Key Bolts
photo
45mm Extension and 31.8mm oversize bars only
photo
Non Rideable Sample
Stems $119.99 / £79.99 / 84.95 euros

The Atherton Star Series Threadless Stem.

photo
Why not make it a flip flop design so you could have two different rises
photo
Extensions: 35mm,50mm and 60mm

photo
Suitable for 1 1/8th Steerer Tubes Only

photo
31.8mm Oversize Only.
Claimed weight 160grams, actual weight 195grams.
$119.99 / £79.99 / 84.95 euros

The Atherton Star Series Handlebars.

photo
20mm and a 50mm rise.
20mm is spot on for the racers out there. 50mm for the dirt jumpers and 4x riders or those that still insist on 75 spacers under their stem!

photo
Personally I would have lowered the bar, see what I did there. To a 40mm option but what do I know

Low rise weighed in at 316grams, the claimed weight was 315grams.
High rise weighed in at 325grams, the claimed weight was 320grams.

photo
Cutting indicators from 640 to 720mm is a super nice touch. Other manufacturers take note please
Riser Bars $79.99 / £54.99 / 69.95 euros

The Atherton Star Series Seat.
photo
Claimed weight 220grams, actual weight is 218grams.
7mm Titanium Rails
260mm long x 130mm wide
photo
Kevlar reinforced nose and bum cheeks for anti-rip
Seat $69.99 / £49.99 / 58.95 euros

The Atherton Star Series Seat Post.

photo
Available in 27.2x250mm and 31.6x250mm
Claimed weight is 135grams for the 27.2 version. Is that a printing error? As the Pinkbike.com scales come in at 246grams for the 31.6 model.

photo
Made from 7075 Alloy with CNC Machined Head
photo
Looks fiddly? Quite easy actually
One 5mm allen key tightens all. Your seat will stay in place even on the biggest case of a jump thanks to the splined clamps. Remember the Funn seat posts? This is a lighter, neater style. Not sure how long before I would loose those square springs. They are the same as those ones you get on your skewer for a conventional wheelset.
Seat Posts $84.99 / £54.99 / 59.95 euros

photo
No claimed weight, my scales say 125grams for the pair
photo

The bolt on the enclosed end of the grip is the tighten/loosen bolt for the lock-on wedge (think ODI bar end cap) which is inside the grip (should be visible looking down the inside of the grip). It’s an exclusive design that PRO came up with especially to suit the needs of Gee. He likes to grip right at the end of the bars and became irritated by the outer lock-on collar interfering on conventional grip designs. PRO designed an enclosed end, full length grip but still managed to retain the wedge that means it will resist spinning/moving.
Grips $26.99 / £17.99 / 18.50 euros

What does Hensley say?
We are going to see the Pro brand grabbing market share from the likes of Race Face, Funn, Easton, Sunline etc. With Shimano behind them and the Athertons on board and quality testing you and they are onto a winner. Those grips look and feel like a great idea. Let's see who copies that design! All Pro need to do now is spend a few more Yen on some quality scales.

What's next? Will we see the Athertons putting their name to other components, clothing ranges? Or will they start to produce their own products under their own label? Only time will tell so keep it locked to Pinkbike.com and we'll bring you the low down first.

To find out more about Pro click this link

Many thanks to Albert at Madison for flying these items straight into Pinkbike.com. If you've been a good boy or girl then write to Father Christmas now and get these on your list. Can't wait till Christmas? Then go checkout Madison the UK distributor for PRO and find your nearest dealer!

Stay Unclipped!

Si Paton..
Descent-Gear.com
U.Ks Largest Stockist of TLD 2010 Helmets, pre order now with free postage Worldwide

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Reviews


Author Info:
si-paton avatar

Member since Jul 26, 2006
361 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Kona Bicycles' Parent Company Appoints New CFO, Intends to Sell Brand
65744 views
Downhill Bikes of Sea Otter - Part 1
48071 views
Brian's Randoms from Sea Otter 2024
45938 views
Randoms Round 3: Dario's Treasures
45184 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line - Fort William is in 10 DAYS!
40491 views
Randoms Round 1 - Sea Otter 2024
38700 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Araxá XC World Cup 2024
38313 views
Spotted: Frameworks Racing DH Bike with Electronic Fox Shock & Unreleased Enve Rims
37976 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

80 Comments
  • 7 0
 Everything looks nice, but I have to wonder why anyone would by one of the stems (not DM) over a Thomson. As far as I can tell, they're heavier and more expensive. And not Thomson.
  • 1 1
 yea but it's the Athertons so all the fanboys will LOVE it. Wink
  • 5 0
 the bars arent wide enough, the both stems look like sunline, the seat post is too short for my bike, and the saddle is unremarkable. Only the grips seem worth buying.

