Diamondback Overdrive

basherbeag

Hello all,

I'm looking for entry level bikes for my son and I after several really enjoyable hire sessions at the forest of Dean...

I'm hoping to get a pair of decent upgradable entry level bikes for under £500 but realise I may have to spend a bit more.

I'm looking at rockriders, Saracen tufftraks or used Kona Lanai's but the 2012 diamondback overdrive looks reasonable and well priced.

Half the specs and ads online seem to say the overdrive's frame is alloy, half say aluminium. Can anyone clear that up for me ?

Any other comments or experiences of the overdrive very welcome.

Thanks for looking at this....

cooldad

Aluminium is an alloy. Some people use alloy when they mean aluminium.

chez_m356

the decathlon's are the ones that usually get recommended at that price point http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-52 ... 07349.html

basherbeag

Thanks for your responses,

I'm veering towards the 2012 Diamondback overdrive just because of price ( c £200 ) and because my 10 year old doesn't quite fit the Rockrider yet( I'm guessing their xs frame is 15 inch because it was just a smidge too big for him ), whereas we've tried a couple of 14 inch frames and he can cope with those.

I don't suppose anyone has any direct experience ( good or bad ) of the overdrive ?

Thanks again....

The Rookie

cooldad wrote:

Aluminium is an alloy. Some people use alloy when they mean aluminium.

Just to clarify, aluminium is a single metal, but you would never use it without alloying agents as its as soft as butter (well not quite, but about as useful), like Steel isn't Iron but Iron Alloy, 'aluminium frames' are made from aluminium alloys (there are lots of different flavours of aluminium alloy so by itself it doesn't tell you much about the frame material).

As an example Scandium is actually just an alloying agent in aluminium so a 'scandium frame' is actually aluminium alloy as well.

cooldad

OK, bloody pedant. Aluminium as used in anything useful is an alloy. Any mixture of metals is an alloy. People use alloy to mean aluminium, alloyed so as to be useful.
Bloody pedant.

cooldad

Regarding the bike, I would avoid it as it is really heavy. 7 speed and heavy undamped forks wont help.

basherbeag

Thanks Cooldad,

But is tha Kona or Rockrider that much lighter.

I may be wrong but they all look in and around 30 pounds to me.

Is there anywhere i can check out the forks online ?

How do I find out if a particular fork is damped/undamped....

Is there much difference between:

Kona = Suntour SF-XCT 100mm

Diamondback = Suntour M2025

Sorry for all the questions, I'm spending far too long over this but just want to get my young fella the best bike I can for the money.....

supersonic

Both are rather basic forks, but the XCT is marginally better in construction.

basherbeag

Thanks the help,

I went for a used (but very good), 14 inch 2012 kona lanai for the boy and a 2012 Dawes xc27 for myself.

Total spend £604.00

Can't wait to get out there now.