NeilPryde Diablo

Some bikes need more introduction than others. Thankfully Dave gave this bike and brand a nice one in the Just In post about this bike. In a nutshell NeilPryde brings years of composite experience to the table in a direct distribution model, resulting in a high tech, high spec bike at a good price. This is a growing trend in the UK with Germanys Canyon recent launch to our shores.

What I like about NeilPryde's entry to the bike market is that its clearly more than just a NeilPryde bike for its existing loyal and wealthy windsurf customers. If that was the goal then it would have been much simpler to chuck some components on a kilo or so of Taiwanese black metal and be done with it. But NeilPryde have done so much more, with a heavyweight line-up of engineering muscle and finance feeding into this project. Several impressive collaborations and NeilPryde's experience in the material shine through, creating a chassis which punches above its weight against some much more established brands.

The form of the bike is definitely striking; on the one hand curved smooth lines and on the other harsh kammtail style cuts and crisp transitions in profile. To me the frame stylistically has elements of the Orbea Orca and the fork's aggressive leading edge profile is reminiscent of the Factor001's blunt front end. A deep glossy lacquer covers subtle graphics. A clean downtube and a tasteful lack of marketing jargon gives an impression of understated non-conformity. Perhaps a sign of its roots outside of the industry.

It's hard to fault the frame in performance. The Diablo ticks the usual stiff yet comfy boxes which is increasingly becoming the norm, especially at this price. High frequency road-buzz damping is good, although bigger bumps are still noticeable. NeilPryde publish values for BB and HT stiffness as 60 Nm/° and 90 Nm/°. Whatever those numbers mean to you - we don't have much to compare them to, to be honest - it translates to a very impressive ride with the Diablo being right at home as a sprinter's weapon of choice or a Gran Fondo mile muncher. The big and definitely burly headtube and fork (almost square at the join) come together seamlessly and create a super stiff set-up. Front end tracking is one of the best I've ridden, helped by solid wheels and confidence inspiring rubbers; the resulting precision handling is fantastic. The Diablo loves having a fistful of front brake put through it; watch out though as it may well come with euro cable routing out of the box as our test model did. No shockers on the geometry and no toe overlap, a potential pot hole for a new and inexperienced brand.

One of the niggles I had on the Diabolo is the seatclamp arrangement. The thin 27.2 SL-K post looks a bit out of place compared with the large section of the frame. The clamp has a collar which is useful for noting increments in saddle height adjustment and the clamp itself is hidden under a rubber boot with only a small entrance hole for a 4mm Allen key. What significant advantage this provides over a traditional setup is hard to see. Whilst used in anger at the Upavon winter series the seatpost did slip (I'll blame that for my pathetic bunch sprint), although admittedly it was only tightened using a multi-tool. A bit of anti-slip paste and torque wrench should solve that.

The spec is an impressive list of design classics. Shimanos 7900 Dura-Ace, Mavic Ksyrium SLs and a Selle Italia SLR complete the all-star cast, with a little help from FSA's SL-K controls. The Shimano/SRAM/Campag debate will roll on and on, and there is no option on this bike which might put some die hards of particular transmissions off. What was most striking about being back on Shimano was how fiddly they are when using gloves. The upshift trigger is quite a small target, in comparison to SRAM, and if the downshift paddle is even slightly displaced then the upshift doesnt function, which is a bit annoying. On the drops in winter gloves this made things difficult, on the hoods it was more manageable. Shifting was expectedly crisp although Shimano still feels less comfortable at extreme chain lines in comparison to SRAM or Campag in my experience.

The Mavic Ksyriums are a great and very useable set of wheels. Not earth shatteringly light but stiff and really solid. Bonus points for the red spokes matching to the frame highlights. In only a short test the longevity wasnt really tested here but the Mavic name brand should be enough to put your mind at rest. The Hutchinson rubbers were very impressive for all out slicks in winter. I gave them nothing short of a two week battering and they have gobbled it all up quite happily with plenty puncture free grip.

The FSA bits definitely fall under the functional but not exceptional category. The head of the seatpost is a bit large and clunky with no real intelligent/easy adjustment system. The bar was of the trendy short reach and shallow drop types but feels a bit messy with its various curves and flat spots. Nothing slipped upfront throughout test and they are plenty stiff enough for anyone, perhaps Greipel excluded.

Value is an interesting debate with this being a direct distribution model. At £3699 youre getting quite a lot of bike for your money here in comparison to a classic distributor dealer network. A more suitable comparison would be against the aforementioned direct distribution of Canyon. Canyon's Ultimate SLX 9.0 comes in a choice of Dura Ace or Record 11spd a whopping 800 cheaper. Racers may find that tempting, with 800 to splash on some race day only tubs.

Verdict

An impressive and dedicated launch in to pastures new from NeilPryde. The Diablo is a stiff and aggressive chassis with a all star cast of components, combined in a good value package. This is not redefining the limits of performance but definitely an impressive launch and no sign of the brand's infancy in the industry.