BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
With recent developments in the world of e-bikes raising serious questions about the conventional, traditional, analogue bike approach to the drivetrain – derailleurs and link-based chain – it comes as no surprise that those who develop products with a focus on performance are exploring any and all options for a competitive edge.
In this space, the Atherton Bikes team – with almost 20 years of World Cup experience – have “dreamed and planned for the ultimate DH bike to take to the races”. Speaking about this, the stand-out comment: “More often than not a belt-driven gearbox bike would be high up on the wish list”.
In 2024 the opportunity arose to partner with Gates Carbon Drive to make the dream a reality.
Atherton’s Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology provides the business with a clear means to test, assess, iterate and improve things, in a rapid timeframe.
Driven by the knowledge, passion and commitment of Dave Weagle, Rob Gow, and designers Scott Aisthorpe and Will Carne, the team has developed a solid first prototype, which came about in a matter of months.
Atherton A.200.G a Gates Belt-driven bike
As part of the product development process, the brand has shared a “candid film (which) is part 1 of a series and documents the start of that process… from a titanium build plate to the first week of ride-testing.”
Those keen to follow the development journey of the Atherton A.200.G will be able to do so via the Atherton’s YouTube channel.
