When Alchemy Bikes revamped their Arktos line of mountain bikes in early 2023, we jumped at the opportunity to get one in for review. Alchemy updated the line with additional travel across the entire range – the 125 gained an additional 5mm of travel, while 2022’s Arktos 135 bumped to 140 – all while keeping their dual-link SINE Suspension System for optimum performance.
It took me some time to decide the size and travel that I wanted to take on. I’m 5’10” on a good day, which put me at the top of the size range for the Medium model and at the bottom for the Large. I’d been reading a fair bit about bike sizing and finding the right balance between playability and stability, so I And while I generally find 120-125mm of rear travel to be in the sweet spot for our local trails, I also wanted the option to take on some of the rowdier trails that I normally pass on. I ended up going for the Large.
Unlike a lot of other bikes out there, the Arktos line is easily, if not cheaply, convertible between the travel options. Kits comprised of a new front fork and different linkage are available for $2000-2200.
Build Kit
Our test bike came with a Shimano XT build kit, an Industry Nine 29 Enduro-S Hydra wheelset and a Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR 29×2.3 tire combination.
The fork and shock both come from Fox with a 130mm travel Factory 34 Kashima Grip 2 in the front and the Float X Factory Kashima EVOL LV 3-Position model in the rear.
The bar and stem come from Alchemy’s own TAG Metals brand.
The Fit
With 800mm bars and a reach of nearly 494mm in the Large size, I struggled a bit at first to nail down my position on the bike. For perspective, my two personal rides – A Commencal Tempo and a Bird Bikes Zero 29 (both in Medium) – come in at 450mm and 437mm respectively.
My first time out on the bike was in less than ideal conditions – greasy slick roots and rocks – and a feeling of being too much over the front wheel added to my unease.
A swap to a narrower set of bars with a little bit of rise improved my position on the bike, and as I grew more comfortable on the bike, my speed increased.
The Ride
The growing feeling was one that the bike was “writing checks that the brakes couldn’t cash”.
I’ve never been a big fan of Deore brakes. I find them to have very little modulation and more of an on/off feel than my favorite Maguras. The Arktos was delivering up more speed on the trails than I typically gained, but my overall speed was somewhat affected by too-strong braking late in the corners where a light touch on entry would have allowed me to keep speeds up.
Acknowledging that the bike had been with another reviewer before me, it took a full bleed job and new brake pads to get to ideal performance.
I was soon racking up PRs on some of my favorite trail segments – both uphills and downhills – but shortly, it was time to send the Artktos back to Alchemy HQ.
Depsite my short time with a bike dialed to my preferences, I f0und it to be an efficient climber. Chasing my very fast 20-year old friend, I was able to keep up on all but the most technical ascents, even with the shock fully open.
As the trail pointed downhill, the Arktos proved to be an able descender. With the brakes tuned and the fit locked in, it delivered that oh-so-desirable ‘magic carpet ride’ at speed while ably carving the corners after a touch of braking on entry.
Conclusion
Wrapping it up, while the Arktos 125 definitely falls into the premium camp at its $6500 price point, riders should find themselves with an extremely capable bike that is able to morph into taking on faster, steeper and harder trails if the owner so desires. My only caveat is to take the time to look at the geometry numbers, compare against your existing bikes (or a friend’s if you’re new to mountain biking) and find the best size for you.
Regardless of build, you’re getting a killer Industry Nine wheelset, a carbon frameset and premium Fox suspension.
While the SRAM builds are currently sold out, the XT build that we reviewed here is still available at a discounted price of $4250, and there are a limited number of 2022 models with slightly less travel available as well.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
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Bike World News
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Current Bike Quiver:
Bird Bikes Zero 29 29″ hardtail mountain bike
Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
Kona Kilauea vintage 26″ mountain bike
Niner RLT9 700c road/gravel bike
Specialized Stumpjumper vintage 26″ mountain bike
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