Diamondback Response Sport review

The Response Sport was introduced to the UK shortly after the whole range was launched. There is a US version with different finishing kit. You won’t find many £500 bikes with 27 Shimano Deore gears, Shimano disc brakes and a RockShox fork. While the Dart 2 is basic compared to more costly RockShox forks, its controlled rebound sets it apart from the more clunky rebounds of many rival forks on £500 bikes. 

The nine-speed rear gears and hydraulic disc brakes mean it’s more future proof than some of its price rivals. Add that to confident handling on all types of terrain and you have a bike that we’d recommend to anyone with trail ambition. Beefy tyres, strong wheels and a wide handlebar add to the appeal, but also make it harder work than some other bikes if you spend a lot of your time on blacktop.

Ride & handling: Behaves itself on the all-condition trails that often challenge budget bikes

We had to adjust the front mech way higher than its recommended clamp spot to get clean gear shifts, and the rear gear mech knocks on the underside of the chainstay when descending on bumpy terrain in the big chainring. Apart from that, the Sport is a fun bike to ride on any terrain type. We have seen better cranksets on £500 bikes, but Shimano brakes and gears are efficient once you’ve got them set up and the finishing kit is decent quality.

You’ll notice the drag of the big grippy treads and hefty 36-spoked wheels on the uphills and in acceleration but they add to confidence on rough descents, as does the relaxed frame geometry, wide handlebar and well controlled fork rebound. The Diamondback’s hard hitting trail credentials set it apart from a lot of other £500 bikes we’ve tested.
While the back end of the frame is fairly harsh over rough terrain when you stay sitting, the padded saddle and big treads take the edge off bumps and the soft rebound of the fork gives the confidence to hover over the bike using bent knees and elbows to maintain a steady rhythm as you nip and dip across twists and bumps. Steering is reassuringly neutral, in that you’re hardly aware of it, across high and low-speed terrain.

Frame & equipment: RockShox Dart 2 fork boosts ride confidence

Diamondback bikes are distributed by Raleigh in the UK, and the ‘made for the UK market’ aspect shows itself in under-down tube Crud Catcher bosses, generous mud clearances and tyres that work well in poor trail conditions. A wide riser bar, big profile grippy tyres, soft saddle and relaxed frame geometry all add the sort of comfort that will boost the ride confidence of someone who’s a relative beginner to rough trail riding.
A lot of bikes at this price make compromises to off-road ability in order to double up as utilitarian workhorses. The Response Sport’s concession is luggage rack bosses. The frame is straightforward in construction, with neutral geometry and hydroforming in the main tubes to boost stiffness and crash resistance without adding excessive weight. All-in weight is 31lb without pedals so it’s no lightweight.

Ride comfort is left principally to soft saddle padding, the tyres and the fork. The RockShox Dart 2 theoretically offers 100mm of compression but it’s hard to get more than about 70mm even on the biggest hits. It’s not really a fork designed for aggressive riding and the lockout is basic and clunky but we prefer the rebound control to most other forks on bikes at this price, because it’s controlled rather than simply bouncing back like a loaded spring.
If you can find a bike with 27 gears at this price, go for it. You might not feel a lot of difference on the trail but you’ll be getting a bike with a better quality set of gears that should serve you well for a little longer. Look for downgrades elsewhere though, here the crankset was the obvious one. The 2.25in CST Caballero treads are a drag on Tarmac but add to poor condition trail traction confidence, as well as comfort, something many £500 MTBs lack because of heavier duty frames and basic contact points.

A wide, in this case 27in, handlebar can have a big impact on the way you’ll feel about the handling of a bike when you’re powering through twisty, bumpy singletrack. You can also tweak the back-sweep of a bar like this to give you the precise hold feel you prefer.


