Diamondback's Carbon Release 5c – Review

Sep 28, 2017 at 5:04
by Richard Cunningham  



bigquotes Growing up, I dreamed about getting a Diamondback, until I finally bought a Diamondback Team Issue, which was one of the baddest bikes you could get. When I think of Diamondback, I think of their history as one of the best bike companies in the world, and I think of what we have now with the Carbon Release, which is also as good as anything out there. I feel like Diamondback is living up to its heritage again, which is an exciting thing to be a part of. Every trip I go on around the world, I hear stories from people about their first Diamondback bike, how they dreamed about it, and saved up, and finally got one. I want to be creating those memories for people now with this bike, because it’s also my dream trail bike that we’ve been working on for the past four years.Eric Porter, Diamondback ambassador

Diamondback’s new carbon Release 5c did not happen overnight, and while the concept of pairing a responsive, 130-millimeter chassis with a longer-stroke, 150-millimeter fork is gaining traction today, it was a risky roll of the dice over two years ago when DB rolled out the original aluminum version in the heat of the big-travel/enduro revolution. Originally launched in aluminum along with the brand’s “Level Link” four-bar rear suspension, the Release was well received for its next-gen handling and for its suspension’s ability to shrug off bumps without interfering with its rider’s pedaling action. For Diamondback, the bike was a message to many riders who grew up with the brand, first when it was a BMX powerhouse and later, as a pioneer mountain bike maker, that they were done with the bargain bike experiment and were marching back to their ancestral roots in the forest of shred. Launching the carbon version of the Release suggests that Diamondback has finally made it home.


Carbon Release Details:

• Carbon chassis with 130mm Level Link suspension, same geometry as the aluminum Release
• Boost axle spacing with room for full-width DH tires
• Custom build option available
• Fox Float 36 FIT4 fork 150mm stroke, Float Elite DPX2 shock
• Threaded bottom bracket, ISCG 05 mounts
• SRAM Eagle X01 12-speed drivetrain with Truvativ Descendant carbon crankset
• Raceface cockpit, 40mm stem, 780mm handlebar
• KS LEV dropper post
• Sizes: small, medium, large XL
• Weight: 13.6 kg / 29.9 pounds
• MSRP: $4499 USD
• Contact: Diamondback
Diamondback Carbon Release 5c
The Level Link can be easily disassembled and serviced from the non-drive side.

The Release 5c is more than another carbon trail bike with 27.5-inch wheels. It has a “needs nothing” component spec, its numbers are on the money, it feels wonderful under power, and the descending ability of this mid-travel shredder is a category bender and, it marks a new way of doing business that gives Diamondback customers options that are rarely, if ever offered at such an affordable sticker price.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c



Customer-Direct, With a Custom Option

The Carbon Release chassis is spec’ed on two models: the $4499 5c we review here is based on a SRAM Eagle X01 transmission, with a Fox 36 FIT 4 fork and Elite DPX2 shock for and the $3000 4c, that is based around Shimano’s SLX ensemble and suspended by a Fox 34 Performance fork and a DPS3 Evol shock. Hop onto the Diamondback Carbon Release web page and for an up-charge, you can spec your bike with just about anything you want and they will custom build it for you. Diamondback sells directly to its customers and either ships you your bike 95-percent complete in a special box, or arranges for the final assembly at your local dealer. If you live in a service area, you can have Beeline Mobile Mechanics deliver it to your door – all for no extra charge.

Features and Construction

Test rider and Diamondback Ambassador Eric Porter says that they never intended the Release to be a pure-bred racing machine because the compromises that downhill, cross-country and enduro professionals require more often than not, result in handling and ride-quality compromises that may win races, but erase much of the enjoyment and versatility that even the most competent trail riders desire from their trail bikes.

For example, the Release only has 130 millimeters of rear-wheel travel, because that was where the break point between dancing and plowing down a technical section seemed to be. An ample front center and short, 16.73-inch (425mm) chainstays help keep the rear tire gripping up steep climbs, while simplifying the task of snapping the tail end up, over and around technical obstacles. Up front, a 66-degree head tube angle and a 150-millimeter fork ensure that when you do turn up the heat, the chassis will provide an ample margin for error.

Part of the Release’s appeal is its simple design. The curved frame tubes are semi-rectangular in profile, which adds volume and stiffness, and the strategy is also used to create extra clearance for full-sized DH tires in the swingarm area. The top tube swings low to enhance stand-over clearance, and there seems to be ample insertion clearance for full-length dropper posts, but the medium-size reviewed here sports a diminutive, 125-millimeter KS LEV.
Diamondback Carbon Release 5c
An MRP bash guard protects the Eagle chainring and the downtube is heavily armored. Both of which, make the Release's single water bottle placement seem precarious.

