Atherton Bikes Confirm Team Details & Show Full Bike For the First Time

Feb 1, 2019 at 7:00
by Atherton Racing  

PRESS RELEASE: Atherton Bikes

Dan, Gee and Rachel are pleased to announce their team-mates and partner line up for Atherton Bikes’ inaugural race season.

Our vision for this vital stage of our development is to work with those brands who share our drive to push bike technology to the max. We couldn’t be happier with our 2019 partnerships.


bigquotesObviously product development will be key this year as we adapt and optimise our new bike. It’s great to welcome Renishaw and Trickstuff to the team and to re-connect with Continental Tyres and Stan’s No Tubes, all of whom will be highly significant in the evolution of our prototype to race-ready product.—Dan Atherton

Renishaw are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of additive manufacturing systems. AM is the 3D printing process used to create the lugs on our bikes and involves melting titanium with a laser. Renishaw’s expert engineers will be a vital part of the process which will enable our 2019 bikes to be fully customisable and more adaptable than ever before.



bigquotesFor 2019, we were looking for far more than traditional sponsorships. We are stoked to return to work with Continental with whom we have already designed a range of products. We’re looking forward to being back on board with further developing that range.—Dan Brown, Team Director

Oliver Anhuth, Continental’s Global Head of Marketing, said “We have a shared history where we’ve developed top-performing tyres for specific purposes in The Kaiser 2.5 and the Mud Kings and we’re looking forward to returning to a partnership with Atherton Bikes that we’re convinced will yield great success on the MTB scene as well as future industry-leading product development.”


Rachel said “Mud Kings are my favourite tyre ever, I love cutting them down to the perfect length for each race track. Buzzing to be back with Conti, I’ll never forget them letting me drive an Audi R8 down the autobahn as fast as I could go!"

We have run Trickstuff brakepads for a couple of years to give our braking systems the performance edge we needed so when the opportunity arose to run their brakes, we jumped at the chance. Gee said “We’ve been out testing and they’ve nearly had us over the bars a couple of times! I’m pretty sure they are the most responsive brakes we’ve ever run.”


We will revisit our successful partnership with Stan’s No Tubes and continue our relationship with Fox suspension. We are delighted that cockpit, seatpost and pedals and mudguards remain with Renthal, Crankbrothers and Rockguardz respectively while WTB will work with us to deliver a custom saddle.

Off the bike we are delighted to announce a new cleaning partnership with Kingud, a local Welsh start-up already turning heads with their great products and their passion for preserving the environment which matches our own. We continue our relationships with Endura and Bell Bike Helmets.


In rider news, 2018 team mate Charlie Hatton will join Gee and Rach to take on the Elites and Mille Johnset will graduate the Atherton Academy to take her full place on the team as she battles to become the fastest female junior. Between them the new team will take on the full UCI World Cup Series as well as select Crankworx and Red Bull events.


Gee Atherton said “It’s great to be riding with Charlie again this year –we are excited about his potential and can’t wait to see what he can do with our new bike underneath him.”

Charlie said “It’s pretty exciting to be riding a brand new bike, especially one designed by these guys. I love the raw look of it. It’s so rad. I can’t wait for the season to start.”

Rachel said “Mille has been part of the team for years through the Atherton Academy, she is already one to watch. As we launch our own independent team it’s important to us to support an up and coming female rider. Mille is the whole package, great personality, great results and at 17 she is already a pro at promoting the sport. I’m delighted that Mille will ride as a fully fledged member of Atherton Bikes.”

Mille said “Going in to 2019 with the new bike is so exciting, I’m feeling a bit more confident this year but at the same time more nervous because I know what to expect! I have used the winter to get stronger so I hopefully can stay on my bike!”

Preparation is already in full swing as we set out to prove the new bike on the toughest of testing grounds. With this team behind us we can’t wait to get started.

Website

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312 Comments

  • 352 15
 Dave Weagle found a way to bring back his Iron Horse DW Sunday design, modernize it, and let a group with the talent (both in manufacturing and riding) work out any remaining tweaks. Recipe for success IMO. Rach will put it on the podium multiple times this year, which is Marketing101.

For those hating on the lugs...new manufacturing processes are going to make us re-think what is “proper” aesthetically. Look at another new manufacturing process in Pole bikes. Manufacturing machines will allow companies to do things that never existed before. Consumer will benefit. Just keep our minds open.
  • 66 6
 I think that's the problem with todays world. Everything needs to be in the box and anything that reaches out of the norm, is quickly slapped down. This manufacturing process is what really sets them apart from anyone and it won't be long before other companies potentially see the success that this process can produce. Personally, I think the bike looks slick. Once they have the design locked down, it's going to look next level. Biggest thing to remember is that a winning bike sells bikes. All the best Athertons!!
  • 27 1
 @Bikegy4546 IH Sunday was a bike before its time.......too bad IH was so mismanaged it might be a power player today. I think this venture will be template for world class athletes. Why shouldn't they reap the rewards of all there talent....verses just getting a paycheck. Smile
  • 7 5
 Can’t agree more with you, just imagine an atherton capable and efficient trail bike with the message fork up front.
  • 23 9
 Does it have that smooth clean look of full carbon? No. But those lugs hardly look bad at all. They don't look any worse than the massive welds on most aluminum frames.
  • 65 4
 Ahhhhhh! It just looks like....a bike.
Not some twisted Pole monstrosity or v-10 dinosaur/sea creature.
Frankly, I love the simplicity of the look . We've gotten too used to overly complicated bike designs that serve no real purpose than to keep up with the Jones's.
  • 13 4
 The iron horse sunday was bought back with the first gen pivot phoenix, hence the name. Atherton bike looks sick, as a rider it looks ideal, as someone standing in a shop looking at swoopy carbon tubes and headline specs, it doesnt look great.
  • 12 3
 Robot Bike???
www.instagram.com/robotbikeco
  • 19 9
 I don’t know why everyone is comparing this to a Sunday when it’s clearly a Horst link. It may even be a 6 bar design, but clearly very different from the dual short link design of a Sunday
  • 12 2
 @Bikegy4546 The bike industry will evolve like to beer industry with a few big players (Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors, Constellation Brands) rapidly losing market share to innovative micro-brews, small distilleries, mfg. etc. I think I'll continue to buy local/craft in both bikes and beer.
  • 5 0
 @luriaguy: Yes, it is. You missed the original press release?
  • 6 1
 @buckwheat23: "I think that's the problem with todays world. Everything needs to be in the box and anything that reaches out of the norm, is quickly slapped down."
Actually I'd correct that to say "...the problem in the world since we climbed out of the primordial muck." Otherwise you nailed it. Wink
  • 4 0
 second picture shows the lower link
  • 5 3
 @carlos671: it has to be 2 links, otherwise it won’t work. It looks to me like the chainstay is just bolted to the main pivot in 2 locations. I’d love to see a video of the thing moving though, just to be sure. Either way, it’s very different from a Sunday
  • 26 2
 They should name it The Monday.
  • 3 1
 Good call on open mind, first thought stripped back to basics
  • 4 0
 @kleinblake: look at the pic of the lower link. its a VPP like the DW link but with a little more going on. I'm sure they could have just made it your average VPP with 2 counterrotating pivots but to dance through patents I'm sure thats why Dave Weagle went forward with this link off of the lower shock pivot design. It has some takeaways from the Delta system (also Dave Weagle)
  • 9 1
 @kleinblake: it's the DW6 for sure. I thought DW Link at first. But clearly you can see the pivot at the bottom near the axle. Which is a horst link, but there's a swing link at the bottom near the bottom bracket instead of a pivot like your traditional horst link.