This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

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GT Zaskar Comp reviews

The GT Zaskar is one of mountain biking’s longest-running hardtail success stories. Cropping up in various incarnations over the years, it’s been ridden by pros covering the gamut from trials to cross-country racing. This isn’t a bike that’s going to set pulses racing. It’s neither light enough to win races nor nimble enough for extended sessions of rock-dodging. What it is, though, is a thoroughly sorted all-rounder that’ll do most things well.

Ride & handling: Efficient ride position makes mile munching easy

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It may be a well-worn cliché, but GT’s designers haven’t tried to redefine the trail hardtail with the Zaskar Comp, much less reinvent the wheel. The geometry is based on a tried-and-tested, cross-country friendly set of numbers that deviates only slightly from the NORBA norm of the 90s – and it’s all the better for it. Riders used to shorter cockpits may initially feel a bit stretched out, but the GT’s a comfy place to be for long periods of pedalling. 

Perfect front-to-rear weight distribution makes getting the power down easy, while a frame that won’t sacrifice your fillings on the altar of pedalling efficiency works in tandem with the supple fork to keep the wheels stuck firmly to the ground. A shorter stem would make it easier to haul the front wheel from line to line in fast-changing situations, but there’s something to be said for the stability of the stock set-up.

Frame: Tried and tested formula

The remarkable thing about 2011’s Zaskar is that it would be immediately recognisable to a mountain biker from 20 years ago as a GT. There have been some geometry tweaks and tubing profile changes, but the distinctive GT ‘triple-triangle design’ – more of a design flourish than a functional benefit, despite the company’s early 90’s claims – makes it stand out from the crowd, even today. 

In keeping with the trend to mould every tube in sight into a shape that’s anything but round in profile, the Zaskar Comp’s top and down tubes get the full hydroforming treatment. The cross-sections are gratifyingly narrow by current standards, though, hinting at an emphasis on comfort over outright rigidity. And, despite the high-tech tubing wizardry, there’s still a neat box-section reinforcing gusset up front.

Equipment: GT finishing kit looks a tad cheap

Unlike some of the competition, the Zaskar doesn’t get the 10-speed treatment. To be honest, the only time you’re likely to miss the extra sprocket is when winching yourself up the steepest of climbs. And the payback is that the cheaper transmission has left room in the budget for an air fork, in the form of a RockShox Recon. It’s head and shoulders above the coil alternative and well worth a bit of extra grunt on the climbs. 

Finishing kit is mostly own-brand stuff, which works fine but lacks the kudos or finish of some of the brand-name competition. Oh, and  the undeniably bright yellow and blue accents are only slightly marred by the fact that none of the anodised components match the blue of the graphics, saddle or grips.

Article Source:www.bikeradar.com

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Spin Spitfire MKIII titanium race bike

Up against carbon fibre, aluminium and even steel, titanium road frames are currently lagging behind a little in the popularity stakes. This doesn’t reflect its suitability as a frame material or its ride quality, but rather its affordability. However, Spin, a relatively new name in the titanium bike world, say they wouldn’t make their frames from anything else.

We posted a review of their Spitfire MkII sportive bike just this week, and hot on its heels is the more race-orientated Spitfire MkIII Supermarine. With claims of being both stiffer and lighter than its little brother, Spin say the MkIII has been tuned with the sole purpose of speed in mind. 

The frame, which has a hand-brushed finish, has a lifetime warranty – an indicator of titanium's durability. As with the MkII, it’s sold as a frame module (with fork, headset, seatpost, stem and handlebar), for £2,350. Spin also offer full builds using mainly own-brand kit; the bike shown here checks out at £4,150.

