Just When You Were About To Forget Diamondback!
08-10-12, 09:49 AM
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Just When You Were About To Forget Diamondback!
For the past decade, I have often found Diamondback to be quite forgetable when it comes to both quality and design. I've mostly relegated Diamondback to being very close to the bottom tier of all bicycles. Perhaps just a few notches above Huffy, Roadmaster, or your typical Walgoose bike manufacturer. However, the other day, I slipped upon an article in cycling news, that heralded Diamondback as the producers of two of the newest and sleekest carbon fiber bikes of the world of road bikes. They are members of the Podium line of road bikes, except for the fact that they are made of 100% state-of-the-art carbon fiber. Welcome the Diamondback Podium 6 and 7...
The weight of the Podium 7 is just under 900 grams. This bike has race written all over it!
Just checkout what Cycling News has to say about Diamondback and its new Podium 7:
www.cyclingnews.com/features/diamondback-launches-2013-road-and-mountain-bikes/
I'm most certain that one day we'll be able to order the Podium 6 or the Podium 7 from Dick's online store oulet.
www.dickssportinggoods.com/
Just click onto outdoors, and next, click onto bikes.
www.diamondback.com/
* I've just learned that both Raleigh and Diamondback were recently purchased in May of this year (2012), by a Dutch firm called, Accell. This new purchase no doubt came with a new strategy as to what to do with the Diamondback brand. I'm expecting new and exciting things to come for all future Diamondback bicycles.
I've just learned this today and I am therefore posting it today. 08-13-12
The weight of the Podium 7 is just under 900 grams. This bike has race written all over it!
Just checkout what Cycling News has to say about Diamondback and its new Podium 7:
www.cyclingnews.com/features/diamondback-launches-2013-road-and-mountain-bikes/
I'm most certain that one day we'll be able to order the Podium 6 or the Podium 7 from Dick's online store oulet.
www.dickssportinggoods.com/
Just click onto outdoors, and next, click onto bikes.
www.diamondback.com/
* I've just learned that both Raleigh and Diamondback were recently purchased in May of this year (2012), by a Dutch firm called, Accell. This new purchase no doubt came with a new strategy as to what to do with the Diamondback brand. I'm expecting new and exciting things to come for all future Diamondback bicycles.
I've just learned this today and I am therefore posting it today. 08-13-12
Last edited by SlimRider; 08-13-12 at 10:06 PM.
08-10-12, 09:55 AM
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What are you doing reading about carbon bikes? Isn't that against the rules? 
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08-10-12, 09:58 AM
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I REALLY want that Podium 6 with Chorus and Shamal 2-way fit wheels... thats a good price for a 15.3lb bike.
08-10-12, 10:03 AM
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IDK, I don't see it as particularly exciting. It is generic, already done design. They didn't differentiate tube size or frame rake between sizes, so they aren't going to ride alike at all. They are using a set of wheels on the "high" end that are known for quality issues, especially to heavier riders.
It would seem to me that if you are going to make a push from Big Box to "esoteric", that you might consider it as a slower progression than to some generic high end, and high priced offerings. Really, of those uninformed customers who were looking at an $80 MTB at Wally World, how many of them are rushing out to buy a $5K road bike...on the flip side of the coin, many long time riders would scoff at the name simply due to the reverse.
I will say that I am glad to see you promoting bikes aside from box store Schwinn.....
It would seem to me that if you are going to make a push from Big Box to "esoteric", that you might consider it as a slower progression than to some generic high end, and high priced offerings. Really, of those uninformed customers who were looking at an $80 MTB at Wally World, how many of them are rushing out to buy a $5K road bike...on the flip side of the coin, many long time riders would scoff at the name simply due to the reverse.
I will say that I am glad to see you promoting bikes aside from box store Schwinn.....
08-10-12, 10:08 AM
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IDK, I don't see it as particularly exciting. It is generic, already done design. They didn't differentiate tube size or frame rake between sizes, so they aren't going to ride alike at all. They are using a set of wheels on the "high" end that are known for quality issues, especially to heavier riders.
It would seem to me that if you are going to make a push from Big Box to "esoteric", that you might consider it as a slower progression than to some generic high end offering. Really, of those uninformed customers who were looking at an $80 MTB at Wally World, how many of them are rushing out to buy a $5K road bike...on the flip side of the coin, many long time riders would scoff at the name simply due to the reverse.
I will say that I am glad to see you promoting bikes aside from box store Schwinn.....
It would seem to me that if you are going to make a push from Big Box to "esoteric", that you might consider it as a slower progression than to some generic high end offering. Really, of those uninformed customers who were looking at an $80 MTB at Wally World, how many of them are rushing out to buy a $5K road bike...on the flip side of the coin, many long time riders would scoff at the name simply due to the reverse.
