Lowdown: Diamondback Release Carbon 5C
As a legendary brand that seemed to have lost its way for a while, Diamondback has made a comeback with the launch of a string of new bikes, including the Release Carbon trail bike. Sporting 27.5 wheels and an efficient and capable Level Link suspension design, the Release Carbon has 150mm front travel and 130mm in the rear that pedals uphill well and descends like a bike with more travel than advertised.
Learn more about the Diamondback Release Carbon 5C in Mtbr's First Look.
If this combination sounds similar to how someone might describe a Santa Cruz Bronson or Hightower, it's because the Level Link suspension design is actually a variation of Virtual Pivot Point. Since the recent VPP patent's expiration, Level Link is the first VPP-variant design to use counter-rotating twin links. The main difference is that Level Link has a lower link sitting perpendicular to the upper link when weighted, which is claimed to improve pedaling efficiency. Add in Fox suspension and the result is quite impressive - a capable and nimble trail bike that is just as eager to climb as it is to rip downhill. Perhaps the most attractive part, though, is a base price of just under $3000 for the Release Carbon 4C, which is just one model below the bike that is tested here.
As a legendary brand that seemed to have lost its way for a while, Diamondback has made a comeback with the launch of a string of new bikes, including the Release Carbon trail bike. Sporting 27.5 wheels and an efficient and capable Level Link suspension design, the Release Carbon has 150mm front travel and 130mm in the rear that pedals uphill well and descends like a bike with more travel than advertised.
Learn more about the Diamondback Release Carbon 5C in Mtbr's First Look.
If this combination sounds similar to how someone might describe a Santa Cruz Bronson or Hightower, it's because the Level Link suspension design is actually a variation of Virtual Pivot Point. Since the recent VPP patent's expiration, Level Link is the first VPP-variant design to use counter-rotating twin links. The main difference is that Level Link has a lower link sitting perpendicular to the upper link when weighted, which is claimed to improve pedaling efficiency. Add in Fox suspension and the result is quite impressive - a capable and nimble trail bike that is just as eager to climb as it is to rip downhill. Perhaps the most attractive part, though, is a base price of just under $3000 for the Release Carbon 4C, which is just one model below the bike that is tested here.