Customer Reviews

Diamondback Sorrento Sport Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels)

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I have to agree COMPLETELY with the first reviewer. Don't buy this bike online if you can help it. It is not so hard to put it together, but adjusting the gears and brakes is a real problem unless you're an expert. I had the EXACT same problem when adjusting the derailleur - whatever you do, DO NOT loosen the derailleur wire! You will NEVER get it back on the right way by yourself, you'll probably break some wires (like I and the first reviewer did), and you might even hurt yourself. I got this bike as a birthday present from a loving husband who wanted to save money and put it together himself. Now I am going to have to take it to a bike shop and have it tuned up, have a new derailleur wire installed and also have the derailleurs and brakes adjusted, not to mention I also had to buy a new seat (it's rock hard and very unforgiving). With all the upgrades that this bike is going to need, you'd be better off just going to your local bike shop and buying a fully assembled $450 bike. You'll end up spending at least that much getting this one in working order anyway, plus all the time, energy, and frustration it takes putting it together and getting it tuned up. But, on the other hand, if you are a bike expert, and if you're looking for a cheap bike frame to upgrade yourself, then by all means, go for it.

Just a quick note before the review, amazon.com sells this exact same bike for two different prices. This is the least expensive of the two, and the other one is here: Diamondback Sorrento Sport Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels).

This bike is a real pain to assemble. It doesn't come with any instructions other than an owner's manual, and the instructional videos on the Diamondback website are so incoherent, you have to watch it 10 times over to understand what the guy is saying. It's like a slide show (literally, you can hear the clicks in the background when he pauses it to edit a screw up), and the man talks in run-on sentences in the most monotonous voice you can imagine.

The worst part is the gears. He instructs you to loosen a bolt when the chain is in the center cog on the front, but fails to tell you to hang on to the derailleur, and the thing snaps back and takes 4 hands to put it back on. After an hour (and one broke metal strand, very nice on a new bike I haven't even rode yet), I was able to rig it up by myself.

Do yourself a HUUUUGE favor, and by this from a dealer. I'm sure if it was put together by one, it wouldn't be half as bad, and they actually tell you over and over that you should buy it from an actual dealer in person and get them to service it. Unfortunately, the closest dealer to me is about 100 miles away. Never buy a bike that doesn't have an authorized dealer nearby. Lesson learned.

Doesn't come with a kickstand or water bottle holder (I've been informed most non-box store brand bikes don't), or the grease the video on their site tells you to use for the seat post and other parts. The seat it comes with is also pretty uncomfortable; I bought the Schwinn Pillow Top Cruiser Bicycle Seat for it and it's much better.

It is built sturdy though, probably could handle a 300lb person without too much strain. The shifters are nice if they'd work right, and once you get the brakes adjusted, they'll stop on a dime. The pedals are plastic.

My advice; test the gears after you put the bike completely together. If they rub, adjust them, but for God sakes, don't loosen the bolt holding the wire.