When November rolled around and we hit prime ‘wet and wild’ season on the trails, all eyes in the MTB world turned to Atherton Bikes as they launched their new A.150M enduro rig. This thing has 150 mm of DW6 rear travel, a 160 mm 36 Factory fork, and a frame tuned for the perfect balance of stiffness and compliance. A classic ‘mullet’ setup, made the Atherton way. 
We caught wind of this and hastily sent over a Frame Protection Kit for them to get one wrapped and in the hands of Atherton Racing team rider, Charlie Hatton. Why Charlie? Well, we figured he’d have a free pass to chuck it around with no questions asked. And he did just that, wasting no time giving the bike (and our protective wrap) a serious thrash about.
But for now, let’s stay loose.
We threw some questions over to Charlie to get the lowdown on off-season training, winter riding, and the value in running frame protection on not just the A.150M, but his trusty A.200.G downhill rig too.
You put your bikes through some proper abuse, on and off the World Cup circuit - any moments on the trail that really shows the value of running frame protection?
"100% of the time, dirt and rocks hitting the downtube, but also muddy trousers rubbing the top tube. If you want to keep your frame looking fresh it's a must."
Does winter riding change how you look after your bikes? What’s most important for keeping a rig running through the rough months?
"Winter definitely changes how you look after your bike. You need to wash, dry, lube your bike after pretty much every ride. Having the frame protected makes a big difference and gives you a much stronger starting point." 
What does your off-season training look like, and how do you keep things fresh when the race calendar slows down?
"Off season is when the training really happens, that's been keeping me busy recently and now I'm starting to get back on the DH bike which I'm loving."
Thoughts on the A.150M? Where can you see this bike thriving where others might struggle?
"I loved the A.150M, it's a mid travel weapon. I think the versatility is where this bike shines, you can pedal it all day and it's still decent fast!"
Our thanks to Atherton Bikes for supporting, Charlie for doing what he does best, and Miles for capturing it all on tape.
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invisiFRAME Protection - SHOP NOW
invisiFRAME Protection - SHOP NOW
