Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

Why did you buy a Diamondback?

57K views 147 replies 97 participants last post by  MiWolverine 
#1 ·
I have to admit that the reason I bought my Overdrive was it seemed to be the best bang for the buck locally. I was able to get it for $459 at REI through and internet deal and had it shipped to the store for free. It was the cheapest 29er with disk brakes I could find that seemed to be decent quality and rate well. Also, REI's life time satisfaction guarantee and liberal return policy on things was a reason I chose to buy first bike from them. Not that I will take advantage of that but their customer service is top notch.

Basically the Overdrive was something to get me in the sport cheaply but next year, I would like to get a FS 29er and am looking to spend between $2k and $3k

That being said, it opens my choices way up to most brands.
Why would I want to stick to Diamondback?

Reason I ask, as I see no high end DB's on the trails.
In fact, I see no DB's on the trails other than a couple who has a his and hers and they are basic 26" v-brake bikes so I know they probably based their decision on price.

Not that having the same bike as everyone else matters to me, but there is something to say about popularity and quality. If all your serious riders are choosing particular brands, there is an obvious reason for it.

So why did you buy your first and/or last DB?

Was it price, comfort, brand loyalty, you liked the color, or some other reason all together?
 
See less See more
#38 ·
In my BMX days I rode a Reactor and had some great times with it. Always loved the pricepoint of Diamondback...I never keep my bikes stock so I usually just bought whatever frame I liked and slowly customized.

I got my response from my brother who got it dirt cheap from a sports authority. It was sitting in the back...i guess it came missing some parts. For a cross-country bike...this little hardtail has been great to me.

My next bike will be a used Mission once I get the funds. Need a full suspension bike to go along with my hardtail.
 
#41 ·
Bought a '12 Overdrive from Amazon as an entry 29er with good components. Getting back on the horse and moving on from a 2005 FS Walgoose. It functions very well for what it was supposed to be - a pure mountain bike. However, I had a little more utility in mind and am finding it limited when it comes to rack and fender mounting. Not sure whether I should do a frame swap or something else. Considering seeing this summer if I deserve a dedicated mountain bike. If so, I might strip it back to stock and enjoy it in its purest form.

Do other people consider them relatively light? I think it's quite light, while ironically I care very little for light weight. Every ounce of bike is that many more calories to burn for me...
 
#42 ·
Just purchase the 2013 Sortie Comp. I get a pro discount (60% off). But even without it I think the components and bike are worth the $2800 MSRP. Where else will you get fox ctd 32 fork, fox ctd rear, xt rear mech, Deore front mech, hydraulic shimano brakes for that price.
 
#46 · (Edited)
A "Pro Discount" is reserved for those who work in the industry, retail or Government Service.
For the Retail side for example, if you work for an LBS, Performance Bike, Nashbar, Dick's Sporting Goods or Sports Authority, you will need to take an on line coarse by a 3rd party.
Expertcity, is the parent company of 3Point5 and Promotive.The Training criteria is set up by Diamondback.Once you pass that training that covers the Brand/company History and focus,Technologies like DB's Knuckle Box suspension for example.Then how to qualifiy the proper ride to your customer,you recieve FAT discounts, sometimes off of the wholesale or at cost price as well not just the MSRP.I get this discount off of four other bike brands and many others too like Mountain Hardwear, Pearl Izumi, the North Face and Keen etc. If you pass with a close to perfect score you may get even more than off wholesale, not just retail.The more you learn the igger the discount.The tests are timed also. So, to get that nice discount you have to get all questions right and in the fastest time possible.
Unfortinately, some companies look down on this 3rd party training and their customers suffer. For example Dick's Sporting Goods prefer the employees dont use this training, nor make purchases from there... depending on the manager they feel it takes away from their own discounted sales, interupts incoming shippments of regular stock, and becouse they do not allow you to complete this training on the clock, is a form of working off the time clock.
If you cross shop a Diamondback Overdrive from Dick's or Sports authority to Performance, REI or an LBS you will see the BIG differance that comes trained and not trained by this quality incentive.
 
#49 ·
3 point 5 is a professional discount offered to people who work in retail. It is actually part of promotive which expands the pro discount out to others such as military, police, and other professionals who might use the product more than your average person. It is how a lot of company's get their product "tested and approved" by military and police.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
#50 ·
I choose Diamondback because it's all ive ever ridden for a mountain bike! My first was a 97 DBR Vlink 3.2, Then I had an 03 XTS moto both of which I bought used for cheap and have sold. and I just got an 01 XSL Race also bough used for a great price!! cant wait to tear up some trails on it!
 
#51 ·
I got my because the overall quality in my opinion was better than what other models were in it's class. The frame build was what sold me I know the components aren't meant for hard riding which was perfect for me cause it's more of a commuter bike than trail bike. And if your patient and look you can find upgraded components at great prices.
 
