First Impressions: New 2021 Ebikes from Diamondback!

[PedalUma]

Wonderful advise! Thank you all!

Adam, does your bike sound overly loud? I suspect that with the 2021 weight loss and power gain the sound is amplified like the thin walls of a violin. No extra material or stuffing. But if it is not annoying then it is fine. My mid-drives are not loud. I can hear them but I do not think someone riding another bike on a bike path would be able to hear them. Some bikes such as the Como had an internal belt step down which cut noise but cannot be as efficient as internal step down gears. These motors are high rpm. The ones I use run at 4,000. A little sound is a small price for the upside benefits.
Tomorrow on our group ride a 1500W bike will join us and a $10,000 hub-drive. I will listen.

 

[PedalUma]

It is funny that they put rack eyelets on the frame that the rack doesn't use (and thus has a low weight limit of 22 lbs). I know, you can put on your own for touring or whatever, but realistically most people are just going to chance it with the rack that's already there.

Asher, Yes. It is just a commuter rack. Off topic but look at the racks on this puppy I just bought today and rode in the rain. I will convert it. 400 pounds of cargo! It also has a slot to put in the front wheel of another bike to tow it.

 

[indianajo]

I bought a pile of garbage from Diamondback without power. Why not upgrade to powered garbage?
Steering had too little trail, whipped sideways on a ridge of gravel & threw me on my chin @ 8 mph. Rear axle broke under my enormous 180 lb weight. Clothes manufacturers call my size "medium". I gave it away to a guy arrested for driving a car with a fake license & insurance card.

 

[PedalUma]

The bb lasted 6-months on mine but that was when they were big box store bikes. The brake shoes were made of a waxy material. New tires at three months. These bikes are not those bikes.

 

[StevenC56]

I had a 2016 DiamondBack Haanjo Trail. One of their better bikes from the 2016 lineup. Aluminum frame and carbon fork. Shimano Ultegra and FSA components. Decent bike for what I paid. Sold it recently to help fund my Orbea Gain purchase. I don't think they are the same company anymore. Same with their sister company Raleigh. Things have gone downhill from what I see.

 

[PedalUma]

I had a 2016 DiamondBack Haanjo Trail. One of their better bikes from the 2016 lineup. Aluminum frame and carbon fork. Shimano Ultegra and FSA components. Decent bike for what I paid. Sold it recently to help fund my Orbea Gain purchase. I don't think they are the same company anymore. Same with their sister company Raleigh. Things have gone downhill from what I see.

I just discovered what the front rack is made for on the Yuba! The bike is made in Petaluma and so is the Beer. A perfect fit. Good for long thirsty rides.
The brand went from Dick's Sporting Goods to REI now it looks like they are investing in bring it up.

 

[StevenC56]

I just discovered what the front rack is made for on the Yuba! The bike is made in Petaluma and so is the Beer. A perfect fit. Good for long thirsty rides.
The brand went from Dick's Sporting Goods to REI now it looks like they are investing in bring it up.

Mine was actually sold at Backcountry/Competitive Cycle when I bought it. They stopped carrying Diamondback and Raleigh shortly after I purchased it from them.

 

[Asher]

In Canada, Accell sold distribution rights for DB et al to the infamous Crappy Tire chain, whose bikes are awful and even earned them a successful million dollar lawsuit after a defective assembly seriously injured someone. Think Walmart of Canada but with way smaller stores.

Accell Group sells Canadian rights to Raleigh, Redline, Diamondback and IZIP to Canadian Tire

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands (BRAIN) — Accell Group has sold its Canadian brand registrations for Raleigh, Diamondback, Redline and IZIP to Canadian Tire Corporation for $16 million cash. Canadian Tire is one of that country's largest retail chains.

www.bicycleretailer.com

 

[Adam L]

IMO - my motor noise isn't as loud as in the video but I don't have much to compare it to. I would say that passing anyone they would know it is an e-bike as its nowhere near silent. Seemed the same on the Treks.

 

[Akrotiri]

I like the look of the Current! Just some random initial thoughts: Was it fun? Is the 6061 fork too stiff? How wide can tires be? Is the weight distribution front end handling heavy? Will the thinner 11-Sp chain handle 85Nm plus the rider's input?
I am finding that overall weight is a big factor as well as weight distribution front and rear, and how high the center of gravity is above the thru axles.

Nice review good to see diamondback producing e-bikes.

Just an FYI though Bosch powered Trek e-bike lights can be turned off but has to be done by the dealer. I and several others on the forums had our dealers activate that feature so we can toggle our lights on/off.

My gen4 Bosch speed has never been that loud. Even after I got the 85nm torque update.

edit: srry meant to reply to OP

 

[Akrotiri]

IMO - my motor noise isn't as loud as in the video but I don't have much to compare it to. I would say that passing anyone they would know it is an e-bike as its nowhere near silent. Seemed the same on the Treks.

My trek with a gen4 speed motor is no where near as loud as the DB e-bikes in the video.

Not sure what is going on there.

