Diamondback Podium 7 Gets Finalized, Soft Pedals Toward Production; Prototype Mason 29er Full Susser

First spotted at Interbike last year being billed as a 2012 model, the Diamondback Podium 7 road bike is at least now rolling toward production with a availability “by late fall or early spring.”

The Podium 7 will come in two trim levels, the Campy Super Record originally shown, and a SRAM Red build, which is about the only news that isn’t going to seem like a copy and paste of our article from September. That, and the rather attractive red color scheme, which is new.

Here’s the run down: Goals were to be both beautiful and functional, so they worked with two outside parties. Kevin Quan Studios helped develop the frame tech and Industrial design from Studio West in Boulder, CO.

It has the AMP (Advanced monocoque Molding Process) SL frame that’s constructed with both internal and external molds to optimize compaction and reduce excess material. Frame with a claimed weight of 850g (56, unpainted), 100g lighter than the regular AMP frame on the Podium 5 and 6. PFBB30, tapered headtube and continuous fiber 360g carbon fork that’s full carbon, including the crown race and dropouts.

It looks somewhat aero, but the shaping of the front end was really done for looks.

The rear end and seat tube was designed to offer good compliance and be laterally stiff. Seat tube is pretty thin with a 27.2 seatpost to further enhance comfort.

Chainstays are asymmetric with a thicker non-drove side stay to take full advantage of the BB shell’s width. Cables are all run internal with a small cover on the BB to seal things up.

Complete bike weight without pedals is 14lb 6oz with SRAM Red. Prices are $6,500 (Red) and $8,500 (Super Record). Available by spring, possibly late this year.

PROTOTYPE MASON 29er FULL SUSPENSION TRAIL BIKE

Diamondback’s resident pro freerider Eric Porter has been testing this full suspension version of the Mason 29er. If you recall, the Mason is a long travel hardtail 29er freeride bike and was originally called the Dixon until they noticed that Devinci has had the Dixon name for a while.

This prototype is a 140mm travel 29er trail bike with geometry for going aggressively down the mountain. Head angle is a slack 67.5°, BB is just under 13.5″ and chainstays are a reasonable-if-just-on-the-long side at 18.25″. The Knucklebox linkage was tweaked, seatstays were brought in a bit for better ankle clearance and given a beefier bridge.

Rear dropouts were designed around the 12×142 thru axle and built as a singe piece rather than bolting on a separate dropout.

This one’s Eric Porter’s personal bike and he’s been riding test mules since November. It’s not an official 2013 model, but it should likely be a mid-year release next year.