So it's the DW6. Dave's interpretation of a horst link. it's a DW Link married to an FSR.!!!

I think the bike looks sick btw.. minus the logo. but the lines are low and long!!

P"
  • 1 0
 I didn't catch whether or not these bikes will be produced like this (with AM titanium lugs), is that the plan? I could see more traditional techniques being used for large volume production.
  • 2 1
 @peewho: I didn't know there was a DW6? is that official?
  • 9 1
 Its the DW6 that RobotBikeCo has been using for a few years now, and manufacturing in this way, a few former memebers of RBC are now with atherton bikes, makes simple sense
  • 4 5
 @peewho: again, there must be two links tucked away in there. Otherwise the rear end would move in an inconsistent/unpredictable manner. I think any comparison to a Sunday is pretty silly
  • 3 0
 @kleinblake: Agreed and it's a good thing it's not the DW link that was on the Sunday... The Sundays' DW link was a falling rate suspension, which made it great for a stable pedalling platform without the need of a shock with pedal assist. It would pedal through the rough really well, but it blew through its travel and bottomed hard on bigger hits. It wasn't the best bike for large hits and honestly I think it made for an amazing trail bike design, the Ironhorse MK3, but not such a great DH bike.
  • 4 0
 @makripper: Its been public for a few years now

www.pinkbike.com/news/robot-bike-co-r160-first-look-2016.html
  • 4 0
 @buckwheat23: I hope that with Atherton Bikes name & sell power they can help bring the cost of manufacture down so that this product is not Silly Money too buy?
  • 2 0
 You read my mind
  • 1 0
 @makripper: I believe VPP patents have expired
  • 3 0
 @kleinblake: i'm not comparing it to a Sunday.. although it kind of looks like a Sunday! Smile I"m agreeing with you that it's a 6 bar design by Weagle. Also known as DW6.

Robot Bikes is the only one I know that uses DW6... well other than Atherton bikes now.!!

P"
  • 15 4
 Though I find additive interesting, I really don’t see the benefit for this application.

They have created a really very conventional looking frame that could be produced easily and much more efficiently by other manufacturing methods - the only real benefit here is the ability to create custom geometry easily but let’s be realistic here.....

How many people need ‘custom geometry? Look at the new GG frame with its headset insert allowing +-20mm reach and angle adjustment, add a shock flip-chip and if you must replaceable / adjustable dropouts and what more do you need if you then offer that in 3-4 sizes.

We seem fairly settled on DH geometry now, gees geometry won’t be a world away from any other production DH bike like it was 10 years ago.

Overall, I like the tech but it should be used to create real benefits, not create something realistically quite conventional at a rather high price.
  • 2 1
 @kilpatrick: Not VPP, IT IS DW6
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez: I knew about robot bike/dw but didn't know that it was called dw6. Thanks.
  • 3 0
 Robot Bikes was renamed Atherton Bikes, for those that missed the 7000 press releases over the last week.
  • 3 0
 @luriaguy: Welcome to a week ago.
  • 2 0
 @kleinblake: you can see the two lower link pivots most clearly in the po picture of the bottom bracket lug.
  • 8 5
 @justanotherusername: They just provide people with the dream of owning a custom geometry, like a fat man buying a tailored suit. Don’t blame the tailor!
  • 7 4
 @WAKIdesigns: And for that tip my hat, I just wish the tech was being used to create a more interesting concept like gearbox integration or some kind of generative design based shape to optimise weight / stiffness that only additive techniques could produce.

This is just a bit, meh.
  • 9 0
 @WAKIdesigns: tailored suits are actually amazing at making fat guys look less fat. Look it up
  • 4 0
 @rivercitycycles: I loved the Sunday. But don't forget the man who rode it and made it the bike to want. At the time when it all clicked he was riding in another dimension. I might get out earthed 5 for a revisit.
  • 4 2
 @hamncheez: I'm sorry but that bike is siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!
  • 3 5
 @makripper: there are no medals for “less fat”
  • 3 7
flag WAKIdesigns (Feb 2, 2019 at 2:30) (Below Threshold)
 @justanotherusername: Nah, I like it a lot. It is an anti thesis to bike like Pivot or Specialized. The only piece I don’t like and which looks undeveloped is the bit in the swingarm connecting lower pivot with the chainstays. It looks like it was made by a startup company back in 2005. Like first Banshees or that Poish crap Duncon. Other than that I really like it.
  • 2 0
 @dirtyrig: which explains why the DW6 equipped Turner RFX is such a hit
  • 1 0
 wait but I dont get it is Weagle oficcialy behind the design or they just use a DW6 like design?
  • 2 0
 My first thought was it looks like the Sunday, and fuck do I think this bike is beautiful
  • 1 0
 @fercho25: yes, Dave Weagle fully onboard.
tup
  • 1 0
 Sunday!!
  • 1 0
 @kleinblake: I think it is DW's orion design. There must be a hidden short link .
  • 2 0
 @Soilsledding: not sure that’s the best analogy the beer industry has a large how would you put it middle class. There are a lot of mid sized players kicking around. And I don’t see the small local breweries doing much of the innovative work. I also wouldn’t use the small brewery as an example of success most don’t make it.
  • 1 2
 Ironhorse and the legendary (Sam Hill) ridden Sunday morphed into the Glory. After 2ys of manufacture Giant had the rights to release their own version with aesthetical differences. Hydroform (and their edition of the sus link Maestro) improved on a solid platform and is still one of the better all round sus and geo's about, hence a multitude of other editions from heap of other manufacturers that Giant factories roll out for them... Super keen to see how Robots take on Ironhorse genius performs longer slacker.
  • 2 0
 @TrailworksNZ: not at all haha dw and giant had a legal dispute because "giant copied his design" you couldn't be more wrong here.
  • 2 0
 @Thustlewhumber: Robot Bike Company went in to voluntary liquidation before Christmas, so not really a renaming exercise.
  • 1 0
 @trick-kit: never knew that, will adding the Atherton name make a difference to sales? with so many good options and some options very competitive pricing
  • 2 0
 @enduroFactory: Well everyone now knows about the bikes right? In comparison how many people were even aware of Robot Bikes and what they were doing before this?

