Diamondback frame - help with identification needed

[zugol]

Hey there,

Im tryin to find out more about this DB frame.
Does any one of you know, what year this DB frame is or could point me in the right direction?

Best regards
Max

 

[gtturbo]

Looks like a 89/90 to me. Those light blue decals won't be original.

 

[27motorhead]

As above. Reckon it’s a 1989 Ascent or Ascent EX. Awesome paint finish!

 

[zugol]

yes, great, thats it! thank a lot to gtturbo and 27motorhead!

 

[27motorhead]

yes, great, thats it! thank a lot to gtturbo and 27motorhead!

You’re welcome! Do you have the original forks by any chance? Should be straight bladed with a decent rake on them. What are your plans with the frame?

 

[zugol]

Yes, I do. At least I thought I do.
But looking at the catalogue picture, Im doubting that I have a `89 one. The lowrider eyelets are missing and it has less rake.. what do you think?

 

[27motorhead]

Max!

Well that debunks my 1989 model theory as I thought all the models had straight bladed forks

Don’t forget RetroBike has an Archive (this site isn’t just thrown together!). It’s in alphabetical order, but the Diamond Back section has 1990 catalogue missing:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/DiamondB/Catalogues/

To view you need to click on: Download document in original format just below the image

1988
More simplified colour schemes with skinny bladed forks

1989
Cool paint jobs including the smoke one and all seemed to have straight bladed forks unless some point during the year specs changed or varied from region to region?

1990
???

1991
More crackle finishes on frames with fat curved bladed forks (now oversized or 1/1/8”)

Could be a 1990 if you do some more digging around. Did you have any components with the frame & forks? Assume the headset cups are steel which would mean lower end model if 1990...

 

[zugol]

Thanks for pointing me to the catalogues. After some digging, it appears to be a 1990 Ascent EX as shown here and here.

 

[27motorhead]

You're welcome! Saw that link, but my phone bombed-out trying to load it earlier. Now I'm on my desktop instantly loaded and does appears to be a 1990

 

[Tsundere]

Stunning paint job, fantastic bikes, had an 89 Ascent EX and it was a fun and reliable workhorse, and the smokey paint job is something else.