If you are interested in mountain bikes, then it is a tough task to ignore the very powerful options from Diamondback. Diamondback is a familiar name, and most of their bikes are worth trying. Today, we will talk about one of their famous models which is the Overdrive Sport 29er Mountain Bike. If you are interested in going for this product, then this review is going to help you.
The target of any review article is to help you take that final decision. That’s our goal too. We don’t want you to roam around and read every possible site out there about this Diamondback Overdrive Sport 29er review. We want you to take your decision based on this article, and hopefully, we will succeed in our mission.
We will start this article with the features of this bike. The features will then be followed by pros, cons, FAQ and finally, we will have the end speech. Let’s start.
Features of Diamondback Overdrive Sport 29er (2017) Mountain Bike
If you are into features, then you will be happy to know that this is a feature-enriched bike. There are more than enough features for you to be happy about this Overdrive. Though the brand name is not a feature, we would still like to mention the brand Diamondback is one of the most famous names in the world of mountain bikes. Now apart from the great name, what else does this bike offer to us?
Size Options
The first thing that we will talk about is the size options that you have. There are four different size options that you can choose if you are interested in Overdrive Sports 29er. The options start with the 16-inch version, and you can then go up to 18 inch, 20 inch, and 22 inches. We are not going deep about the size that you should choose as it depends on your height and the leg length.
Durability
If you are looking for a reliable model to go for then, this is the one for you. In general, mountain bikes are pretty durable. Unless you are going for something weird, you will not see a mountain bike crash most days. Then again, there are rust and color issues, and this is where the Diamondback Overdrive plays well.
We expect that you will manage your bike well so that there is not a huge layer of dust on your bike but if you don’t, the bike will last more than any regular bike you have seen. This overdrive has passed all the durability tests which you can think of, and it is a pretty good model to go for.
At least, you will know when the bike is near to your death, and it will not trouble you in the middle of a road which is most important.
Brake
The brake is another quality feature of this mountain bike. You will receive the Shimano BR-M395 brakes with the bike which is a hydraulic model. The rotors are 160mm in length which is decent. More importantly, the line of the brake from your handle to the tire is perfectly placed. You will never have those awkward moments when you try to push the brake, and nothing happens. Or even worse, you press the brake, and there is a noise coming from your wheels.
Fortunately, these problems won’t be there with the quality brake that this bike offers.
Fork
Let’s know a bit about the fork too. The fork that you get with this bike is an SR Suntour XCR Lo 29 model which is a fine one. Well, it might not be the best one in the current industry, but it is a good enough choice for a regular commuter. There is a speed lock and the allow crown enhances the look of your bike. The magnesium lower is also there to keep you satisfied.
Frame
Let’s talk a bit about the frame now. Obviously, you already know more than enough about the frame as it is there in the title and we also spoke of the frame in the initial part of this article. The frame is a 29-inch model which means that the tires will be 29 inches. There are four different size options that you can choose, and you should always choose the size based on your leg length and not based on your overall height.
The frame is made of aluminum and the top and down tube is there to give this bike a pleasant look. We are not saying that this is the best-looking bike of all time because the mountain bike models look mostly the same. Even with that, there is a lot to talk about the frame of this bike.
The dropouts, the machined head tubes are all great add-ons, but the most important part is the satisfaction that you get when you ride this bike. We know that satisfaction is not a feature to talk about as you cannot measure satisfaction and it widely varies from person to person, but even then, we will like to reinstate the fact that this is not just a bike, this is something that will be your friend for an extended period.
The Difference Between Overdrive and Overdrive Sport
Now, we wanted to include this section in the review of 29er because there has been a lot of confusion regarding this. There is another similar bike from the same company Diamondback which is also a 29 version, and that is known as the Overdrive, Sports model. We have seen people confuse Overdrive with overdrive sport and it needs a clear explanation to get rid of all the confusion you had.
Obviously, the colors of these two models are different, and as Diamondback does not offer color options for any of these bikes, it won’t be tough for you to differentiate them based on the color. Now, color is not the only solution to this confusion. There are other options too. For example, the front form lock is there on the sports version which is not present in the regular version that we are talking about here in this article.
The most noticeable feature is in the brake system. You get to see hydraulic disc brakes in the sports one where the regular one only has the mechanical disk version. The pedals are a bit different too, but we will not go that far because it is tough to identify a bike based on the pedal model.
Pros:
Perfect for beginners
Very easy to use and maintain
Easy to upgrade if required
Value for money
Very easy to install and start riding
Cons:
A bit costly to go for
No color options which is sad
The seat might not be ultra-comfortable
FAQs
Can I Assemble it On My Own When I Receive the Bike?
That is an excellent question to ask. In fact, there are bikes that are so tough to assemble that people lose interest in riding those bikes. Fortunately, that is not the case here. This is a super easy one to assemble, and it will not take more than half an hour to assemble the complete bike.
However, aligning the brakes and some other tasks might be a bit complicated and we suggest that you either go for an expert or search and learn using a few videos to make things easier.
What is the Weight Capability of this Bike? Can it Carry Heavy Weight?
This company does not mention the particular load capability, but we have seen people weigh even more than 300lbs to ride this bike and the frame does not create any problems at all. In fact, this bike is an excellent tool to lose weight for a lot of people.
What Does the 29 Mean in the Title?
The 29 basically tells us that the wheel size of this bike is 29 inches. Some people confuse this with the size of the frame, but we explicitly mentioned in the first paragraph of the feature section that there are four different frame sizes that this bike offers. The 29, however, is not one of those size options. This is the wheel size that is fixed.
Do I Receive Any Extra Items with this Bike?
Yes, you will be given a few fun extra items to make your purchase experience even more awesome. The items include one key chain, an owner’s manual which you won’t probably need, the water bottle, a coat and three-wheel diameters which are very useful.
When did this Bike Release?
Unlike some other items, bicycles are not bought based on the year of production. Bicycles are mostly evergreen because no technology changes are affecting the bikes. Anyway, in case you still want to know, the bike was initially released in the year 2015, and then it got some modifications. The current one that you see is the modified version released in 2016.
Final Verdict
All in all, this is one great bike to go for if you think about it. Yes, the price is on the higher end, and we know about that. Even then, we will still recommend you this mountain bike because the product is worth the attention.