I will say that I am glad to see you promoting bikes aside from box store Schwinn.....
Exactly. This violates marketing 101. Diamondback is a higher end crap bike. They created that as their product profile for decades. It is next to impossible to create an entirely different marketing strategy and succeed especially if they continue selling crap bikes as part of their product line.
08-10-12, 10:19 AM
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IDK, I don't see it as particularly exciting. It is generic, already done design. They didn't differentiate tube size or frame rake between sizes, so they aren't going to ride alike at all. They are using a set of wheels on the "high" end that are known for quality issues, especially to heavier riders.
It would seem to me that if you are going to make a push from Big Box to "esoteric", that you might consider it as a slower progression than to some generic high end, and high priced offerings. Really, of those uninformed customers who were looking at an $80 MTB at Wally World, how many of them are rushing out to buy a $5K road bike...on the flip side of the coin, many long time riders would scoff at the name simply due to the reverse.
I will say that I am glad to see you promoting bikes aside from box store Schwinn.....
It would seem to me that if you are going to make a push from Big Box to "esoteric", that you might consider it as a slower progression than to some generic high end, and high priced offerings. Really, of those uninformed customers who were looking at an $80 MTB at Wally World, how many of them are rushing out to buy a $5K road bike...on the flip side of the coin, many long time riders would scoff at the name simply due to the reverse.
I will say that I am glad to see you promoting bikes aside from box store Schwinn.....
I've always been a high tech and carbon fiber fan. I just sometimes become undone at the less frequently occurring quirkyness.
Besides, Walgoose frames are just fine, unless we're talking dual suspension MTN bikes. It's the components, upon which the federal attorneys should be focused. Walgoose components are truly rooted in evil!
PS.
It would also help if assemblers could be properly trained for more than five minutes!
Last edited by SlimRider; 08-10-12 at 10:23 AM.
08-10-12, 10:21 AM
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Weighs in a 16lbs, the 2012 Podium 6. Came with Ultegra and I swapped out for Force. Upgraded to Ksyrium Elites as well.
08-10-12, 10:26 AM
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Yeah, I agree, Walgoose serves a purpose. To take advantage of the uninformed cyclist who actually thinks what is being offered at the Big Box IS cycling, and to further keep LBS service departments flush in work getting them into safe operational condition.
IMO you are far better off paying $80-150 for an old mid level 80's era steel road bike than you are with these modern entry level atrocities. Whether you spend $100 making the BB special safe, or putting new rubber and grease on the 80's model isn't the issue, what you have quality wise upon completion is.
IMO you are far better off paying $80-150 for an old mid level 80's era steel road bike than you are with these modern entry level atrocities. Whether you spend $100 making the BB special safe, or putting new rubber and grease on the 80's model isn't the issue, what you have quality wise upon completion is.
Last edited by Juan Foote; 08-10-12 at 10:29 AM.
08-10-12, 10:35 AM
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Yeah, I agree, Walgoose serves a purpose. To take advantage of the uninformed cyclist who actually thinks what is being offered at the Big Box IS cycling, and to further keep LBS service departments flush in work getting them into safe operational condition.
IMO you are far better off paying $80-150 for an old 80's era steel road bike that you are with these modern entry level atrocities. Whether you spend $100 making the BB special safe, or putting new rubber and grease on the 80's model isn't the issue, what you have quality wise upon completion is.
IMO you are far better off paying $80-150 for an old 80's era steel road bike that you are with these modern entry level atrocities. Whether you spend $100 making the BB special safe, or putting new rubber and grease on the 80's model isn't the issue, what you have quality wise upon completion is.
This is all quite true...
Discerning bike thieves know this too!
Professional bike thieves would rather opt for the older "vintage" steel than the obvious Walgoose...
PS.
I know where you're coming from, Punkncat. However, I say, that the student and the overall campus environment is better off by warding off the thieves with an inferior product that won't cause any injury to the cycling student. Let's just make the Walgooses safe!
Walgooses?
08-10-12, 10:39 AM
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08-10-12, 10:52 AM
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I think Schwinn has the same image problem with their modern CF Paramounts. Their name just no longer has any cachet. Better off starting up a new boutique name and selling high end bikes through that like car makers do.
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08-10-12, 10:58 AM
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Exactly. This violates marketing 101. Diamondback is a higher end crap bike. They created that as their product profile for decades. It is next to impossible to create an entirely different marketing strategy and succeed especially if they continue selling crap bikes as part of their product line.
If you checkout the links above, you'll find that Diamondback makes a full range of bikes. Diamondback goes from the almost Walgoose bike to the the high end of most other competitor's bikes.
