![The Diamondback El Oso Dos is all the Fat Bike you Need [Review]](https://www.electricfatbikereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DB-El-Oso-8709.jpg)
The Diamondback El Oso Dos is all of the Fats Bike you Want [Review]
If mountain bikes are a luxurious, then fats bikes are a nook suite on the Wynn, with a five-star breakfast delivered to your sofa whereas you consider which sports activities automobile you wish to lease for the day. In different phrases, they’re pointless. Fats bikes, for many of us, praise the opposite bikes within the storage, quite than outline the storage. Like most “pointless” objects in life, they’re meant for enjoyable and leisure, and the Diamondback El Oso delivers this luxurious at an inexpensive worth.
The El Oso fleet has been within the Diamondback lineup for some time, however the bikes have seen a revision up to now few years and are actually represented with the Uno, Dos, and Tres designations quite than Grande, Gordo, and De Acero. The three El Osos (bears) are all distinct in construct package and intent.
The $850 El Oso Uno is a base degree fats bike with a metal body and fork, mechanical disc brakes, a 2×9 drivetrain, and “cruiser” tires. The $2,000 El Oso Tres is a extra aggressive model of the fats bike, with an aluminum body, a 100mm journey Manitou fork, a 1×11 drivetrain, Maxxis Minion FBF and FBR tires, and Shimano hydraulic brakes. El Oso fashions can be found for buy at Diamondback.com, REI, and other online retailers.
The El Oso Dos that I’ve been using clearly suits within the center, for $1,500. The construct package on the aluminum Dos means that it’s made for mountainous fats biking. There are hydraulic TRP Slate disc brakes, and 26×4.5″ Kenda Juggernaut tires. Riders can match as much as five-inch-wide tires.
Within the rear, Diamondback match a 10-speed, 11-42T cassette to a 2-speed, 24/36T chainring within the entrance. There’s completely no suspension, and no dropper publish, so it’s a true fully-rigid bike, and the 740mm-wide handlebars and 70mm stem praise its XC fashion.
On my medium take a look at bike, the Dos has a tall-ish standover peak of 804mm, a head tube angle of 68.5°, a seat tube angle of 74°, a short-ish wheelbase of 1,155mm, a chainstay lengh of 460mm, and a conservative attain of 434mm.
That’s a number of adjectives to explain the geometry, and a few of them have been chosen in relevance to extra fashionable full-suspension mountain bikes. Fats bike geometry has not progressed like full-suspension geometry, however as I’ve discovered, it hasn’t been all that vital.
Driving the Bear
Most of us aren’t using a fats bike like a full-suspension path bike, or perhaps a hardtail within the peak of our summer time efficiency. The XC-nature of the geometry and elements on the El Oso give it a way more responsive really feel which may very well be simple to lose on a motorbike with 4.5-inch-wide tires.
Whereas the attain of the bike on paper at 434mm appears quick, with the 70mm stem, the cockpit of the El Oso by no means felt cramped for my 5’8″ peak within the medium body. Whereas I usually need nothing to do with bikes that include a 70mm stem, the traction is healthier displaced on the entrance finish and it makes for a snug climbing place.
I received’t say it’s the proper arrange. The 740mm huge handlebars may very well be wider. I believe 750mm huge bars, and a 60mm stem would additionally work effectively on the El Oso and provides it a extra fashionable path bike really feel.
Uphill traction is fairly stable, relying on the situations after all. I ran the Kenda Juggernauts with about 7.5psi they usually have a stable quantity of chew in them within the snow, apart from the occasional slip in a standing uphill climb or round a nook.
The El Oso nonetheless feels slack sufficient for a enjoyable and sketchy descent every so often, despite the fact that you’ll definitely be over the bars extra with the longer stem. You’ll even be up good and excessive with the inflexible publish except you’ve dropped it earlier than a descent.
The place the El Oso shines is thru rolling climbs and descents and swooping corners. The tires could also be fats, however as an entire, the Bear feels responsive and vigorous with its geometry.
I didn’t have issues with any of the elements. Even the fast launch on the seat publish feels fairly good. The Shimano 2×10 drivetrain didn’t throw me any surprises, for higher or worse. The efficiency met what I’d anticipate from a Deore 2×10 drivetrain. It’s fairly easy and quick however not too quick.
I do really feel prefer it’d be price it for Diamondback to entertain the concept of a 1x drivetrain, or a dropper publish on the El Oso. $1,500 clearly isn’t lots for a brand new bike, however contemplating that it’s absolutely inflexible and fats bike expertise isn’t all that unique anymore, a 1x drivetrain or base-level dropper publish appear potential at this worth level and both one would make an enormous distinction within the journey expertise.
The prized element on the El Oso are the TRP brakes, that are dependable, highly effective, and have good modulation. That stated, I’d nonetheless sacrifice some braking efficiency for a greater drivetrain or a dropper publish.
Closing phrase
For $1,500, the Diamondback El Oso Dos is a reasonably snug spend, contemplating that the fats bike will in all probability be a 3rd or fourth bike for somebody who simply desires to get out within the winter. El Oso riders can have a blast with the bike out of the field, or purchase a number of small upgrades to make an already enjoyable bike much more enjoyable.
⭐️ Discover the Diamondback El Oso at Diamondback.com, REI, and other online retailers.
