650B is old hat

[singlespeedscott]

Well I have just seen a Diamondback "Peak" 650B mtb in the latest Big W catalog. $248 gets you what was next to impossible to buy of the shelf 3 years ago.

[ldrcycles]

The reaction time is getting quicker, it took them ages to bring out a "fixie" and then 29ers. Some super spindly forks on that thing.

http://www.bigw.com.au/sports-leisure/b ... ntain-bike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[silentbutdeadly]

$248 gets you a 650BSO. Not a 650B.

[trailgumby]

Specifucations:
Suspension: Yes



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[ldrcycles]

Specifucations:
Suspension: Yes



Sent from my android thingy using Crapatalk

[Rob74]

Well I have just seen a Diamondback "Peak" 650B mtb in the latest Big W catalog. $248 gets you what was next to impossible to buy of the shelf 3 years ago.

Box says 19.5kg
So weighed it with park tools scales....
* 16.64kg un-assembled out of box, same plastic crappy RD FD etc as the Torrent
=>> I'd say avoid

Rob

[singlespeedscott]

Well I have just seen a Diamondback "Peak" 650B mtb in the latest Big W catalog. $248 gets you what was next to impossible to buy of the shelf 3 years ago.

Box says 19.5kg
So weighed it with park tools scales....
* 16.64kg un-assembled out of box, same plastic crappy RD FD etc as the Torrent
=>> I'd say avoid

Rob

You bought one?

Id love to here how it runs after hitting some single track.

[Mulger bill]

FIrst thing you'll notice is the fork is raked out by minimum 30mm...

[mitzikatzi]

It's an 18 speed too.

2x9 or 3x6 or maybe the new SRAM 1x18?

No one has written a review yet? No creative writers here?

[Duck!]

Well I have just seen a Diamondback "Peak" 650B mtb in the latest Big W catalog. $248 gets you what was next to impossible to buy of the shelf 3 years ago.

Box says 19.5kg
So weighed it with park tools scales....
* 16.64kg un-assembled out of box, same plastic crappy RD FD etc as the Torrent
=>> I'd say avoid

I'd have thought that its mere presence in a Big W cattledog wold be enough to suggest avoidance.

It's an 18 speed too.

2x9 or 3x6 or maybe the new SRAM 1x18?

It'll be 3x6 - Big W are still coming to grips with these new-fangled 7-speed freewheels for their high-end models.

[trailgumby]

I spent an hour yesterday wrenching on my neighbour's newly purchased Big W bought Dunlop bike. It was a Christmas gift for their 12yo daughter. There were a few assembly mistakes that I corrected but I was mist concerned with getting brakes sorted to suit the girls small hands.

The wheels were probably a good 2mm out of true which made brake setup challenging but what do you expect for a 98 dollar bike? Gears were 1x6.

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[clackers]

I don't begrudge manufacturers catering to buyers who may never ride the bike again after six weeks. Best for all concerned to keep the costs down. But if you think you might truly love the hobby ...

Just starting I nearly bought an Aldi dually, but saw the frame suspension was just a big spring. I guessed that without damping if you took a big hit from a rock at an angle you'd essentially be catapulted from the seat!

[FuzzyDropbear]

I don't begrudge manufacturers catering to buyers who may never ride the bike again after six weeks. Best for all concerned to keep the costs down. But if you think you might truly love the hobby ...

Just starting I nearly bought an Aldi dually, but saw the frame suspension was just a big spring. I guessed that without damping if you took a big hit from a rock at an angle you'd essentially be catapulted from the seat!

My mate had one of those cheap dually things with a massive spring. He ended up with a massive crack through the largest chainring, not from banging it while log hopping, but just from riding around. In the end we tightened that rear spring up as much as we could in the hope that it would make it into a hardtail.. Then he went and bought a proper bike and has loved it ever since..

[trailgumby]

Just starting I nearly bought an Aldi dually, but saw the frame suspension was just a big spring. I guessed that without damping if you took a big hit from a rock at an angle you'd essentially be catapulted from the seat!

No need to guess. That is exactly what happens.

[ldrcycles]

Not really, they're so heavy you can never get up enough speed for that to be a problem .

My first bike was a dual suspension Repco, the chain snapped after 12kms and within a year the front and rear suspension had locked up, rear hub had completely collapsed, RD ate itself etc. It ended it's life as a single speed farm bike, I think all up I would have got a maximum of a couple of hundred kms out of it.

[Rob74]

singlespeedscott » Tue Dec 24, 2013 6:37 pm
You bought one?
Id love to here how it runs after hitting some single track.

=>> Frig NO!

Duck! » Tue Dec 24, 2013 8:29 pm
I'd have thought that its mere presence in a Big W cattledog wold be enough to suggest avoidance.

=>> Agreed! Avoid its a UCHOS

Rob

[dmwill]

I spent an hour yesterday wrenching on my neighbour's newly purchased Big W bought Dunlop bike. It was a Christmas gift for their 12yo daughter. There were a few assembly mistakes that I corrected but I was mist concerned

When I was studying, I had a casual job at Kmart. So many people would return bikes because something fell off, etc. Most common fault was the left pedal falling out (after they failed to realise it was reverse threaded and proceeded to screw/smash it in. Of course, they all failed to read the manual or the warning attached to the pedal but still got their refund after demanding to see a manager.

Bikes were boxed with the forks back the front too - so many people would just assemble them that way - once again to return them days later after realising they cannot steer the bike.

I got so tired of being called to the service desk to deal with clowns wanting refunds that I decided to just be honest with anyone wanting to buy a bike or pay the extra $30 for the "Authorised Huffy guy" (I'm not kidding) to assemble it for them (at least I knew it would be at least 6 months before it would be returned).

[bychosis]

But if 650b is old hat then what is next? I've still got a 26er, haven't even got to 29er yet.

[ldrcycles]

Well fatbikes were next, but I think they'll get past the point of "hipness" before long and then it'll be something else. My money is on 36ers to be the next big thing.

[Mugglechops]

Well fatbikes were next, but I think they'll get past the point of "hipness" before long and then it'll be something else. My money is on 36ers to be the next big thing.

I have jumped on nearly every bandwagon so far but I think I will be giving 27.5 a miss.

[munga]

remember when diamondback used to be cool?

[singlespeedscott]

remember when diamondback used to be cool?

Only the rich kids could afford one of them.

[lobstermash]

But if 650b is old hat then what is next? I've still got a 26er, haven't even got to 29er yet.

Two wheel drive... Watch this space...

[ldrcycles]

Is that yet another thing I have to go on a retro grump crusade about?

[rowdyflat]

2 wheel drive was done about 10 yrs ago.