WANTED: Diamond Back 1989 - 1990

[drystonepaul]

As above I'd really like to find some more info about DB from these years in particular.

Any catalogue scans, images, info or links would be very much appreciated.

Cheers

 

[FluffyChicken]

Search for Centurion as well, they morphed into Diamond Back around then 1990 I think ?

 

[FluffyChicken]

oh a search for both of them brings up
http://www.trek4fun.com/mountain_biking ... ection.htm with a 1990 Axis, allegedly they where designed for mag sus forks already. Not sure how much would believe that without knowing the forks length and rake.

ans wikipedia with some tidbits
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(bicycle)

 

[FluffyChicken]

and http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66833
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... emId=60172
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... emId=51229

Not 1989/90 but some info non the less
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... temId=5241

 

[drystonepaul]

Cheers Ben

Some useful stuff there that I haven't seen before.
Still keen to find more on the 1990 range in particular and the catalogue would be good for the archive.

It seems the 1989 bikes generally had relatively slender straight bladed tapering forks whereas the 1991 bikes had fat constant diameter curved blade forks.

I picked up a frame from John last year with the same dropouts as a 1991 bike but curved tapering forks, unlike either the 1989 or 1991 forks.

Now according to this thread: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=124880 ,Chris' bike is a 1990 Ascent, with curved tapering forks with a rack eyelet, just like the one I've got.

It's clearly been resprayed and decaled up as a DB Ascent.
I'm just trying to confirm whether it's 1990 bike, because lots of the details do seem to match.

I'm also keen to find out the original spec too.

 

[FluffyChicken]

I've given Chris a shout for the serial numbers off his.

 

[orange71]

My 89 Topanga had curved thin tapered forks with a semi-horizontal rear dropout, my 91 Topanga has thicker non-tapering curved forks with vertical rear dropout, backing up what you stated earlier (he said rather redundantly!)

 

[FluffyChicken]

From my poor knowledge on DB's i.e. what I noticed up from another quick search

89 was Tange.
90+ was TrueTemper.

89 has a straight seatstay brace
90 has a curved/arch seatstay brace

I've pm'd Chris for his serial numbers as well.
91 has the curved brace also but also mentions something about 73mm bottom bracket shell ?

 

[drystonepaul]

So looking at the one in my loft.

- Curved tapering fork with rack mounting boss with spinner dropouts.
- Curved seat-stay bridge
- Diagonal rear drop-outs
- 73mm BB shell
- Semi-horizontal rear dropout
- Crimped drive side chainstay
- 26.0mm seatpost
- 1 1/8ths headset
Ser No. J00127810

In fact pretty much identical to the one Chris has:

Shame that the one I've got has lost it's original smokey paint work though.

Thanks for all your help chaps. I sense another slow burn project.

 

[chrisv40]

Got them at last

1990 Smoky Ascent's serial no is U00351848.

1991 Neon Orange Ascent's serial no is J10200849

The two frames appear practically identical to me, no rack bosses on the 91 forks though.
The 91 frame also has a decal saying True Temper AVR, the 90 one only says 100% Cromo.