Having the Atherton's behind this brings tons of press. Having the bikes under some of the most successful riders in the world is a huge deal for a company to prove the bikes are worthy (why else would these companies pay so much for teams). Who knows if it will ultimately be successful but having the Atherton backing can make a huge difference.
  • 2 0
 @enduroFactory: Hopefully, the Robot concept and use of 3d printing is, to me, quire exciting and I think the guys have a lot more to come, lets hope this colaboration will enable Robot Bikes to succeed.
  • 110 57
 Only a frame design a mother could love.
  • 80 19
 couldnt put my finger on why it looks off, i think its because it looks like it was made from the PVC section at Home Hardware
  • 174 7
 * A frame design only a mother could love.
  • 13 7
 To be fair, it's pretty early in the design process. If they can smooth out the transitions from the lugs to the tubing it'll be a good looking bike.
  • 19 20
 @chriskneeland: dead straight tubes are so 1996
  • 43 8
 I think painting the Ti parts black was a mistake. The ROBOT bikes looked better with the raw Ti bits.
  • 16 14
 Compared to GG this "cutting edge frame tech" by Robot looks increasingly suspect to being a DIY layup.
  • 16 3
 I was just going to say happy to see a really clean bike. Looks like a dirt jumper and meant as a compliment (xcept for the awkward wheel size haha). I think graphics and colour schemes will play a huge part in it. The logo is out of proportion and a bit awkward, that and the lack of graphics and not curated choice of colour makes it feel hobbyistic, not the frame design
  • 6 1
 @chriskneeland: They should rework lugs and profit from 3D printing process even further. You could actually drop down the weight with better mechanical behaviors.
The titanium caliper from Bugatti is the best example : www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPkY8nBWxoU
  • 5 3
 Did you expect it to look like a Session?
  • 4 9
flag krashDH85 (Feb 1, 2019 at 7:55) (Below Threshold)
 @Boardlife69: Swing and a miss...
  • 6 2
 @chriskneeland: It kind of reminds me of Colnago's C64 road bike, which is their super exclusive, flagship model. I know the two bikes couldn't be more different but they do both use lug-style frames.

That being said, I'm betting the Atherton's finished product will be lug-less. Colnago on the other hand... I wouldn't be surprised if they were still using lugs 20 years from now.
  • 11 3
 Function over form, I respect it, the market will decide...
  • 4 0
 @MRwillP: With the printing technology (currently) this may be very difficult to do without lugs for tubing joints. The configuration of printing is key to retaining layup structure (thinking metallurgy, grain structure, bonding, deposition, etc). You can only print up to certain angles before it's not even possible anymore.

Unless the printing is only for prototyping and then they will use standard current industry methods for the finish product, then I would agree with you.
  • 7 8
 @Boardlife69: I think this highlights how different the design between Atherton and GG. GG is literally stuck with one size front triangle for their entire line of bikes, while Atherton's design emphasizes complete customization of frame geometry. Yes, the GG looks great, but they have no flexibility when it comes to sizing.
  • 4 10
flag DH-Angel (Feb 1, 2019 at 8:31) (Below Threshold)
 i have to agree with you about the bike looking terrible. But lets see what it looks like in a couple years. also, too many Trek patents keep it from looking ideal.
  • 1 0
 @qreative-bicycle: Yeah but that took 65 ish hours to create lol!
  • 9 1
 @chriskneeland: Correction: GG has 4 sizes of front triangle, and on each size the reach can be altered 10mm.
  • 2 2
 @Sontator: I agree. "Clean" is the word that comes to mind. Looking forward to some higher res pics.
  • 5 0
 @chriskneeland: I think you misread the GG article. There are 4 sizes, each with 2 reach lengths.
  • 6 4
 Who cares what it looks like? I tired of all these complicated frame designs. I think it time for something simple, well thought out, and gets the job done. Like a HT, but a FS. There's beauty in simplicity.
  • 3 0
 @dustydubya: Ahh, I did read it wrong. Makes the GG frame process much more impressive.
  • 2 0
 @jaame: If 1996 is winning in 2019, 2020 will look like a throwback.
  • 2 0
 I couldn't care less what the frame looks like and actually don't mind / maybe like the look of the lugs. I do have a harder time will all the straight tubing and think these could actually cause functional issues in things like stand over height for their enduro bike when it is released.
  • 1 0
 @freestyIAM: Previous post suggested they let you choose all the geometry of the bike, so I image you could request raw ones.
  • 1 2
 @kookseverywhere: 3D printed just not out of PVC
  • 1 4
 @Boardlife69: should have just gone with bamboo tube sections too fit the lugs that way would not look so home made?
  • 1 0
 @Boardlife69: what?
  • 1 0
 Looks like a Cube Session
  • 7 2
 I disagree, I think it looks clean and functional. Swoopy tubes for the sake of swoopy tubes are what's ugly.
  • 1 1
 @freestyIAM: I disagree, the new parts look much nicer
  • 2 0
 It does. It'd be better if they elongated those graphics. The letter style isn't great either. It'll get there.
  • 1 0
 Bike would look better if the headtube lug had a fat section going back a bit before the tubes start. Look more modern
  • 42 2
 Modern. Sunday.
  • 2 1
 Exactly what I was thinking!
  • 6 1
 That looks like a Sunday bar the support strut on the rear triangle. As the Sunday was one of the best designs ever in the sport I think this bike will do well. They also have the best brakes money can buy. Lovely set up.
  • 3 17
flag SnowshoeRider4Life (Feb 1, 2019 at 7:31) (Below Threshold)
 @mikelee: sunday wasn't the best. chainstays were so short that it was really only a Sam Hill special.
  • 5 0
 Lazy Sunday
  • 8 0
 @SnowshoeRider4Life: I your opinion they were too short! It wasn’t only Sam who done well on that bike. It was an absolute beast. The dw link gave huge amounts of traction. It was a privateers dream as they were pretty much bomb proof too. I’ve been riding over 20 years and I’ve never seen a more popular bike with the dh crowd. From 2005-2009 the Sunday was every where,trail centres,the alps etc it seemed everyone was riding it.
  • 2 0
 @SnowshoeRider4Life: one of the best DH bike I owned on raced on and that all of my fellow racers who used one would vouch for so question is, did you ever owned one to have such judgment ?
  • 3 2
 @Balgaroth: then everyone went to specialed after sam hill went there, stayed when gwin signed etc. Fact, short chain stays died with that bike.

theteamrobot.blogspot.com/2015/07/in-related-story.html
  • 1 0
 I loved my Sunday !
  • 3 0
 @SnowshoeRider4Life: you’ve obviously never ridden a Sunday. I raced and won many times on mine. Never,not once did I ever think the rear end was too short! Unless you’ve ridden one you literally have no opinion! That bike was rapid,end of. Like this bike it also looked sleek and purposeful. The atherton bike looks very capable imo.
  • 1 0
 @SnowshoeRider4Life: the chainstays were on par with modern downhill bikes, at 438mm they are longer than a fair number of modern 27.5 bikes' chainstays.
  • 3 0
 @SnowshoeRider4Life: the chainstays were on par with modern downhill bikes, at 438mm they are longer than a fair number of modern 27.5 bikes' chainstays. Specialized has historically had incredibly short chainstays on the demo (less than 430mm), until recent times, the shortest dh chainstays being on the canfield jedi.
  • 3 0
 Except the Sunday was affordable.
  • 1 0
 @justanotherusername: it was,but this is made of the two boutique materials and with the most high tech build process. I also can’t afford one lol but I appreciate what it is.
  • 4 0
 @mikelee: But because of that it cant ever be a modern Sunday, a bike designed to be good enough to win races on but be attainable - Its production technique though interesting and high tech only offers any benefit at all if you wish to provide custom geometry to every frame - if not, a standard all-carbon production method will be cheaper and realistically perform better.
  • 1 1
 @justanotherusername: the Sunday was hardly cheap at 2k for the frame alone and 4K for complete bike. That was back in 05! and it was heavy and ally. Besides I never said it’s a modern Sunday,I just said it’s similar. Which it is.
  • 1 0
 @mikelee: Sunday team was £2600 full bike, top flight bike was £4500.

