For the last year, you’ve mostly seen me riding these two bikes: My Diamondback Release
3, and Mission Pro.
The Mission has 160mm of travel and a long chainstay.
When it comes to plowing through chunky downhill it’s my fastest bike, but it’s not my
first choice.
More often than not, I’ve opted to ride my smaller and nimbler Release 3.
My Release has been more places than any bike I’ve ever owned.
From downhill parks.
To jumps.
To the moon.
I’ve never been more confident than I am on my Release.
But being my main trail bike isn’t all fun and games.
I do a lot of crashing.
And bailing.
And sometimes I freak the fuck out.
Luckily I have great sponsors.
Diamondback stands by this very sturdy frame, Box keeps me running a fresh set of components,
and Slime makes sure my tires are full of—Slime.
I could easily (and happily) continue to abuse my Release for another five years, but I won’t
get a chance to.
Because today, is new bike day.
By now you’ve probably read about the Release 5c, Diamondback’s new carbon trail bike,
but I’m fairly sure you haven’t seen this one.
This one is mine, and it’s being built and shipped with parts that I picked out.
Obviously it comes with a Box drivetrain, carbon wheelset, and cockpit.
It also comes with an MRP ramp control cartridge preinstalled.
Why not?
A lot of the other parts are standard on the 5C, like Maxxis Minion tires and an MRP bash
guard.
Although this 5C is being built just for me, it’s actually available to anyone by clicking
the “Seth’s Build” button in Diamondback’s Custom Studio.
You can also use Custom Studio to spec your own Release Carbon to meet your needs and
budget.
Included in the box is a shock pump, torque wrench, and a few other goodies.
It also comes with this additional downtube guard for pickup tailgates.
I’ll be needing that.
Still I’m not so sure that any Diamondback ships with this—Charlie from HR sent a custom
bandana just for Drama.
It has his title on it, “Berm Creek Trail Boss”.
The collar even has a DB logo in it.
Now Drama can feel important while he grazes in Berm Creek.
Speaking of Berm Creek it was barely rideable due to rain.
So on Tuesday, Alexander and I drove 4 hours to Chattanooga for dry dirt.
This was my new bike’s maiden voyage.
The 5c felt totally familiar to me from the second I hopped on.
This was no surprise, as it has the same geometry as my last bike.
But this one has all the benefits of a carbon frame, like vibration damping and stiffness.
These are luxuries, which I feel very fortunate to enjoy.
A carbon frame won’t make you a better rider and it won’t give you new capabilities.
It’s just there to give you the most enjoyable ride possible—and it’s working.
While the standard build of the 5c comes with Fox Suspension, I opted for Rockshox since
I find it easier to adjust and service.
In terms of performance you can’t go wrong with either.
To any fork I’d add this MRP ramp control cartridge, which allows you to dial in your
ramp-up on the fly.
In my opinion, this should come standard on every fork in the world.
Moving on to the drivetrain my build comes with Box One shifting and a Box 46 tooth cassette,
the same as I have on my other trail bikes.
This is all spun by a Raceface Next carbon crankset.
On to the Raceface Aefect dropper post which feels super refined and has a great thumb
lever.
I only need a 125 mill because I’m short, but it’s available in different sizes.
The stem and bars are also Box.
I’ve been beating these bars senseless since the Spring without issue.
They’re the perfect shape for me, which is why I run them on all my trail bikes.
I’ve also been running Box One carbon wheels, which help bring the weight of this bike to
well under 30 pounds.
They’re also really stiff around corners and over chunk.
A
few people on instagram noticed that I’m running Shimano Deore XT brakes.
I find them to be reliable and I like the levers, so I opted for them over Sram Guides.
Finally the tires.
Maxxis Minions are what normally come on a 5c and they’re exactly what I’d choose.
Inside these tires is Slime sealant.
No, this is not the stuff you see at auto parts stores, you can only get it at bike
shops or online.
I love that it’s neon green and easy to spot.
I also like that it plugs leaks really well, no glitter required.
If you want to see my build or play around with different options on the 5C, check the
link below to visit Custom Studio.
I’m really excited about having my own build on Diamondback’s website, but at the end
of the day the 5c is a win for everyone.
It’s one of the best values in carbon trail bikes right now, and I’m gonna try really
hard not to freak out and throw it.
I will however, be using it to ride new places and make the tutorials that you guys have
been requesting.
Thanks for riding with me today, and I’ll see you next time.