DBR Axis, what have I bought?

[Callum H]

Hi apologies if this is in the wrong place, I'm new to the forum and retro mtb's in general.

I do a fair bit of work on more modern bikes but I've been half fancying a retro MTB project for a while and picked this DBR axis off gumtree on a whim.
Its got an ugly steerer extention and oxford seat but other than that it all seems original. Full xt drivetrain, brakes, hubs, quick release levers. The frame has a couple of small rust patches under the BB and the paint is flaking off the handlebars but is pretty clean otherwise. The seatpost is stuck but I've got it sitting upsideown with the seattube filled with ACF50, if that dosn't work I'll just hack it off and ream it out.

I'm just looking to see if anyone knows what year it is and any info about the model? Also I paid £140 for it did I get an ok deal or did they see me coming?

 

[joglo]

hi,
that's not an easy question, especially as for the relevant years, Diamond Back documentation is pretty rare.

Based on the crank (LX FC-M569 4arm) alone you could say that this bike is from 1997 or 98.

Just my overview just shows a black-white-yellow DBR Axis for 1997, for both the regular and the R model.

Like this one:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1997-dbr-axis-r-finished.173948/
The year before the Axis was blue-red, like this one:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/diamondback-racing-axis-r.370390/
For 1998 i do have another DBR catalog, but this is other then the yellow team issue bike with alumnium frame like below only listing only V-link or V full suspension models.


Still to me your bike looks exactly like an Axis from that years e.g. cable routing is in my eyes identically.


Do you have any indication about the frame material?
1997 Axis was Ritchey Logic CroMo, the Axis R was True Temper TT Lite CroMo.

 

[Callum H]

Thanks so much for your reply! 97 or 98 sounds like a fair bet then.

The Frame is True Temper TT Lite CroMo.

Ive spent days scouring the internet for info on it. The only one I can see anywhere in those colours is for sale on ebay in italy. Its NOS but had its shifters robbed. I messaged them and asked for info on the year and model as its identical to mine except for the fork. All they could say was they thought it was probably from between 94 to 96.
Mine Has a sticker on it in French so I wonder if it was possibly a european market colour scheme? Either way I like the chrome DBR decal!

Its coming along nicely though, just need a couple of hours without the kids annoying me and I'll get it put back together.

 

[Callum H]

Heres a better pic of the frame.

 

[slackboy]

I think thats a fair price; not a bargain, not a rip off.
Diamondbacks aren't as desirable as other brands, but the frame is decent and the XT parts , if stripped and flipped, would be worth close to what you paid for the bike.

It looks in good condition - sort out the stem and saddle and you'll have a nice rider. 25+ years on I'd rather have a rigid fork than a tired suspension fork anyway.

 

[d8mok]

I had this one last year. I quite liked it actually but it was sold on. Paid £30 at start of lockdown which was silly cheap

 

[Callum H]

Sounds about right, as with every project I've ever done it'll be worth less than I've spent on it in the end. Cars, motorbikes and now MTB's. It's a good thing I enjoy the process.

Its all cleaning up nicely though.

 

[joglo]

BTW: also the other one at ebay is a 1997 model,
same LX crank as yours, and also the used black Manitou Pro C fork is from 1997.

Just strange that this all-white paint job is very exotic.
Also overviews in German bike catalogs show the black-yellow-white models for 1997.
Maybe it's a french market specific variant?

 

[Callum H]

BTW: also the other one at ebay is a 1997 model,
same LX crank as yours, and also the used black Manitou Pro C fork is from 1997.

Just strange that this all-white paint job is very exotic.
Also overviews in German bike catalogs show the black-yellow-white models for 1997.
Maybe it's a french market specific variant?

Ok interesting,

I had a quick google of the red, yellow and black ones and all the pics I can find of those the bike's badged as an axis R and the axis logo is quite diffrent from mine. It's definately just badged as an axis but then it has the TT lite frame.

The french sticker on mine is somthing about conforming to security regs. The one on ebay is in italy and dosn't have that badge or one like it. From what I understand the shop selling it are the original dealers and have had it sitting in storage unsold. So its probably not french market specific.

 

[vtwinvince]

DBR's are underappreciated, except for the Axis TT. I have a WCF6.0 and it is one of the best riding bikes in my hoard.