I didn’t say they were cheap but for the time they were in-line with other DH offerings.

The Atherton frame will be much more expensive then other frames of this time and not mass produced, so as I say the comparison between this and the Sunday isn’t really a goer.
  • 2 1
 @justanotherusername: no ones comparing the price mate! That’s just you. We’re saying they’re very similar to each other in how they look and in how the rear end works. I couldn’t give a shit on the price tbh. The atherton bike blows the Sunday away in terms of frame materials and build process and you pay top money for the pleasure. The Sunday was a cracking frame but it was very basically built even for the time. But it was ahead of its time in other aspects like geo,head tube size etc.
  • 29 1
 I don't care how they look but the geek in me is excited as to the extent they customise the bikes for each race track. Longer wheelbase for Fort Bill? Slacker angles for Val di Sole? How much of an advantage do you think this could bring?
  • 2 1
 exactly, so many tweak options which can be done in such a short time
  • 3 2
 Exactly, that'll fit the equation n+1.
where n= infinite set of bikes Wink
  • 4 0
 If they do so they surely will reach a point where it stops making sense because the riders can't accustom themselves with the bike. I suspect beyond making little adjustments to the geometry comparable to changing the cockpit or dynamic ride height it won't be a groundbreaking advantage. I think it's more the customization for every individual rider.
  • 5 1
 @oldejeans Not just geo but they could also customize kinematics for each track by moving the pivot placements before 3D printing.
Steep track? throw in a little more Anti-Rise to get the bike to squat more under braking and preserve the geo
Pedally track? Throw in a little more Anti-Squat to reduce pedal bob

There is so much potential with this
  • 7 0
 Though they have all of this ability it’s highly unlikely they do anything of the sort - you find most racers find a setup that works and stick with it, exception maybe being a worlds race that is on a flat track or similar.

Look at previous interviews, risers like Greg Minnaar a even sensitive to small fork pressure changes, let alone large kinematic or geo alterations.

As for adjusting geometry, everybody has access to angle headsets, different stems, bars and suspension flip chips etc are easy to engineer into the design.
  • 1 1
 @justanotherusername: I don't think you can say that a priori. A team has never had access to this level of fast turn around frame adjustments. Maybe the variations they experiment with give them the edge. Maybe it makes them uncomfortable and never sync with their bike and it slows them down. Maybe they don't notice any difference. The point is you don't know until you try.
  • 2 0
 @freestyIAM: I have been involved with quite a few WC teams and up until this point these kind of things just don't fall into important requests, available or not - plenty of riders make adjustments to cockpit dimensions or small alterations to head angle / chainstay but most have a pretty good idea of what they want from a bike and don't want to change that every weekend.

Predictability and familiarity is most often what a racer wants - that's why you will see race bike prototypes getting used inbetween races and riders going back to familiar race bikes for race weekend, unless they are comfortable and sure that the new bike works that is.

Riders themselves seem more interested in a tyre setup that doesn't fail and ruin a race run than anything else, if tthey want ore or less anti squat they can just change out their gearing.
  • 26 2
 Between Atherton's additive manufacturing being made in the UK and Guerrilla Gravity's new robot carbon being made in the USA I couldn't be happier with where the bike industry is going. Progressive, forward thinking technology that reduces our dependence on Asian manufacturing that delivers the same or higher quality at a competitive price. Love it. I'll buy that every time.
  • 8 4
 I think pole bike tech is far more exciting then a plug and play bike frame. But athertons are in proto stage but robot bike frames not going to evolve maybe smoother lug transitions that’s all.
  • 4 0
 The GG model is scaleable and a real improvement that we may all benefit from, cheaper carbon frames made in market countries to a high standard. The Atherton frame however is an ultra niche design utilising a method of manufacturing impossible to scale that offers no real benefits other than customisation and that will be difficult to ever see at a realistic price.
  • 1 1
 Exactly. I'm from Poland and I'm more than happy that guys from Antidote are making bikes in Poland. Seeing more and more companies in EU who make their bikes here is great. Adding automated processes will definitely help achieving this goal. Maybe Antidote will also adopt some of those technologies and will start making bikes with larger quantities. Because as far as I know right now you cannot buy a bike with a higher quality than theirs.
  • 2 0
 @enduroFactory: Pole bikes seem so rad. I wish they had a wider range of options. If you're not looking for an enduro/DH/freeride bike you're probably not looking for a Pole. But they definitely went another direction in their manufacturing. CNC'd frame that's glue/bolted together. Interesting to say the least. I would love to ride one, or at least see on up close.
  • 2 0
 @austinTRON: seen a few up close and it’s pure cnc masterclass, not for all and the geo is at the extreme end.
Feedback is just positive apart from the price, but you pay for what you get.
  • 29 9
 Well if that isn't the absolute bleeding edge of 'bikes-drawn-with-a-crayon-from-memory', I'll eat my D1.
  • 17 3
 Looks clean. Happy to see what looks to be a function first prototype - telling as to their design priorities. Make it pretty later.
  • 6 2
 From the manufacturing method they use, there isn't much room for making it pretty. Maybe play around with colors, but they won't be getting away from the "thick tubes joined by bulky lugs" design.
I don't think it looks horrible, but obviously pales in comparison with something like the Commencal Supreme or Banshee Legend.
  • 2 6
flag danny611 (Feb 1, 2019 at 7:59) (Below Threshold)
 Yeah! It's designed to be the best WC DH bike. Titanium is good for life, and imagine cracking your frame - not a big deal. You'd just replace the carbon tube rather than the entire frame.
  • 10 1
 @danny611: Sadly no. The glue holding the tubes in the lugs is very much permanent. There is no way to remove a tube without destroying the frame.
  • 1 1
 @danny611: Don't know how the tube is bonded to the lugs, but if it is glued or something that might be a problem. And if it is not glued I wonder if the frame is going to creak.
  • 2 1
 @Ttimer: Good point... I was thinking along the lines of race cars that have modular carbon fiber sections but didn't consider the glue being permanent.
  • 21 11
 I don't get people knocking this design. Wait for the reviews to come in. It smells like innovation to me and a pathway to cheaper, more customizable bikes.