Cable routing is internal, with lightweight plastic tubes bonded in place to assist routing the cable housings and brake hoses through the frame. The bottom bracket is threaded and DB specs the Release with an MRP bash guard bolted to the frame’s ISCG 05 bosses. For the hydration curious, a single water bottle mount is tucked below the down tube, and to the disappointment of some, none exist inside the front triangle (although there appears to be room enough on the large and X-large sizes).

Geometry

DB


About Level Link

At first glance, Diamondback’s Carbon Release might look a lot like a Santa Cruz Blur LT. The Release’s top tube mounted shock and sturdy, up-swinging rocker link are so similar that they could be interchangeable. The magic of the Level Link, however is downstairs, where the second rocker is set to be parallel with the chain when the chassis is at its sag height. This, says Diamondback, is the suspension’s position when most of the pedaling happens, so the swingarm is isolated from pedaling torque, but free to move with the slightest trail impact.
Level link
As the suspension sags into its travel, the lower link becomes parallel with the chain line, which prevents chain tension from affecting the suspension. The vertical upper link maintains that relationship.

To extend that beneficial kinematic as far as possible beyond the sag point, the upper link is targeted at 90 degrees to the lower one, which causes the suspension’s instant center (the imaginary point in space that the swingarm pivots around) to migrate forward along the chain line. The result is enviable, because the Release can be pedaled efficiently, without reaching for the low-speed compression lever, while its rear wheel is free to conform to the trail surface. It’s a clever and effective solution, crafted by Luther Beale of Level One Enginee+ring, who cooperated with Diamondback on the Release project since its inception.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c
Diamondback Carbon Release 5c


Diamondback spent its money wisely, by side-stepping the Kashima coating on the Fox 36 fork and using the savings to balance the suspension with a more capable Fox Elite DPX2 reservoir shock. The shock was tuned to perform with the Level Link kinematics, which translates to a lot of mid stroke support. For a relatively short-travel suspension that is intended to be run wide open most of the time, that makes sense, so there probably won’t be much call to flip the shock’s blue “make my bike pedal-friendly” lever. That said, it’s there should you desire it.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c


Key Components

Intelligent component choices keep the Carbon Release’s MSRP attainable without resorting to throw-away parts that most good riders would be compelled to upgrade later. Lightweight tires are a common ploy to shave off a pound or two from the overall weight of a bike. Diamondback takes that hit and specs full-width Maxxis minion DHF and DHR tires, because that’s what you’ll need to ride the bike to its fullest. Its 30mm width aluminum Raceface rims should survive a season of punishment, and at heart of the bike is SRAM Eagle X01 12-speed transmission.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c
Maxxis DHF 2.5" tire and Raceface 35mm diameter, 780mm bars
Specifications
Release Date 2018
Price $4499
Travel 130mm
Rear Shock Fox Performance Elite Float DPX2
Fork Fox 36 Performance Elite 27.5", 150mm, Fit4
Headset FSA
Cassette SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12 Speed, 10-50T
Crankarms Truvativ Descendant Carbon, w/ 34T Eagle Chainring
Chainguide DB, with bash guard
Bottom Bracket SRAM GXP
Pedals DB4L CNC Platform
Rear Derailleur SRAM Eagle X01
Chain SRAM XO1 Eagle, 12 Speed
Front Derailleur NA
Shifter Pods SRAM Eagle X01
Handlebar Raceface Æffect R, 780mm Wide, 20mm Rise, 35mm Dia.
Stem Raceface Æffect R 35, 40mm
Grips Ergon GE1
Brakes SRAM Guide RS 180mm rotors F, R
Wheelset DB OEM build
Hubs Novatec Boost
Spokes Butted stainless steel
Rim RaceFace Arc 30
Tires Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5" EXO, WT / Minion DHR 2.4" EXO, WT
Seat WTB Volt Race
Seatpost KS LEV Integra, SM/MD = 125mm, LG/XL = 150mm

Where many brands spec a top-line derailleur, or flashy Kashima-coated suspension as a ploy to capture a sale, Diamondback spreads the love throughout the entire bike to ensure that its owner has everything he or she needs shred. In fact, they even throw in a pair of flat pedals, a front fender, a spare derailleur hanger, and a multi-tool/torque wrench to back up that promise.





I had already put in a half-dozen rides on the Carbon Release when Diamondback's Brice Wenker and Eric Porter made the trip down to Southern California for a pedal. It was riding with Porter that clarified the bike's mission statement. Eric has excelled in trials, as a freestyle rider and lately, he's taken on some massive cross-country events with climbs that would crush ordinary men.

Eric's an ace on a bike, which means that he can compensate for the Release's minimal rear suspension travel while he's ripping downhills that most riders reserve for their big bikes, and he's got the base fitness to push a 30-pound trail bike uphill at an impressive pace. So, Eric wants a bike that is efficient under power, playful and maneuverable in every situation one might encounter on natural terrain, but still low and slack enough to hit jump lines and park trails. Unsurprisingly, the Carbon Release 5c is all of those things. After all, Eric has been involved in the bike's development from day one.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c


Central to that story, of course, is the competent rider who can take advantage of the ride-height stability that results from a shorter-travel chassis, and who can ignore the wider steering arc of a slack head tube angle at slower climbing speeds. The long-travel trail bike trend has been raging for quite some time, and it has produced an abundance of talented riders who may be ripe for Diamondback's downsized trail shredder. Porter says they designed the Release to excel at the kind of riding that skilled riders enjoy most. The more miles I put on the bike, the more I've been liking it.