Also, why is the arrow pointing uphill? surly thats just wrong!
  • 3 0
 why would you spend 18 quid on grips when other brands like odi are selling for 12 quid and dmr for 10
  • 1 0
 Wow. didnt notice that. but meh, prices always come down.
  • 7 0
 i thnk the stuff looks nice and well working but i think the designs on them are butt ugly...
  • 8 1
 Got to agree, very unappealing shapes and graphics. Looks cheap. And it's heavy. No impresso.
  • 6 2
 So its cool if you have components with Athertons family all over your bike. Its same shit like monster pants or jersey. And i almost forgot famus Monster drink in one hand. If you dont drink Monster drink you are not rider. This components are seriously uncool.
  • 3 0
 Agreed! Enough of this section of "wannabe" products...
  • 7 0
 This stuff looks so cheap! The graphics and finish look like these parts should be on a Walmart bike.
  • 5 0
 totally agree. looks way too childlish
  • 2 0
 Advert FAIL!, what a complete waste of hard earnd cycling dollars, the brainchild behind this line should be fired, anyone caught riding this junk without their names on it should be beaten, they shoud of named it SUCKER or hype instead of PRO, these products are for the consumers of marketing.....not quality, there are better products for less money and weight for every product in the line, complete failure! shimano fails for producing it and the costomers fail for consuming it....even the pro's using this junk fail because there are better products available for less money.....anyone think of Crusty Brand form the simpsons?
  • 2 0
 Amen.
  • 3 0
 Lolled pretty hard on few of those claimed weights Razz
For prices like this, split second stem and burgtec bars are more valuable...
  • 3 0
 Totally agree, nothing beats the Point one Ti stem.
  • 1 0
 everything looks like sunline coz thats what Gee has been riding for ages and feels at home on. The bar is nearly an exact copy of one of the sunline bars but with 1mm less rise. The Grips are really nice though and the direct mount stem is pretty sweet too
  • 7 2
 I have to admit, that stuff looks nice.
  • 2 0
 Looks great, I love the design. However bars, stems and especialy the seat post are way too expensive for how much they weigh. Just compare it with Easton which is lighter and cheaper.
  • 4 0
 what is wrong with that saddle? its hideous!
  • 1 1
 caught a glimps of some of this kit when the sales rep from the shop i work in brought us some samples to look at and i must say its tasty stuff, the products themselves are awesome but i think the designs could be a touch better
  • 2 1
 Flopper,
Thanks for the reference though any Madison dealer (a shop that sells Shimano) will have stock. Go in and see the product in the flesh and support your LBS - local bike shop!
  • 3 1
 nice looking stuff, a bit pricey but light.
but im sorry, i just don't like the little Atherton logo, and the name pro?
back to the drawing board with this one.
  • 1 0
 Could the claimed weight be off because these are not the production produst and be made of a cheaper alloy or not machined as much?
  • 1 0
 nice parts but Thomson x4 Stem still lighter strong and nicer looking. the direct mount sucks, there is no Marzocchi or Boxxer fit.
  • 2 0
 Overpriced and ugly. They won't be taking any market share with this stuff.
  • 1 0
 i would rock that direct mount for sure wonder how hard it would be to get one in canada
  • 2 0
 The direct mount looks sexy, but are the graphics really necessary?
  • 2 0
 There doing nothing for me, there's cheaper and proven stuff out there
  • 2 0
 Seatpost and saddle look like crap. Nice stem though
  • 4 2
 I ain't no homo-phob but, what's with the gay Lego people?
  • 3 3
 You may not be homophobic, but you are quite blind. The silhouettes are clearly modeled after the ones you see on signs for public bathrooms, construction areas, crosswalks, etc.
  • 2 0
 eye sight = 20/10

