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

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2013 Diamondback Podium 7 racing road bike finally making its way to production

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.

2013 Diamondback Podium 7 racing road bike finally making its way to production

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

2013 Diamondback Podium 7 racing road bike finally making its way to production

2013 Diamondback Podium 7 racing road bike finally making its way to production

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.

2013 Diamondback Podium 7 racing road bike finally making its way to production

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.

2013 Diamondback Podium 7 racing road bike finally making its way to production

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

Eric Porters 2013 Diamondback Mason 29er full suspension trail mountain bike prototype

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.

Eric Porters 2013 Diamondback Mason 29er full suspension trail mountain bike prototype

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.

Eric Porters 2013 Diamondback Mason 29er full suspension trail mountain bike prototype

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.

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Ashton
Ashton
12 years ago

That rear triangle on the 29er looks real flexy

MissedThePoint
MissedThePoint
12 years ago

Well, the 29er wheels look flexy too, and it’s the weakest link that ends up flexy most first. Put a stiff wheel in a flexy frame and what kind of issues will you face? Put a flexy wheel in a stiff frame and what kind of issues will you face? Put a frame that matches the stiffness of the wheel and what kind of issues will you face? Point is, as long as it’s designed well to go with the components, it’ll feel good.

IJBCape
IJBCape
12 years ago

Podium frame reminds me of the tarmac a little. Not bad looking.

Xris
Xris
12 years ago

No matter which way you slice it, they’re still Diamondback.

feg
feg
12 years ago

yeah, who’s going to pay 6500 let alone 8500 for a DB crazy.

TTT
TTT
12 years ago

With other brands that have a narrow head tube you always write the front end was made aero. And here we read “It looks somewhat aero, but the shaping of the front end was really done for looks.”. Why??

Joey
Joey
12 years ago

Regardless of the brand name, if the technology is there… The point is to have a halo bike you dingleberry.

Speedy
Speedy
12 years ago

So what if it’s a diamondback? Are you so caught up in branding that you wouldn’t own one because of the name? This looks like a good bike, and with those builds at those price points it should prove to be an excellent value! Nice to see DB drop a serious competition road bike. Nothing wrong with a little competition.

Pete
Pete
12 years ago

For 6.5k I would of prefered to see the wet look red WCS stem and seatpost for that price.

EricNM
EricNM
12 years ago

@Joey, @Speedy: Well said! Agree.
At first blush, it seems silly, true. But how many “credit card” über-bikes do we all see on the trail or on group rides? Too many S-Works, Colnagos, etc. When you think about it about it, it’s kinda against the grain (read: individualistic!) to go with a non-froo-froo superbike, dressed in Diamondback trim. Dare I say, ‘anti-cool’ cool?
Or am I just out to lunch on this one? ; )

Louis
Louis
12 years ago

I’m sure Diamondback did their homework and have put a lot of time into designing that road bike, but the problem is that there is nothing to differentiate it from other high-end bikes. It isn’t cheap and it doesn’t have some new “feature” (see Volagi). It is just a carbon race bike.

If I were looking at a Specialized for almost $7k and a Diamondback for almost $7k, I’m going Specialized. They have years of carbon manufacturing experience, a large dealer network, a huge R&D budget, and a couple pro teams for feedback. Does this make a better bike? Maybe, maybe not, but from a consumer’s standpoint it certainly helps justify the insane price tag on these carbon road bikes.

Haters Belearners
Haters Belearners
12 years ago

I love all the kool-aid sippin… People need to get past their precognitive committments to brands that have been force fed to them for years. The fact of the matter is that Diamondback is making amazing bikes for some best in calss prices now. You discount the brand because they sell to some of the bigger chains but these are hardly department stores. They are legit accounts that make DB a top 3 brand unit-wise in the US. And its this that helps fule larger initiatives like their high end carbon and full suspension projects.

If you wanna go pay more for a Specialized, be my guest. You can just blen in like eveyone else.

When’s the last time you rode a Diamondback? Exactly. Now go and tell me again how you are an expert on the bikes….

Sollo
Sollo
11 years ago

With over 52 Diamondback bikes that have been through our garage, with a family of five that has both raced and rode both dirt and road – all on Diamondback – the new unavailable Diamondback Podium 7 (campy Record Red) and even the Podium 6 Chorus Groupo would be an incredible addition to our current bikes.
We love them we ride them we have raced them – all Diamondback – it’s our bike of choice and we are glad to see these come out.

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