Imagine breaking the down tube and only needing to replace a single length of tube. That turns a $2000+ screw up into a $300 screw up (or whatever they want for a single length of tube and your/their labour).
  • 29 1
 I don't think you can just "pop a new tube in there" for a bonded titanium lugged frame like this, it's not Lego.
  • 7 4
 It's not? I thought it was!
  • 2 4
 sure, get a blow torch, heat the glue up, remove tube, clean , apply new adhesive, pop a new one in there. Why not?

It's not a super complicated design
  • 1 0
 @sumarongi: I would love to hear an answer to this! If your crazy suggestion is right that would one of the main selling points.

Com on guys. Answer this!
  • 4 0
 If one of the main tubes cracked it would be more practical to cut out the crack, patch it inside and out then lay up a sleeve around the affected tube. Actually removing the tube ends from the lugs would be nigh impossible, you would have to drill them out without damaging the inner part of the lug. With Robot using a double shear lug (it grips the inner and outer tube, vs a steel bike lug that just grips the outer tube) It certainly wouldn't be economical.
  • 2 0
 @sumarongi: "It's not a super complicated design."
You sound like someone who does a lot of his own 'repairs'
  • 2 1
 Another company basically made its version of this bike two years ago, and everyone was singing its praises. Remember? www.pinkbike.com/news/robot-bike-co-r160-custom-review-2016.html

What has changed? Maybe the name attached to it?
  • 1 0
 @sumarongi:

You can't really do it that way as resin is not very thermally stable. And after all you'd have to disassemble the whole "puzzle" to pop one section of tubing in... That might be something they would do during warranty process but definitely not an diy option....
  • 9 1
 @sumarongi: You could have them attached with velcro and/or poppers.Then that way you could carry extra tubes with you in case of an accident or better still carry different sized tubes (screw on caps convert them to water bottles).Have a shorter set for climbing then BOOM,swap in a longer tt and dt -550mm reach for slaying it downhill.
It's not super complicated
  • 2 0
 @watchmen: nominate this for post of the year
  • 4 1
 @watchmen: yes and when you are done riding forthe day you can use pieces of the bike to build a tent.
  • 8 2
 I really enjoy reading all the comments. Is this Frame the prettiest frame? I don't think so. But I'm an old guy just a couple of slots down from dentist I've been riding since I was a nationally-ranked BMX racer in the 80s and I've done Ironman Triathlon more than once. I see all these people and I have no idea who they are, but they say all this is ugly or that is ugly or XTR is late I'm moving to Sram.

I ride a 2012 Turner 5 spot. It's ugly. I admit it. But I have never ever ever ever in my life heard anyone say to me on your left. I don't understand why people want a pretty frame. I want something that's fast and works. Actually I do have a pretty frame, it's my 1999 Rocky Mountain blizzard hardtail. That's the best-looking bike in my stable.

And for those that say that sram shifts better than XTR , I haven't heard those people say on your left either.

These guys can prototype a bike in one day. Design it make your lugs, fit in pre-made carbon tubes like I had on my Trek 2100 road bike back in the day of my Triathlon career. Are they going to make production frames like this? I don't think so.

Then there's all the people that say make it longer, lower, slacker. The numbers that work for you, work for you. I have a -2 headset in my Turner but everything else is legit and works for me. Don't fall into the marketing hype.

Man I just realized I'm screwed. Now that I said I have a Turner people are going to say DW fanboy. 40% of my bikes are DW but I think it's shock and Fork that make the bike more than anything. Maybe the rider too.

Get your bike dialed and no matter what it looks like you can say all those dentist and 16 year old Warehouse managers on the trail.
  • 1 0
 Triathlons,Canadian and self effacing. You are all of the awesomes fine Sir.
  • 1 0
 Good suspension can make a average bike great.
  • 40 32
 They had the chance the design any frame they wanted, and they created this?
  • 28 10
 they had the chance to design the frame platform with easily variable proportions and they have reached that
  • 16 0
 After seeing the partial shots of the bike and the previous review of Robot Bikes, what were people expecting?
  • 2 0
 @Vaclav: hydroforming I guess :-D
  • 6 2
 Absolutely pumped to see this technology being put to use in the bike industry. It's really in its infancy and is going to get much better and much more refined, allowing more materials to be utilized, even joining dissimilar metals!

As far as the rough finish...welcome to raw 3D printing! This is rapid prototyping at its finest. I can't imagine any "production" versions of this rig will have these. Although if I had one, I would rock it like that. There will be some sort of surface finish applied I can imagine once they dial in their design. But for the time being, there's absolutely no point to take the time for the cosmetics. Getting the ideal geo and design for the Atherton's I takes precedence.

I hope this technology becomes affordable in the future, how great would it be to have the ability to do this in your home?

Really dig the simplicity of the look of this frame! Tools not jewels.
Wishing the Atherton's and co. the best of luck this season and excited to see them taking a step forward and thinking outside the box. Paradigm shift!!
  • 4 0
 I find it great that they have a partnership with Continental - maybe my dream will come true and they will release a 29 x 2.5 Continental Der Baron with DH casing and all, like the old 26 x 2.5 Smile Otherwise, nice looking bike, clean and simple
  • 8 4
 Pinkbike comments: "Show us the bike!"

Athertons: "Ok, here's our prototype, we're still working on stuff."

Pinkbike comments: "Looks like shit." (Or "shite", depending on your persuasion.)

Pinkbike comments: "Looks awesome!"

Pinkbike comments: "No it doesn't."

Pinkbike comments: "Yes it does."

Pinkbike comments: "Looks like everything else."

Pinkbike comments: "Looks unique and progressive!"

Pinkbike comments: "No it doesn't."

Athertons...in their back office: "just...why...oh...wait...cuz we know a shit ton about bikes because we've raced them to a shit ton of medals and we have a chance to bring all of that knowledge to bear on what we think is a good idea. Yeah, let's keep going. We'll get it sorted. Plus, we have an ACADEMY."
  • 4 0
 Seriously though the Trickstuff brake pads are the business. Their brakes are $$$$$ but their pads are competitively priced and brake noticeably stronger than stock pads. At least on my Guides.
  • 8 0
 Black ti event
  • 5 2
 It demonstrates something I have always thought. bixe are dialed these days. they are all good. pros swap teams every year and fair no better or worse depending on what bike they ride. We lap it up and pay all of our hard earned duckets to ride the latest and greatest. the pros are the pros because they are good not because of their shiny new bixe. this atherton bike looks fairly old school and there is nothing wrong with that. Rachel will do just as well on this bike as she would on a session or a demo or an aurum. she would do just as well with boost or not boost or dub. That being said... Take my money i want this bike!!! I love how simple it is. I know i could ride faster and harder on this bike!
  • 3 0
 I do like the frame design, but it would look a whole lot better in a colour other than black. Also, they should definitely work on the team kits. That jersey is pretty fugly in my books. I don’t know whether it’s supposed to look rough and ready and hardcore but it makes my eyes hurt. With a few simple changes, the whole thing (bike and rider) would look superb. Anyways, good luck with this venture.
  • 4 1
 Showing a podium would definitely changed most people’s opinion on this design!

Beauty in its simplicity... Given everyone’s involved experiences, I’d be hard pressed to think this to be a lemon.

