Customer Review
1,500km Later: Why Marcel Calls the S.170 His Best Bike Yet
Words: Gill Harris & Marcel Kalcic
Marcel Kalcic is an anaesthetist from Nuremburg, South Germany but he dreams of owning an MTB chalet where he could ride all day with his guests! Meanwhile the flexibility of his job means he can get out on his S170 often; he’s chalked up over 1500km on the roughest trails he can find. Marcel fell in love with the S.170 online and reality was better still! He says his riding level has been completely transformed by this amazing bike!
MK: I bought “frameset only” and received my S.170 in August 2024. Since then, despite my job, I’ve clocked up over 30 bike park days, 150,000m descent and 1500km on my local trails - it’s the best bike I’ve ever had and my riding has completely changed.
I wanted a new bike and had started to look around when a guy I got talking to told me that he’d ordered a new A.170. I was already familiar with Atherton, but I’d always thought it was too expensive for me. Then I checked out the Atherton website and discovered the new S.170 aluminum mini-downhill bike and was immediately impressed. I was instantly in love with it. The style of the bike, the construction, the materials, and how rare it was to see at the time… all of that combined intrigued me and completely captivated me!
For me, aluminum is more sustainable than carbon, it simply feels more robust, and a few scratches on the frame aren't that important to me… and finally, there was the price, which I felt was and still is absolutely reasonable! With the S.170, I had found exactly the bike I was looking for, and at a price I could afford! To find my frame size, I used the frame size calculator, which was really easy. I'm 1.89 m tall with an 88 cm inseam, and the calculator recommended a size 10. The size was a perfect fit, and I felt comfortable from the very first moment.
I only ordered the frame with a RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Coil fork, which works flawlessly. I always knew that I’d build the bike myself, since I already had all the parts from my old bike, and I enjoy tinkering and optimising the ride. My first bike park ride right after building it up was at Geisskopf in Bavaria, and the moment I first sat on the bike, it was simply "Nice!" It made me feel more confident, faster... and some jumps that had previously given me trouble were now easily achievable, even on the first day. The updates I made over time have further improved its performance.
I started riding in 1999 with my good old Trek hardtail and so biking has been my biggest hobby for over 20 years! I like to travel with my girlfriend and I play the double bass but biking is by far the best. I even did a couple of races back then ; the Pfronten Marathon and the Franconian Suisse Marathon, but that was over 10 years ago! What I really like best is how riding clears my head!
Since 2002 I’ve lived in in the area around Nuremberg/ Fürth/ Erlangen/ Franconian Switzerland and I love it. There are a lot of middling-elevation trails (max 600m of climbing) that I ride as often as possible. I love challenging trails, the more technical the better, with rocks, roots, and steep sections. But I enjoy downhill as much as I love climbing I wanted to have a bike which could handle it all!!!! My work as an anaesthetist can be pretty stressful; riding a really challenging trail demands that you forget all of that so I’m happy if I can manage to fit in 1 to 3 outings per week. What’s really interesting is that this Mini- DH – bike weighing in at around 17 kg is really still climbs really well! Despite its weight, the seat angle and geometry make this bike a true mountain goat.
When I have holidays or free time, I love to go riding in the bikeparks; Geisskopf in the South of Germany, Spicak at Czech Republic, Bikepark Brandnertal, Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Nauders at Reschen Pass in Austria and Finale Ligure in Italy! It’s about only 3 -3,5 h to reach the alps from where I live.
The Atherton is my eighth mountain-bike. I still have a Santa Cruz 5010 that I like but I don’t really ride it in the park. Before that I had a Crossworx Dash 290 from a small manufacturer in Thuringia , and before that a Liteville 301 and a Specialized Stumpjumper… but the Atherton is definitely my absolute favorite bike. I love it! It fits perfectly and rides incredibly well. As I said, I immediately felt more confident, rode faster, and simply had so much more fun. It's far better than any bike I've ridden before!
I received my bike in August and straight away I could ride it like I’d had it for years. My first ride was on the trails in Nuremberg, followed immediately by a big bike park trip. It rides so well, better than I could have ever imagined. I've already mentioned that it's faster, and steep descents and cornering are a real blast; maybe the mullet setup contributes to that. I'm absolutely loving the S170! I used to prefer touring and riding technically challenging trails, including hiking paths. But over the last five years, I've been riding more in bike parks and trying to stick to the jump line, as well as enduro and downhill… I've always been searching for the ultimate all-rounder, the perfect bike that magically works everywhere I take it… and I think I've found it!
The bike was practically perfect and very comfortable right from the start. The setup worked flawlessly, and my initial impression of the quality was confirmed. However, since I like to optimize things, I further perfected my cockpit. I switched to a 35mm riser handlebar and a 1cm longer stem, and now I'm riding a Manitou Mezzer Pro fork, which harmonizes perfectly with the RockShox Super Deluxe Coil shock that came pre-installed on the frame.
People who approach me on the trails, see how happy I am with the bike, and regularly ask, "So? You must be happy with the bike, right?" Or they touch it and say, "Oh, nice CNC parts..." Basically, everyone is interested in how it was made. I've told everyone who asks, not only about the bike itself, but also about the fantastic service! I was absolutely impressed that you managed to deliver the frame right to the starting point of my bike tour. And the fact that you called me before the purchase to clear up any uncertainties, and that I could contact you with any questions afterward, was and is simply top-notch. I feel that the service and contact with Atherton, and especially with Gill who I’ve got to know pretty well, is more or less unique. And in these times, such friendly contact across borders is particularly important. I can rely on them at any time, whether I'm out on my home trails or on my bike park trips...when I have a technical question or any issues...Atherton will help me.
After over a year with the S.170, I'm still absolutely thrilled with the bike. And people still approach me and bombard me with questions. I always tell them that I'm completely satisfied and that it's only a matter of time before more people in Europe ride Atherton bikes. The price is more than fair and reasonable for what you get. Highly recommended!