Review
Customer Review: Frank Harradence and his A.130
20 April 2025
Other riders fist-bump me for just owning the bike... disconcerting at first but I'm getting used to it.
Frank won’t mind us saying that at 77 years of age, he’s our oldest Athy Bikes customer – and one of the most knowledgeable, engaged and committed riders we know!
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a Para, he is keen to keep active and to progress his skills as a rider; at least twice a week you’ll find him out on the Thetford Forest trails with his wife Sally. Initially a bit nervous around suspension settings Frank has studied to become a fully-fledged suspension nerd! He has felt his confidence increase and his trail times decrease - the A130 even inspired him to tackle his first-ever Bike Park rides at Forest of Dean and Dyfi Bike Park, proving to all of us that age is just a number!
FH: I caught the cycling bug in 1950 and have been in love with bikes ever since, riding on and off-road. I’ve always loved the outdoors; as a child, I’d cycle to my favourite fishing spots and was always late home, much to Mum’s frustration… I needed a faster bike. I’m a keen sea kayaker, (including endurance racing and Greenland rolling) which appeals to my love of physical adventure but I appreciate the quiet too and love bird watching and sketching.
In 1965 I realised my boyhood dream and joined the Paras, posted to the 3rd Battalion the Parachute, and then I worked for the ambulance service for 38 years up to a relatively early retirement, Whatever else I’m doing in my life I’ve always ridden bikes, mostly forest trails and the occasional pump track. I did some cross-country racing in the 1990s and enjoyed the actual racing but didn’t like the pre-race nerves, I even had a go at time trialling on a stripped-down mountain bike! I moved to Norfolk in 1972; it has lovely open countryside with the second longest coastline in England, I came here with work as a temporary move and now I never want to leave… the local riding is fast-flowing forestry tracks which include rock gardens, berms and drop-offs and there’s a laid back vibe here that I love with all levels of expertise.
In June 23 I bought the A.130.1, the whole buying experience was very inclusive and I felt part of the process from day one. Meeting Rachel was the icing on the cake, being a fan of her racing for so many years, I did have to pluck up the courage to approach her but she was amazingly natural and friendly – I smiled for the rest of the day.
I chose a custom build for lighter weight and to suit the riding here. My build with Fox Float DPS Factory, Fox Factory forks (34mm) Fox Factory dropper post, a lightweight Stans Mk 4 Crest wheelset with Continental Crossmax on the rear and a trail unit on the front. Hope Tech4 brakes with X2 calipers on 180 rotors made sure I could stop when I needed to and I added a Gold coloured BRAND Chain just for the fun of it. I run different versions of my bike in summer and winter, replacing the Mk 4 crest rims with the slightly heavier and wider Stans MK4 Arch laced to Hope Pro5 hubs & Schwalbe Wicked Will 2.4 tyres for the wetter part of the year.
My winter wheels were hand-built by Gavin of August Bicycles and performed well; I didn’t notice their extra weight or any tyre drag from the chunkier tyres that gave excellent grip and feel on the trails; they look great with the silver hubs and Gavin’s discrete dash of colour with two spoke nipples spanning each valve in orange…a nod to the orange Hope rotors and brake levers. I run tubeless and use the newly released valves from Reserve, they are seated & inflated easily using a standard home track pump.
But I’m getting ahead …I collected my new bike from Atherton HQ on 2nd June ‘23 and the next day I took it to the Forest of Dean bike park. It was a Baptism of Fire! My first ever bike park visit and I ended up on a very gnarly track for my first run. My forte is riding singletrack so I unwittingly chose a trail that was technically well above my skill level. Luckily the 130 shrugged off my rider errors and kept me the right way up… From that very first run, the A.130 has been ultra-forgiving with stability and a planted feel that is hugely confidence-building, but at the same time, it’s lively and responsive and seems to hold the lines and doesn’t get out of shape in the technical sections. It easily out-performed any of my previous bikes, I just love the feel and looks of it… it sure gets a lot of attention; at the bike cafe post ride my wife Sally said ‘It’s like sitting with Brad Pitt the number of bikers staring over at the bike’ including one guy who performed a massive stoppy when he spotted it as he rode by!
Pre-Atherton my riding skills were on a par with my bikes. However, once I had ridden my A.130 I instantly realised that the bike was far in advance of anything I could put it through. I have loved, through practice, how my skills are improving, giving me greater joy every time I take the bike out.
Unfortunately, Sally loves it too! The 130 is so much more comfortable and fun than anything we’ve ridden before so now it’s a race to who gets it first. The fact that it’s made in Wales is very appealing and somehow the bike transmits the feel of that Atherton racing heritage to the rider. You know you are on something very special.
When I first received my A130 I knew nothing about suspension setup but I ‘pulled my finger out’ and taught myself through videos and textbooks how to set up the bike and now enjoy the ongoing process. I’ve become a huge suspension nerd, everything is logged. The bike’s smoothness and responsive speed over rough technical ground are awesome. I put this down to its innovative design and construction married with the Fox factory suspension system so learning to get the most out of that has been very rewarding. The A.130 gives amazing feedback and responds instantly to the changing terrain, always feeling secure and giving bucket loads of confidence.
The times for my local trail have tumbled but perhaps more importantly, my line choice, smoothness and confidence have improved in leaps and bounds. My 130 eats up singletrack no matter whether it’s on the flat, uphill or down. It pushes my riding to new heights.
NEW A.130 FACTORY BUILDS
Brand new build specs 1-3 are based around Fox Factory, Ohlins or Rockshox options to mirror the A.170 product range while a standard frameset comes with Fox Factory Float X. All standard builds now include the option for 140mm or 150mm forks.
FEATURED: A.130.1
Build 1, Fox suspension. Our favourite components are chosen to be lightweight with no compromise on strength and reliability. air shock – Fox Factory Float X and choice of 140mm/150mm Fox 36 SL upfront with a Sram XO T-Type drive train.
Custom Builds
Customised specs commonly feature brands such as EXT suspension, Burgtec finishing kits, or mix-and-match groupsets. The A.130 is compatible with both Sram T-Type and the new Sram 70.