Customer Reviews

Diamondback Wildwood Men's Comfort Bike (26-Inch Wheels)

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

 

 

A couple weeks ago, I decided to start bicycling to get in better shape. Both my road bike and my mtn bike, I was all leaned over on the handlebars sitting on a hard narrow seat. Which was fine when I was younger. First I looked at the beach cruisers, but then I found comfort bikes. This one seemed to have the best of everything and it was cheap! I am VERY pleased with its performance, very comfortable. However, since I have not purchased a bicycle in almost 20 years, I was not aware of the demise of the kickstand. I guess the whole world is content with leaning their bikes on stuff? So I took one star back for the kickstand. And I will be purchasing an add on kickstand to make the bike a 5 star machine.

At first look I was skeptical about how comfortable this bike could really be, but the doubts were blown out of my head on the first ride. I tooled around town for most of the day (stopping at different places) and my body never got sore. The upright sitting position was great for all day cruising and I always felt comfortable and at ease on the bike. The price and the comfort of this bike make it a hard value to beat.

The aluminum Diamondback Wildwood is an inexpensive, nicely finished bike with a smooth ride; and that is the sum of the good things I can say about it.

Having a 31 inch inseam, I bought the 17 incher (medium) and found that the, highly touted, relocation of the crank in relation to the seat for a relaxed ride and proper leg extension on THIS bike is mostly hooey. I have an elderly KHS mountain bike built for serious riding and there is little difference between the two in the "crank forward" frame geometry department.

You can't have the proper leg extension on the Wildwood and put your feet flat on the ground and keep your fanny on the seat as advertised- unless you are plastic Man. You HAVE to raise the seat to the point that you have to be on tippy toe and lean the bike slightly to stay on the seat at a stop. Since the seat is little if any lower than your normal bike, you still have to lean the bike and sling your leg over it to get on.

What is different is that the crossbar is quite a bit lower at the back allowing one to hop off the seat frontward which makes no difference really if you have a bike of the proper size.

What is meaningful in terms of comfort is that the Wildwood has old-fashioned handlebars that point up and backward slightly and an adjustable stem. These features enable the rider to reach the handlebars easily and enables an upright ride. This upright position prevents forearm and hand fatigue and numbness, but the same thing could be accomplished by replacing those components on your old bike.

I have two more gripes. The Suntour shifter for the front deraleur cannot hold sufficient tension against the deraleur's hefty spring when using the big chainring. It pops back into the middle position at the slightest bump. This could not be remedied by adjustment. I had to replace the shifter with an old Sram 7 to solve the problem.

The seat-post has a decent shock absorber and a cheap steel clamp that will not adjust at much of a forward slope.

If you are looking for a real crank-forward machine that you can ride with leg comfort and without raising the seat, this bike isn't for you.

This is a great bike.....the design is just right for me....I am 6'2" and need this large frame (I got the 21" frame)...I especially like the laid back seat styling and the swept-back handle bar with plenty of adjustment(3 way)..the aluminum frame is light wt. but sturdy....this bike is not a cruiser type but has this type of handle bar ....the finish is beautiful as well and it has a Kevlar lining inside the tires to help make them more puncture-proof
Overall a well-designed bike with some good mid-priced features that have been user friendly .....also I like the design of the tire tread, which give you "all season" type traction...I realize you normally get what you pay for, but this seems to be a bike that is value conscious without skimping on quality....Note: lacks a kickstand
I have not had this bike long and have not been biking too much in the last 20 years...I rode my wife's cheap dept store bikes to see if I could get by with a cheapo....I'm glad I decided on this one...what a difference (especially for a bigger adult)....If this bike starts to fall apart or if I think it becomes lacking somewhat, I will update this comment...so far so good
I only gave it 4 stars because I lack the experience (still a novice) to give it a good qualified review and also I have not owned it for very long...

Very pleased with the service and the product. Product arrived well ahead of scheduled delivery and in good condition. All pieces/components intact and was very easy to assemble. Most difficult task was adjusting gears; both front and rear. Handle bars, seat, front wheel, and front brake were very easy. Following warning labels on respective parts is key; will prevent accident/injury. I ride it everyday to work and back; very comfortable and rides smooth. This bike takes the "work" out of riding and puts the joy back in. Very happy to own it! In Jesus...karl

After years of cheap box store bikes, I finally decided to get a more expensive and better made bike. First, there is no comparison, the Wildwood is so easy and comfortable to ride I have started to ride between 5-10 miles per day. I lost 50 lbs and am having the time of my life.

I put a rack and rear bag on the back and now use the bike to run errands that normally would have been done on my motorcycle or car.
The bike is so smooth and fun to ride that I make excuses to get out and go for a ride.

I know that this considered a starters bike, bit compared to what I used to ride, this is a far cry from a beginners bike. I ride around town and take it with me when I go camping or up to Yosemite.

As far as fittament, when I bought the bike the shop owner fitted me with the bike that suited me best, you don't get that at Walmart et al.

I would recommend this bike to anyone who will listen, it is amazing how a quality bike can make the difference between wanting to ride, or just having another garage ornament.

I am not certain if this is common practice, but the shop where I purchased my bike will keep it in adjustment at no cost as long as you own the bike. So it always seems to be in tip-top shape.

So go ahead get the bike, get out and ride and get that needed excersize, it can't be beat for the price.

I got this bike about two weaks ago and I love it. It is light, which is good because I keep it in my cellar and I have to carry it down stairs. I'm tall 6'5" and the larger bike is really nice. The ride is smooth and the seated position on the bike is very comfortable. The seat is larger and also comfortable. It is a nice cross between mountain bike and cruiser.

This bike by Diamond back is entry level, but they did try to include a few nicer features. It is a comport bike, with a front shock, seat shock and a big padded seat for your big padded seat. The price is around $220 with shipping, very good, but is $30 cheaper at Costco. It comes with big knobby tires that no one needs in this class of bike. So you may want to put some street tires on it for a much smoother roll. The bike was easy to assemble, but both rims were way out of round, and needed to be tuned. The brakes are somewhat hard to adjust. The seat and handlebars adjust nicely for any persons fit. The bike is taller than it looks in the photo, big enough for any adult male. You sit very upright, not hunched forward. The gears work fairly well, the handlebar shifters are cheap. No fenders or rear rack. I saw almost the same bike in a shop in LA, different brand name, for $430. Definitely a good bike for the casual or mature rider around town or to work, not a rally or mountain bike.

Might as well buy a $50 Huffy from Walmart. Can't think of anything positive to say about this piece of junk other than the seat was comfortable. Couldn't get the gears right so I took it to a pro. He said no matter what he did to it, the gears were inferior and would never work right. Front wheel was ridiculously out of balance. Brakes suck. Pedals were junk. Welds looked like they were done by a five-year old.
Buy a starter bike from a name brand, like Trek or Fuji, instead.