Respect to the @Athertons for going that route and putting their race pedigree on the line. What a way to inspire and give back to the bike community.

They were, they are and they will be successful!

Kick ass, crush it and show who’s the boss!

Best of luck in the new venture. I applaud you!
  • 5 2
 Give me one example of your passion in preserving the environment?
You travel all around the world riding chairlifts and shuttling year after year while destroying a massive amount of mostly non recyclable product.
Don’t even pretend.
  • 3 0
 I genuienly think its the best looking bike of the last few years. I hate the way most carbon bikes looks. Love bikes that look like machines rather than nike shoes. Cotic, stanton etc. Wonder if they will sell just the lugs. Bamboo downhill bike anyone? Haha
  • 8 2
 At least it looks like you can fit a water bottle in the front triangle.
  • 8 1
 Pshh... if one can’t fit in the rear triangle then count me out.
  • 9 1
 Looks like you could fit a hammock in that thing.
  • 7 2
 Neat.... Now where’s the article on Cedric Gracia leaving Santa Cruz Bikes?
  • 5 0
 I am really hoping they take a cue from old school steel road bikes and make some fancier lugs.
  • 3 1
 Y'all are a fickle bunch. I wish them the best, even if the idea of Contis on Stan's for DH 29 makes my eyebrow twitch a bit. Hopefully each ride gets the unique thing that makes them more confident and not just whatever gee likes.
  • 5 1
 I love it. I’d ride one! It has a simple elegance to it that is lost in the bulbous, smooth lines of a molded CF bike. Nice job Athertons!!
  • 2 0
 My Iron Horse Sunday team was my fav bike I’d owned for a long time! Was at the top of the game back when it was released. Cool to see this rad group of talent working to bring us the new and improved ( and renamed ) version! Their mfg process is sick as also!
I’d rock it
Plus, it has a threaded BB.
  • 3 0
 It's basically a super improved Sunday. One up from Sunday, maybe call it Monday? When LBS receives shipment, customers can say, "Looks like somebody has a case of the Mondays!"
  • 3 0
 One up from a Sunday should be called a Saturday Night, nobody wants Monday.
  • 6 1
 I don‘t know ... i think it is beautiful ... i like bikes that look like machines, not like modern art ????
  • 2 0
 Hard to tell because the lower one may be hidden, but are those dual links down by the bottom bracket? Never had a Sunday, but did have a 7point7 with the red lower link, and that bike rode like a dream. This bike may not be the prettiest thing right now, but form follows function. If it performs, I'd take it over a pretty bike that rides like a$$ any day.
  • 3 0
 there is two links hidden behind the BB. Perfect if you want to add 20 bearings for 1% more antisquat.
  • 1 1
 @faul: Well, I count 8 bearings if there are 2 links down there. Looks like it makes for an interesting rear axle path, and not sure that only antisquat was the goal.
  • 5 2
 I hope Rach and Gee are reading the opinions of us keyboard warriors, naysayers and couch experts and using it as fuel in their training. There’s a great way to shut up the bletherers - get out and win on it.

Good luck.
  • 3 1
 Well said. Plenty of opinion-gymnastics ahead once Atherton Bikes sticks a few trophies on the shelf.
  • 2 0
 Interesting bike, Would love some closer pics if possible PB! Much respect for them to just go for it and dive into the bike manufacturing scene.
Are there any rules stating that a "race" bike has to have a production equivalent with X amount sold/manufactured? I know a lot of Auto racing is this way, just curious as to if the DH scene has this type of rule to prevent prototype only bikes.
  • 2 0
 The UCI have rules in place a bit like this for road racing, but manufacturers sometimes get around it by saying that it is a pre production sample due for release in x months and then let it go quiet
  • 2 0
 Not really. Some events like Cross have rules on bikes and Time Trial has rules on the aero of the frame, but there's nothing dictating that competitor's bikes have to be production models. In MTB Honda and V-Process took that to the logical extreme with bikes that weren't and never would be for sale at any price. Sam Hill's Iron Horse Sunday was pretty close too, I think the head tube, shock mounts and dropouts were the only bits that came from the production bike.
  • 2 0
 Looks rather underwhelming! Even with the black lugs. In an article at mtb-news.de, lugs looked even more pleasing from the inside with all the ribs, looking at a cut from cad-modell at computer-screen.
Hope they have financially calculated this adventure. And I doubt that they could sell enough frames in this production method. Yes, lug price will come down a bit, with development in print tech. But according to a article in mtb-news.de it takes 5 days for the bonding process to fully cure, so i assume that the parts, like chain/seat-stays or frame should sit in the fixture for a reasonable time. And frame fixtures are quite complicated/big/expensive. For more then some frames, they would need a lot of fixtures and a lot of space. So, i think it will never be a big production and will stay expensive.
Hope that they can ramp up a aluminum bike production soon, because i really think that this is the only soon achievable option to build frames at a reasonable price at larger scale.
Anyway, wish them good success with brand and racing.
  • 3 0
 Sure it may be a robot bike reboot but love the the super simple lines... nice to see a carbon bike that has a definitive look, and doesn't look like a mix between an xterra and an anime space ship
  • 3 0
 Don't mind a curvy modern looking frame but I have to admit some of the latest bikes are moving away from sleek looking to just weird looking.
The simpler semi retro look of Robot/Atherton bike is refreshing ... I dig it!
  • 5 1
 "Obviously product development will be key this year as we adapt and optimise our new bike." - just in case...
  • 4 3
 Maybe styling is something that their going to be bringing to the optimisation process too... On the upside, nice to see them partnering with a local company like Kingud, now they just need some Hope products to give it some bling!
  • 4 1
 @landscapeben: The were on Hope and got dropped for breach of contract. Rach didn't show up for an event or something.
  • 1 0
 @freestyIAM: Huh, well that's shame!
  • 1 0
 @freestyIAM: pretty sure there is a hope bb lockring in that picture and the chainring looks like hope too?
  • 2 0
 is it just me that thinks that lower link is just a massive mud trap and mud/ stones will just get wedged in teh gap between teh link and the downtube. A bit of inner tube would sort it but its not going to be pretty.
  • 3 0
 If they really want to sell bikes, switch to enduro, win some races and sell trail bikes. Good on them for sticking with DH though. Let's see what this bike can do.
  • 1 0
 It feels like bikes are dialed enough now, and the next decade will be about manufacturing. We have 3d printing coming We have machine made carbon frames We have CNC machined frames We possibly have 7075 welded frames in the near future.
  • 2 0
 Just one thing. Please please please don't paint titanium. It's so pretty. The nicest looking metal on planet. Just please leave it as it is. And don't paint those pretty carbon tubes too.
  • 1 0
 I like it. It looks clean. I'm sure it rides well because the Athertons are pretty good bike handlers from what I've heard. I hope that when they make the trail bikes, they'd have straight seat tubes so insertion of the dropper post can be maximized. Also, please don't partner with KS for that component.
  • 1 0
 The shortest point from A to B is a straight line = minimal use of material = simplicity clean lines = makes allot of sense, that coupled with the AM Ti Lugs = cool, as allot have pointed out maybe a lower price point mass produced version may not use the AM Lugs but investment cast lugs?
Cool love it bring it on
Good luck all at Atherton Bikes allot off people are watching/behind you!
  • 2 0
 Fair play to them going for it & looking forward to life after racing. Personally I'm pleased to see them with a junior female on the team, I'd love to see the bigger teams doing the same.
  • 1 0
 Scratched my head over bottom suspension link - but realise must be pair of very short links in there, effectively giving the chainstay its very own virtual pivot point. I guess not totally unlike the idea of Yeti's sliding link?
  • 7 5
 And the Lord said unto John, "Come fourth and receive eternal life." But John came fifth and won an Atherton Bike. IMHO I still think he got a good deal.
  • 2 0
 lotta stuff always going on with them Athertons , I wish my life could revolve around awesome mountain biking stuff , good luck
  • 2 0
 That's sweet they are using Trickstuff brakes. Definitely out of the norm and from what I have heard the most powerful brakeset you can buy.
  • 2 0
 Well when you burn your bridges with every other brake manufacture
  • 1 0
 @freeridejerk888: how so?
  • 2 0
 They burned hope by not filling contracts. Pretty low if you ask me @seismicninja:
  • 5 2
 I really don't get u guys. DW link bike, carbon and TI? Seems to fit the internet mold for success. Hung up on aesthetics?
  • 1 1
 Looks like a bike designed by riders and engineers, which is a good thing. BUT, you don't sell thousands of bikes or anything else that way. Its a combo of that and making something that the consumer falls in love with. And that is the polarizing part here.

