DVO Diamond fork review

Well-priced heavy duty trail/enduro fork

Our rating

4.0

999.00
799.00
1250.00
DVO's Diamond fork is a serious contender

DVO

Robin Weaver

Published: December 16, 2015 at 10:00 am
Our review
With easy to use, effective adjustment and impressive performance, fork fettlers should check out the Diamond Buy if, You want a hard-hitting trail/enduro fork and are willing to look past the obvious big names

Pros:

Easy, effective adjustment, impressive control over ugly terrain

Cons:

A bit heavier than the competition

DVO's Diamond fork is a serious contender - DVO
The Diamond’s 35mm stanchions help produce a stiff, accurate steering chassis - DVO
Also available in green - DVO
Once we had the Diamond dialled, it was sensitive enough to retain good traction on dry trails without compromising hard-hitting capabilities - Steve Behr
High- and low-speed compression adjustment on the Diamond is impressively comprehensive - Steve Behr

Breaking into the trail fork market, especially at this sort of price, is a tough ask. But DVO has come out swinging with its first single-crown fork.

The Diamond’s 35mm stanchions help produce a stiff, accurate steering chassis. It's more than happy being properly pummelled into the rough stuff at speed. Related: DVO Diamond fork - first look

Alongside the easy-to-adjust air spring there’s DVO’s OTT (Off The Top) adjuster. This adjusts the negative spring, altering how the initial part of the stroke feels.

High- and low-speed compression adjustment on the diamond is impressively comprehensive:

High- and low-speed compression adjustment on the Diamond is impressively comprehensiveWe found the range of adjustment (a full 14 turns) very noticeable, and dialled in our 160mm travel test fork so it was sensitive enough off of the top to claw traction from dry and loose summer trails, without compromising its hard-hitting ability or support on steeper trails.A closed-cartridge bladder takes care of damping duties, offering easy-to-use, adjustable high- and low-speed compression adjustment. Hammer into a series of repetitive hits, and the control is seriously impressive.

Also available in green:

The Diamond is also available in green

Although it’s not quite as slick as the Fox 36 in the really choppy stuff, the Diamond can hold its own when things get ugly. At 2.16kg (uncut steerer), it’s heavier than its direct competition though.

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Robin Weaver

Technical editor-in-chief

Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Rob first graced the pages of MBUK back in 2001 when working as a freelance writer and went on to start testing bikes for the title in 2007. In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Rob’s expansive knowledge of bikes comes courtesy of his passion for racing. He cut his teeth racing cross-country mountain bikes in the early 90s before finding his feet in downhill. After many years competing on the UK national circuit (including a year attempting to race UCI DH World Cups), Rob realised his know-how and passion for bike setup, tech and writing clearly outweighed his racing ability. A degree in sports technology and decades of riding experience all help to give Rob a thorough understanding of what’s needed to create a great bike or product. While Rob’s a mountain biker at heart and never happier than when he’s sliding down a Welsh hillside, he’s more than happy to put the miles in on the road or gravel bike, too.
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