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If you’ve had the pleasure of reading my reviews of the Best 6 Cheap Mountain Bikes currently for sale on Amazon, you will have undoubtedly noticed that Diamondback’s mountain bike offerings figure prominently into the discussion.
Diamondback is a unique company. Most bike manufacturers are hesitant to sell their products online. And for good reason, too. Bikes need regular maintenance. Sometimes there are warranty issues. And if you don’t get the right size, they are awfully uncomfortable to ride.
And your local bike shop is excellent at handling all of these issues. It’s challenging for Diamondback to meet those demands through the faceless anonymity of the internet.
A High-Quality, Affordable Bike Without Local Bike Shop Prices
What Diamondback recognizes, is that there are a lot of us who will never be able to afford the bikes in our local bike shop. We do our own maintenance by watching youtube videos. And we’re ok with getting our sizing off of a bike chart.
Especially when that means we can save several hundred dollars on our bike.
Frankly, the bikes that Diamondback makes are every bit as durable as the ones you will buy at your local bike store. I should know — I’ve sold and worked on plenty of both.
However, when you buy a Diamondback bike online, you are cutting out the middleman.
The One Thing I Would Recommend…
These bikes come mostly assembled, but there is quite a bit of tweaking required. Typically, you can get your local bike shop to assemble them and deal with the headache of getting all of the cables run and gears adjusted correctly for about $60.It’s money well spent.
I’ve seen frustrated customers come in with brand new Diamondbacks ” I just can’t get it right”.
More times than not, there is something not right with the way the bike was shipped from the factory — sometimes the derailleur is put on wrong, or the cranks weren’t tightened down to spec and are literally about to fall off.
Minor issues. It’s stuff you see with any brand and that can be easily caught during the professional assembly of a bike. But it’s a pain in the rear if you don’t know what you are working with and are trying to assemble the bike in your bedroom.
The Importance Of High-End Components
When you shop for a bike at your local bike store, you are quickly going to realize that the only real difference between bikes is their components.Most bike companies only make the frame of the bike. So, if you are buying a Trek, that means that you are getting a Trek-designed frame. Most of the rest of the components — wheels, shifters, tires — Are made by some factory overseas. And all of their competition get their parts from the same few factories.
Now, granted, there are some exceptions to this rule, but generally, when you pay extra for a certain brand, you are paying extra for the frame.
Diamondback Warranty
Diamondback has a pretty good warranty system. Generally speaking, it is going to be a lifetime warranty on the frame. Full-suspension mountain bikes get a 5-year warranty on the frame.
In most cases, warranty situations are handled by a local dealer. You take the bike into them and get it fixed and they send the bill to the manufacturer. However, with the Diamondback, you might have a harder time finding a dealer and may have to spend more time talking with Diamondback to figure out how to get something repaired if something goes wrong.
Thankfully, warranty issues on these bikes should be few and far between. But it is good to know about.
How Much Will A Diamondback Bike Cost?
As with anything, it will depend on which bike you are looking at. However, you can expect to pay $200-$500 less for a Diamondback Bike than you would for a competitor’s bike of similar quality.
Most Diamondback mountain bike prices start at just over $300. However, if you are serious about off-road riding, you will want to spend about $500. Feeling rich, you can spend all the way up to $2,500 for their top-of-the-line full-suspension mountain bike.
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Diamondback Mountain Bikes Vs Giant Mountain Bikes
Giant makes an incredible product, and in bike shop terms, may very well be the most similar to the Diamondback model. I’ve always known their bikes to be some of the most comfortable, and they are all well-built and well-configured.
Plus, their stuff is ridden by multiple professional teams.
I would put them about equal with the Diamondbacks, especially on the low end. However, as you jump up to the $500 price point, the value and bike packages that you get in the Diamondback greatly exceed that of the Giant bikes for the same price point.
Diamondback Mountain Bikes Vs Haro Mountain Bikes
This one is tough. I love both brands. There is a lot about the Haro bike design which reminds me of the Diamondback design. However, when you sit down and go component-by-component, you typically find that the Diamondback bikes are typically going to be a little cheaper.
Regarding ride quality, I find that I enjoy the Diamondback bike a little bit more. It seems as though the Haro isn’t quite as well balanced front-to-rear. But that’s just my opinion.
Diamondback Mountain Bikes Vs GT Mountain Bikes
Seven years ago I would have picked the GT over the Diamondback every time. They used to offer some of the best mountain bike packages available anywhere. Then Pacific Cycles (their parent company) sold out to the Chinese or something and it all went to heck.
Now I’d only take a GT bike off-road if you dared me and offered a sizable wad of cash. They are heavy, clunky, and have more than their share of mismatched components.
On this comparison, Diamondback wins.
Diamondback Mountain Bikes Vs Mongoose Mountain Bikes
These two shouldn’t even be compared with each other. They aren’t even in the same league.
However, I know a lot of us grew up saving our pennies so that we could even think of affording a Mongoose.
And so now we think that they are “wonderful” and “amazing”.
Ahem.
Can I be mean for a minute? If you think Mongooses are amazing, you probably have never gotten a chance to ride a bike-shop-level bike. You need to run down to your local bike shop and ride any bike in the store. You’ll immediately see what I’m trying to say...
The nicest Mongoose bike is not going to be as durable, or have the warranty of a Diamondback. Plus they tend to have sizing issues and don’t fit very comfortably for more than around-the-block riding.
Bottom line is, friends, don’t let friends ride Mongooses (Mongeese?).
Ready to pick out The Ideal DiamondBack Mountain Bike? This Review Shows You My Favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: Diamondback or Trek?
The average Trek bike is built with the highest quality disc brakes which are better preferred by long-distance riders and off-road bikers. They are strong and quite reliable in all types of weather and on different terrain. However, Diamondback as a whole offers tons of other benefits in the long run. And while their brakes aren’t as resilient as those from Trek, they still offer much-needed reliability.
Are Diamondback bikes made in China?
Yes and no. It’s a little complicated, to say the least, but the main gist of things is that Diamondback bikes are made by Kinesis Industries, a Taiwanese-based company. However, this Taiwanese company operates through a factory in China that specializes in frames and forks. If you’re concerned about your money going through China, well, it’s kind of a hit or miss with this brand.
What mountain bikes are made in the USA?
Well, there aren’t all that many bike brands that have all of their operations based in the USA, but these ones are among them, so if you want to purchase something 100% American-made, here is the list you’ve been waiting for:
- 313 BICYCLE WORKS
- BILENKY
- CHUMBA USA
- DEAN BIKES
- ELLSWORTH BIKES
- FIREFLY BICYCLES
- FOES RACING
- INDEPENDENT FABRICATION
- INTENSE CYCLES
- LITE SPEED
- LYNSKEY PERFORMANCE
- MOCCASIN BEND BICYCLE
- MOOTS
- QUIRING CYCLES
- ROCK LOBSTER CYCLES
- SENECA CYCLEWORKS
- SEVEN CYCLES YES
- SLINGSHOT BIKES
- TURNER BIKES
- VASSAGO CYCLES
- VENTANA USA YES
- BLACK SHEEP BICYCLES
- BREAD WINNER CYCLES
- DURANGO BIKE COMPANY
- GUERRILLA GRAVITY
- MOSAIC CYCLES
- 44 BIKES
- Milwaukee Bikes
- Sklar
Final Thoughts
Diamondback is a brand that indeed makes reliable bikes of all types. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced cyclist, you can’t go wrong by choosing a bike model offered by this company. With all of that said and done, feel free to browse the rest of my website to find even more affordable and reliable bikes and brands.
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