Submitted by
Fluffy_Unicorn
a Weekend Warrior
from Placer County (rocklin to auburn)
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2009
Strengths: Solid Frame, Great Components for it's time.
Weaknesses: None that I can really think of. For it's time in 1999 it was a beast of a bike and with some newer components it's still a great all-mountain bike by today's standards.
Bottom Line:
This bike to me is a classic full suspension bike of the late 90's. I purchased this bike new when I was 17 and I still ride it and enjoy it. This bike has been able to bomb everything I've asked it to and it's put up with my fat ass this whole time.
If you have a chance to ever find one that has been taken care of buy it and build that baby up, it's bullet proof and a joy to own and ride.
Similar Products Used: Yeti asr, various ventana bikes, Demo, etc.
Bike Setup: vanilla rc (old school), updating fork soon, hydraulic hayes brakes, old school titec stem and hell bent handlebars, wellgo flat's, XT M756 Disc Wheelset w/ Sun Rhyno Lite Rims.
Strengths: well crap my pants. Excellent value for the good times you can obtain with this bike, with a few upgrades it wastes even my freinds norco.
Weaknesses: weight? not good xc'er? well no kidding. You dont say. The bike wasnt made for this and for the love of god it wups at what it was made for.
Bottom Line:
If you can get one, DO IT. Awesome bike for value and with a few part swaps it will clean the floor. Diamondback gets bad raps, but on my other dbr, all the parts broke but the ones diamondback made, including the frame. Coincidence? nope. I ride this sucker hard and it comes back for more, it demands to get a beating.
Similar Products Used: norco VPS series, Kona Stinky series, Hardtail here and there.
Bike Setup: Boxxers, Hope c2 front, xt rear, s-ram 9.0 rear, blackspire front crankset, Planet x-bars, kore stem, Linkage plates for up to 8", blah blah blah.
Strengths: Very Strong, versatile frame. This is the perfect trail bike, it can do it all. All day rides, climbing (heavy though), downhilling, you name it. DBR had a winner with this one, not sure why they gave up on it. I think it wasn't cost effective.
Weaknesses: Availability. When they're gone, they're gone.
Bottom Line:
If you find a better all around bike selling as low as these, please email me and tell me where. You can find these frames and bikes at ridiculously low prices right now because they aren't the newest, spiffiest bike in the mags or being ridden on the Shore and in videos. Lucky for me. This frame offers multiple suspension settings/options with the long travel linkage plates. I have both sets, long and short. You can have between 4-6" of travel from one amazing bike. A few studious people have put other plates on and gotten over 7" out of them. The sky is the limit. This bike can do it all, XC, freeride, downhill, urban, you name it. I dare you to find a stronger frame. Mine weighs 34 pounds with my current setup, and i have very heavy tires. I could drop it to 32 with lighter tires. A 32# bike with 6" of suspension,double crown forks, Hayes hydros, etc? If you can find one, DON'T buy it. Tell me about it instead. I'd like to have a few more. Only 5 chilis...since 7 isn't am option.
Similar Products Used: Nothing this good, for such a low price. Most likely comparison is with Intense Uzzi, Turner, Ellsworth, and many other freeride capable frames costing well over $1000.
Bike Setup: Marzocchi Jr T up front, Hayes discs, Stratos Helix Expert shock, Race Face cranks, post and stem.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Darin Peters
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2001
Strengths: Great strong frame without being too heavy.
Weaknesses: The standard Formula disc brakes sucked - swapped for XT - much better once bedded in.
Bottom Line:
I've always been a GT fan until I rode the X10. It really is confidence inspiring - can jump or ride over anything. I bought this bike mid 2001 new - it was a demo that just sat in a store for almost two years. I am so glad I bought it - I can't speak highly enough of it!
Purchased At: Bikes Direct - Newmarket (They Rock!)
Similar Products Used: I've owned and used to swear by GT - LTS and then XCR. They suck big time compared to the X10!tor at front.
Bike Setup: Marzochhi Bomber Z1 BAM, Fox Vanilla RC, Shimano XT hydro disc brakes - 203mm rotor at front
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Barney
a Weekend Warrior
from Spawn Ranch, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001
Strengths: UPDATE!! I installed a Hayes 8" rear setup using a Hayes adapter. If your interested in putting one on yours email me and I'll explain how. Ride on...
Bottom Line:
This is a great do anything bike. It's even better with Hayes brakes.
