Reviewed by Scott Fulton
New Bike Day - we all look forward to it, even if just mentally, when you're due a new whip. The planning, the research and, oh yes, the test rides. But what do you do if you find yourself suddenly needing a new bike without all the aforementioned planning? That's me, staring head first into this very situation after losing, to theft, my Santa Cruz Highball CC. A bike I've ridden and raced for the last eight years.
Yes, I've had and raced other mountain bikes, but nothing fit or worked as well. This is probably why I kept it so long. A new bike would have very large expectations up front. A friend who knew my style suggested the Cobalt Diablo 3.0 and arranged a demo with Cobalt Bikes. What I look for in a new bike, any bike, really comes down to the frame and fork transmitting positive turning feedback while it exploits my energy dialed into the pedals. Like a good marriage, this is the give and take that has to happen...a tricky expectation for a first date.
The Diablo 3.0 arrived with all the best foot forward cliche' you'd expect. Sram X1 AXS Eagle, RockShox Ultimate SID Carbon Fork, RockShox AXS dropper post, Cobalt Bikes proprietary carbon wheels with DT Swiss hubs rocking medium fat 3.0 WTB Ranger tires and host of other high end goodies to round out the package. You initially look at a Medium Fat XC bike, and you think government pork, but the bike tips in a shade over 22 pounds! Cobalt Bikes tells me it can go even lighter by ditching the SID and running a rigid carbon fork. (more on that later)
Adjusted and self fitted, I'm ready to settle in for a ride. First thing out of my neighborhood is all pavement, so there is a familiar knobby buzz that would accompany the first three miles toward my transition to dirt. Diablo is the same but more subtle and muted. I start the first road climb to my local trailhead and notice that I have plenty of gearing with the comically large 50 ring in the rear and 32 up front. Coming from a 2X10 system this is nice change, which always had me more towards the lower end of gears as my muscle come online.
Dirt! But not before one last steep kicker into the trail network that courses the Civil War forts of S.E. Washington D.C. Breathing harder now I wrap around the first section and start to gain some confidence in my ability to turn these 3.0 tires. They just seem to engage the dirt, gravel, and the late FALL colors that are all over the ground. Pedaling doesn't require any less or more effort, and my speed is pedestrian as I'm getting warm...the Diablo basically mocking me to tick up a notch to get a good sense where the limits are.
Faster now I complete the first section on a sharp downhill and test the Level hydraulic brakes with massive 180 rotors. ZERO fork/steer-tube flex as they pull strongly and confidently to a stop. Immediately back on the gas, I torque up the next hill over-geared to test my winter legs and how the short carbon chain stays transfer input towards the rear wheel. Surprise, I'm quickly moving toward my goal, and out of the saddle climbing seems 100% stapled the the ground. This is getting interesting.
Flowy single track ahead now, and I'm starting to dial up the effort even more and gaining more confidence with steeper than I'm use to steering angle. I start blasting some turns to see what the limits of the tires are going to be. Nothing. I literally ride like a jacktool into a down angle turn covered in leaves to get the front end to wash out. I didn't crash as the bike immediately hooked when I uncoiled the handlebars to straighten out the turn. With that out of the way, I had pretty good idea turning wasn't going to surprise me anymore today.
I found my HR nearing race pace as ahead lie the first of two water bar downhills. Dropper engaged and SIDI soaking the bumps,I was very tempted to go back and try it faster because that was WAY too cautious and more than likely could have carried twice as much speed. A few more steep climbs, I circle back and repeat the same trail in the opposite direction and finish home taxed but content.
Coming from a roadie background, it's hard to understand the physics at play with big MTB tires -- but they just work, especially in the turns, and the best part is they are soaking bumps and damping vibrations, too. I've ridden 2.2 tires or smaller pretty much my entire off-road existence. I could definitely get use to this. I liked the turning feedback the Diablo gave me, but in my opinion I'd remove the SID and go with the rigid set up. I feel with the 3.0 tires and dropper you have enough support to deal with most Mid-Atlantic trails. The other hidden attraction in this preferred configuration is the Diablo would be approaching 19lbs for an XL bike! That's definitely second date material.
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