Originally Posted by
scyclops
The short answer to your question, is the DB twice the bike, is an unqualified YES.
DB has a high grade 6061 AL frame, the Gen is low grade (heavier) AL.
DB has double-wall rims w/ stainless steel spokes, the Gen does not.
Drivetrain components are a step up on the DB, not huge, but still better.
The cheap disc brakes on the Gen truely suck, they will barely stop the bike, and that's if you're going uphill.
The weights you quoted are probably not accurate, the DB is probably more like 30 lbs, the Gen is probably around 40, but it's still a big difference, and it WILL matter to you later on, even though you're thinking it's not a big deal now.
Ignore the rear suspension on the Gen, it adds weight, you don't need it, and it will be more of a detriment to pedaling efficiency than anything.
To sum up, the DB frame and wheels are something which will last you for a while and make a decent platform for maintaining/upgrading later on - the Gen is a boat anchor that you will tire of quickly, and is essentially a throw-away bike (when components start breaking it's not worth putting any money into.
Hope that helps.
BTW, you will likely get responses that say, buy used from Craigslist, you'll get more bike for your money. This only works if you know how to assess bikes and components for both quality and state of wear/disrepair. You can easily end up with a "high quality" bike with a bunch of worn out components. This doesn't sound like your thing to me based on your post.
Hey there Notrandom!
This Scyclops guy is quite intelligent, as you can tell. He's given you excellent advice. I will only add to his summation. The Diamondback bike is a better bike, but not that much better. If you are anything at all mechanical, I think you'd be much better off ordering from bikesdirect.com.
Just peruse the bikesdirect.com website. Find the bike that you would order. Go to your local bike shop and find a bike that looks a whole lot like the bike your saw on the bikesdirect.com website. Make certain that you write down the name of the bike and the type of bike. Once inside of your local bike shop. Mount a few bikes that look like "your" bike on that bikesdirect website. Get the size of the bike that fits you. Write that size down and then, run away from that bike shop, before they convince you to buy something! Once you've gotten back home, sit down, relax, and have a cup of tea, while you order your bike from
www.bikesdirect.com
Ordering a bike from this website will increase your chances of buying a better bike, if you're going to spend say $350 for a bike. Don't order anything that costs less than $350 from this website and you should do a bunch better than the Diamondback you're looking at right now!
- Slim
PS.
At that price, don't buy anything with a suspension system anywhere!