Setting it up: Like Mike Kazimer discovered in his review of the first-gen aluminum Release 3, the Release 5c delivers a firm ride with a lot of support in the mid-stroke. That must have been intentional, because Diamondback has put a lot of effort since then to perfect the shock tune. The 5c's current Fox DPX2 shock feels smoother over everything, but large root or rock strikes will still overwhelm its 130-millimeters of wheel travel. I set the sag at the recommended 30 percent in the rear and used a smaller number up front. After a few rides, I learned that the front end of the bike required less low-speed compression, and the result was a smooth acting fork, backed up by a slightly firmer setting on the shock than I would normally use to maintain a little travel in reserve for those moments when I either lack the resolve to dance over the boulders, or simply over-extend my skill set and have to figure out an alternative line on the fly. I quickly learned to take advantage of the bike's long front center and lean in on the fork in a pinch.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c


Climbing and acceleration: Thirty pounds is my borderline for not heavy, but not lightweight either, and that's exactly where the size medium Release 5c sits on the scale. Fortunately, the lion's share of Diamondback's Level Link claims proved true. After experimenting with the DPX2's compression lever, I learned to leave it wide open most of the time to take advantage of the suspension on rough ascents (and most flat pedaling for that matter). I did prefer to use the middle setting for long, smooth climbs, but it was mostly a creature-of-habit response. Pedaling circles up smooth trails feels better than average. Where the Level Link seems to excel, however, is finding traction and ironing out choppy, technical grinds. I successfully sessioned some steeps that I had yet to clean aboard the Diamondback.

The fun stuff: Get into a fast set of turns and the Release chassis comes alive. The advantage of the reduced wheel travel becomes apparent. The suspension stays planted in the middle of its travel. Grip feels predictable and the farther the bike is leaned, the better the steering syncs with chassis. Drifts feel controlled. I don't think I rode any of my familiar trails faster, but I found myself doubling small rock gardens, back-siding drops that I'd normally roll, and drifting chunky corners just to see where the tires would give up. Oh, and I was crashing more often, which is actually a good thing because it meant I was riding out of my comfort zone.

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c

Technically, There really is no substitute for lots of wheel travel and a long, stable chassis when the steeps turn scary and speeds edge toward the realm of a DH bike. As long as I kept my speed in check, I could drop down gravity lines aboard the Diamondback without much trouble. The stable handling and quality of the Release's fork and shock absolves a lot of sins, but when you finally do reach the precipice, you'll run out of options much, much faster on a 135-millimeter bike than you will aboard a 160-millimeter chassis. But, that's the fun of it, really. The Release 5c is so surprisingly capable that it goads you to skirt disaster. You know you shouldn't go there, but what if you did and pulled it off?


Component Report

MRP Bash Guard: I would not have known how much I needed a bash until I saw how much damage the plastic fin had spared the 80-dollar Eagle chainring.

SRAM 12-speed: Big like on the low gearing that Eagle has added to one-by drivetrains. Pushing downhill tires and a 30 pound bike up a long climb is sweeter when you know there is one more gear available when the legs start burning. Good call also on the carbon Descendant crankset.

Guide RS brakes: I think it's time for SRAM to give some love to its Guide brakes, The levers seem to migrate in and out during a ride and the feel is good, but rarely an inspiring performance.

Loose pivot bolt: It happens, but it's worth a mention that the pivot fixing bolt on the lower link worked loose. The fix was easy, however, and it has not backed out since.

Short dropper, Diamondback designed the Carbon Release chassis with a sufficiently low seat tube. Perhaps they could spec a 150-millimeter dropper on the medium sized frames, instead of the 125.
Diamondback Carbon Release 5c

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c

Diamondback Carbon Release 5c


Pinkbike's Take:
bigquotesDiamondback's Carbon Release 5c may be the antidote for the end-of-the-trend depression that is bound to afflict hardcore and hardcore wannabe mountain bikers after they reach the outer limits of monster travel enduro technology only to discover that there aren't that many places that are big enough to enjoy them. In capable hands, the Carbon Release 5c can hit the big stuff, but all it really needs is dirt and a line to shred. It makes me feel like I'm free riding againRC
.


