Diamond Back Apex - UPDATED 21/02/10

Here is my bike.

I built this, pretty much as is in 1995/1996. The frame is a 1992/3 DB Apex (red/black splatter). The only things that have changed since I built it are the saddle, stem and front brakes although the brakes will soon be changing back, the saddle was changed from a Flite as it was cutting me in 2, and the stem is period correct.

The wheels were built by a friend of mine and have never gone out of true, despite the fact it is a straight fork. I don't think I will ever part with it as it still rides fantastically well. Just needed a little softening at the front end (hence the flexstem). I did purchase a set of AMP forks to go on this, however they have turned out to be U/S so am now waiting to speak to the seller about a refund. I am now looking for a flat bar as the front end is a little too high with the flexstem/riser bar combo.

The paintwork was done by a guy called 'Spike' - if you remember the (in)famous Jaffa Orange bike featured in MBUK in the early nineties that was one of his. I wanted it to be really simple, and therefore ageless. He cut all the decal stencils by hand, and then sprayed them on in a Pearl White over a gloss black base. IMHO it still looks good today.


Frame: DB Apex True Temper Double Butted

Fork: Project 2 Triple Butted

Paintwork: Done by Spike, gloss black with pearl white lettering

Headset: Deore LX with XTR bearing races
Stem: Girvin flexstem (bought NOS for £3 last month!) or Control Tech
Handlebar: Azonic riser (now looking for a flat bar to use with the Flexstem)
Grips: Klein Mushroom
Barends: Coda Babu

Brakes Front: LX 'V' (soon to be swapped back to XTR cantis)
Brake Rear: XTR cantis
Brake Pads: XT cartridge
Brake Cables: XTR cable set
Cantilever cable hangers: Tektro

Shifters: LX ST-M567 (note the brake lever grips!)
Front Derailleur: XT FD-M736TP
Rear Derailleur: XT RD-M737 with Bullet Bros Chain tensioner, alloy jockeys and ti-bolts
Derailleur Cables: XTR cable set
Cassette: XT CS-M737
Chain: Shimano HG90
Cranks: XTR FC-M900 175
Crank Bolts: Shimano
Chainrings: Middleburn inner and outer, XTR middle
Chainring bolts: SRP Titanium
Bottom Bracket: Zero Cro-Mo
Pedals: XT SPD PD-M737

Hub Skewers: Control Tech Titanium
Rims: Mavic 217SUP
Front Hub: Trek System 3 32h
Rear Hub: Hope Ti-Glide 36h
Nipples: DT Swiss
Spokes: DT Swiss
Tyres: Specialized Hardpack 1.5 (Tioga Psychos are on their way)

Saddle: San Marco Race Gel
Seatpost: USE Aluminium 420mm

That's nice, man.

"Brakes Front: LX 'V' (soon to be swapped back to XTR cantis)"

You know it makes sense! ;-)

I currently have a 95 Apex, but my first proper MTB was a 92 Apex, and I'm rather hoping to acquire another, in a few weeks, from somebody on here.

Frame

...this is a 92 frame I think (red/black splatter). I used to work for Evans and Bonthrone cycles and rode all sorts of other high end kit but didn't find anything that I liked as much as this - hence why I stuck with it!

Re: Frame

ovlov440":1s6u5s5k said:

...this is a 92 frame I think (red/black splatter). I used to work for Evans and Bonthrone cycles and rode all sorts of other high end kit but didn't find anything that I liked as much as this - hence why I stuck with it!

Click to expand...

The one thing I don't get - as somebody who had a 92 Apex (red with black splatter paint) is that your frame has top tube cable routing, 92s had cable routing down the down-tube - have you had yours changed, or was it like this stock?

No changes made to the frame at all. When I got it the bike was full DX with Brahma bars (remember them!) Odd if they made it in 2 styles. I thought the previous years frame was downtube routing but it certainly wasn't red/black. Maybe they painted some new frames in an old colour?

ovlov440":ro12tght said:

No changes made to the frame at all. When I got it the bike was full DX with Brahma bars (remember them!) Odd if they made it in 2 styles. I thought the previous years frame was downtube routing but it certainly wasn't red/black. Maybe they painted some new frames in an old colour?

Click to expand...

Can you remember the wheels that were on it, as stock?

Mine was DX throughout, and hubs, Avenir branded handlebars (straight), Tioga T-Bone stem. Were the brahma bars made by Zoom, and did yours have a zoom stem?

Sounds about the same. Also had DX thumbies. Can't remember the stock saddle as I had the shop change mine for a Turbo before I took delivery. Think my stem was an Avenir one though - not a Zoom. Brahma bars didn't have Zoom on them, just 'Brahma Bar'. Does seem like a similar bike, but with slight frame and spec changes. The wheels sound the same as yours, Avenir rims on DX hubs and I think Tioga tyres (can't remember the model though). the fork was raked, but the fork tubes were a constant diameter along the whole length (no taper).

ovlov440":10di872p said:

Sounds about the same. Also had DX thumbies. Can't remember the stock saddle as I had the shop change mine for a Turbo before I took delivery. Think my stem was an Avenir one though - not a Zoom. Brahma bars didn't have Zoom on them, just 'Brahma Bar'. Does seem like a similar bike, but with slight frame and spec changes. The wheels sound the same as yours, Avenir rims on DX hubs and I think Tioga tyres (can't remember the model though). the fork was raked, but the fork tubes were a constant diameter along the whole length (no taper).

Click to expand...

Mine had DX push-push STIs. Tyres were Panaracer Smokes (still got 'em). Fork was as you say - constant diameter, chunky things, that were raked / curved normally. Still got the stem, probably the handlebars (Avenir branded), and the seatpin (Avenir branded - it's on my hack bike).

Maybe it was a changover thing - I have the 91 brochure (which I will have got around the time of getting the bike), which my bike matched, but I bought the bike new in 92 (I think it was around March).

I remember newer bikes than mine having those brahma bars. Does anybody have the spec of 92 Diamondbacks - I always thought not much changed for 92.

Actually I think you are right with the tyres now I think about it - Smokes rather than Tioga. Out of interest, what is the seatpost size - 26.8?

ovlov440":1ce1x492 said:

Actually I think you are right with the tyres now I think about it - Smokes rather than Tioga. Out of interest, what is the seatpost size - 26.8?

Click to expand...

I think so.

The brochure doesn't say.

Next time I'm in the garage I'll check (it's on my hack bike).