You don't see a build like this very often, especially not in the sports class. The basis of the Rubin is a really light and, thanks to large-volume and/or transversely ovalised tubes, very stiff aluminium frame and fork; if you look at the reach and stack values, the bike is on a par with the Rose and Koga, but you sit much more upright on it. Thanks to the cable tunnel and the spacers above the head tube, as well as the rather high handlebars, the sporty frame becomes more of a city bike with extremely manoeuvrable and dynamic riding characteristics. This not only makes it easier to make progress and fast manoeuvres through the inner cities of Germany, the huge cassette and the record-breaking payload with a maximum system weight of 136 kilos are just waiting to be packed up and pedalled through the countryside.
In contrast to real city bikes, the setup of the Diamant Rubin makes it quite easy to pedal in the cradle, as the grips are relatively high but not so close to the body. When set up like this, the biomechanics suffer a little when pedalling really hard, but this can be avoided by making full use of the wide gear range. Of the eleven sprockets, however, you're more likely to use only seven or eight in everyday riding, and even then you might wish for one or two intermediate sizes uphill. You can get up (almost) anywhere, but the setup isn't perfect for climbing and sporty cycling. But that's rarely what you want in this position, so the mix is pretty good so far, including the traffic equipment.
What kind of bike is this Diamond Ruby Legere?
This is the only bike in the test that comes with full road equipment, which is why it was allowed to weigh up to 14 kilos. This fact categorises the Rubin even more as a city runabout and lightweight comfort touring bike. Even more remarkable is the neat cable routing, considering the extra electrical wiring that the bike has to hide. The fitter has gone a little overboard with the length of the front hydraulic cable. You rarely get such a tidy look with aftermarket lights, plates and brackets.
If it was already difficult to define the sports bike category with this combination of dynamics and comfort, we can't think of a word for the Diamant Rubin - a semi-sports bike perhaps? If you don't fancy a pedelec, don't want to waste your energy on a heavy city or trekking bike and are also keen on the fast steering behaviour, even with a load on the handlebars or fork, you can save a lot of money with this bike and be a few tenths slower.
Conclusion on the Diamant Rubin Legere in the MYBIKE test
Where a Koga or Rose suffer in terms of touring suitability due to a lack of payload, the Diamant loses sportiness points due to its comfort position. But: Just as not everyone wants to go on a bikepacking tour, not everyone is in the mood for speed. The Rubin Legere is a wonderful compromise here. It's not a record-breaking bike, but it's light in terms of equipment, and it's a real bargain and comes with a 40-year warranty! - Timo Dillenberger, MYBIKE editor
MYBIKE tip: City/Allday 1/2024
The most important information about the Diamant Rubin Legere
- Weight: 13.2 kg
- Price: 1099 Euro
- Frameset: Aluminium
- Maximum system weight: 136 kg
- Frame sizes: M, L XL
- Seat tube / top tube: 508 / 571 mm
- Stack / Reach / SR quotient*: 586 / 398 mm / 1,47
- Wheelbase: 1070 mm
- Drive: Shimano Deore 1 x 11 gears, ProWheel crank 42 teeth, Deore cassette 11-51 teeth
- Brakes: Shimano MT201 hydraulic disc brakes, 160 / 160 mm, MT201 brake lever
- Wheels / tyres: Aluminium wheels 28", 32 spokes 2mm steel / Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Lite, 700 x 35C
- Saddle / handlebars: Selle Royal Vivo / aluminium riser 69.2 cm
*SR ratio: calculates the ratio of height to length of the frame; the higher the value, the more elongated the geometry
