Diamondback Mason: On Test- by Guitar Ted
Twenty Nine Inches would like to announce the opening of our test/review on the Diamondback Mason. This bike is representative of a movement within the 29″er field to produce hard tails with short chain stay dimensions and slack head angles which support longer travel forks and a more aggressive riding style suitable for anything from Trail riding to All Mountain and Park riding styles. Bikes within this realm would include the Transition two9, (seen here), and bikes like the recently reported on 2Souls Cycles Quarterhorse, (seen here).
Diamondback's Mason hard tail.
We first laid eyes on the Mason at Interbike 2011. (The bike was then dubbed the Dixon, which was found to be a name already in use by Devinci Cycles, so a name change was necessitated.) We were impressed to the point that we gave it Best of Show, and we indicated an interest in possibly testing a sample at that time. At this year’s edition of Interbike, we got to demo the bike, (impressions seen here), and now finally we are pleased to have a previously demoed sample here for a longer term test.
The Mason features the short chain stays, (433mm/17.05″), and slack head angle, (66.5°), which are hallmarks of this genre’ of 29″ers. Featuring a Fox Talas fork set to 140mm, this should prove to be a good indication for us if these types of bikes are more versatile beasts or one trick ponies.
Stay tuned for an Out Of The Box post coming soon.
Note: Diamondback sent over the Mason for test/review at no charge to Twenty Nine Inches. We are not being bribed, nor paid for this review. We will strive to give or honest thoughts and opinions throughout.
When I demo’d this bike, I kept getting chain drop. Even on the uphills, when changing gears mid-climb. Was a pain in the arse to get the chain unjammed out from the chainguide and chainring. Poorly set up demo bike?
I really loved the front end stiffness. Felt like I could ride the front wheel. Even felt in control when on the front brakes. It’s just not a rocket. More like a bull that wants to charge through obstacles. Never felt so in control, on the brakes, on rugged terrain on a downslope before.
@Dan: The Mason is fitted with a SRAM Type 2 derailleur which has a clutch at the cage pivot which is supposed to arrest chain slap and help retain the chain on the chain ring along with the MRP guide. Perhaps the clutch was off or the MRP guide not correctly positioned?
So far, in my demo at Interbike and on the recent test rides here, I have not experienced this problem with the Mason.
i rode one for a few hours at the august session of mountain bike oregon, and didn’t have any problems either, even after jumping it. nobody else that rode one had any problems either fwiw.
No problems here either. I too, demo’d one for two days at the August Mountain Bike Oregon. It’ll be interesting to read your impression/review GT. That bike changed my mind on front end geometries for 29ers.
Would you put the Trek Stache in this same category? I’ve been eying one of those as my “I can only bring one bike on this big road trip and it has to be able to handle everything yet still be fast” bike”.
@Tim: No, I actually do not consider the Stache as being in the same company as the others since it lacks the shorter chain stays the others feature.
Trek’s Stache features a slacker head angle, long fork, but the chain stays are no different than most XC/Trail hard tails out there.
Many would say that the lack of a short chain stay on the Stache would make for a bike that is harder to manual, loft, or make the big moves one needs to make in an All Mountain setting. But that said, the main thing here is the chain stay length.
I agree with you 100% about the Stache
Would add the Yelli Screamy to this list. its intrigued me for a while but have never been able to ride one. ery interested in it and this geometry set and how it works for the big wheels.
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