#52 ·
I bought mine because it was cheap. I don't care about bells and whistles. Whatever breaks gets replaced with better spec. The frame welds were perfect. I've seen other bikes more expensive with worse welds. I admit I did everything possible not to buy one but for the price I couldn't pass it up. I've changed everything but the wheels and frame and it's a great bike. Besides like everything else now a days the bikes are all made in the same factory most likely so it didn't really matter to me.
 
#53 ·
Bought my Overdrive because it was cheap & I was broke. Wanted something to ride. Rode it for awile then parked it. Didn't live in a area good gor cycling.
last year I moved. MUCH better area for cycling & mtb riding.


I cracked the frame on that bike. My Warranty thread. This is the bike Diamondback replaced with.


I do like the new bike but wish it had SRAM instead of Shimano. Mostly I do not like integrated shifters and brake levers. Entry level SRAM X4 just seemed to work better shifting than Acera.

But it gets me on the trails grinning like a lunatic.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
 
#55 ·
Maybe. Just going to ride the snot out of it. Need to pay a few bills off then change the fork.

Oh, the brakes are Promax not the Tektro speced on website. Still does the job and I do have a new set of BB7s to swap out

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
 
#57 ·
I bought my 2011 Recoil Comp as my first real mountain bike, with full suspension at that. Its a good frame to slowly upgrade on, and not a lot of people own them either, so it is slightly unique. I haven't been riding all too much this summer, because I needed money to upgrade the pogo stick of death fork. Have a SR Suntour Epicon in the mail which I plan on using 120mm travel. I'll hopefully live in Utah next year, which is going to be some really good riding (I'll just have to watch for those pesky rattlers). Eventually I plan on having a nice little 1x10 trail bike that would probably retail for around $1,200-1500

Eventually I'd love to get into downhill/freeride style riding (I already pretty much the down parts of trails) and I would love to buy a upper Mission or Scapegoat once my riding abilities of that type riding outgrow my Recoil Comp (so, after I master beginner trails basically)
 
#59 ·
Money

I bought my used 2011 sortie 29er 1 frame/fox fork/+ a few extras off ebay for the same price I would have paid just for a comparable frame from one of the big names. I've had it for 2 years now and it is still joy to ride. 75% of the bikes around here a Trek, specialized, or cannondale so it is kind of cool to have something different.
 
#61 ·
I bought my overdrive sport because it was the first "like new" condition bike that came available within my price range on craigslist. I wanted 29er/27.5er, hydro discs, and lockout fork for under $400.00. Looking back I could have done without the LO fork as I never use that feature.

No regrets whatsoever. This bike got me back into a sport I forgot I loved. Sometimes I wish I was on a full suspension, sometimes I want more slack, sometimes I miss my old 26er, but sometimes this bike is nearly perfect. Just depends on where I ride and which lines I choose. I probably wont buy another Diamondback anytime soon because my next bike will be a 26er full squish AM bike and I plan to keep this 29er my lighter duty bike.
 
#63 ·
I bought my 2014 Sortie because I had a considerable discount. Nothing could come close spec - wise for the money. Most folks seemed to speak highly of the Knuckebox design so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, I absolutely love the bike. The welds on the frame are well done and all else is good quality. I wouldn't hesitate to buy Diamondback again.
 
#64 ·
I think DB gets a bad rap is because they make low end bikes, but they also make High end bikes. I bought mine as a leftover waaaaaay back in 1998, beautiful black sorrento. I am a cheap @$$ by nature so it was a struggle to spend $300+ on a bicycle, but I did it, that bike is still in my garage I just put another 23 miles on it yesterday. I think DB changed ownership shortly after that, and the started selling bikes at dept stores I think I saw one at Target even. That has a way of setting a tone for "walmart bikes", I think though that the good ones are as good as any others in their price point. I just found out that I get 40% off DB through work. so as soon as I get the money togeather I think I am going to drop some cash on DB axis comp or overdrive comp. I hope I am right and not setting myself up for failure, but I just cant cut loose with $1000+ for a bike right now.
 
#65 ·
Long story short I use to really enjoy mountain biking when I was younger before college. Now after a few years of college, a few beers and a few pounds later I wanted to get back into shape. I figured why not combine my health goals with a past love. This led to me ordering a 2015 Diamondback Mission 2.0 (size large). My last bike was a hard tail with a cheapo RockShox. It's been a hell of a learning curve but I've loved every minute of it so far! One of the main reasons I chose diamondback is I work at an outdoor store and was able to order my bike brand new for $1840 shipped to my work. Not bad for a $3800 bike I gotta say lol.

 
#66 ·
I always wanted to try mountain biking so I bought an end of the year 2012 Recoil for $300. Rode it stock for two years until a month ago when I did my first upgrade. A set of Answer Rove pedals. For my style of riding, the heavy 35 lbs weight, the so called "pogo" stick suspensions that every talked about didn't bothered me at all. I made do with what I had for 2 years. Now, slowly but surely, I started eyeing a new rear shock. Looking into a Manitou Radium, a DVM or maybe even an X-Fusion. The annoucement of the new Shimano XT 8000 seems interesting and reasonably priced. Will wait and see.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top