Spin reckon it’s a shame to buy a titanium frame only to deck it out in carbon and aluminium components. They insist they're fans of both materials, but only where it’s strictly necessary. Reflecting this, the MkIII comes with a titanium seatpost and stem but a carbon fork and bar

Titanium finds its way into many of the MkIII's components, including this oversized stem

With a propensity for giving their components over-the-top names, the oversized down and seat tubes (Super Massive Black Hole and Fatty Arbuckle) and fork (Fork In Hell) don't disappoint. So how does it ride? Procycling magazine's operations editor and titanium newbie Jamie Wilkins took it for a spin and gave us his initial thoughts:

"From the first pedal stroke the Spitfire MkIII Supermarine feels unique and not just because of the non-round Rotor Q-Rings. Fans of titanium love to wax lyrical about its ride character and within a few miles you can start to appreciate what they’re talking about. The MkIII is really comfortable but not in the same way as a carbon fibre bike. It’s smooth and effective against all size bumps, from poor tarmac to big potholes, but where a top carbon fibre frame isolates you from the road with a dampened feel the Spitfire MkIII talks to you a lot more.

"You can actually feel the frame and post compress and rebound like a spring. This is the ‘zingy’ quality that gets talked about so much. It’s definitely a matter of taste because it feels rather bouncy after a carbon fibre race bike – a fair comparison because this is Spin’s race frame. The Fizik Arione saddle and carbon fibre handlebar add extra comfort too, the latter trading off some stiffness for vibration-damping and getting a good return on the deal.

"As this is presented as a race frame, pedalling stiffness is essential and this is where we started to miss our usual carbon fibre ride. When you’re out of the saddle, pulling on the bars and stomping on the pedals there’s some tangible sway in the bottom bracket and some wag in the rear triangle – no more than many comfort-orientated carbon fibre frames but enough that we wouldn’t choose to race on it. This is no sprinter’s frame. Of course, at less than extreme levels of effort you’ll never notice.

Jamie thinks too much bottom bracket sway would force him to leave the MkIII at home come race day

"A bike like this will always be limited to niche appeal. So what’s the niche for the Spin Spitfire MkIII Supermarine? We’d say that it’s well suited to those looking to ride long sportives with some vigour, who are fans of titanium, and who like bikes with really long names!"

Full specification

• Frame: Spin Spitfire Mk III Supermarine, titanium
• Fork: Spin Fork In Hell, 380g, full-carbon
• Headset: Spin Hendrix, titanium, with Purple Haze or King Mirror Polished finish 
• Seatpost: Spin Monolithic T-Zero, titanium main tube, clamp housing, bosses and bolts 
• Seat Clamp: Spin QuickLight, titanium, in King Mirror Polished or Hendrix Purple Haze finish
• Stem: Spin Monolithic Bi-Axial, titanium, 31.8mm, available in 100, 110, 120 and 130mm lengths and +/- 10 degrees rise 
• Handlebar: Spin QuickLight Compact Ergonomic, carbon fibre, 31.8mm, with dual integral cable routing channels
• Wheels: Spin Speed Metal (gun metal finish hubs, Quicksilver 30mm polished aluminium rims, DT Swiss Aerospeed spokes)
• Crankset: Rotor Agilis cranks and Q-Rings
• Groupset: SRAM Red (SRAM Force front derailleur)
• Saddle: Fizik Arione

Article Source: www.bikeradar.com

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Cannondale CAAD 10 Dura-Ace Compact review

With so much invested into manipulating aluminium tubes, manufacturers are compelled to keep pushing the envelope just that little bit further with every model year, as evidenced by the latest Cannondale CAAD 10. Its 6069 aluminium frame is smoothly welded and beautifully put together, with every inch of tubing subjected to some sort of manipulation process.

Besides the massively supersized head tube to down tube interface, the CAAD 9’s curved seatstays have been straightened and made beefier; shot into either side of the seat tube with an unusually wide stance, they produce a stouter ride than previously… maybe a little more than desired, actually, despite the shock absorption claims of Cannondale’s SAVE design concept. But nothing a wise choice of wheel, seatpost and saddle can’t help. 

Our high-spec test bike with Shimano Dura-Ace costs £2,499, but the Ultegra-equipped CAAD 10 comes in at £1,899, with the same frame, and Mavic Aksium wheels instead of the Shimano RS80 hoops here. Otherwise it’s much the same, with a Fizik Arione saddle on a carbon seatpost, and an FSA SL-K Light carbon crank feeding power through a stout BB30 bottom bracket. 

