DiamondBacks-Let's see them...
- Thread starter Konaglider
- Start date
fignon1989
Dirt Disciple
Hay I had forgotten about Retro Bike even though I have never really moved beyond the mid 90,s when it comes to a bike.....As an aside I broke the frame on my Alan Aluminium ex race bike I was riding to work and have now pushed into service my Diamondback Overdrive Comp and hay it still rides well even thogh it is over twenty years old. Old steel never dies*...........
*Well almost I have broken a few steel frames over the years but I still feel that steel is real!!!!!!!
Oh sorry this post is about an alloy bike,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
*Well almost I have broken a few steel frames over the years but I still feel that steel is real!!!!!!!
Oh sorry this post is about an alloy bike,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Re:
Here is my 1993 Apex. 1993 was my favorite year, because the Head Tubes were bigger than usual. This 18" frame, (though it measures 19" the traditional way), has a 14 cm Head Tube. I am a leggy 6'1", with a strong preference for smaller frames. More fun, flickable. Transports me back into time, my BMX childhood. Aren't bikes wonderful in that way? Well, this one is comfortable, even for long rides. Much better than the 18" 1994 GT Bravado that it replaced. That frame only had a 4" Head Tube, with a horizontal Top Tube. Felt like a road bike. Even with a 2" riser bar, it was quite uncomfortable. Especially on the neck. (However, if someone would like to donate a 19" GT Psyclone, let me know, any year will do
).
Anyway, this is a great frame. Fast and Nimble, with good geometry. I probably would have had to get a 20" Diamondback frame in the 94-97 years, because of their shorter Head Tubes, due to my height. Yet you lose some nimbleness with the bigger size. And my torso is small, so there is a desire for a Small Top Tube. Yes it is hard to find a good frame me! Have this one set up for Street and Hardpack, fun times.
By the way, to the owners of the 1996 Diamondback Axis R, blue-red-yellow, with Ritchey Logic Steel, (Pyro Tim and I've seen some others)...That, is a stunning bike. Congratulations. My favorite Diamondback without contest. Cool thread.
Here is my 1993 Apex. 1993 was my favorite year, because the Head Tubes were bigger than usual. This 18" frame, (though it measures 19" the traditional way), has a 14 cm Head Tube. I am a leggy 6'1", with a strong preference for smaller frames. More fun, flickable. Transports me back into time, my BMX childhood. Aren't bikes wonderful in that way? Well, this one is comfortable, even for long rides. Much better than the 18" 1994 GT Bravado that it replaced. That frame only had a 4" Head Tube, with a horizontal Top Tube. Felt like a road bike. Even with a 2" riser bar, it was quite uncomfortable. Especially on the neck. (However, if someone would like to donate a 19" GT Psyclone, let me know, any year will do
).Anyway, this is a great frame. Fast and Nimble, with good geometry. I probably would have had to get a 20" Diamondback frame in the 94-97 years, because of their shorter Head Tubes, due to my height. Yet you lose some nimbleness with the bigger size. And my torso is small, so there is a desire for a Small Top Tube. Yes it is hard to find a good frame me! Have this one set up for Street and Hardpack, fun times.
By the way, to the owners of the 1996 Diamondback Axis R, blue-red-yellow, with Ritchey Logic Steel, (Pyro Tim and I've seen some others)...That, is a stunning bike. Congratulations. My favorite Diamondback without contest. Cool thread.
Attachments
Re:
Here's a 1991 Apex I picked up last May for $40 off of Craigslist. Completely tore down, re-built, and restored. Scrubbed the whole frame, & touched up the paint, including decals. Cleaned & polished the components. All the DX parts are original to the bike, aside from the cassette (which originally had a crappy 7-speed cassette). Wheels were mismatched, so found these Exage/Ritchey wheels for super cheap. Replaced saddle/seatpost/pedals/tires/tubes/grips/chain with new items. Came out super clean & built for my son, which will fit on it in about a year. 1991 was my favorite year of mountain bikes, as that's the year I bought my first real MTB ('91 Miyata Elevation 400') in high school, and bikes like these that I saw in MBA were out of reach for me at the time. Probably sank about $200 total into this & it came out great!
