It was the same with what is probably the fastest family in the cycling world. Thanks to the World Cup successes of the three siblings Rachel, Dan and Gee, the whole bike scene knows the name Atherton. With a desire for change, they left the World Cup stage in 2019 and returned shortly afterwards not only with their own racing team, but also with their own bike company. Dan's former mechanic Ed Haythornthwaite had specialised in carbon frames with titanium lugs under the Robot Bikes label. He has now merged his company with the ideas of the sibling trio. The result: Atherton Bikes. Since 2022, hobby racers have also been able to order Atherton bikes directly from Machynlleth in Wales.
The bike forge Hope
150 miles further north, in the English county of Yorkshire, lies a small community that has long been a household name for lovers of colour-anodised and CNC-milled bike parts. The milling machines have been running in Barnoldswick since two former Rolls-Royce engineers founded Hope in 1991. Initially, production was limited to disc brakes. Soon a colourful portfolio of aluminium add-on parts was added, followed by the first carbon handlebars. However, when Hope announced that it was launching a complete bike on the market, fans of the English art of milling got excited. The Hope HB916 with high-pivot rear triangle is an exquisite puzzle of carbon and aluminium. The main frame, seat stays and chain stays are made of carbon. With the rocker, bearing seats, idler pulley and integrated chain guide, the masters of the aluminium milling machine live up to their expertise. A flip-chip enables a mullet setup with a 27.5-inch rear wheel, and the steering angle can be varied using headset inserts.
The bikes of the Atherthons
The first impression of the Atherton AM.150.1 is no less captivating: sleek tubes made from Mitsubishi carbon are inserted into titanium sleeves. It takes a 3D printer a full 16 hours to weld the 3500 layers of titanium particles up to ten micrometres in size into a set of sleeves. These are then bonded to the carbon tubes - the Athertons provide a lifetime guarantee. If you enter your body measurements into the calculator on the Atherton website, an algorithm suggests two of the 22 possible frame sizes. It is advisable to spend a lot of time choosing the right size, as a kink in the seat tube prevents the seat post from being fully inserted and can therefore reduce the feel-good factor on the downhill. Because the family-run company is independent of carbon and forged shapes, it can also realise individual custom frames and shorten the seat tube, for example, in the desired configuration. However, Atherton riders have to do without the option of geometry adjustment.
The practical comparison
Both bikes pedal comfortably uphill. On flat sections, the Hope feels squat. Both rear triangles tend to bob on the climbs and can only be stabilised to a limited extent even with the platform closed. Criticism for both parties: Despite the high-tech materials, they land above the 15-kilo mark.
On the descent, all testers immediately felt comfortable on the Atherton. The Atherton AM.150.1 filters stones and roots out of the trail with sensational sensitivity. The suspension travel feels like much more than the 142 millimetres we measured. The Fox 36 seems slightly undersized compared to the 38 mm Ohlins fork on the Hope. Because the Athertons don't go to extremes with the geometry, the bike has a pleasing character in an enduro comparison. Sporty and light-footed, it encourages the rider to adopt an active riding style. In capable hands, the AM.150.1 quickly mutates into a fun bike and playfully whizzes through tight turns without lacking directional stability on the race line.
Thanks to the low centre of gravity, the Hope offers very direct control over the front wheel. At the same time, the lower bottom bracket plants the rider better in the bike than on the Atherton and feels more secure and confident on rough terrain. Although the Öhlins suspension requires a little more time to find the right set-up, the Swedish softeners convince with a lot of traction. Even on hard hits, the Hope HB916 doesn't bounce, but instead flutters over large bumps in a plush and potent manner. Smoother than almost any other enduro bike we've ever ridden.
Unfortunately, the powerful Hope brakes buzz loudly due to the disc design and cut through the otherwise British-cultivated background noise. The Maxxis tyre combination couldn't fully exploit the potential of the geometry and suspension. A softer compound at the front and more puncture protection at the rear would have been better. This is where the grippy, soft Conti downhill tyres on the Atherton AM.150.1 score points. In direct comparison to the Enduro Ballermann from Hope, however, the Atherton feels like a lighter calibre despite its thick tyres and requires more work from the rider.
Conclusion Atherton AM.150.1 vs Hope HB916:
In the end, the different characters of the duelists divided the testers' opinions like Brexit divided the British. On points, the confident and mature Hope trumps the fun and direct Atherton. In rough enduro use, a full-bodied hovercraft beats the lively Aston Martin. Victory for the Hope from Yorkshire.
Technical data and notes for the Hope HB916
Manufacturer information
- Material / Sizes: Carbon/Titanium / 1-22; 12
- Price / weight without pedals: 8500 Euro / 155 kg
Measurement data
- Front/rear suspension travel: 160/165 mm
- Steering angle: 63.5°
- Seat angle: 78°
- Bottom bracket height: 335 mm
- Top tube length: 598 mm
- Chainstay length: 440 mm
- Wheelbase: 1265 mm
- Reach: 462 mm
- Stack: 639 mm
- BB drop: -36 mm
Equipment
- Fork / shock absorber: Öhlins RXF38 / Öhlins TTX Air
- Gearing: Hope Evo / Sram GX Eagle 1 x 12
- Brake system: Hope Tech4 E4, 200 mm / 180 mm
- Wheels: Hope Fortus 30 SC / Hope Pro 4
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxTerra Exo+ TR 29x2.5 / Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxTerra Exo+ TR 29 x 2.5
STRENGTHS
- Rear end (!)
- Equipment
WEAKNESSES
- Rear suspension bobs uphill
- Background noise from brakes
Max Fuchs, tester:
Fast, faster, Hope. The cream rear triangle was a real eye-opener for the test team. The add-on parts are also first class. For me, the clear winner.
Technical data and notes on the Atherton AM.150.1
Manufacturer information
- Material / Sizes: Carbon/Titanium / 1-22; 12 (tested size)
- Price / weight without pedals: 7505 euros / 15.4 kg
Measurement data
- Front/rear suspension travel: 160/140 mm
- Steering angle: 64.5°
- Seat angle: 77°
- Bottom bracket height: 339 mm
- Top tube length: 620 mm
- Chainstay length: 437 mm
- Wheelbase: 1255 mm
- Reach: 472 mm
- Stack:: 648 mm
- BB drop: -30 mm
Equipment
- Fork / shock: Fox 36 Float Factory / Float X2 Factory
- Gear system: Sram X01 Eagle 1 x 12
- Brake system: Sram Code RSC, 200 mm / 180 mm
- Wheels: Stans Flow MK4 system wheelset
- Tyres: Continental Kryptotal Downhill Super Soft 29 x 2.4 / Continental Kryptotal Re Downhill Super Soft 29 x 2.4
STRENGTHS
- Geometry
- Individual concept
- Easy to maintain
WEAKNESSES
- Rear suspension bobs uphill
Laurin Lehner, tester:
The rear end of the Hope may be a benchmark, but I would still opt for the lively Atherton with the better geo. It can do almost everything, and that's a lot.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