We flung the CAAD 10 headfirst into the first aggressive big group ride we could and, suffice to say, when you’ve got to reel in riders and force your way through to the front of the peloton, this is the bike to do it on. The Cannondale has excellent handling, with ‘sweet spot’ geometry for quick and nimble fun. Flicking through switchbacks, out-of-saddle efforts, or changing line midway through a bend were all made easy, with the bike working with you rather than against: like the best of dance partners. 

Underneath the Shimano superkit, the CAAD 10 is up there with the best aluminium frames you can get, ready to hit the races, club rides, sportives, or whatever you can throw it at. While current market trends might lead certain camps to begin writing off metals as a future frame material, don’t do so just yet. Aluminium, we’re convinced, has still got legs.

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Cannondale Trail SL1 review

Despite the name, Cannondale describes the Trail SL as “a racer through and through”. The SL1 is the most expensive of the Trail SL series – Cannondale does 29er versions of the bike, but we’re looking at the 26er. 

There’s a lot to like about the Trail SL1 – it looks great, the frame is well designed and finished, and it’s got lively handling. The parts spec is only adequate, though.

Ride & handling: A lively feeling bike with agile handling

Cannondale’s not kidding with the racer thing – the SL1 is long, low and lively. It’s not all that light (12.5kg), which dulls acceleration a bit, but its race-day DNA shines through. In some senses it’s a demanding bike, but it’s also a rewarding one – it compels you to pedal hard all the time, and requires your full attention as speeds rise, but it reacts to power and steering inputs with alacrity, allowing for the extra bit of weight it feels like it’s carrying.

The Cannondale is agile, and feels close to an old-school cross-country (XC) bike. And that SAVE (Synapse Active Vibration Elimination) back end? Without riding a bike that’s exactly the same apart from the stays, it’s impossible to say how effective it is, but the Trail SL1 isn’t a harsh bike despite the relatively low-volume tyres. The flattened stays don’t do it any harm. 

Frame: Well designed and finished

The SL1 shares its frame with the rest of the Trail SL series. Despite that range starting at just £500, the chassis has an impressively high-end look and feel. Cannondale has used generally straight pipes in the front end, with just a little bit of a curve at the front of the down tube and a flared top tube.

Out back things get considerably more interesting thanks to Cannondale’s SAVE chain and seatstays with flattened mid-sections. SAVE is described as micro-suspension, which roughly translates as flexes a tiny bit. Flattened stays at the back end are claimed to yield a bit of comfort-enhancing give. While it's hard to filter out any effect from seat post flex and tyre cushioning, the Trail's a pretty comfy bike.

There’s reasonable clearance around the 2.1in Schwalbe tyres fitted, but you wouldn’t want to go much bigger than that. And, if you’re tall, take a good look at Cannondale – many bikes don’t even come in XL, but the SL1 can be had not just in XL but also a super-sized Jumbo variant.

Equipment: Merely okay in the value for money stakes

Cannondale has always tended to deliver a high-end frame at a given price point, usually compromising on components to do so. That’s not a bad approach, given that components wear out, but it does leave the SL1 looking merely okay in the value for money stakes. Up front is a RockShox Recon fork, which Cannondale has specced with a full 1.5in steerer to take full advantage of the frame’s oversized head tube. 

While none of the Trail SL range comes with Cannondale’s Lefty fork, the frame’s 1.5in head tube is ready to accommodate one should you want to upgrade. With a suitable headset it’ll also take a tapered steerer, or use a straight 1.125in steerer and play with Anglesets.

No complaints about the all-Shimano transmission set-up, which is smooth and reliable. We’re not massively enamoured of the Hayes Stroker Ryde brakes, which are a little over-firm in feel, if adequate in power. Finishing kit is Cannondale’s own, and none the worse for that.

Article Source: bikeradar.com

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