When the Alchemy Arktos debuted at last year’s Interbike, it notched quite a few firsts. It was their first full suspension mountain bike, it was among the first full carbon full suspension mountain bikes made in the USA, and it was the first to use David Earle’s new Sine suspension design.
The frame was 100% made inside Alchemy’s Denver, CO, headquarters and custom painted to the customer’s designs at their Ethic paint shop. People liked it, and they wanted it, but the made-in-the-USA feature put it out of reach of many riders. Now, they’re offering a way to get the same bike for a little less coin…
The original Arktos is now called the Arktos Custom and will continue to have it’s front triangle hand made in Denver. The rear triangle, however, will be produced under Earle’s supervision in Taiwan. Also on offer is the new “standard” Arktos, which will be entirely made in Taiwan, a first for Alchemy.
Why? “We’re well aware that price can be a barrier to entry for premium designs and builds,” said Alchemy President Ryan Cannizarro. “We received a flood of comments expressing that potential customers cared less about where the bike was produced and more about the price tag.”
That switch in production will let them offer an Arktos frame with the premium Sine suspension for $2,999 in stock form with the blue or yellow paint scheme shown here.
The Arktos Custom will continue to be offered in the customer’s choice of paint schemes, or a full custom paint scheme for a small upcharge.
