[ThERoCkStAr]

Hey, I recently went up to my local century cycles and talked to a person about a new bike. I currently ride a NEXT bike I bought from wal-mart for very low expense a while ago, and its not cutting it. I was drawn to the GIANT RINCON, however he suggested the DIAMONDBACK RESPONSE, or the DIAMONDBACK RESPONSE SPORT. although I know these are relatively inexpensive bikes, being 16 thats a big chunk of change for me, and i was curious if anyone owns or has owned these bikes. Id love some input before i start saving and make a decision on one. thanks a bunch for any feedback!

 

[EyeSweller]

My first bike was an 05' DiamondBack Topanga Comp, it was originally $650 and purchased it for $450 on-sale at Dicks at the end of the season. It had all Shimano Deore level parts and disc brakes. I had zero problems with it except it was a tad bit heavy, so I would definitely give the DiamondBack line a shot. (I believe they are now owned by Raleigh?)

Here are some reviews on the DB Response Sport:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/bikes/xc-hardtail/diamondback/response-sport/PRD_363394_1527crx.aspx

 

[Verewolf]

Diamondback makes a really nice bike. Great looking colors!
Some of the components may be low-end but you can always upgrade later
when you get some extra money.

My wife rides the DB Maravista hybrid and loves it.
She has put over 2,000 trouble-free miles on it.

After we got the bike I contacted DB with a question.
They got back to me in a flash plus they sent us a package
with a t-shirt, decals and bunch of other stuff. Great customer service!

Click here Reviews Section and scroll down to read reviews of DB bikes.

 

[07 FSRxc]

My buddy just purchased his first bike, A Diamondback Response sport (Black). He loves it...
He has covered a couple hundred miles on it. Hitting all types of terrain. So far so good. He is 6'3" and a very fit 210 pounds.

 

[bschanz]

I rode a db sorrento se vintage mid nineties until recently. the rig was purchased at dicks sporting goods as a customer return and rebuilt with higher spec'd stuff. When I finally retired her, she had well over 4k miles on it with majority of them hard trail riding. (as hard as michigan can get for that matter.) i am 5-10 and have been anywhere from 225-265. I replaced parts as they broke. I recently bought a trek 6000 but really miss the old girl. my buddy is riding it now after some time and $ to find replacement parts. get the DB. good rigs for the money. you might want to consider your use before you commit to the respnse though. If I recall they are lower on the food chain for dept store bikes.

Good luck in your search and decision.

 

[chrisrennau]

I have a diamondback response and I am glad I got it. Ive noticed that diamondback bikes have one level higher of components than most of their competitors in each price range. For example a $300 diamondback has the same components as a $400 Trek. My LBS carries both diamondback and specialized and the owner believes that the DB response is as good as the specialized hardrock. I had a DB Bmx when I was a kid (28 years ago) and back then DB was the top of line for BMX They are known for being tough; thats why they were originally purchased by Raleigh because of their reputation. Also local bike shops carry them as well as department stores. Many people do not like bikes because they are sold in department stores. Where a bike is sold has nothing to do with what type of bike it is. Years ago Raleigh bikes could be purchased at Sears. You may also want to check out the forge sawback 5.0 on Target.com. it has been getting very good reviews on MTBR and its a $300 bike with a Shimano Deore component set.

 

[roblee2nd]

I have owned 4 Diamond Back mountain bikes since 1990. I still have 2 of them (2010 Response Sport, 2001 Response Sport). Both still ride as well as the day I bought them. Granted, I am 6' tall 175lbs, and mostly ride the river trails. And I might add I keep them maintained which is important to me. I purchase one at a LBS and the newer one at Dicks, I have yet to decide which I like better. I also will add that there 4 Response models 3 sold at Dicks the differences are in the components, the higher the model the better the components are. The Response, and Response XE are more comparable to Dept store bikes(but put together alot better), where the Response Comp is a higher end competition model and the Response Sport being somewhere in between. Dont let the place you can buy a bike deter you from purchasing a good bike at a good price. My 2001 model is a lightweight cromoly frame with higher end components which cost me about $900 10 years ago. My 2010(bought at Dicks) is all aluminum larger framed bike with disc brakes and mediocre components weighs about the same and cost me a little unde $500. Both perform well for what I do. Determine what you want out of a bike and get the best for the money wherever you can get it.

 

[Petti the Yeti]

My current bike is a '11 Diamondback Sorrento. Bought it for $300, and have had some problems with it, namely, the shifters/derailers. The stock ones that come on DB's are pretty low end, and sometimes skip gears, or don't shift at all.

Spent a little cash and SS'd mine, and haven't had any problems since. The wheels are still true over a couple hundred miles of mixed terrain, the fork is still pliable, but not soft or grindy, and the brakes are still in great condition.

So, if you don't mind spending a little to upgrade the drivetrain stuff, or SSing, they are pretty reliable little bikes.

EDIT: Lol, just noticed this was a necro'd thread. :madman:

 

[austanian]

Holly bump batman.

 

[False]

Well since it's been bumped...

Other than being painfully heavy DB makes decent entry-level bikes. IMO, they're ugly as sin, both the colorways and the frames themselves, but they function well and they're cheap.

 

[rjx]

Diamondback makes great bikes and give you a better price vs quality ratio than the bigger, more expensive brands. Very nice frames on their mid level bikes.

 

[Crash Test Dumby]

Wow, talk about waking the dead, this thread is almost 3 years old. But since its been revived, I love my 08 Overdrive. I did notice though that they have really pulled back on the component spec over the years. My 08 has better specs than the 11 model across the board. In fact very close to the Comp model, which didn't exist back in 08, except the Comp has hydros instead of mechanical discs.

 

[Markapuu]

My current bike is a '11 Diamondback Sorrento. Bought it for $300, and have had some problems with it, namely, the shifters/derailers. The stock ones that come on DB's are pretty low end, and sometimes skip gears, or don't shift at all.

Well, a low end bike is going to have low end components...

 

[stevenservo]

I have a db sorrento and love it I payed 300 for it. Its been great through the trails

 

[vbx]

I have a 24" DB Sorrento. It's a solid bike, no problems with it. And for some strange reasons, the gears shift by itself.

I guess it has an auto shifter?

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I recently purchased a Genesis V2100 too. Paint job on it sucks but ride is smooth. And looks great from a distance. I just need to get it tuned. The wheels are a bit off and the disc brake needs adjusting.