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Hemet, CA
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2001
Strengths: sealed bearings at all pivots, built super buff, looks killer
Weaknesses: had some difficulty getting the front deraileur to work with the compact cranks, the topswing didn't leave enough room between the cable guide and the arm on the deraileur and I couldn't mount the bottom swing low enough on the frame for the chain to clear the cage
Bottom Line:
This frame rocks. Once I got the deraileur problem worked out(I ended up tweeking the cable guide a little and using the top swing der.) this bike has been unstoppable. It climbes as well as any thing short of a hard tail, although not quite as fast, and with 5" of travel at both ends its just a couple steps away from being down hill raceable. At 29 pounds its not even close to the 24 pounds that my amp was but it doesn't look like I'm going to have to worry about being stranded in the middle of a ride because some stupid light piece failed. This bike is the best do it all MTB I have riden yet, it climbes, it bombs, it jumps, and it does drops with out looking back. If I had to get rid of all my bikes except one, this would be the one with out a second thought. This thing is totally bomb proof. If you are the type of rider who goes out for day long epics (not the whimpy cross country style), or you like doing jumps and drops, I would highly recommend this bike if you can still find one. By the way the $355 was for just the frame (brand new). eBay rocks.
Bike Setup: Answer x-vert DC, full XT, XT disc hubs, Titec post and stem, easton EA50 riser bars, XT disc brakes
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Bagyan
a Downhiller
from Ottawa, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2001
Strengths: Adaptability and durability
Weaknesses: none to be found
Bottom Line:
Posted a message here in 2000...have had this baby for a year and a half...Changed my riding forever...swap out the shock pivot, tubes, and tires, ride cross country all day Put it in DH mode w/ DH rubber, and let gravity take you where she wants... Slalom, DH, XC, Urban Assault...I've done it all with it...1 separated shoulder, broken ankle. dislocated thumb, lotsa lost skin and blood, but my X-10 still works flawlessly...If you can still buy the frame, do it...no regrets
This is the bike I have had, not that I have had a lot but I have tried a few out. This is the bike I aways wanted. It get 6"+ rear travel of an AWESOME Statos Helix Expert rear shock. In the frount I have a Physlo that matches pretty well with a 5" (i know this review is for the frame but RS did an awsome job with this shock, I have hade a z3lt and this shock is comparable) The Frame is strong with the square tubing. I love that you can swap out the links for different travel. I have v-brakes and if I wanted disk I would want the mechanical kind it looks like the bike is set up for hydralic but I can probably get around that. The frame itself is pretty light but after building it up for freeriding it is heavey. Awsome bike, I don't like the cable routing but I guess I can deal with it.
Strengths: Super Plush!! (great rear shock, bearing kit & linkage) Extremely Durable Long top tube, great for shorter stem use
Weaknesses: To Heavy for straight up and down rides Had problems with rear disc mount
Bottom Line:
This frame rocks!!!! It changed my riding forever. Takes 45+ degree slopes, 5+ ft. drops, bunny hops anything, invents new lines, flys over gaps and still climbs just in case the lifts are closed. I used it to get into DH'ing and could of ridden all the Pro/A coarses with a better fork. I noticed the same things everyone else says: great handling,perfect geometry for the way I descend and so on. Not to sure as to how it rides with a long/XC post, it's layed back Seatpost position may compress the shock a ways but that's ajustable. I rode it open all the time in order to get that sweet plush feeling beneath me. Worthy of being called a Rig!
Similar Products Used: Have test ridden most of rides in this class
Bike Setup: Cheaper parts, X-Vert DC, Hayes front, Rhyno XL wheelset
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Barney
a Weekend Warrior
from Spawn Ranch, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2000
Strengths: Super plush, super smooth, sealed bearing pivots, long top tube, low standover height. Available 6" travel kit for rear. No bob while standing and peddaling.
Weaknesses: Rear tire clearance, cable routing.
Bottom Line:
If you are wanting a bike that can do it all, this is the one. It climbs well enough, bombs over the big stuff. Responsive enough for the small stuff, I am stoked!! I had a GT STS and it sucked bad, high center of gravity, bobbed like a mofo, even a Fox air shock was no help, and it was heavier than the Diamond Back, if you watch Kranked III there are a few of these bikes featured doing huge stunts. I found out the hard way there are two different types of cable housings, one has the metal in strands parellel to the inner cable, and one has it spiral wrapped around the cable, the bike had the parellel type and it was ghost shifting when the suspension compressed. I changed it out for the spiral type and now it rocks. I don't know if a different cable routing choice would have changed this?
5 gooey money shots for DBR and this bike. Some say it was made by Intense for DBR, could be? Or it is just a well crafted reflection of the Uzzi.
Submitted by
sasman
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, Ontario CANADA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2000
Strengths: Strong, stiff frame construction Super-plush adjustable full-travel Versatile ride- anywhere from XC to Freeride to DH
Weaknesses: Hmmm... let me think- I'll get back to you when I find one.
