This Diamondback was my first venture into mountainbiking, back in 1988. I was living in Houston, attending commercial diving school, and the MTB craze was really taking off. I scrimped and scrounged some cash and was able to come up with this.
This bike gave me good service for several years, and eventually ended up as a backup bike when I bought my Giant.
In 2001 I was commuting on the Giant, when one day a derailleur cable snapped. I didn't have a spare, so I dug out the Diamondback and converted it to singlespeed. I changed around parts for a while and used it until I was really bitten by the SS bug and converted my primary bike to SS. The frame went back up on a hook in the basement.
There are some rides that a cross bike just isn't rugged enough to take, for ME anyways, so I still need a MTB around. So now (2007) it is back in use as a beater bike and play bike on my backyard pump track. 19 years old and still rockin'!
I'll have to scan a few photos from the early days in Houston, but here are a few after the conversion to SS.
| Somewhat early after the conversion. Original cranks, bars, levers, U-Brake in back, etc. |
| Many modifications and commuter duty, Stem, riser bars, V-brakes front and rear (rear on a big Cheese brake plate), Truvative Stylo crank (Early production run that was pure crap. Left side came loose EVERY ride.). |
| Action Photo by Al Santos. SS Gathering at Avalon, Patapsco State Park 2002? |
| Hanging in the basement awaiting rebirth. |
| Back on the road, 2007. Different Truvative cranks. 36t ring, 20t cog Semi horizontal dropouts mean no tensioner needed. | |