1996 DiamondBack WCF 4.0

[Pyro Tim]

I took it out for a ride today with my wife on her 94 Hahanna. I blasted the singletrack at Moors Valley Country Park, which is very flat, but what a hoot. Spent 10 minutes waiting for the wife when I got bored and left her half way round. The bike handles like a dream on the tight twisty stuff, and I caught the guy going hard on his modern hard tail with 5" of travel with ease. He had a 2 minute head start on me too. Did make me laugh though in the car park. Saw a few full sussers with 6" on travel, and I really didn't need any bounce at all. Would have blasted him on my rigid Axis.

 

[Logic.Al]

Never heard of a Specialized Ultimate, and don't know what they cost. But at this spec, it would have been the Pro, at $2799 retail, according to Bikepedia. In the STX/LX spec the 4.0 originally came in it would have been $1150 according to same site. The frames were the same. From looking at the cheaper bikes on there, you can safely assume that the $=£ there abouts, no need for exchange rates. I don't think they can possibly have been cheaper

Specialized Ultimate.
Rather rare. Was bout £2200 just for frame and rigid forks when new. Carbon tubes and Ti lugs IIRC. But a little boring looking frame wise. Your's looks better IMO

 

[Pyro Tim]

I like the look of that, I like the subtleness of it.

 

[Neil]

Never heard of a Specialized Ultimate, and don't know what they cost. But at this spec, it would have been the Pro, at $2799 retail, according to Bikepedia. In the STX/LX spec the 4.0 originally came in it would have been $1150 according to same site. The frames were the same. From looking at the cheaper bikes on there, you can safely assume that the $=£ there abouts, no need for exchange rates. I don't think they can possibly have been cheaper

Don't know about the pricing for other years, but with my 95 brochure, I have the 95 price list. The WCF frame from that year isn't listed by itself (the only ones that are, are: Axis TT frame and fork, Dual Response Pro frame and fork, Dual Response frame and fork, and Vertex TA frame & fork - they are listed in decreasing order of price).

The WCF is listed as a complete bike at £1099.00 - that looks to be largely XT equipped (although gripshift listed as the shifters).

I don't know what changed from 95 to 96 (my 96 brochure only goes as high as the Apex - they must have had more than one brochure that year).

 

[Pyro Tim]

That kind of tallies with Bikepedia. They say $1200 for the WCF Vertex, which was mostly XT, with LX Brakes and chainset, Diacomp levers, and Gripshift.

95 WCF Vertex
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...dback&Model=WCF+Vertex&Type=bike#.UR_1m2d3lc4

96 WCF 4.0
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...996&Brand=Diamondback&Model=WCF+4.0&Type=bike

96 WCF Pro
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...mondback&Model=WCF+Pro&Type=bike#.UR_2M2d3lc4

 

[Pyro Tim]

Not that price matters at all now, or ever, to be honest. I couldn't afford to drop that amount on a bike then or now, but I seem to have spent as much as the WCF 4.0 was new doing this and the R up.

 

[Pyro Tim]

Finished for the time being. Read: got more money for some ti bits

I have sorted the brakes now lrh

I'm riding it with the M780s from my R as I ran out of money for a 2nd pair of shoes for the Onza cleats. Did me proud on the Dartmoor ride yesterday, but broke my plastic bottle cage

 

[lrh]

I have sorted the brakes now lrh

See what I mean, sooooo much tidier when they wrap around the tyre and follow the lines of the bike, although you need shorten that outer a little

I was going to suggest pimping it in BOTM but you've already put the other one in!

 

[Pyro Tim]

Think the other one will be more popular, especially with the spacers on the steerer on this one. Makes it more comfortable to ride though

Also, the rear wheel on this is being rebuilt this week, onto the matching rim for the front, with the valve in the correct space in the spokes. Little niggles on this that will be picked up on BOTM. I have given a 93 Fire Mountain to a fellow member for this service.

Notice the little nuggets of gold on this now?

 

[lrh]

Also, the rear wheel on this is being rebuilt this week, onto the matching rim for the front, with the valve in the correct space in the spokes... Notice the little nuggets of gold on this now?

Yeah the rear rim looks shot and I noticed the wonky valve, tut tut, concours points lost there

Bling-Bling skewers? Hmm, needs more gold elsewhere to compliment/balance them out.

You've got to find some more glam locations for photos BTW