Customer Reviews

Diamondback Overdrive 29'er Mountain Bike (29-Inch Wheels)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great entry level 29er at a price point that can't be beat. The frame design is awesome and component selection is above averge considering the price tag. Sure there are better high dollar bikes out there but as a family man, it's about a great value that allows me to get back into the sport without breaking the bank. Had a slight problem with a defective WTB saddle which Diamondback took care of without issue. Great customer service from Diamondback they were a pleasure to deal with - Thanks Tony. I've got about 20 hours on it and the bike handles well, this 29er has a very graceful feel to it, shifts well in all conditions from what I've seen of the snow and mud, and brakes just fine. Great design, great value, great customer service. Assembly is not difficult. No regrets thanks Diamondback.

I purchased this item a couple of years ago now. I have absolutely had a blast with it! It handles extremely well on all sorts of terrain. Although i have yet to try it out on real mountains yet, I can say that i have had great fun with it on pretty much everything else from cruising down the road to narrow trails and mud. The only issue I've encountered have been normal wear and tare. I do recommend upgrading some of the components such as the pedals and the rear derailer. Overall this has been a wonder full purchase.

So far so good. The bike was shipped and needed assembly requiring a trip to the bike shop also to maintain it's warranty. The bike has sound components and a nice finished. The bike shop was impressed with the bike and it's price and inquired the details of my purchased. The advantage with this Amazon purchase was free shipping and no taxes which saved me at least $100. The bike was greatly discounted and that save me another $300. This bike has received good reviews from several sources that gave me a easy decision to buy.

This bike is first "actual" mountain bike and I took the plunge for the 29er. I pulled the trigger a month after my birthday and ordered this exact model from another website since they had 20% sale.

It's been several months since I've been riding it and so far I love it. My fellow riders love it (some even envy it). That 29in wheels really make a difference. Let me start with the good things. First, the price. I bought it for less than 500 dollars and I can't find any other bike within that price range with the same/similar components setup. The frame quite light for a entry level, but yet sturdy. Dart3 Front fork from Rock Shox made a huge improvement compared to the loaner bike I used to ride before getting this sweet thing. The front itself cost around 130-150 bucks retail, so the whole bike has a very good components set up for the price. Aluminium WTB wheels and tire set, WTB saddle, Tektro mechanical front and rear disk brake, a lot more quality component just top off the list on this ride. Buying these components alone yourself will easily cost you way more than buying this bike. If you shop around and have the funds to spend without breaking the bank, this bike is definitely a few step up from those walmart mongoose bikes. I can keep up with the some of the riders who's riding a 3000 dollars bike while my bike cost 1/6 of their bike.

Now the bad. First, the bike come pre-assembled, so you need to finally put the pieces (big pieces tho) together or just bring to your local bike shop and have them assemble and might as well tune it there to save you time and the hassle (which what I did to mine).After taking it for on various trails with different difficulties and terrains, I can see some of the limitations from these mid-range components. Some people on the forum complained that the brake set that comes with this model can be unresponsive/poor stopping power. I experienced this issue the first couple days after the bike was assembled and tuned. I think the problem is the brake the to be break in first before the pads getting the stopping power that most people want. I did few minor adjustments to the brakes a day before my first big ride to an advanced trail near my apartment, and it work flawlessly until I start wearing out my rear tire which bring me to the next issue. The WTB tires are good, but they don't last that long. My rear tire has about 50% tread left on it, but then I ride a lot since there's so many trails within 10-15 mins from my place, so your milage may vary. Lastly, the SRAM shifters take a while to get used to, and aren't that intuitive to use. They do a good job and pretty durable so far, but I don't like the double trigger setup.

Other than those small stuffs I mentioned above, I think this bike a great deal considering the components being used in it. It sure can use some improvements, like better tires and/or shifters, but those improvements could mean higher starting price for the bike itself. I guess I just have to wait till I wear out my rear tire before upgrading to a better one.

any pun here is intended. the bicycle comes needing minor assembly. i took it to a professioanl shop for proper tuning & adjustments. i rode it home from the shop w/no problems. i would recommend this bicycle to anyone who would like to stay active but be comfortable while doing so.

Actually got one at a local LBS for less, so I didn't have to assemble or tune it. It was most similar to the Raleigh Talus 29", which is 700$. Can't beat the value, and it rides great. You can always do upgrades later if you break/outgrow components. This is my first 29er, I have ridden a 26" on and off for the last ten years, but I'm still intermediate and price sensitive (cheap lol).

I assembled it myself. It was pretty straight forward. The only issue I have been having is getting the front wheel perfectly true. When it arrived it was close enough to ride on and all I just want it to be prefect.

The rear dérailleur required a small amount of adjustment to get right. The front one was spot on out of the box. The adjustments were all explained in the manual and only required a screw driver to get right.

After 150 miles of use all feels well. The brakes squeak a touch and that front wheel is a touch annoying that I cant get it prefect, but over all the bike runs and works well. Though the brakes are a little noisy they are nothing compared to the rim brakes on my old bicycle. They work a lot better then my old rim brakes as well. I am hoping with more use they will quite down again.

The front shock lock out is very useful if you are on the road. It is nice to save the energy and get more speed. It is nice to cruise with the shock on though. Its a nice smooth ride compared to my older 26 inch wheeled solid framed Schwinn.

The tires are starting to show so wear to them. This though is to be expected with all the street riding I have been doing. They still have plenty of life left in them. I had heard tire wear mentioned before so I am keeping an eye on it.

The seat is far more comfortable then I thought it would be a first glance. I was worried about this most and really its a non issue.

All the paint on the spokes, hubs, and nipples of the wheel is a bit much for me. That and the paint comes off when you have to adjust the nipples or the spokes rub. Its not a real issues, just be aware of it. The nipples are brass and the spokes are stainless so its not like that are going to rust.

For the price one pays for this bike it is hard to complain. I could have gotten one assembled and such from the store but it would have been twice the price for the same features and performance. I hope to get many many more miles on this bicycle by summer. Its worth the little extra to go for this level of bike versus are rim braked no name.

Comes "preassembled" which means in basic pieces. After assembly I had to take it to a local bike shop to get it "tuned". Brakes and gears were not "tuned" at all which instructions said would be in in preadjusted close tolerances. Bike is a great deal for the money. Quality components. Saved a ton verses buying at the bike shop, including tax and free shipping. Just remember that most people will need to get this thing tuned before riding it too far from home, unless you are a pro. Otherwise a great bike.

I would recommend to Diamondback/Raleigh Bicycles to include a free bike tune up certificate in the box with the bike for anyone buying a box bike or at least a discounted tune up certificate. More people would buy bikes this way if that was the case.

This is my first real mountain bike and I love it!! Nice components and a really good bike for the price. It is fast despite being pretty heavy. It looks great and I keep on getting looks and positive responses from friends on this bike. I would recommend it especially for bigger folks.