08-10-12, 11:08 AM
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Which, from a marketing perspective...is dumb. It rarely works if ever. As another poster has said, they should create a new name if they intend to compete for the higher end market. Toyota has Lexus. Nissan has Infiniti.
08-10-12, 11:08 AM
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I used to wonder why Dorel wouldn't just let the name Schwinn go by the wayside and just pick up production and sales with one of the other brands, like GT, Mongoose, or Cannondale.
Either that, or switch the inferior (Walgoose) bikes to the GT or Mongoose brand and save the Schwinn brand.
08-10-12, 11:13 AM
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Diamondback is owned by the same company as Raleigh... Diamondback is sort of the big box brand while Raleigh's image is held higher. That doesn't mean that the concepts and materials aren't shared between the two. This is why I bought mine.
The big box stores like Dick's want higher end bikes for those customers looking for it. That doesn't mean they want cheaply made bikes. But Raleigh isn't about to send in their bikes either. The answer is to design diamonback bikes that fill the gap.
The big box stores like Dick's want higher end bikes for those customers looking for it. That doesn't mean they want cheaply made bikes. But Raleigh isn't about to send in their bikes either. The answer is to design diamonback bikes that fill the gap.
08-10-12, 11:27 AM
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Diamondback is owned by the same company as Raleigh... Diamondback is sort of the big box brand while Raleigh's image is held higher. That doesn't mean that the concepts and materials aren't shared between the two. This is why I bought mine.
The big box stores like Dick's want higher end bikes for those customers looking for it. That doesn't mean they want cheaply made bikes. But Raleigh isn't about to send in their bikes either. The answer is to design diamonback bikes that fill the gap.
The big box stores like Dick's want higher end bikes for those customers looking for it. That doesn't mean they want cheaply made bikes. But Raleigh isn't about to send in their bikes either. The answer is to design diamonback bikes that fill the gap.
I also noticed that Dick's is the primary distributor of Diamondback bikes. If you checkout Diamondback's full line of bikes. Almost all are offered by Dick's Sporting Goods Online Store. In fact, Dick's Online is becoming to look a lot like Performance, Nashbar.com, and Bikesdirect.com.
If Diamondback continues the trend of improving upon their product line and throw in a 100% satisfaction guarantee, as they remove their extended warranty program, they just might become competitive enough to actually effectively compete against nashbar and bikesdirect.
I think that both Diamondback and Raleigh would be better served, if Raleigh had more centrally located LBS places that could both sell and repair, both brands of bikes. This would fill the customer service gap left opened by Dick's Sporting Goods.
Either that, or make Dick's Sporting Goods more service oriented and just continue to expand upon their online store approach.
Last edited by SlimRider; 08-10-12 at 11:30 AM.
08-10-12, 11:30 AM
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I note their website description of their "enhanced performance geometry" appears to be taken directly off Trek's description of their H2 fit
08-10-12, 11:37 AM
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08-10-12, 11:45 AM
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That said, I don't see offering the cheapest and some of the most expensive bikes under the same name working very well, but it doesn't mean I'm not interested myself.
08-10-12, 11:51 AM
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Is it really necessary to have two threads about this? Do you get paid more for the second thread?
08-10-12, 11:58 AM
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08-10-12, 11:59 AM
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For the past decade, I have often found Diamondback to be quite forgetable when it comes to both quality and design. I've mostly relegated Diamondback to being very close to the bottom tier of all bicycles. Perhaps just a few notches above Huffy, Roadmaster, or your typical Walgoose bike manufacturer. However, the other day, I slipped upon an article in cycling news, that heralded Diamondback as the producers of two of the newest and sleekest carbon fiber bikes of the world of road bikes. They are members of the Podium line of road bikes, except for the fact that they are made of 100% state-of-the-art carbon fiber. Welcome the Diamondback Podium 6 and 7...
The weight of the Podium 7 is just under 900 grams. This bike has race written all over it!
Just checkout what Cycling News has to say about Diamondback and its new Podium 7:
www.cyclingnews.com/features/diamondback-launches-2013-road-and-mountain-bikes/
I'm most certain that one day we'll be able to order the Podium 6 or the Podium 7 from Dick's online store oulet.
www.dickssportinggoods.com/
Just click onto outdoors, and next, click onto bikes.
www.diamondback.com/
The weight of the Podium 7 is just under 900 grams. This bike has race written all over it!
Just checkout what Cycling News has to say about Diamondback and its new Podium 7:
www.cyclingnews.com/features/diamondback-launches-2013-road-and-mountain-bikes/
I'm most certain that one day we'll be able to order the Podium 6 or the Podium 7 from Dick's online store oulet.
www.dickssportinggoods.com/
Just click onto outdoors, and next, click onto bikes.
www.diamondback.com/
Sure times have changed along with brand image...