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Submitted by
JIMMY Z
a Weekend Warrior
from point pleasantn nj
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | MANASQUAN RESERVOIR | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | DICKS | | Strengths: | AWESOME LOOKS, MEAN!! AGGRESSIVE TREAD TIRES, DISC BRAKES STOP ON A DIME. Full Suspension | | Weaknesses: | The SEAT!!! Why did they bother offering this as a seat...Just assume use a sheet of plywood!!! I quickly switched to a full Gel- a No Brainer | | Similar Products Used: | 1986 Full Chrome Diamonback Mountain Bike. Still have to this day. Another awesome bike...but back in '86...nobody knew what a "Mountain Bike" was really so everyones Jaws dropped when I rode by. | | Bike Setup: | Seat-'Nuff said...Oh yeah...the pedals...stock ones were way too small for my size 13 Dogs! | | Bottom Line: | Look...$ 6' Bills is enough to spend on a Bike that I think is as awesome looking as any plus offers good quality components.....Can't ask for anything. 6 years now and shes still running strong!!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve
a Downhiller
from allison park,Pa,
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | dicks | | Strengths: | deraillers,frame,discs,tires, | | Weaknesses: | cranks,rims, | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bottom Line: | i like the bike but the first time i road it the back rim cracked on me and i had to take it back to dicks,and made them give me a new one | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tequila Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$390.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Price, frame, tires, rims, disc brakes, rear derailleur | | Weaknesses: | Saddle, Front derailleur. | | Similar Products Used: | I've test drove a Fuji Discovery 3 ($650), K2 Attack 1.0 ($715), Iron Horse Sinister($825). I bought my D'back for $390 because the LBS was going out of business. This was thier liquidation sale. Regular price was $650. | | Bike Setup: | Stock Coil SS except with new Velo Plush saddle & Marzocchi Marathon SL fork. | | Bottom Line: | First and foremost, we must remember that this is a $550 dollar full suspension bike and not to expect the performance of a $3000 FS bike. With this in mind, this bike is a very good value for the money.
The Frame
Diamond back advertises the frame as a 6061 aluminum alloy but my frame sticker says 7005. I've read that 7005 is stronger and lighter than 6061 but 6061 is the proffered alloy of the more expensive bikes because it is easier to work with and weld. Unlike 7005, 6061 aluminum need to be heat treated after fabrication to obtain optimal strengths and that probably adds to the cost of the frame too. 6061 is deemed nore durable than 7005 in the long run. All this doesn't matter for a entry level bike. This frame seems strong and well built with reinforced gusets and consistent welds. Nice paint & clear coat too.
The Suspension
The Suntour SR XCP 75 front fork is durable and stiff. It doesn't flex much on braking or bumps. The preload adjustment didn't do too much to stiffen or soften up the ride. I never achieved the full 4" of travel as advertised but I haven't taken the bike off any huge drops. The only reason why I changed the fork out for a Marzocchi was because the LBS was going out of business and I got a smokin' deal.
The X-Fusion Tuff Shock on the rear does its job. Unlike the front fork, the preload adjustment actually makes a difference. It would be nice if it had rebound control to rid the "springboard" feeling at times. (Oh yeah, forgot that this was a $550 bike)
The Brakes
The Pro-Max mechanical disc brakes do their job well. After I broke them in, I can easily lock up the rear tires or send myself over the handlebars. Most brand name junkies will tell you they are crap because they are not Hayes or Shimano hydraulic. Perhaps, but those brakes are worth at least half the cost of this whole bike.
The Tires & Rims
Awesome meaty WTB Motoraplor 26x2.4 tires. They will give you great traction on any wet or dry singletrack. Due to their size, they also handle above average on loose sand and gravel. The Rims are still true and have not bent or warped under my abuse.
The Seat
One word... OUCH!. This thing is as hard as a rock. Some may like it or are use to the backend abuse but I switched mine out for a Velo Plush.
Derailleurs
The Deore Rear works like a charm. It switches gears immediately without any hesitation or skipping. A funny thing is happening. Whenever I compress the rear shock from a big bump or drop, it switches to a higher gear. Wierd. Probably needs more slack in the cable or adjustment.
The Shimano ST-EF29 front derailleur doesn't work as well as the Deore. It usually takes about 5-10 seconds before it shifts up to the larger chain rings. There are no problems dropping to the lower chain ring. It probably needs adjustment but I haven't been able to fine tun it enough to make it behave.
Cranks & Pedals
Crank works. No problems encountered thus far.
The pedals always flip upside down when idle. You need to conciously flip them & place your feet on the propoer side when you start pedalling. (Minor inconvienience)
The Diamondback Coil SS is an excellent valued, FS bike recreational bike. It is not a specialized Downhill, Extreme or X-Country bike and it would be unfair to compare it to those. Before buying it, I tested 3 other recreational FS bikes. Fuji Discovery 3 ($650), K2 Attack 1.0 ($715), Iron Horse Sinister DS($825) I found that this bike handled much better than the Fuji & K2 and had disc brakes & much better tires. The D'back's performance was comparable to the more expensive Iron Horse.
