Diamond Back just sent over a few highlights of their 2011 mountain bike lineup for perusal. The Sortie Black, above, uses their Knucklebox suspension design and is built up with a full set of the all-new XTR.
It uses the triple chainring setup for 30 total gears, which should give it good combos for both up- and downhill. DB says it’s rolling on Crossmax SLR wheels, but the photo above shoes XTR’s XC wheelset. Suspension is a Fox 32 Float RLC fork up front and Fox Float RP23XV rear shock out back. Suggested retail: $6,000
More after the break, including (surprise!) a road and cyclocross bike…
For 2011, BMX pro Diogo Canina helped Diamondback design a bike that fit not only his riding style, but also his artistic taste. The Signature ($650) is a full Chromoly framed dirt jumper (comes with chromoly fork and bars, too), and it gives you the option of riding with or without brakes. Diogo doesn’t ride with them, and who knows, maybe soon you won’t either.
DB’s Knuckle Box rear suspension tech is also used on the Sortie, the Scapegoat, Dreamliner, and is also a highlight of the new Diamondback Mission 4 (pictured above). The Knuckle Box system includes a custom-built FOX RP23 XV rear shock that’s specific to Diamondback KB bikes. This bike has a tapered head-tube, “weapons-grade” aluminum frame, Truvativ Hammerschmidt AM two-speed transmission, Mavic Crossmax ST wheels, WTB tires and Avid XO hydraulic disc brakes. With 6″ of travel and extremely high clearance at the BB, it looks quite bombable. Suggested retail: $5,660
I won’t lie, I had no idea DB made road bikes, but here it is. Their 2011 Podium Six has a carbon monocoque frame with full carbon tapered fork and is spec’d with FSA SLK Light BB30 crankset, Shimano Ultegra shifters, levers and brakes and a Shimano RS30 wheelset. Street price is around $3,099.
…and clicking around their site a little more, I found the Steilacoom CCX cyclocross bike, too. It has a 7005 aluminum frame, Easton EC-70 carbon fork with alloy steerer and a mix of FSA and Shimano Sora drivetrain parts. $1,049
