mr,grumpy 

I have been reading a lot of posts and articles and things lately and I have noticed that no one seems much interested in this brand. I have an old Diamondback that I like very much. It's by no stretch a top-shelf bike but it's been reliable ride for me over he years. I have allowed myself to get a new bike next year if I "stick with it" and have been looking at several bikes, including some Diamondbacks. I am not sure if I wil get a full-suspension bike or a hard tail. am not really sure what the benefit of a rear shock is other than loosing peddling power going up hill but every one that I see in the woods these days who is a "serous" MTBer has dual suspensions on their bikes. So why IS Diamondback so left out of the loop? Are they poorly crafted or supported? are they just out of fashion as a brand? What's the deal?

Zephyr11

I don't know much about Diamondback, other than I have a friend who rides a Response and likes it fine. I don't think there's anything wrong with them, per say, other than not having the prestige factor of a lot of other bikes, and you may be able to get more for your money anyhow.

However, I wanted to comment on the benefits of a rear shock, since it looks like you're curious on its purpose. The big thing I've noticed is that it helps keep the rear wheel in contact with the ground. It's also more forgiving. When I first moved to an FS, I noticed some difference, but the REAL difference was going from my FS back to my hardtail. That's when I noticed what I was missing.

Cyclist01012

Look a little closer a lot of serous people still ride hard tails.

bikinfool

I had a Centurion road bike back in the late 80s, which was from the same US based company (Western States Imports) that had the Diamond Back brand (think they used it as two words back then) and Nishiki, too. They had some decent stuff in both road and mountain lineups across the spectrum (of low to higher end) and would be found in a lot of local bike shops. The company (WSI) hit some rough financial waters in the late 90s and sold the Diamondback and Nishiki brands to Derby (famous at that time for owning the Raleigh brand). Derby I believe refocused the brand to a lower end, big box sort of brand rather than IBD based, and this is probably where they fell off the radar of some "serious" bike fiends.

Not sure who owns the brand now, believe it's Raleigh America, but does seem they've refocused the brand again in the last few years, and have more representation in local bike shops again (I assume for their higher end bikes). They probably have about the same thing going as any other major brand who has their bikes made by the usual factories; I'd think they're of relatively decent quality. I'd think any of their big box bikes are still suspect in that they're not being assembled by very experienced people in many cases....

dminor 

Diamondback is a respectable brand in my mind. Around here it's a 'price point' brand for shops to carry in addition to their main brand(s) for customers wanting to spend a little less. I ride one and am not in love with it it by any means. It did not live up to its original billing as a freeride/light DH bike when my son had it; but it has transformed admirably into a long-travel trailbike.

Longissimus

I may be totally out of the loop, but I still have my Diamondback Apex from 1991. It was/is a great bike. I think I paid $800 for it. I have since upgraded to a Crisp Titanium Custom City 29er, so my good buddy mostly hangs out in the garage now. Anyway, I occasionally see Diamondbacks in the sporting goods stores. Cant recall seeing one in a LBS in recent history. Kind of got the impression that maybe the brand got cheapened or bought out by some other company?? I really don't know. My bike, even in the early 1990's was made in Taiwan. Ill never be able to get rid of mine. Too many miles and too many good times....

mr,grumpy 

Hum. If you look at their website the MSRP of the bikes seem to pretty much corrolate with other company's bikes with the same level of "gruppo" and they seem to have some pretty high end bikes too. I guess it might even be a regional thing? I have ONLY seen Daimondbacks in LBS here abouts, of course I'm usually not looking at the bikes in department stores either.

dminor 

Diamondback is a lot like Iron Horse, in that it seems to have a split personality - - one where you will find entry-level and maybe dept.-store-only models at the big box stores and one with legitimate, even pretty good, models sold at the LBS.

nikkorod

I have a 1991 Diamondback Apex. Full Deore DX group and fully rigid Tange frame that rides awesome. They used to make some higher end stuff, but as one of the above posts mentioned they sold out.

Longissimus

Sounds like we have the same bike and we both love them....

James86

my buddy rides one he bought from dicks sporting goods and he really likes it. its a hardtail which is fine so is my trek, but his bike is a tank! its heavy as a fat chick in wal-mart but it rides good.

Ka_Jun

Some people seem to like the Sortie, okay.