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 don't look revolutionary exactly...
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Anyone else think the XTS looks a lot like a Patriot? At the world champs last year they had a Proto Downhill bike, bright green, linkage driven single pivot, normal gears and boxxers on it. Which they swore blind would be put into production , anyone know what's happened to that?
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 Anyone else think the XTS looks a lot like a Patriot?
Kinda, but made of tubes. The XSL looks a lot like my Prophet.
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 The trail one, is a Orange 5 on a budget in short, so yep also a patriot at a bargain. For all those that want a Orange 5 but can't afford the made in the UK Price tag, here is your solution.
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 here is your solution. But it's a bit like painting an O on some blocs and saying it's oakleys on a budget. I see where you're coming from but I suspect it's nothing more than a passing similarity. Having only riden the Orange I can't comment on the DB's quality. However, I'm pretty sure the guys at Orange (or Orange owners) wouldn't say the DB came close.
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I think they look pretty bloody good. I agree that the look rather like a Orange 5, or Patriot, but equally you could say they look like a Heckler, or a Bullet. Inherently single pivot designs are going to look very similar. As so they should. Whilst a single pivot isn't the most sophisticated of suspension designs it does have the benefits of being mature technology, with, in principle, good strength to weight ratios and high reliability. Saying that a single pivot isn't very original is essentially saying "Double diamond hardtail - phwoar - we had them back in 1890!" - the set up for cars and motorbikes hasn't change in 80 years. I personally think they look very good and for a good price - Cannondale, Orange and Santa Cruz all provide very high-end single pivot set ups, but equally they are all very high cost. Personally I can't afford to spend 3k on a Cannondale, and I think that the Patriot and Bullet are pretty over-priced for what they are - and this will be especially true in 2009. The new diamondbacks -assuming they ride as good as they look - will provide a reasonable cost, sturdy single pivot alternative to Specialized's Pitch and the low end Kona's and I think that is no bad thing.
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 yay choice.
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 Am I allowed to take Diamondback seriously these days or will I still be ridiculed?
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I bet double blind ride testing would get the results of no one can really tell the difference BHB, but don't see the test being done. Not that we know the prices ofcourse.
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Am I allowed to take Diamondback seriously these days or will I still be ridiculed? Given how many people ask what my hardtail is but lose interest when they hear the word Diamondback, probably the latter in public, but the former in private.
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Not that we know the prices ofcourse. Oi, Sherlock by there, look at their website...tit. I bet double blind ride testing would get the results of no one can really tell the difference BHB, but don't see the test being done. What a ridiculous statement.
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No BHB a statement you merely disagree with!! Also near impossible to double blind test, but as the pivot is in the same place pretty much, I'll hold by my original statement.
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Billy, have you looked on DBUK's website?
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 The bikes on the Diamond Back website are 2008. I would be surprised if their prices are held for 2009, they would be one of the few who have managed it.
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Just because the pivot is in the same place does not mean they will ride the same. Angles are going to matter and the rear shock will be a factor too.
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Angles are all pretty much standard these days though P-Ness, and if your testing the frame you'd use the same rear shock  I've ridden the RS ARIO ( it looks like ) on a GT the same as mine and prefer it to my RP3, but you'd likely need a Pro Pedal shock on a single pivoter.
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Exactly Dylan, the rear shock will make a big difference and where do you think Diamond Back ar going to make some of the savings over Orange? So they probably won't ride the same unless you start spending money and that defeats the point.
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You can possibly spec the ARIO on the Orange, or get a DB with the Manitou Pro Pedal like most of the oranges come specced with for not much more. Difference is the Orange made in the UK ( which is a good thing, cause business taking there work elsewhere racks me off, carpet factor is closing in my town despite being profitable and moving it to china so 1000's un employeed and kiddy a ghost town most likely ) the Frame alone is EXPENSIVE and most people given the same kit else where won't notice the difference, some might even prefer the DB maybe ??
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Billy, have you looked on DBUK's website? Why Yes, I have and an 08 XSL(FS) starts at £699.99 a 2008 Orange 5(s) starts at £1699.00. Now Why would you really want to factor inflation into a price difference of £1000?
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