Discover more about Diamondback's Carbon Release here and view additional images



Author Info:
RichardCunningham avatar

Member since Mar 23, 2011
974 articles

210 Comments
  • 139 0
 Threaded BB on a carbon frame at this pricepoint? Inconceivable!
  • 90 1
 "You keep using that word. I do think it means what you think it means" --sorry, I had to. Ha!
  • 12 0
 I hope this trend keeps going
  • 19 0
 @bman33: I would have been disappointed if no one picked up on the reference. Winner!
  • 11 0
 @fercho25: As you wish.
  • 8 1
 Don't forget the external routing!
  • 11 1
 My name is Inigo Montoya
  • 9 0
 Anybody like a peanut?@DiscoMTB:
  • 16 0
 @ThomDawson: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you.
  • 6 1
 @ThomDawson: You killed my father, prepare to die
  • 6 0
 @bman33: #holds up hands# nuh-uh wasn't me, five fingers see.
  • 2 1
 @Fix-the-Spade: Haha! Love it
  • 6 0
 R.O.U.Ss?
  • 6 0
 @bman33: haha love that movie! That comment made reading this entire article worth it. Thanks bra
Inconceivable!!
  • 9 0
 @rory: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die.
  • 7 0
 Under the bar trigger style dropper remote? I'm not even left handed!
  • 4 0
 @macross87: I don't think they actually exist.
  • 4 0
 @c-dale99: Clearly he had the iocane powder
  • 2 0
 @jakewashere: Haha...no more rhymes now, I mean it!
  • 2 0
 Great looking bike, looks a lot like my old Hightower I just sold - must be made in same factory?
  • 3 0
 I seriously love you all!
  • 4 0
 @DiscoMTB: anyone want a peanut...
  • 8 0
 Iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals...
  • 59 1
 If Eric Porter has something to do with the brand, you know it's gonna rip!. I've been on diamondbacks for the last 4 years. Missions and Masons. Those bike rule! The most underrated brand out there period. In a world of label whores and $8000 bikes, it's refreshing to see DB step it up and make something every bit as good without the Gucci price tags. Remember McGazza rode the shit out of them too!
  • 50 0
 Thanks! That means a lot, I'm glad you love the bikes too!
  • 4 0
 I loved my mason ht.
  • 4 0
 I've been loving my mission 3 for nearly 9 years now (I know...) , still going strong, zero issues with it really and I give it bit of a flogging for someone not young anymore. Maybe this'll have to be my next bike. I was planning on going less travel anyhow. Looks the goods!
  • 2 0
 They have always rode really well but they were just a tad heavy for my taste. I am really glad to see that they have finally put out a carbon model. The bike should shred like no other.
  • 64 3
 If that frame said Santa Cruz on it, people would be blowing it on their keyboards right now.
  • 3 0
 I first looked at it and thought Tallboy and vpp.
  • 20 0
 It would, most likely, cost $2,000 more.
  • 10 2
 Part of the appeal to me wanting one is that it doesn't have SC on it.
  • 15 0
 @sewer-rat: yeah, they'd charge that for the frame. But you also get a wrench, spare derailleur hanger and mud guard free?!!! This bike is the sickest FS I've seen in years. I want it out of principle for what DB are trying to show the world.

Good on ya DB 100 points!!!!
  • 4 1
 This "poor man's Santa Cruz" is very revealing of one's inner, VPP-justified, snobbery.
  • 29 0
 I hope bikes/builds like this and their recent rider endorsements show a new direction from DB, focused more on performance and value (My understanding is that their old frames were kinda sketch). It would be cool to see them become competitors with YT/Commencal.
  • 7 0
 Diamondack go through phases, they make some really, really nice bikes, then suddenly make some inexplicably naff bikes for a few years, then repeat. The Scapegoat, Mason and XTS Moto were genius, other models, not so much. They had a gearbox DH bike all the way back in 2007 too.
  • 5 0
 @Fix-the-Spade: DB Europe and DB USA are different companies. The XTS mofo in the US was a pile, and the gearbox DH bike did not exist stateside.
  • 3 0
 I have a 2016 Mission and you get a heckuva lot of bike and components for the price.
  • 1 0
 @Fix-the-Spade: Man I miss my xts moto!
  • 3 0
 @schofell84: I had a 09 and 10 Sortie and 2011 Mission, Really well made bikes, My 2010 Sortie Black was a 130mm trail slayer at 25.5 lbs!!
  • 8 2
 "Eric's an ace on a bike, which means that he can compensate for the Release's minimal rear suspension travel while he's ripping downhills that most riders reserve for their big bikes, and he's got the base fitness to push a 30-pound trail bike uphill at an impressive pace.