Bottom Line:
To my brothers who own this frame- we are lucky SOB's! I reviewed this frame last year. The more I ride it, the more I appreciate it. It defines the kind of ride an "All-round hardcore rider" is looking for. Want to go Downhilling- it rocks. Want to whip some buddies on thier hardtails? Minor adjustments... it rocks. Your loong-travel buddies are walking thier bikes up that climb? You ride. Want to go for an urban assault / freeride? This bike was built to rip it up freeriding... I can't even get into what the Millenium fork does to this ride, but fully adjustable 5 and five does the job across any terrain out there.
Similar Products Used: Marin B-17, Santa Cruz Heckler
Bike Setup: Manitou Millenium Fork, Hayes hubs + Dual Hayes on Mavic 321's with Michelin Hot S rubber, SRAM 9.0SL Drivetrain, RaceFace cranks, Thompson seatpost, Atlas saddle, ProTaper bar, Profile Stiffy stem etc.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Bagyan
a Weekend Warrior
from ottawa
Date Reviewed: December 29, 1999
Strengths: smooth travel, long top tube for tall riders, 2 shock pivot points make it ride like 2 different bikes!!
Weaknesses: heavy, a lot of pedal induced bobbing in long travel mode
Bottom Line:
This is my first time owning a full suspension ride. With only 4 inches in the front and the shock set up in cross country mode, I can outdo my friends on all trails, I've taken it on some serious downhill runs this year, and a ton of cross country rides(with some nasty climbs), and it has given me the ride I've always wanted. I've broken 2 hardtailo frames in the past 2 years and I don't think I'll be able to break this baby!! Definitely worth 5 chilies!!!!
This is a ripping bike!!! For a 38 pound beast it still climbs well as long as you don't pedal in squares. Downhilling this bike is SWEET. It rides and tracks just as well as the M1 I used to race on. Drifting the X-10 through corners is solid and predictable. Let's just hope it doesn't break in a few months like everything else I've ridden does.
Similar Products Used: Intense M1 World Force VR-1 Trek Y-33
Bike Setup: QR-20, Hayes hydraulics, b-52 world force risers Tioga XL saddle, Dean Post, DH wheels w/ IRC kujo's
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TODD
a Weekend Warrior
from LOUISIANA
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1999
Strengths: THIS FRAME IS THE BOMB. I HAVE NOT FOUND A FRAME THIS GOOD FOR THIS PRICE RANGE ANY WHERE. ALSO THERE WERE LESS THAN 100 X10s SOLD, I GOT THIS FROM A DBR COMPANY REP(THE X6 SOLD WELL DUE TO THE PRICE).
Weaknesses: AGAIN I'LL HAVE TO SAY THE WHEEL SET. I TACOED THE FRONT LAST MONTH. SHMANIO SHIFTERS FELL APART SO I CHANGED TO GRIP SHIFT.
Bottom Line:
I POSTED THE FIRST REVIEW ON THIS BIKE A YEAR AGO, NOW I AM BACK TO GIVE A UP-DATE. WELL, IT IS STILL THE BEST TRAIL BIKE I HAVE BEEN ON! I HAVE DONE A LITTLE OF EVERY THING ON THIS BIKE, TRAIL RIDING, DOWN HILLING, XC (EVEN DID A RACE), AND THREW SOME SKINNY TIRES ON AND WENT ON A GROUP MTB ROAD RIDE. I HAVE USED IT FOR EVERY THING. JUST SWAP OUT THE FORK AND TIRES AND YOU CAN GO FROM XC TO TRAIL BIKE TO FULL DOWNHILL. IT IS A GREAT BIKE!!!! I GAVE IT FIVE PEPPERS BEFORE AND A YEAR LATER IT STILL GETS FIVE!!!
Similar Products Used: C-DALE TREK PRO-FLEX/K2 GIANT ROCKY MOUNTAIN ETC.
Bike Setup: RIGHT NOW IT HAS: 2000 MR. T QR-20 FORK MAVIC DEE-MAX WHEELS SRAM ESP 9.0 8speed THOMSON POST SERFAS ARC SEAT TIOGA DH TIRES FORMULA PRO ISSUE BRAKES XT CRANK AND F/DERAILER AZONIC BARS AND SHORTY STEM.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tucan
a Weekend Warrior
from jacktown ky
Date Reviewed: November 20, 1999
Strengths: super plush,rear shock, group
Weaknesses: flexy wheel set, grips
Bottom Line:
simple put this rig kick serious ASS. FIVE BIG PILES OF DONKEY DO
I´m looking for the 6" rear plates for a 1999 DBR-X10. I´ve been sending several letters asking for them to Diamond Back in Europe and US last year with no answer. Does anybody kno Read More »