An amazing bike technically perhaps, but has it got the luster that will make us click BUY?
  • 1 1
 I'm curious to see how the frame holds up. I'm sure Gee and Rachel tested the pi$$ out of it but it's lugged carbon. Pretty rare to see that now a days. Cannondale used to do lugged carbon road bikes but there was a window in the lug to mechanically lock the tube in place as well as bond it. I'm sure it's top secret but...I wonder how they are bonding this thing together.
  • 1 0
 The same way a lot of the critical components in the Boeing 777 are.Uhu and bondo over the top.
  • 2 0
 I bet this thing will slay and personally I like the look of it. Will it make you faster than an Atherton? Decidedly not.....
  • 2 0
 Stoked to see an iron horse carbon bike “look alike” to be revitalised. About time the iron horse or similar hit the market again.
  • 3 3
 I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer but I can’t see a straight tube, plain looking bike selling in volume. There’s just too many sexier and less expensive bikes available. I also wonder how many keyboard warriors actually want to customize the geometry on their bike enough to order a custom bike that might need t have particularly good resale. They should have merged with Guerrilla Gravity. ????
  • 1 0
 fantastic looking bike. Headtube junction is the only thing I wonder about with the leverage of that fork but I'll leave the engineering to engineers hahahah I think it looks great, real classic appeal. Love it.
  • 1 0
 First - Best of luck to them. The bike looks nice, although uninspiring. I personally dont care much about looks as long as it rides nice... but it doesn't make my heart flutter. The logo, though, is pretty... well... meh.
  • 1 0
 Ha....I get a kick out of the people who are talking smack about the design. Mainly because you know 80% of them will likely be riding a production one next year if Gee wins on it.
  • 4 0
 Cool Sunday
  • 8 9
 This is actually a fake prototype to lull competition into a false sense of security come race season.
In reality there's a proper high end frame design ready to be unleashed on race day one complete with the real team logo branding high pivot / idler the works ...
Coz imagine turning up next to the Commencal/Norco/Intense teams with that frame hahaha as if ... Right?

No?

Oh
  • 4 2
 Looks like a Sunday.

Where's Sam Hill?

DW can do no wrong.

It's going to be a good year.
  • 3 2
 Having a design and sponsors onboard is one thing, results and selling multiple frames / bikes is quite a different story if this is to be a viable commercial enterprise.
  • 1 0
 Agreed. Not sure this is a very good decision from a business standpoint. DH bikes are a niche market and boutique DH bikes are even more so. It's a crowded field to start a brand in with the major players already making outstanding products. Best of luck and all but I can't see any of us mere thousandaires forking out what I can only assume to be the cost of a kidney to purchase one of these bikes when they finally do go into production. .
  • 1 0
 @somethingwith69or13init: They don't intend to sell thousands of the DH bike.It's a halo product with a tiny market.But what the Athertons do, is ride DH bikes.That is where their recognition is and they will leverage that to build a brand.
How they do that,and where they position themselves in a crowded and very competitive market will be the interesting thing to see.You only have to look at the struggles Intense have gone through recently (multiple managements,outsourcing manufacture,direct sales structure) to see that a huge pedigree and history in racing carries very little weight in the wider market (Shaun who?).
  • 2 0
 Anyone that doesn't like the looks clearly wasn't around when the Iron Horse Sunday was dominating. Can't wait to see more.
  • 4 0
 Frickin lazer beams
  • 3 0
 Sweet, I'll take mine with dropper routing and a bottle cage plz
  • 4 3
 Guys can anyone help? Someone has broken into my shed and stolen all of my plumbing offcuts and my last tin of black spray paint. C'mon help catch a thief!
  • 1 0
 Looks like they bought that one company (can't think of the name) that was doing custom geometry carbon frames. PinkBike did an article on them a while back.
  • 2 0
 I don’t know man this looks dope just as it is. It’s simple, clean has the stand over height and DW plus ready to whip.
  • 1 2
 I don't know why but I find it a genuinely funny looking bike, not funny strange, like really funny haha. Maybe this has to do with all the hype and then finally, this thing gets revealed, hahaha, it's a funny looking bike, It will be even funnier when it's held aloft by one of the brillaint bike handling Athertons as they destroy the competition on it, proving once and for all they can win on something that looks like a funny gate. hahaha.
  • 2 0
 Lugged bikes look sexy to me. but, i work at a manufacturer that does the same, so its prob a biased perspective
  • 2 3
 I don’t want to be a Debbie downer but I can’t see a straight tube plain looking bike selling enough volume to make this project viable. There are just too many, sexier less expensive bikes currently on the market. Sorry but bike looks like PVC pipe and plumbing elbows glue together. I also wonder if enough of us keyboard warriors are truly interested in building a bike with custom geometry knowing that it might not have any resale. I wish that Atherton’s would have merged with Gorilla Gravity as that seems to be a much more viable business model.
  • 1 1
 Kaisers for Welsh gloop? Do they hold fast?? Best hard pack rear for sure...up to speed quick and just think about braking they drift to set you up nicely..if they work in shizer am all ears
  • 1 1
 "and their passion for preserving the environment which matches our own"