Impressive spin.
  • 21 0
 Maaan growing up in the bronx in NYC, there was only 4 bikes you needed to have for instant street cred back in the early 90's - A GT Performer with a Gyro was top of the list, then a Diamondback, a Haro, and then Mongoose. When I got my first Diamondaback it was actually out of a dumpster!! Someone threw away a blue diamondback mntb simply because it had two flats and the chain was off. I plucked it out of the bin, patched the tubes and fixed the drive train. One of my proudest bikes as a kid. Diamondback will always hold a place in my heart as a quality bike to have.
  • 1 0
 That's unfortunate - I've been out of the loop for a while with them. Same with Mongoose, now everyone says its a walmart brand. What happened with Diamondback?
  • 5 0
 Whoa dude, SE Racing's P.K. Ripper and Quadrangle! Hutch and Redline too! Or was this a Long Island thing? Wink
  • 2 0
 @Staktup: It isn't. The P.K. Ripper (with the compact disc chainring) was also on every kid's xmas list in Manila, Philippines.
  • 1 0
 Hell yeah buddy! That's a bad ass story. I had a GT performer (80's model) when I was a kid in the 90's, I could not kill that bike. It was better than me in every way really. My dad still rocks his DB Sorrento from the early 90's too, solid bikes. Im glad to see them coming back into their own.
  • 22 2
 If this becomes available on Experticity I’d get one.
  • 3 0
 wink wink nudge nudge
  • 1 0
 As soon as I saw it was release(d) I checked on there. Not up yet, though it should be.
  • 3 0
 It will in a few months.
  • 2 0
 When you go to the first page the release 4c is the display bike on the "mountain" category but when you go into it they aren't posted yet. The 5c looks so rad, I wonder what it will be priced at? most definitely under 4k. I think I might pull the trigger on a mission pro though. the price is unbeatable.
  • 2 0
 @RRMonster: Saw that too. I would assume around the 40% off area as that seems to be the minimum off for the brand. So maybe between 2800-3300. Mission pros MSRP was 5500 and now down to 2600 so who knows.
  • 3 0
 @Joesuph: If it comes down under 3k It will be pretty difficult not to order one.
  • 1 0
 @RRMonster: I know!!!! I’m a super fan of 29ers. But at that price, this 650bruiser might make me waste my wad. Especially with that balls to the walls kit.
  • 2 0
 @RRMonster: I'm on the site and see that the price is only 5% off retail right now for the 5C.
  • 2 0
 @captbennett: well this is awkward. It’s cheaper on diamondbacks distributor site and parent company aventuron.
aventuron.com/collections/bikes/diamondback+2018-diamondback
  • 3 0
 Checked my corporate login, very minimal discount at this point. To be expected.
  • 1 1
 Do I need some code to get to the mountainbike category? Haven't joined yet so if someone could send me a code I'd appreciate it. Am cross shopping with this, Canyon Spectral, and Commencal TR. Leaning towards the latter but a price break might sway things in direction of the DB.
  • 16 0
 $3k with an Elite 34. That's an insane bargain. And it doesn't look like ass. I'm actually tempted. If Transition keeps lagging I might have to go carbon instead of spending more for an aluminum frame that ways 2 pounds more.
  • 14 2
 I was kinda thinking the same thing... DB should make a 29er with similar geometry. 120mm rear, 140 front...
  • 2 0
 I was comparing the exact same bikes too! Smuggler and the Release C
  • 4 4
 @AvidTrailRider: I'm actually pretty bummed to tell you the truth. I put off buying a bike for a while because I was waiting for the Transition announcement. I wanted to see the sentinel come out and was waiting on the Smuggler update. For the life of me I can not figure out why they updated it and kept it aluminum. It makes no sense. That bike needs to be carbon. 32-33 pounds for a low travel 29er is no good. You should be building that bike out at 28-30.

I'd buy the new smuggler right now if it was carbon. Hell I'd buy the damned sentinel if I could... weight a little less critical as travel goes up... as purpose is different.

But still... Released 3 sick ass bikes... but they're not really released.... and no clue on when or if carbon is coming on any of them...

That smuggler has been a great bike waiting for carbon for years now. Making it go another 1-2 years is crazy talk.

Now I have to go back to looking at the Santa Cruz and Trek frames which I didn't want to do.
  • 4 0
 It's almost identical geo to the current (non-SBG) Scout, except the seat angle. I think they've made a real winner here for most people. That spec level is awesome.
  • 3 5
 @bikekrieg: No,no,no they really should not! #26aintdead
  • 5 0
 @mrtoodles: DB has had this geo on their alloy bike for over a year and a half now. They are not the ones following here.
  • 1 0
 @mrtoodles:

