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Atherton S.200 wins Enduro Mag’s Bike Park Best Buy...
18 September 2025
Words: Gill Harris
The most recent Enduro Mag group test focuses on six of their favourite park bikes of 2025.
In this test it’s particularly difficult to find one bike to fit all scenarios, so it comes with a reminder to potential buyers that it’s crucial for them to define their priorities and to be clear about intended use, the terrain they ride, and their personal requirements.
Given this background, the test includes bikes with 170- 200 rear travel and also an e-bike, the YT Decoy Core 4. It spans all our race machines, like the Orbea Rallon D-ltd to the park-focused Specialised Status 2 170 DH.
The testers highlight reliability, durability and adjustability as well as factors like powerful and reliable brakes, balanced suspension, grippy tires with robust casings, a well-proportioned cockpit and freedom of movement. They note that a good, central riding position (as found on the S.200) boosts confidence in steep sections and gives you enough room in the air for stylish moves.
With all of that said, Enduro Mag are happy to name the S.200 their Best Buy recommendation!
In their solus review riding at Dyfi Bike Park in April this year – Enduro’s tester Timo Walter and Editor in Chief Peter Walker named the S.200 “the perfect bike-park rig”
They wrote that “The S.200 is robust, simple and stripped down to the essentials. In the Bike Park, it inspires confidence and feels right at home from the very start of our ride.” (This chimes exactly with our owner feedback – many of whom report PB’s on their very first lap!)
Peter and Timo continue, “Rock gardens and braking bumps are effortlessly ironed out, and while the suspension isn’t as sensitive as the A.200, it provides plenty of pop. As a result, you can have a lot of fun on the S.200 without needing much time to get used to it. The Atherton S.200 rides every bit as tough and straightforward on the trail as it looks at first glance, delivering on its promise to be the Perfect Bike Park Rig.”
September’s comparison test builds on these first impressions. The team highlight the S.200’s 12 standard sizes as a “super-cool feature” and acknowledge the Atherton designers’ quest for simplicity through the “no gimmicks, purist approach… what you get is a geometry with a confident, intentional design.”
Editor peter Walker says “The Atherton S.200 impresses with intuitive handling, and inspires confidence from the get go, whether you’re a beginner or experienced rider. Even after a long, tiring day at the bike park, when you start losing focus, the bike is intuitive and precise to ride – exactly what you want from a park bike. Compared to other bikes in this test, the S.200 puts you in a slightly more elevated riding position, placing you on top of the bike rather than integrating you between its wheels: both the front and the bottom bracket feel higher – which increases freedom of movement and makes the bike pleasantly agile in tight corners and berms.
The Atherton is one of the nimblest bikes in this test – and certainly the most agile among those with 200 mm of travel. The taller riding position allows you to load the suspension effectively, actively pump through rollers and berms, and cruise through corners with ease.
The S.200 impresses with a nearly “carefree” character– it does the work for you, without much fuss. The Atherton may not excel at any one thing, but it performs exceptionally well across the board.
In other words, it’s not a specialist, but a true all-rounder – and that’s its biggest strength. Because in the bike park, what you need is a dependable bike that works well on all kinds of trails. The icing on the cake: it stays impressively quiet while doing so.
Who should buy the S.200?
The Atherton S.200 is the perfect match for anyone looking for a robust, reliable freeride and bike park rig with a dual crown fork, with the focus on having a good time rather than clocking fastest race times. It stands out with intuitive handling and a robust spec, placing the emphasis more on fun than lap times.
If you’re looking for a reliable dual-crown bike that just works and requires minimal maintenance, this one’s for you. It might not be the fastest bike in this test, but it’s a confident all-rounder built for long days at the park – unpack, ride, have fun. A well-deserved value recommendation for anyone after a bike park all-rounder with that special something.