Here's a 1991 Apex I picked up last May for $40 off of Craigslist. Completely tore down, re-built, and restored. Scrubbed the whole frame, & touched up the paint, including decals. Cleaned & polished the components. All the DX parts are original to the bike, aside from the cassette (which originally had a crappy 7-speed cassette). Wheels were mismatched, so found these Exage/Ritchey wheels for super cheap. Replaced saddle/seatpost/pedals/tires/tubes/grips/chain with new items. Came out super clean & built for my son, which will fit on it in about a year. 1991 was my favorite year of mountain bikes, as that's the year I bought my first real MTB ('91 Miyata Elevation 400') in high school, and bikes like these that I saw in MBA were out of reach for me at the time. Probably sank about $200 total into this & it came out great!
Attachments
dirttorpedo
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
I don't have any photos of mine at hand and its all in pieces currently while I try to get around to cleaning it so I'm linking to the original thread.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=288951
I don't have any photos of mine at hand and its all in pieces currently while I try to get around to cleaning it so I'm linking to the original thread.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=288951
- Feedback
- View
This is my 1982 Diamond Back Ridge Runner:
minor_LEGEND
Senior Retro Guru
Millsm; that 91 Apex is incredible. A real credit to you & the effort you have put in, I hope your boy will appreciate such a cool bike.
I have a 1990 Apex I have just acquired which I intend to do the same with. I have to source all the parts for mine however.
I have a 1990 Apex I have just acquired which I intend to do the same with. I have to source all the parts for mine however.
dirttorpedo
Senior Retro Guru
kingoffootball":7d1mfy6t said:This is my 1982 Diamond Back Ridge Runner:
I love those tires.
That 91 Apex looks sweet! Amazing job.
Re:
Thanks everyone for the compliments on the Apex I built for my son. Here's the "twin" - a '91 Axis Team I picked up off Craigslist/Ebay a few years ago for $300. Moved all the original parts over to restore my '92 Axis at that time & had this frame/derailleurs/BB/seatpost left over hanging in the garage. Almost got rid of it, but my daughter came to me & wanted it built up for her (she loves neon green). So, went on a hunt for parts on a budget & got it built up for her about 2 years ago. Touched up the paint, polished, & waxed, just like the Apex. The purple pedals & cages are original items I bought for my '92 Axis over 20 years ago & they still work like new, despite never being serviced. Full XT, except for DX cassette/brakes, and a cheapo Exage/Araya wheelset picked from a $10 Craigslist POS bike. Didn't come with the original fork, so found a cheap 1 1/8 threaded fork from a Mongoose off Ebay that I rattle-canned black - hence the too-long steerer, which is nice for raising the front end a bit. May eventually get an XT 13-30T cassette & BR-M734 brakes put on her and move the "nicer" DX cassette/brakes over to the Apex, but for now it works & still looks nice. Just did a 20-miler with my daughter on it a few weeks ago & she still loves it. Both my kids like Super Mario Bros, so they call the bikes "Mario & Luigi"
Thanks everyone for the compliments on the Apex I built for my son. Here's the "twin" - a '91 Axis Team I picked up off Craigslist/Ebay a few years ago for $300. Moved all the original parts over to restore my '92 Axis at that time & had this frame/derailleurs/BB/seatpost left over hanging in the garage. Almost got rid of it, but my daughter came to me & wanted it built up for her (she loves neon green). So, went on a hunt for parts on a budget & got it built up for her about 2 years ago. Touched up the paint, polished, & waxed, just like the Apex. The purple pedals & cages are original items I bought for my '92 Axis over 20 years ago & they still work like new, despite never being serviced. Full XT, except for DX cassette/brakes, and a cheapo Exage/Araya wheelset picked from a $10 Craigslist POS bike. Didn't come with the original fork, so found a cheap 1 1/8 threaded fork from a Mongoose off Ebay that I rattle-canned black - hence the too-long steerer, which is nice for raising the front end a bit. May eventually get an XT 13-30T cassette & BR-M734 brakes put on her and move the "nicer" DX cassette/brakes over to the Apex, but for now it works & still looks nice. Just did a 20-miler with my daughter on it a few weeks ago & she still loves it. Both my kids like Super Mario Bros, so they call the bikes "Mario & Luigi"