Get one.....
  • 1 0
 @bikekrieg: I raced a 2017 Catch this year. I took off the 27.5+ tires/wheels and mounted some 29x2.50 Maxxis Minion tires on a set of Industry Nine Enduro wheels and made the fork 160mm instead of 130mm. This bike was so much fun to race enduro on. But if I could go back I probably would've raced with a 150mm fork, although the 160 work fine as well. So, in a way... DB does have a 29" bike in the Level Link suspension platform, you just kinda have to create itSmile Also, they do not make the Catch in carbon.... Yet anyways :0
  • 16 1
 Freeriding? You mean black diamond right Razz or free like Free Willy?
Good looking bike and I agree with the sentiments regarding long travel rigs. This one looks a lot like a Transition Scout or 5010 and I think those are the type of bikes we should all be riding rather than the Enduro tanks that can be seen filling the car parks at trail centres. They just need to be cool again, hey everybody you seen Bryceland ripping his 5010 at Revo ;-)
  • 4 0
 I've just bought a Scout and it's brilliant fun - certainly feels pretty capable despite the short travel. I guess the issue is things like the Scout tend to weight similar to the bigger bikes so people just think that they may as well get the bigger, burlier bike.
  • 1 0
 @mindmap3: I hear ya, that was my own rationalisation for riding a longer travel bike. I’m just blown away by the Scout at the mo and feel I wasted time on the bigger bikes cus anything less than 150mm travel just didn’t register for a while. I ought to have known better cus the second best bike I’ve ridden was a Vitus Escarpe, another short travel bike but the spirit of Enduro got up inside me, wearing me like a glove and I lost my way for a while. I guess it’s not necessarily about the travel or the ‘category’ of the bike but just what works well for you in the end. But if I’m honest that’s liberal cop out BS and I think everyone should just buy a Scout Razz
  • 15 1
 Diamond Back has a lot of ground to make up re-establishing their name in this market. But looks like they are on the right track.
  • 15 3
 Nice bargain! Some direct-to-consumer competition for YT. Diamondback, please make a Release 29er!
  • 6 9
 YT, please just put a new bike out. Updates (new designs) every half-decade don't work for the consumer (although I bet it's working for you guys $$$$).
  • 6 0
 @nicolai12: They just released the Jeffsy 27 earlier this year......
  • 3 0
 @mtbgt: Yeah thats a new bike for new catagory. The bike he is probably mentioning is the Tues, and the Capra. They havnt seen a remodel in a while. Except paint jobs. At least they do that. *Cough* Ibis *Cough*
  • 2 7
flag UserNumberTwo (Sep 28, 2017 at 14:20) (Below Threshold)
 Why does everyone want 29er ???
#26aintdead
  • 4 0
 @UserNumberTwo: because everyone wants 3" more
  • 1 0
 @handynzl: #thatswhatshesaid
  • 1 0
 @chillrider199: Can someone chime in here about this whole chainstay length here? Once I heard that short stays equal quicker rear end following, easier manuals / bunny hops but at the price of less stable high speed and more difficult to climb with as the front end lifts too easy. Now I keep seeing the reviews posted claiming the short stays are directly related to being able to climb better?? Thought longer stays kept the front end down?
  • 1 0
 @sjdeweese: Im not sure if I can answer this how you where hoping. But yeah theres debate of chainstay length like wheel sizes. For me, I love a long chainstay. My Giant Trance is long as f*ck. Its not the most ideal for steep and tight trails. But when its fast or rough as hell, itll eat up the trail. But it all matters with your preference I say. Same with wheel size. 29er may be faster scientifically, but I feel faster on a 27.5Smile . Just my idea. But If Im not mistaken, YT is a company that changes the chainstay lengths as you get a larger frame. But yes typically a shorter stay means its more agile. A longer one means, well the opposite. As for climbing... Im not sure. My advice, pay attention to the numbers, and get a bike that you like. And who gives a crap if the PB or Vital reviewer doesnt like it 100%. Have fun with it. My frame is almost 4 years old but I still love its feeling.
  • 1 0
 @chillrider199: Right on. One bike dude here on 2013 SJ 29 EVO. 455mm CS lenght. But its an XL frame, Im 6'3" so it looks proportional,and feels good. I would like to back to back a couple sections with a more "modern geometry bike" but probably wont. That said, I do really want to ride an EVIL Following. Easy to fall victim to the new hype, but the reality is bigger bike with longer stays probably best suited to me.
  • 9 2
 So you have a VPP linkage, then claim the IC "migrates along the chainline" as though:
1. The chainline doesn't move (obviously it changes between gears)
2. That's beneficial (it doesn't mean anything, this was established a long time ago)
3. That isn't the exact same BS claim that Ellsworth made for years (it was)

