Claud Butler ARC 1000 / Diamondback DBR V-Link

[sam_white]

Browsing the Facebook marketplace I stumbled on a cheap full suspension bike, a bit of investigation and close examination of the pics showed it to be a Claud Butler ARC 1000.
Some parts of the frame reminded me of my own Diamondback X-Link, especially the front derailleur noodle and bottom bracket area. Having had a look online at some photos, the frame appears to be the same as the earlier Diamondback V-Link. See photos! Wonder if Peachy might know more about this?
Blatant rip off or did Claud Butler purchase their frames direct from Diamondback and re-brand them?
Both the V-Link and ARC names have been used on a few different frames over the years, but these two models look the same to me.

 

[Peachy!]

My ears were burning...

Not a rip-off but a re-badge as by 1998 The Falcon group at Brigg, North Lincolnshire had stopped actually making Clauds and were pretty much buying everything in or re-badging Falcons.
After the disaster that was the 1997 Cro-mo Cape Wrath buy-in of 1997 (most of which they could barely give away) https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1997-claud-butler-cape-wrath-finished.420181/

They decided to go full sus and nicked Yeti's monika "ARC" the first one was called just that, and was almost exactly the same as a Mercury KA05, in fact that's where the the got the red & yellow paint scheme, they just stuck stickers on and put some cheaper components on.

I'm not sure when they did the same with the Diamondback X-Link, but I think it would have been 2000. I'd be interested to see if you can find any component date codes.

 

[sam_white]

There's an ARC 1000 on eBay at the moment with the same frame as that pictured above and the seller has kindly taken a nice close up of the frame number, that shows it is a 1999 model Claude ARC.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/claud-butler-mens-mountain-bike-Arc-1000-Spares-Or-Repair/164795213464
I have a 1999 Diamondback catalogue which shows that they had dropped the V-Link from the range by that year, so I suspect the 1999 Claud Butler ARC is actually a rebranded 1998 Diamondback V-Link. Unfortunately I haven't got a 1998 Diamondback catalogue to check. All very interesting! I'd buy the bike I've seen locally but it's a complete shed and the seller wants £100 for it.

 

[sam_white]

Yes it's a 1998 V-Link frame. Photos from the Diamondback 1998 catalogue here:
http://www.geocities.ws/cegrover/DBR.html

 

[Peachy!]

There's an ARC 1000 on eBay at the moment with the same frame as that pictured above and the seller has kindly taken a nice close up of the frame number, that shows it is a 1999 model Claude ARC.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/claud-butler-mens-mountain-bike-Arc-1000-Spares-Or-Repair/164795213464
I have a 1999 Diamondback catalogue which shows that they had dropped the V-Link from the range by that year, so I suspect the 1999 Claud Butler ARC is actually a rebranded 1998 Diamondback V-Link. Unfortunately I haven't got a 1998 Diamondback catalogue to check. All very interesting! I'd buy the bike I've seen locally but it's a complete shed and the seller wants £100 for it.

That makes sense.
Yes I wouldn't mind one, but TBH I wouldn't pay more than £50 as they are always far from good let alone mint.

 

[sam_white]

I present to you, the Cycle Wolf Venom. Looks very familiar.