Atherton launched an online custom bike configurator that allows buyers to visualize their build and select specific chainstay lengths. You can choose between Neutral, Agile (minus 5mm), or Stable (plus 5mm) options. For those looking at the A-series bikes, there is a £240/€228 upcharge for the Agile or Neutral choices. On the other hand, the alloy S-series bikes have no upcharge for these chainstay choices.
These bikes are built to order in Machynlleth, Wales, and the company plans to migrate eMTB builds to the configurator later this year. There have been some reports of minor browser bugs in the tool, but it is currently live for those wanting to customize their setup.
As a practical rider, I find the idea of fine tuning geometry interesting. However, a price premium for a 5mm adjustment on the carbon frames is a significant addition to the total cost. When looking at a build, it is often a question of where that money is best spent to get the most value.
Do you think a 5mm difference in chainstay length is noticeable enough to justify paying an extra £240 on a high end frame?
Since the S-series offers these adjustments for free, would that make the alloy frames more attractive for riders who are picky about handling?