Regardless, bike looks fun!
  • 8 0
 Scout+5010+this bike, that's a good trend. The comment about having a massive enduro ripper and realizing you have few or no trails to justify it is so true.
  • 4 0
 Right on CP. Plus every time I hop on a shortish travel rig certain trails become more fun.
  • 6 2
 THIS is by far the most compelling entry-level carbon package by far. Nice to see they didn't stay with a cookie-cutter single-pivot design and offer something more sophisticated for this price point. I will be sure to recommend this whenever someone asks what's the best MTB for under $5k. Well done Diamond Back!
  • 6 1
 This bike is far from entry level.
  • 3 0
 Great looking bike...and external routing??!! Worth buying right there...despite it being a great value for the cost first thing I'd do is swap out the Guide brakes! And I did lose interest on VPP suspension after owning a few Santa Cruz, but maybe this rides more snappy.
  • 1 0
 what brakes would you put on?
  • 1 0
 @Turboduck01: I've gone back to XT's after too many issues with Guides
  • 5 0
 Every month I get an email for "50% off" Raleigh or Diamondback. Fingers crossed something like this is part of a "once in a lifetime" sale next year.
  • 2 0
 ...where do you get this email???
  • 2 0
 @bkm303: Last year signed up on corporate site. I believe Raleigh and Diamondback are connected....or their marketing people just coincidentally send emails at same time. Anyway, their sales were big and often not excluding anything. Admittedly in the past none of their mtb's interested me, but some highly-rated/regarded cyclocross and road bikes (gasp!) were on major sale.
  • 1 0
 @bikewriter: good to know man. I think I know a guy who got a DB hardtail through one of those programs. Seemed like a solid build for the money.
  • 3 1
 I have ridden an aluminum Release 2 this season. The bike ABSOLUTELY RIPS. With one bike I can keep up with my wife on XC grinds and ride the bike park with the guys. I can only imagine a carbon frame would make the experience I have had thus far- namely, rippin'- even better. If you are concerned about Diamondback's reputation, go demo the bike. You will be duly impressed.
  • 3 0
 it's almost like diamondback listened to users.

"what parts do you want"

Do you care about color?

How much would you pay for it.

and they nailed it, other than the seatpost, it needs a 150mm transfer in black.
  • 1 0
 If you don't know who Harry Leary is & how cool it was to have a DiamondBack, Redline or Se Racing, Thruster, Hutch BMX bike growing up, you then wouldn't understand how nice it is to see this brand still around and alive. www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_LqlUi7KeA
  • 1 0
 sweet vid. memories of chandler bmx '80
  • 4 0
 Love the look of the rear triangle from the non-drive side, looks like a shark fin
  • 5 0
 interesting, price, and build, geo is spot on
  • 3 0
 Having seen this bike is person, I am extremely impressed by the quality and spec. I hope to get to check one of these out on the trail soon! Nice Diamondback
  • 4 0
 I once dated a stripper with the stage name “Diamond Back”. Those were fun days.
  • 8 0
 Was he any good? ;-)
  • 1 0
 @bishopsmike: lol, we must travel in different circles.
  • 2 1
 Looks cool, I was interested and looked up "Diamond Back" and clicked on "Diamond Back Australia" and only find a serve of "built to fail" bikes with black painted steel components.
I'm glad they don't seem to sell decent bikes here, because no one would buy them alongside the garbage that is available.
I'm all for cheap bikes, but their offerings here are just tomorrows trash
  • 2 0
 I thought Pinkbike liked Guides RS’s......? They pretty standard on lots of builds so why now are they getting trashed by PB, or is it something that’s been going on for a while without me noticing?
  • 1 0
 So, reading back on the earlier Release reviews on this and other sites. Does the new one still suffer the same 90 degree bump response issue as the previous models? What about the sluggish behavior off of pops and such? For the price point of the AL models I'd expect it to be completely sorted. Nice forks and shocks are great, but those are consumables compared to the frame.
  • 2 0
 I might try to ride one of these. I had a diamondback as a kid and loved the raw steel. As a current Norco owner, I can appreciate Carbon at that price with those specs.
  • 1 0
 This (3k build) from performance bike, which will probably get discounted after a month or two, and get 10-20% back on their rebate program OR a '17 Giant Anthem SX2 for $2.2k?
  • 2 0
 Anthem if you want to go fast on easy/mod trails. This if you want to have fun and ride like a kid.
  • 1 1
 As a Canadain living in BC,I am unable to buy the bike as shown on the website at that price point which i don't understand... forced to use the custom builder which ends up coming out at over 7000 CAD, then i select international shipping... quote comes in at over $4000 just for the shipping! WTF guys? I guess you guys at Diamondback really don't want to sell your bike anywhere but Merica! oh well, potential custom lost.
  • 2 0
 Or...OR... you could ship it to a UPS store, drive 20 mins to the border and pick it up yourself?
  • 1 0
 @bishopsmike: id love to go pick it up but a dumb mischief charge from when i was 18 now doesn't allow me to cross the boarder.
  • 1 0
 @tommyboy604: How long does that last for? Get a buddy to pick it up for you.
  • 1 0
 Really nice looking bike and great build for the money!

"crashing more often, which is actually a good thing because it meant I was riding out of my comfort zone" is there any other way to ride!
  • 2 0
 I still rip on my '08 DB Recoil Comp (Heavily Modified), I think this may be the DB i've been waiting for this thing looks so legit
  • 4 0
 Looked for water bottle mounts, didn't see any. Skipped to the comments
  • 1 0
 There's one on the bottom of the downtube, near the BB.

