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Diamondback goes electric, launches four mid-drive electric bikes for the street

Diamondback has just announced the launch of its first-ever electric bikes as part of the company’s spring 2021 lineup.

Diamondback is owned by parent company Alta Cycling, which has already offered electric bicycles through its other brands including Haibike, Raleigh, and IZIP.

Now Diamondback is going electric and getting its first four battery-assisted models.

The new e-bikes are designed for the pavement and cover a range of commuter and road bike roles.

As Alta Cycling’s VP of product development Michael Brown explained in a statement provided to Electrek:

“It has been incredibly exciting to see our hard work, time spent and energy expended come to fruition with this launch. Our four new e-bikes will hit a sweet spot in the Diamondback lineup, with a solid combination of high performing components, a streamlined design and unmatched versatility. With options for a wide variety of users, in terms of both end-use and price point, we’re really pleased that these bikes will be at the forefront of Diamondback’s foray into the e-bike market.”

Diamondback Response

The Diamondback Response is a Class 3 e-bike offering a maximum assisted-speed of 28 mph (45 km/h).

That speed is capable thanks to the inclusion of a Bosch Performance Line Speed mid-drive motor.

A Shimano 10-speed drivetrain and Magura hydraulic disc brakes help get the bike rolling quickly and bring it back down to zero.

The bike wears plus-size Schwalbe tires mounted on tubeless compatible 27.5-inch wheels, which Diamondback claims gives it proper pavement traction while still offering gravel-ready riding.

Riders who do choose to head off the beaten path will be happy to have that 120mm travel RockShox Judy Gold fork up front.

The Diamondback Response is priced at $4,100.

Diamondback Union 1

The Diamondback Union 1 is designed for more pure-urban riding as a city commuter e-bike.

Also rocking the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor and a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h), this Class 3 e-bike is built on an aluminum frame and features internal cable routing. No more snagging your cables on other bikes in the rack!

The on-board Bosch Purion display will help riders keep track of how much of that 400 Wh battery capacity remains along with other ride parameters.

Additional features include a 10-speed Shimano drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, wide 27.5-in tires and an included rack and fenders. The Diamondback Union 1 is priced at $3,500.

Diamondback Union 2

The Diamondback Union 2 upgrades the Union line with a bit more of everything.

The 400Wh battery is boosted by 25% to a 500Wh pack.

An upgraded Bosch Kiox display provides a color screen with more rider data and offers Bluetooth compatibility with heart rate monitors.

Other features included upgraded Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and the inclusion of built-in LED lighting. Though that begs the question of why the $3,500 Union 1 commuter e-bike didn’t already have LED lighting, especially if an $899 e-bike does.

Either way, for a cool $4,100, the Diamondback Union 2 could in your garage.

Diamondback Current

The Diamondback Current electric bicycle (not to be confused with the Priority Current electric bicycle) offers a dropbar setup and rolls on Maxxis Rambler 700x40c tires.

It sports a 500Wh battery paired with the same Bosch motor to reach Class 3 speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h).

An 11-speed Shimano drivetrain is sure to please more hardcore road bikers that prefer a wider range of gear ratios to choose from.

The Diamondback Current is priced at $4,100.

Diamondback is marketing its new line of electric bicycles under a campaign known as “Get Amped.” You can see the company’s launch video below, which the company describes as, “Paying homage to the electric guitar and the rich rock and roll history in its hometown of Seattle, Diamondback is switching things up from acoustic bikes to new electric rockstars!”

The video has more cuts than that Liam Neeson jumping over a fence scene, but seems to get the commuter-oriented message across.

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Author

Avatar for Micah Toll Micah Toll

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto.

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and the $3,299 Priority Current. But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

You can send Micah tips at Micah@electrek.co, or find him on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.