Review
"As amazing as everyone says it is..."
25th March 2024
Jenn's A.170 Review
Jenn Biestman lives in Oregon. She’s a confessed nerd who is incredibly picky about her bikes! So her xx review of the 170 is all the more satisfying for us here in Machynlleth.
Gee, Charlie Hatton and our Head of sales, Joe all had a chance to meet Jenn in person at this year’s Sea Otter…
JB: I’m a 38-year-old working mom from the Pacific Northwest (no, not like Rachel Atherton’s kind of work… I work in business development in the group benefits industry. Mountain biking is my happy place. I can immerse myself on the trail and nerd out on every single component, it’s what makes me feel alive. I’m no expert rider, but I just simply love the sport and I’m in tune with the way my bikes feel.
I’ve become incredibly picky and always find fault in my bikes and I’ve bought and sold an embarrassing amount of them in the past few years!
JB: I’m a 38-year-old working mom from the Pacific Northwest (no, not like Rachel Atherton’s kind of work… I work in business development in the group benefits industry . Mountain biking is my happy place. I can immerse myself on the trail and nerd out on every single component, it’s what makes me feel alive. I’m no expert rider, but I just simply love the sport and I’m in tune with the way my bikes feel.
I’ve become incredibly picky and always find fault in my bikes and I’ve bought and sold an embarrassing amount of them in the past few years!
I live in Bend, Oregon. Our terrain is dry and loose, as you can see in the photos, they aren’t great, just a couple of quick snaps that my husband took in our neighbourhood … having a 4-year-old makes life hard to get cool bike photos! Most of my rides tend to be solo, it’s great when my husband and I can ride together but our work travel schedules have been nuts lately. Occasionally I’m able to ride with some of my lady friends, and that’s always a blast!
I love travelling with my bike, just a couple hours' drive away, the conditions change to the typical wet PNW stuff and I’ve spent time in BC, Oaxaca, Arizona, Colorado, and Santa Cruz… tons of variety in terrain! When it’s open, my first choice is riding at the park (Mt. Bachelor, Whistler) where I love both tech and mellower jump lines.
If I had to choose my favourite type of riding, it would be tricky tech features and rolls in Squamish. It’s so rewarding to ride features that I never dreamt I could ride. I can’t wait for my trip there this summer! We’re going to Whistler for 6 weeks, I’ll be working a bunch with Yoann Barelli, so I’ll absolutely share some more pictures!!
I bought my first mountain bike in 2019, but I never got serious about progressing my riding until 2022. I’ve been focusing on improving and getting coaching for the past 2 years, and its paid dividends. I’ve worked with Yoann before but I’m extra excited about the sessions I’ve got booked in.
The A.170 is so good and so composed and that perfect fit means you’re so much more balanced on the bike – I feel like I’m a better rider because of it and can’t wait to combine my brilliant new bike and working with such a wonderful coach.
Jenn Biestman
The difference in a perfect fit...
It’s no secret that the mountain bike industry caters more to taller, larger riders.
At 160cm, I’m usually stuck with choosing bikes from the big brands. And then I saw that Atherton released their AM170 in a whopping 22 different sizes!
To overcome the sizing decision paralysis, I spoke with Joe, who so kindly gave me an hour of his time to consult me on bike fit and geometry changes that would occur if I decided to over-fork the bike. We agreed to go a size larger (size 4) based on the terrain I ride and to accommodate a slightly taller fork.
The level of service at Atherton was second to none, and it was an amazing purchasing experience… emails, phone calls, whatever I needed to make the decision and then once I’d placed the order updates at each key stage of my build – I feel like I’ve made a bunch of friends over there.
The bike is incredibly fast, composed, and confidence-inspiring. It is so easy to ride...
I chose an EXT e-storia shock (I prefer it to the Fox coil which usually comes with the frame) and placed the order. That’s another cool thing, I just bought frame and shock because I already had a lot of the components I wanted but you could choose every component if you wanted to which is great for someone as picky as I am!!)
Fast forward 18 weeks, and my frame with an EXT e-Storia mounted to it arrived at my doorstep... I kept most of the components from my prior bike the same, so the only big difference was the frame and fork.
When I took it out for the first ride. I felt right at home on the bike immediately, like I had been riding it forever. The bike feels incredibly balanced, and the rider is in the driver’s seat. Although my mullet bikes in the past have made me feel more rearward-biased while riding; I felt very centred on the A.170. According to the glowing reviews I’d read, I had extremely high expectations of the A.170. I’ve been disappointed before when I built my last dream bike, and it just didn’t perform the way I had hoped—even after endless tinkering. The Atherton is so different!
From the first ride, I’ve completely smashed every single PR. Not just the descents, but even on the CLIMBS! How on Earth does a 170/180 enduro bike pedal so much better than my previous lighter weight 150mm trail bike?! There’s something special about the DW6 and suspension kinematics that makes it just accelerate forward with very little pedal bob. But the most fun part is the downhill. My jaw dropped after my first descent.
I easily clear obstacles that I used to be tentative about, without even thinking about it. Under heavy braking, my weight didn’t get thrown forward. It feels confident and predictable in the air. It generates speed so well and effortlessly. This is not a bike that I had to “figure out” or “get used to” It’s just so perfectly intuitive to ride. But most importantly, the A.170 has left me grinning ear to ear after every single ride.
This bike is not just for racers, experts, or pros—Athertons are for everyone
What would I change about the A.170? I cannot find a fault with it and the people at Atherton are just as amazing as the bike! I’m always searching for the “best new bike”, but for the first time in my MTB buying history, I’m not left with wanting any other bike. It’s as amazing as everyone says it is, but it still exceeded my expectations. The confidence that I feel while riding will unlock new levels in my ability, and I’m so excited for the season.
Even for a mediocre middle-aged lady who still thinks she’s 15. I never thought a mountain bike could be this good and I’m so grateful to have it!