Kind of a "meh" location for it, but my Balance has one in the same spot. It works surprisingly well.
  • 1 0
 seems like they could have fit a bottle in the triangle if they routed the cables and hoses better
  • 1 0
 My first MTB bike had a short chainstay too because it was elevated! 1992 Alpinestars Cro Mega LX. Just looked up pics of it and damn, that top tube looks long. Probably because it's straight across. haha
  • 6 4
 It looks like you would have room for a water bottle inside the frame if it weren't for that sh*t cable routing
  • 2 0
 That's a seriously nicely spec'd bike at that price point. And it comes with Maxxis DHF-DHR combo. Winner!
  • 1 0
 This almost makes me want to sell my Endorphin. Almost. I second that if this was a 140/120 29er i would buy it for backcountry bikepacking and xc. On expertcity.
  • 1 0
 The 4c is probably the bike that will finally make me upgrade from my trusty old DBR Vertex. I wonder if I'll get 20 years out of this one too.
  • 1 0
 These may be available at your LBS as a special order. If your LBS is a Raleigh or Redline dealer chances are the can get a Diamondback too.
  • 3 0
 Sounds like an extremely fun bike.
  • 3 0
 #imstillhavingablastonmysortie29
  • 5 0
 That's awesome! I loved my Sortie 29! That's when we started playing around with longer front travel actually, because I started running a 140mm travel fork on my Sortie 29. For this bike, we built it around the longer for to make sure the geometry was already dialed from the start.
  • 1 0
 @ericporter: Thanks for the reply. I keep thinking of bumping up to a sturdier 140 Pike/34 if the right deal comes around. Did you run an angleset to slack it out a touch more when you did that? What fork offset?

An overbuilt ~5" 29'er that could still hang on the XC side of things was a bit ahead of its time.

Thanks for all the work you do to help produce rad bikes that real people would have real fun on.
  • 3 1
 Not a huge fan of consumer-direct. But it does look like a nice bike. Especially that 4c at $3000.
  • 2 0
 When I think of Diamondback I think of McGazza and Micayla Gatto... Mmmm she's dreamy ???? and she can rip
  • 1 0
 Such a shame that, in Australia, the Diamondback brand is only attached to department store BSO's like this diamondback.com.au/overdrive-29
  • 1 0
 For those wondering about 4c weight, I inquired with DB and (I assume a Large since that's what I asked about) is 14.29kg. Seems pretty heavy for a carbon bike.
  • 2 0
 My lady might like this in an extra small... Where's the Clutch C?
  • 4 1
 Four bar?
  • 4 3
 DW... ish
  • 2 0
 VPP with less chain growth
  • 2 0
 Sexy bike. I like red a lot more than turquoise.
  • 2 0
 No lifetime Warranty? I am not surprised by the price point.
  • 1 0
 I like this bike. You really know how to stoke the fire. That was a fun article. Thanks
  • 1 1
 DB seams to be leading the charge in the direct to consumer market and I kinda hate them for it
  • 15 13
 'ocean fill'
  • 2 1
 Sure have seen a lot of Diamondback today. Weird
  • 5 13
flag Leethal-1 (Sep 28, 2017 at 8:23) (Below Threshold)
 Don't worry they will disappear again. Their high point was in the 1980's BMX before they sold out.
  • 2 3
 @Leethal-1: You're a really pessimistic kind of guy aren't you?
  • 1 0
 You could look at it that way, I grew up a fan of Harry Leary and Eddie King. Loved DB as a kid, but they disappear when times are rough. @carfreak2000:
  • 4 2
 Looks like a DMR.
  • 1 0
 Carbon Sled Big Grin
  • 2 0
 Two words Mike Dominguez
  • 1 0
 the best!
  • 3 1
 Thats a nice bike.
  • 1 0
 Make it as a niner and I'd be in.
  • 1 0
 Nice to see a review against the Trance. Looks like a great bike.
  • 2 0
 A better spec’d 5010
  • 1 0
 Was looking at them and comparing them 20 minutes ago.... LOL!
  • 4 1
 every brand is better spec'd than santa cruz.
  • 1 1
 Except for the Novatec hubs.
  • 1 0
 First DiamondBack to entice me since I was kid. Good job.
  • 1 0
 From Walmart to this, cool!
  • 1 0
 Looks like a fun little bike!
  • 1 0
 卧槽 这不是vpp?
  • 1 2
 Thanks DB and DMR! I can make my old Nomad 2 look like a brand new bike now! Haha!
  • 2 1
 Who drinks water anyway
  • 3 4
 "Growing up I dreamed of owning a Diamondback"
Hahaha laying it on a little thick Eric, don't ya think?
  • 18 1
 Nope! I did grow up wanting a Diamondback, they had the best teams and best bikes. Then my first job was at a Diamondback shop where I worked and saved up till I could get a 1997 Diamondback Team Issue. It still seems crazy that I am part of the Diamondback team, and helped from the ground up with this bike.
  • 1 0
 ohhh a bronson?
  • 1 0
 Diamond Cruze ?
  • 2 2
 McDowells
  • 7 10
 "DiamondBack, at least it's not a Jamis."
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