WHO ARE THE ATHERTONS?
DAN
Elder brother Dan is a former 4X World Cup winner and downhill racer who went on to build the infamously gnarly Red Bull Hardline track and now heads up Dyfi Bike Park
GEE
Middle child George has won multiple DH World Cup and World Champs titles, mixed it with the top freeriders at Red Bull Rampage and drops jaws with his wild riding vids
RACHEL
Rach may be the youngest but her achievements outshine even those of her siblings – she’s a six-time world champ with 39 World Cup wins!
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Next, grinders and air hammers are used to break the super-strong titanium parts away from their baseplate. “It’s really important to optimise the supports,” says lead manufacturing engineer Will. “If they’re too thick, the powder can’t escape from the holes, and we have a hell of a job separating the part from the base.” Parts are then sent out for final machining, to ensure the mating surfaces are in precise tolerance for the frame’s bearings and threads.
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The finished lugs enter the bonding room. Carbon fibre tubes (manufactured in New Zealand by a company who make masts for America’s Cup yachts) are cut to length and the frame is dry-assembled in a jig. Atherton Bikes o er multiple sizes – 22 on the 150mm bike, with reach increasing in 10mm increments as you go up the range, but the angles remaining the same. An epoxy resin is mixed and inserted into the lugs, then the carbon tubes are squeezed in.
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Once the frame has dried, bearings are pressed in and a shock fitted, and it can be taken to the final assembly room. Here, a mechanic will assemble the bike with the exact mix of components specified by the buyer. In this digital age, prospective purchasers can specify a custom build from start to finish at www.athertonbikes.com.