In association with Sombrio

The Diamondback Sync is the latest addition to the Diamondback family range of alloy hardtails. With prices starting at £375 and topping out at just under £500, the bikes are targeted squarely at new riders.

>>> Hardtail of the Year 2017: £500-£1,000 (VIDEO)

Don’t think for a minute though, that the top-end Sync 4.0 is a budget bike. The hydroformed aluminium frame, with its hourglass headtube, asymmetric down tube and cable routing that’s tucked neatly under the top tube to keep it as far away from dirt as possible, makes for a seriously sleek package.

It even has routing for stealth dropper post, which is a good indication that Diamondback designed this bike for upgrading, not discarding, as you’re riding progresses.

Watch: Hardtail of the Year 2017

Another plus point for Diamondback is that it’s the only bike here, other than the Vitus, where we didn’t have to cut the seat post down just so we could drop the saddle for descending. Sure it means sacrificing the second set of bottle cage mounts, but that’s a small price to pay.

At 14.67kg (32.34lb), the Diamondback is the heaviest bike in the sub £500 category; not that you could tell out on the trail.

It has a great riding position and simply rockets up climbs, the fast rolling Schwalbe Rapid Rob tyres living up to their name.

Unfortunately the low-profile knobs and narrow width casing undermine grip and comfort on the descents, opening the door for Specialized to inch ahead in the ratings.

So even though the Diamondback has a superior drivetrain that includes a low-profile Shimano Deore Shadow rear mech, it needs better tyres to unlock its full potential.