The evolution of the downhill mountain bike has taken many a turn, many a buzz word has been formed, many a fad has come and then gone just as quick as it arrived on the scene. Have any of them been an advancement in the way bikes perform? Or are manufacturers struggling to make their products any different from their previous versions? Well, there has been one technology lurking around in the background for many years now, either not exercised properly, or well out of the reach of the normal person on the street. Yep, you are either stuck with something heavy and not operating correctly or just left lusting after a Honda as they hum past you on a race track. Yep, the next major turn in bike technology is the gearbox for the everyday person. A definite step in a different direction.

If you were at the National Bike Show, you would have seen Diamondback's prototype of their new Sabbath. It was a pretty industrial looking thing, but the base was there for something like nothing Diamondback has ever produced before. Shortly after, we got the call to go down to Cwmcarn to have a look and a little test of the production versions. The guys at Diamondback are pretty serious about this bike, if by this point you are being held back by the name, you need to throw that out of the window and look past it.

If you want engineering expertise, then a lot of the time you don't have to look any further than Germany. If you want German expertise when it comes to mountain biking engineering, then there is no need to look any further than Nicolai. Diamondback had flown over Karl Nicolai himself to give us a complete overview of how the gearbox technology is going to work. That is how serious they are about this bike. This isn't any cheap £99 rubbish, this top end kit! The box on this bike, Karl explained, has had over £250,000 worth of development. With a figure like that he has to be confident of this being a success, not only for this bike, but for many other applications after it. Due to some patent restraints, Karl was a little hesitant about giving away too much information - a sign of something good when people really want to know what you have got going on inside your little case of tricks. When the production models are finally on the shelves around September time, expect 9-speed boxes via two trigger shifters, one for changing up and one for down. Gear changing is smooth, so smooth in fact that it takes a while to realise you have changed gear! Also, changing gear without the aid of pedalling is also something that takes a while for you brain to connect with after doing it for 15 years the "old" way. You can see where the advantages of this system are instantly when you ride it, the fluidity of changing gear will mean constant adjustment down the course. Once you have tuned your skills to it, you'll never be in the wrong gear to power out of any section.

The bikes are going to be available some time later this year. Final dates and prices are yet to be confirmed but it is going to be hitting nearly £5000 for the full bike, speced with Fox front and rear in the form of a DHX and 40's. It will be available as a frame only in the region of £2600 which will include the box, cranks, rear hub, the three sprockets and the shifters. The prices may seem steep, but you'll have something truly unique and something that really is a step forward in the way gearing systems are designed.

The frame itself is a single pivot with an activated rear shock, it’s not the most advanced suspension system, but it’s a proven one which works.  The linkage originally ran on bushings for the prototype but this was ruled out straight away and sealed bearings have been put in their place.  It’s made from 6061 aluminium and has a 1.5 head tube for the extra stiffness.  The overall ride of the bike feels fantastic and all the weight is situated in the right place under the pedals giving it a really balanced feel.

We'll have some more comprehensive testing closer to the time of release, so keep an eye out for that. For more information contact Diamondback Uk at  www.diamondback.co.uk

Many thanks to the guys at Diamondback for the testing day, and the guys at the Cwmcarn Forest Drive and Cwmdown for the uplifts.  

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Keep it on the wheeeeeels......