Given how environmentally unfriendly carbon fibre is to make and dispose of, is that a sensible quote? Shoots down the Welsh start-up, does it not?
  • 1 0
 Looking much nicer than previous attempts of other brands. I guess the one problem with highly customized bikes is their resell value. All the best!
  • 1 0
 Sure it'll be mint. A team who seem to know a whole lot more than me, I've no idea why everyone cares so much about looks personally, just want best function myself!
  • 4 1
 Tubular!
  • 1 3
 Where is that said? I would love DH Tubulars!
  • 1 0
 And it looks like the tires are tubed as well - odd.
  • 4 6
 have you got a 26 inch version with a 82 degree seat angle and a head angle that might stump linda lovelace? If not so many of the first world heros on this site will not be happy! And seriously how can u fo forwarr without wiki who knows it all as a design engineer?
  • 2 1
 I like it! I always liked bikes with clean look so this is great Would definitely would buy it if I was still onto DH
  • 2 1
 Trek will steal this mark my words. Glad to see that the DHR is making a comeback.
  • 5 2
 Trek did this first... in the 90's. Wink
  • 2 0
 I think it's pretty rad. Looks like a DJ!
  • 3 1
 I'd not about how it looks, it's about how it rides.
  • 1 0
 We haven't seen a frame with "tubes" like that for a loooong time. Looks good tho.
  • 2 1
 They need to think of some sick acronyms. All bikes are better with acronyms
  • 2 0
 What an absolutely crap set of photos for the bike.
  • 1 0
 I'm not sure if it's intentional in order to build the hype. I'm pretty sure the original video that screen grabs were taken from last week (now deleted from youtube) showed a Robot R160 frame with DH forks fitted. If you look at the photos it had different top tube/seat tube lug (with R160 logo), different rocker, different pivot position on the seat tube lug and different rear wheel size. Then they released a couple of photos of Gee riding this frame, but with a lot of the details obscured, now these potatoes, again not really showing full details. I'm guessing in the next week or so we'll see more detailed photos.
  • 1 0
 A bike you cannot complain about its geometry, if it is shit you messed it up.
  • 2 0
 Doesn't look as long as Pole's Enduro rigs... sad trombone
  • 1 0
 Not a surprise. The 160 has a subtly tweaked Giant Reign geometry. Or it did when I used their calculator.
  • 1 0
 @yzedf: I reserve my shadenfreude until I see Gee’s and Rachel’s numbers.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I don't see them straying that far from what they've been riding lately. We'll see I guess.
  • 1 1
 Is it me or does it look like the front wheel is a 650b while the rear is 29 in the 1st pic of the bike itself, and the one Rachel is riding?
  • 1 0
 Fisheye lens .. look at the trees curving as well
  • 1 1
 Someone stole my old Sunday, they tried to wrap the joints with black gaffer tape and joint sealant and hope I wouldn’t notice!
  • 2 1
 At the end of the day, it just does not look very good visually, which is a big part of selling a bike these days.
  • 1 0
 It is a very ugly bike. Maybe it is an awesome DH bike, but in the words of Troy Brosnan "look good, feel good, Ride fast"
  • 1 0
 Why all the hate on the frame design. Atleast it has room to carry a water bottle lol
  • 1 0
 Makes the Intense and Niner frames look as products of some alien technology.
  • 1 0
 I recognise that bottom bracket as Hope - presume the cranks are too - but not sponsored?
  • 2 0
 Looks good to me.
  • 2 1
 Oh Thank God. I couldn’t sleep thinking about this.
  • 2 0
 form follows function
  • 2 0
 Shot on Iphone 1
  • 1 0
 Can we see some tests like this;
youtu.be/w5eMMf11uhM
  • 2 1
 A most handsome race weapon.
  • 1 1
 Looks like it has the rearward axle path of a high pivot without the high pivot.
  • 1 0
 Charlie for the win, that is all
  • 2 1
 SamHill is having DH flashbacks
  • 1 0
 The last two photos must have been shot in Andalusia.
  • 2 0
 Looks good though...
  • 1 1
 Quite funny that the account used to upload the photos is Trekfactoryracingdh
  • 2 1
 Reminds me of my old kona stinky ????????
  • 2 0
 No
  • 2 0
 Look like a Sunday!
  • 1 0
 Are trikstuff brakes really that good tho
  • 2 0
 You'd hope so for that money.
  • 1 0
 @metaam: Very true
  • 2 0
 will see on track...
  • 1 0
 Badass. It’s deff not atherdable
  • 1 0
 Sunday on steroids! not bad!
  • 1 0
 we all know Sam Hill saw this with a big smile on his face
  • 1 1
 Awesome Bike, nut will You just be doing DH or are You going to do an Enduro??? : )
  • 1 0
 Playskool pipeworks bike, neat!
  • 6 6
 At least the fork looks cool.
  • 3 4
 Looks like a bike that you'd buy at Walmart for $150. But looks aren't everything.
  • 2 3
 The lugs are genius; custom geo? No sweat, change the lug, everything else stays the same!
  • 1 0
 My 1989Trek 8000 had glue and lugs. Trek went downhill after they switched to welds. Lugs are so much better

Great to see someone using this superior (and older) technology
  • 1 1
 I was gonna say looks like a Session :-)
  • 2 1
 Looks Wallmart
  • 1 1
 Bike look sick. Make a freeride version with 180mm travel.
  • 1 0
 The Atherton Monday!
  • 1 1
 Looks like a crappy trek, the aAhertons used to ride for trek, hmmmmm
  • 1 0
 Call it "Raceday"!
  • 3 5
 Cool concept and I like the Athertons but they could at least polish those build lines off of the gussets.
  • 3 2
 I think one thing you need to remember is that this is an earlier stage prototype. A good example last year was Jack Moir's raw M29 with Intense stickers taped to it. I think by the end of this year, the design will look sick. All the I's will be dotted and T's crossed
  • 2 1
 @buckwheat23: True. I think it just bothers me from a strength/stress risers perspective. I have done some mechanical testing on 3D printed tensile bars recently that had the build lines left on them. It definitely had an impact to the overall results with reduced yield and breakage in unexpected locations. As long there is additional factor of safety or the products are not being pushed to the limits they should be okay. There are some simple finishing techniques that could eliminate those pretty quickly.
  • 2 1
 @toddmania98: I agree, similar issue that has been brought to the table with the Pole bikes. The machining grooves could potentially create stress risers. It is a great point that you brought though. If these weren't considered in the FEA analysis (with a proper program) and their safety factors are tight, I could see your point.
  • 3 0
 You just hope that a guy from aerospace has considered this haha
  • 1 2
 BTW what happened to Robot bikes? Their site seems defunct.
  • 4 0
 You are looking at Robot bikes. From an earlier article, "We’re working with some amazing guys formerly of Robot Bike Co..."
  • 3 4
 The Athertons left Trek just to build their own
  • 4 6
 Got say I'm disappointed in the team, not continuing their relationship with Hope components after 1 season!
  • 7 0
 Hope dropped the Atherton's, Google it, interesting story
  • 2 0
 Very un professional @Davec85:
  • 1 2
 I hope Rach doesn't throw away her dominance riding a R&D project.
  • 1 2
 Looks like a session to me
  • 3 6
 So a photo from across the street and another of an upside down knuckle box is what we are calling a product release now?
  • 2 0
 who said it was a product release? read the title its about the team and a first picture of the full bike.
  • 1 1
 cool story
  • 1 3
 Looks like a Trek (automated response)
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