Atherton Bikes announced its first eMTB just yesterday, with presales of the first preproduction run limited to just 50 bikes. In less than 24 hours, all 50 of the first presale batch have already sold out, and no one has even seen “a full body shot yet.” In response, a second presale has already begun for another preproduction batch of 50 bikes, ahead of the official launch in April 2026.
By taking its time, Atherton Bikes has clearly generated anticipation and interest for its first eMTB, known as the S.170E. “Rather than rushing to market, the S.170E has been shaped by years of EMTB riding in the Dyfi Valley,” says Atherton. “The result is a full-power enduro EMTB built around balance, durability, and proper fit, developed to the same standards as every analogue Atherton Bike.”
The brand says the S.170E was designed and built around the goal of creating “the best handling full-power eMTB Atherton can create.” With that handling-first design approach, Atherton intends to deliver the same ride feel as its analog bikes, but with the class-leading power of the Avinox drive system.
Atherton S.170E Details
All this excitement, and we don’t even have the complete details yet. We have most of them, but as mentioned above, we haven’t even seen any images of the complete bike, just detail shots of various parts. We’ve seen enough to know it looks quite typical of Atherton bikes, with the signature lug-and-tube aluminum chassis. In this case, that’s also going to include a motor and a battery in the downtube of the frame, of course.
With a name like S.170E, it’s also evident that this bike is meant to be quite similar to the non-electric S.170 enduro bike. As such, it uses the DW4 suspension design and gets 170mm of rear wheel travel, paired with a 180mm fork. The frame is designed around a mixed-wheel configuration with a 27.5” rear wheel and a 29” up front.
Like the brand’s other bikes, the lug-and-tube construction offers plenty of sizing flexibility, and the S.170E is offered in a whopping 12 frame sizes. Key geometry features are a 63.6-degree head tube angle and a ~76.6-degree seat tube angle, with chainstay lengths starting at 435mm and growing to 445mm on larger sizes. Reach starts at 405mm on size 1 and grows in 10mm increments to 515mm on size 12. Check out the chart below for full details.
Avinox-Powered
Atherton chose the highly-regarded and very powerful Avinox drive system for the S.170E. In 2024, Avinox took the eMTB world by storm and kicked off a motor power race, one that it is still winning with up to 105Nm of torque and 1000W of peak power. Atherton says it was “chosen not just for its industry-leading output, but for its compact size and refined power delivery.”
Beyond big power and a refined delivery, Atherton states that the size of the Avinox motor allowed them “to keep geometry, kinematics, and chassis proportions exactly where they wanted them, without compromise.”
Battery Size and Range?
The biggest question mark with the S.170E is battery size. The brand states that it “will run a full-sized battery which offers the range needed for a solid ride, without tying the bike down when it comes to handling and maneuverability.” But, they do not state how large that battery will actually be. Instead, they say “exact Wh figures will be revealed at launch, but thorough testing in the Dyfi Valley it’s proven to be good for 1600-2000 meters of vertical.”
Based on what we know about Avinox drive systems and batteries, we assume that means it will come with either 600Wh or 800Wh, which are the current options. Perhaps they’ll let buyers choose, or maybe they are coming up with their own proprietary size? Sounds like we’ll find out in April.
Atherton S.170E Build Options
The S.170E is currently available in three build options, with the primary differentiators being the suspension and drivetrain. All builds come equipped with the same Hayes Dominion A4 brakes, Mavic E-Deemax wheels, and Continental Kryptotal tyres.
Build 1 (£8,999.00)
- Fox Factory suspension (38 fork / X2 shock)
- SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission, integrated with the Avinox drive system
- FSA carbon Gradient handlebar
Build 2 (£7,999.00)
- RockShox Ultimate suspension (ZEB fork / Vivid Air shock)
- SRAM GX Eagle Transmission, integrated with the Avinox drive system
- FSA alloy Gradient handlebar
Build 3 (£6,999.00)
- • RockShox Select suspension (ZEB fork / Vivid Air shock)
- • SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission
- • FSA alloy Gradient handlebar
Atherton S.170E: Availability
Atherton’s new eMTB doesn’t officially launch until April, but the second round of presales is open now. Apparently, in 2026, only customers in the UK and EU will be able to order eMTBs from Atherton, with global distribution planned at a later date. If you’re interested, here’s how the presale works:
- £1,000 deposit secures a bike
- Balance 28th February 2026, ahead of production start
- Presale bikes are scheduled to begin shipping April / May 2026
- Orders can be cancelled prior to production with a full deposit refund
Developing the Atherton S.170E
If you’re interested in learning about the development of Atherton’s first eMTB, the brand has put together a video series. The first two episodes are out now, and there is apparently another one in the works. Check them out below.