whatever they're modeled after, pretty silly artwork.
  • 1 1
 If you don't know where the "gay Lego people" came from, you must not follow much racing...
  • 2 0
 u would have 2 pay me 2 put that stuff on my bikes!! any offers ??
  • 7 8
 good quality stuff, think they'll be the worthy competition on my new bike build up. lets hope CRC get them in stock soon enough!
  • 4 3
 could just ask Si about when he's getting them instock, rather than CRC?
  • 2 3
 Yeah, support the guy that supports UK downhill!
  • 1 3
 liking the direct mount stem and the bars the saddles alright
  • 16 0
 They spelt 'rideable' wrong on the stem
  • 2 0
 the best engineers are the worst spellers
  • 1 1
 haha,thats halarioustup
  • 2 2
 uh, "spelt" is perfectly acceptable.
  • 3 1
 actually in England spelt is correct. nice try.
  • 1 2
 "Spelt" is also past tense for spell. So it actually is correct, albeit much less common.
  • 3 0
 But anyway, who gives a sh*t?? This is pinkbike! I guess I'm just as guilty as you for wasting my time on something so stupid.
  • 1 1
 these would go nicely with my commencal Razz
pity they semm pretty overpriced
  • 2 1
 the picture of the girl needs to be in the middle of the 2 guys
  • 1 0
 Trekbo, It does fit a Boxxer as the Fox 40 and Boxxer holes are the same.
  • 1 0
 Direct Mount Stem is very similiar to Sunline.
  • 2 2
 descent gear already have them in stock i orderd the bars last night Big Grin
  • 1 1
 looks so good! I will get it, but why not a 1.5" version stem??
  • 1 1
 because unfortunately the athertons never use 1.5 forks and this is their signiture stuff, i got the same problem so im just gonna get the kit for my 4X bike
  • 1 0
 and perhaps because this standard slowly goes to the history books as the invention that helped to develop a tapered tube which has same stiffness as 1.5 and the compatibility of 1 1/8 Wink

whatever people say about the manitou: thank you for taking it for the team and putting onepointfive and post mount into the market Wink
  • 1 0
 yeah the tapered headtube has DEFINATELY outfased the 1.5 sadly but manitou do kick ass for making it in the first place and the post mount will live on :-)
  • 1 1
 not as many components, but same pro line? both look good.
  • 2 1
 hype...
  • 1 3
 Been waiting for that direct mount stem ever since I saw it on Gee's rig at the Worlds!!!!!!
  • 1 2
 vanderham got the same shit! haha the grips are sick tho
  • 1 2
 rly nice
  • 5 6
 these are nice!
  • 29 2
 yeah they look cool but anyone other then a top rider with the words PRO written on their bike will look a bell-end to me Smile
  • 6 2
 Almost seems like you have to be pro to afford it...but what's even sadder is I checked CRC and pricepoint to get a baseline price for bars and seats ect. What has our world come to?! Everything is so expensive. So perhaps a 30% increase in price from normal alluminum parts isn't too bad.
  • 8 0
 yes, i think they are overhyped! look at the claimed weight and compare it to the actual weight. then look at the price! you can get better parts for less money, even if they don´t have such a "pro" label...
  • 5 0
 ya that is so true. it would take an amazing product to pull me away from easton, or sunline. and im not sure id be willing to put this tacky looking stuff on my bike.
  • 11 0
 Hate the graphics and colors... Sunline/deity all the way.
  • 2 0
 over priced too bud, and i though the athertons ran sunline !
  • 1 0
 mcrippa: Deity is a bit poor tbh, trend setter products really, but I too am running a sunline stem and deity bar atm. My Reverse style76 bar that I have on my xc bike feels a lot nicer than the deity dirty30 imo. Anyone tried the raceface atlas bar against something like the Reverse style76/Fli XXL bar? I'd be interested to know which feels better without having to spend the cash!
  • 3 2
 yes and to add it to all, the bars are too short, i want 745s !
  • 3 3
 well if they are not wide enough, don't buy them! Don't go and sulk to us because no one cares. just a stupid comment.
  • 2 4
 no its not a stupid comment dip shit, pritty much all the down hillers i know are going over to 720 + and u rarely see serious racers with shorter either, so stop trying to be a cocky dick and shut for face
  • 2 1
 keep your pants on
  • 3 0
 did my sock comment get removed? i worked so hard on that =\
  • 1 2
 haha unlucky bud,
  • 1 2
 nice stuff
  • 1 3
 this stuff is all sick im likin the stem a lot
  • 1 3
 Stuff looks good. Do any of the sales go towards the Athertons race fund?
  • 1 3
 danm those stems are sexy
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.046691
Mobile Version of Website