You may be forgiven for not knowing about Diamant. Even though the German brand was founded in 1885, Diamant bikes are rarely seen outside of mainland Europe.
Diamant was acquired by Trek Bikes in 2002 and it now has a range of affordable urban bikes, including ebikes.
Catching my attention from the new 2025 range is this Diamant 140, launched today and named in celebration of Diamant’s 140th anniversary.
It's described as "A tool to go out and play, ride the way you always wanted, ride where you always wanted, and for as long as your fun lasts". We're invited to "Escape your boundaries. Escape this planet – why not ride the moon?".
Urban cool
While Lunar bikepacking is somewhat ambitious, I like the Diamant's retro-inspired paintjob, gold bolts and Brooks saddle, which give the 140 a splash of urban cool.
With huge tyres, suspension and a well-appointed frame, the Diamant 140 looks bang on trend alongside cutting-edge gravel bikes such as the Lee Cougan Innova Super Gravel and Ridley’s new Ignite GTX. However, unlike those premium gravel race bikes, the Diamant is a modestly priced machine at £1,700 / €1,800.
The chunky aluminium frameset is paired with a SunTour NX32, 75mm-travel gravel suspension fork.
The 140 rolls on 650b Bontrager/Shimano wheels with fat 2.1in tubeless Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres. It’s driven by a 1x 12 Shimano GRX mechanical groupset.
Completing the bike is a Bontrager gravel bar, a mini-porter rack and a classy Brooks C17 Cambium saddle.
Smart price
Diamant explains: "We’ve stripped this adventure gravel bike down to the essentials, but fear not. It can be fitted with anything you need or want."
The £1,700 / €1,800 price tag looks like good value, especially for a rugged commuter bike that could be a lot of fun at the weekend.
I’m certainly looking forward to getting off-grid on my next ride home, although probably not via the Sea of Tranquility.