Is your trek with gen4 speed motor as loud as the DB e-bikes?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Although Bosch motors are perceived as louder than the Brose, Yamaha or Shimano ones, I can bet the noise heard in the video is not the motor but ambient noise. The character of mid-drive motor noise is completely different (more like soft whining).

In this video, an e-MTB with noisy off-road tyres enters real off-road. Tyres become silenced and only Giant/Yamaha motor is being heard. Last part is about the silent Specialized/Brose motor:

 

[troehrkasse]

The drives sure sound noisy in the video test ride. Maybe that's how all mid-drives are? I only have my Ebikemotion hub drive to compare to however.

They are super loud, some of the loudest I have ridden on. Even in Eco they were significantly louder than the Bafang Ultra on the SONDORS LX! Definitely not stealthy... which is unfortunate since they are so stealthy in appearance. I wonder if the extra cover around the bottom of the motor is to blame, it might be shaping and amplifying the sound. The last performance line speed bikes I rode did not have any such shielding, but they were also older generations of the motor.

 

[PedalUma]

A grandparent gave one of my kid's a portable pinball machine. It was loud as heck and they did not have to hear it. So I quickly filled it with expanding foam, screwing it shut. I am joking about trying this with a motor housing. Silicone plumbers grease on the step down gears might work.
The ride today was amazing. Only three bikes this time. Vado, Sondors LX, and homemade. All quiet. The 10.5 x 36V outlasted the 21.1 x 48V.

 

[AlanK]

Since I mostly ride roads and prefer versatile drop-bar bikes the Current is definitely my fave. In addition to gravel it seems well suited for commuting and light touring. Considering the specs the price seems reasonable, esp for class 3. It seems similar to the discontinued Raleigh Tamland IE which was about $4500 MSR if memory serves. [My LBS told me it might return but that was awhile ago.] It's puzzling to me that Diamondback provided models to dealer(s), even if on a very limited scale, before their web site.

I recently got a Kona Sutra so am not looking for a bike. So far I'm content with it as is, but might eventually do a conversion. If I were in the market for an e-bike I'd consider the Current, though honestly a good conversion seems better since there are more options and the overall cost is the same or slightly less.

 

[Asher]

Since I mostly ride roads and prefer versatile drop-bar bikes the Current is definitely my fave. In addition to gravel it seems well suited for commuting and light touring. Considering the specs the price seems reasonable, esp for class 3.

The Yamaha Civante is $700 less with 100wh more, and more warranty, 3 years. More suited for road.

Corrected to $700, civante is $3400.

 

[jabberwocky]

The Yamaha Civante is $800 less with 100wh more, and more warranty, 3 years. More suited for road.

Not sure where you get 100wh more, but from what I see they both come with 500wh batteries.

Other than that, the Current is more expensive and higher specced.

 

[Asher]

Not sure where you get 100wh more, but from what I see they both come with 500wh batteries.

 

[jabberwocky]

Huh. Where from? I can only find it online on a few shops pages and they all list it as the 500whr power tube. Like:

Diamondback Current Electric Bike

The Diamondback Current E-Bike is equal parts speed and adventure, making it perfect to tackle any challenge.

electricbikeplace.com

Or

Diamondback Current, Large, Electric Gravel Road Bike

KEY FEATURES: • POWERTUBE INTEGRATED BOSCH PERFORMANCE LINE SPEED BATTERY RESPONDS TO YOUR PEDAL PRESSURE UP TO 28 MPH • SHIMANO 11 SPEED DRIVETRAIN HELPS YOU CRUSH HILLS REGARDLESS OF EBIKE ASSISTANCE OR NONE • MAXXIS RAMBLER 700x40 TIRES CAN TACKLE ANY AND ALL KINDS OF PAVEMENT • SHIMANO...

www.oymbike.com

This may be filed under “put the goddamn bike on your website if you’re selling it because shops can’t be trusted to get specs right”. Anyone who has bought one want to let us know what it actually comes with?

 

[Asher]

Huh. Where from? I can only find it online on a few shops pages and they all list it as the 500whr power tube. Like:

Diamondback Current Electric Bike

The Diamondback Current E-Bike is equal parts speed and adventure, making it perfect to tackle any challenge.

electricbikeplace.com

Or

Diamondback Current, Large, Electric Gravel Road Bike

KEY FEATURES: • POWERTUBE INTEGRATED BOSCH PERFORMANCE LINE SPEED BATTERY RESPONDS TO YOUR PEDAL PRESSURE UP TO 28 MPH • SHIMANO 11 SPEED DRIVETRAIN HELPS YOU CRUSH HILLS REGARDLESS OF EBIKE ASSISTANCE OR NONE • MAXXIS RAMBLER 700x40 TIRES CAN TACKLE ANY AND ALL KINDS OF PAVEMENT • SHIMANO...

www.oymbike.com

This may be filed under “put the goddamn bike on your website if you’re selling it because shops can’t be trusted to get specs right”. Anyone who has bought one want to let us know what it actually comes with?

Ah didn't realize. That was from the PDF in post #1