He's on a roll! Schladming downhill pro Andi Kolb (27) conquered the World Cup podium several times this season with the Atherton AM.200M.1. He even finished runner-up in the world championship in Scotland. Andi explains his bike here.
Frame sizes: Everything is different at Atherton.
There are no classic frame sizes for Atherton bikes. The frame construction is based on individual carbon tubes that are held together by 3D-printed titanium sleeves. Thanks to this construction method, you can request customised frames in addition to twelve different standard sizes. I ride the Size 8 with a 480 mm reach. I chose a slightly longer chainstay length (455 mm). This gives the bike a smoother ride. But basically you can buy my bike like this.
Is light always better? Not at all!
A lightweight downhill bike is not automatically faster. Laurie Greenhill was one of the first to experiment with additional weights on the down tube. My team-mate Charlie Hatton and I did the same and noticed an improvement. More and more World Cup riders are now fitting weights to the down tube. I have 500 grams stuck under the bottom bracket.
Cockpit: 780 millimetres made of aluminium
I tell you, the trend is moving back towards narrower handlebars. 780 millimetres is enough. When it comes to handlebars, I only trust aluminium. I've seen handlebars break badly, and they were mostly carbon handlebars. I tried one once, but I couldn't cope with the vibrations. I ride the brake levers far out, so it's easier to brake with my long fingers.
Chassis: I can feel every click.
I love sensitive response behaviour - this is only possible with a steel spring damper. At the moment I'm running a 500 spring, but I'm going to try a harder one soon as I've increased the air pressure in the fork in the last few races. Now I'm pumping 98 psi into my Fox 40 Factory.
There are six tokens in the stanchions. You need that on the fast, hard World Cup tracks. I run the high-speed compression stage fairly open and the low-speed compression stage in the centre. I'm sensitive: if someone were to tweak my settings, I'm pretty sure I'd feel it immediately. I like the rebound a little faster: high-speed and low-speed rebound each seven clicks from closed.
Tyres: I don't need tyre inserts.
I inflate my Conti tyres depending on the route. I run a minimum of 1.6 bar at the front and a maximum of 1.7 bar. More is needed at the rear: 1.8 bar to a maximum of 2.1 bar. I don't need inserts, because Conti tyres are extremely puncture-resistant anyway and, in combination with my Stans wheels, stable when cornering. I usually ride the Kryptotal, and the Argotal in wet and dusty conditions.
Wheels: Mullet & aluminium only
The question of All-29 or Mullet no longer arises for me. Mullet feels much better. I can corner more precisely with it. It is smoother, especially in long bends with lots of small bumps. I also rely on aluminium for the material. To be honest: I have never experimented with carbon wheels, but I have no desire to do so. I know the stories, that's enough.
Do it yourself: a point of honour
I am a trained car mechanic. Of course I like working on cars. I'm also used to it, after all I was a privateer for years. Creaking bearings are a horror for me. A quiet bike is important to me. I do everything myself at home, I just leave the suspension to the experts. At the race, of course, I have my mechanics, here I want to focus on the race.
Atherton AM.200M.1: Info on the bike from downhill pro Andi Kolb
- Name: Atherton AM.200M.1
- Weight: 16.8 kg (with pedals)
- Wheels: Mullet
- Status: World champion (Charlie Hatton) and runner-up
Laurin Lehner
Editor