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Submitted by
J
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | ant hills? | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | SW SCHWINN | | Strengths: | Strength of frame (obviously)except for shock
| | Weaknesses: | can't ride in HOUSTON
pedals will kill your calves if the crank doesn't fail first35lb XC bike???????????????? | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | diamondback needs a new rear shock for thsi freeride
limited bike | | Bottom Line: | Give this bike to a dealer to get suped up for jumping downhill
rear shock bites~I think
get a 4"
I chose the wrong bike for my trip through town
it is 6061 not 7005 which is fine cause it is 35 lbs not 25 | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron Martin- Colby
a Weekend Warrior
from North Kingstown, RI, USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Rome Point | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Ron's Bicycle Shop | | Strengths: | See below | | Weaknesses: | Pedals | | Similar Products Used: | See below | | Bottom Line: | UPDATE: This is an update to my previous review. I was forced to replace the pedals seeing they bent to the point of unusability. I also accidentally went off a 10-15 foot drop onto hard rock and blew out the rear shock, but that was expected. So yes, pedals are kind of weak and we now know what NOT to do with this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron MC
a Weekend Warrior
from North Kingstown, RI, USA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Rome Point | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Ron's Bicycle Shop | | Strengths: | Frame, shifters, tires, fork. | | Weaknesses: | Rear shock, brick-like seat, cheap disc brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Countless Mongooses. | | Bike Setup: | Stock, except for new brake pads and seat. | | Bottom Line: | For 550 bucks the CoilSS is a very tough bike to beat. My bike has been completely trouble free and I've put it through some decent abuse.
The seat was a beast. It ate my ass alive. I swapped it out for a comfier gel seat that is far nicer to my rear quarters. The disc brakes also had a VERY long break-in time... like 50 miles long. But once they were broken in, they have decent stopping power. They may underperform other discs, but they certainly outperform even the best pull brakes. The rear shock is also very weak and noisy. I've found a good setting that absorbs a lot, and doesn't ground out at the slightest thought of a bump, but that took awhile. The shock in general is kinda crappy.
The frame, front suspension, deuraillers, and shifters are all GREAT, Especially when you consider the sub $600 price point. The tires are another strong point... they are enormous. These monsters will chew into any terrain. All things considered, the bike is a solid deal and worthy purchase of anyone who does more than a $300 jobbie can handle, yet not enough to warrant DH level hardware. I love my bike so far and would heartily recommend it to anyone else in the market.
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Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from Bobcaygeon, ON
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Martin's Sugar Bush | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | Midtown Sports | | Strengths: | Frame, Tires, seat | | Weaknesses: | cranks, pedallers, pedals, rear suspension, front suspension | | Bottom Line: | This is an update from my last review. This bike has been nothing but a nightmare, since my last report. I have had to take it back to the shop on a regular basis. The pedallers have fell off several times and left me stranded. The front suspension became impossible to adjust. This weekend during a race the rear suspension broke 20 mins into my first lap. I took it back today for a refund. This bike spent more time getting fixed than it did on the trail. I didn't abuse it, or use it in any unruley manner, it just didn't hold up over a three month period. Cudos to Midtown for giving me a refund, for a poor product. BUYER BEWARE. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Price, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Deckers | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, disc brakes, huge wheels, nice shifters, full suspension, bad arse looks. | | Weaknesses: | bobs alot when you stand up (maybe it needs adjusting), cheap uncomfortable seat | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | stock with a longer seatpost (raceface) and a terry saddle | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a great value for the money. I wanted to get into biking, but didn't wanna blow a ton of money (I tend to get into things and quickly loose interest). This bike has got me hooked on the sport. I ride alot of mountain trails and this bike rocks. It is super smooth and easy to control. However, I have never been on a really expensive bike so I have nothing to compare with. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to try out a full suspension bike and not wanting to blow a couple of grand. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron Jermyn
a Cross Country Rider
from Bobcaygeon ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | Midtown Sports, Lindsay, ON | | Strengths: | Frame, Tires, Disc Brakes, Deore derailleurs, rear-suspension | | Weaknesses: | Front Fork (suntour) | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | no upgrades as of yet. (first thing I'll change is the front fork) | | Bottom Line: | For the money this is a great bike. I have been pounding it x-country, downhill, up steep climbs and through technical rocky sections. It has held its own in every situation. The low end suntour shock leaves something to desired. There is a slight "bob" in the ride on a steep climbs, and when you stand up to really go the suspension gives too much. This is the first time that I have road a bike with disk breaks, and they are worth every penny. If you are looking for a bike in the beginner to intermediate range with a full suspension you can't beat this bike for the money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin R
a Downhiller
from Brooklyn, Ny, US
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Usually Downhill, but what ever i find | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Roys Sheep Shead Cycle Shop | | Strengths: | ProMax Disk Brakes, 2.4" Tires, Compnents, Good Ground Clearance,Grips(WTB), Handle Bar, And Much More. | | Weaknesses: | I didnt find any quite yet, but then again, i only have it for about a day. | | Similar Products Used: | DiamondBack X-10, Diamondback XTL Trail, | | Bike Setup: | All STOCK, GREAT PARTS, DONT LISTEN TO THE OTHER REVIEW WITH THAT DUMMY. | | Bottom Line: | THE bottom line is that it is worth every penny, i took it out to the trails and the WTB MOTORAPTOR 2.4 inch tires gave me the best traction, and its one of the best looking bikes in the world. IF you have the 550.00 dollars, than i would recommend you to buy it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe B.
a Cross Country Rider
from Cypress, CA
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$560.00 | | Purchased At: | Mainstreet Cyclery | | Strengths: | Disc brakes, relatively cheap, decent weight at 32 lbs. | | Weaknesses: | Pedals, chain, saddle. | | Similar Products Used: | Sportmart bought bike | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for stem, pedals, saddle, and chain. Upgraded disc brakes to Avid mechanicals. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a pretty good beginner bike, and one of the cheapest that already come with disc brakes. It has a little bob going uphills, but not too noticeable. Ditch the pedals (WTB) though, as mine came apart a few miles into my ride. Broke the chain on the first week (Shimano IG31). The saddle (WTB) came with a tad too little padding. This bike definitely leaves a lot of room for upgrade. DB advertises the frame as 6061 aluminum, although mine came with 7005. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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