Diamondback Bike Review and Comparison

When it comes to Diamondback Bikes, the affordable Diamondback Edgewood hybrid bike brings the best of both worlds to your cycling experience with a ride that can perform well on pavement as well as tackling the trails with excellent versatility and comfort. We’ll compare it with different offerings from Diamondback and with comparable bikes from other manufacturers in a similar price range and use.

What is the Diamondback Edgewood Designed to Do?

Stack (532mm)
Reach (408mm)
Price ($500-$700)

The Diamondback Edgewood’s goal is to provide a bike that will keep you comfortable whatever the terrain. It’s evident in its design and attention to geometry. The bike is an entry-level ride that delivers reliable performance at a price that won’t break the bank.

It offers the versatility of a 21-speed drivetrain and the stability of wide tires that will grip the road even in wet conditions. The Edgewood’s tire design contributes to making it a great bike, allowing you to travel long distances on a lightweight frame. It features the geometry that leans toward a touring bike and the ruggedness you’d expect in a mountain bike. It has a manageable weight of 32 pounds, making it appropriate for whatever style of biking you do.

Keep in mind that it’s an outdoor bike, and that indoor bikes would be better for those staying at home. If this sounds like your style, we’d recommend checking out the Assault Bike instead.

Who is the Diamondback Edgewood Good For?

If you’re new to biking, this Diamondback bicycle is an excellent option for breaking into the sport because of its affordability. But it doesn’t mean you’re going to sacrifice quality. There are plenty of features that will provide a reliable ride. Of course, comfort is high on anyone’s list, and the Edgewood can certainly be called a comfort bike.

Diamondback shows that it understands the typical user for this bike with tweaks in the design that provide a more comfortable ride suitable as an all-around model, including its HL Zoom Sport Comfort Suspension with a generous 60mm of travel.

  • Frame
  • Groupset

The Edgewood has a heated-treated Butted Aluminum Hybrid Frame, which optimizes the strength it provides and keeps the cost in check versus more expensive, albeit lighter carbon models.

It’s a step-up from cheaper aluminum frame bikes and offers a stiffer design that translates into greater pedaling power than some of the other bikes we considered.

The Diamondback Edgewood uses a Shimano Tourney TY501 with Chainguard, 48/38/28T triple crankset, and a Shimano Tourney TZ31 7 Speed Freewheel, 14-34T cogset. It also uses an Alloy Linear brake system and Shimano EF-51 Easyfire, 3×7 Speed shifters.

The groupset adds to the weight of the bike without losing speed. In addition, the Edgewood is versatile, making it the ideal bike for some MTB (mountain biking) action.

Pros

  • The Edgewood is an affordably priced bike for the budget-minded cyclist looking to up their game with a new set of wheels.

  • As it is, the ride is very comfortable with its HL Zoom Sport Comfort Suspension.

  • It’s lightweight for an aluminum bike of its class with a responsive front suspension, even considering the choice of other components.

Cons

  • While some components are just fine for the price, the pedals are a cheaper set that you may want to upgrade after testing them on the road.

  • Speaking of upgrades, you may think the same about the crankset, which some may find too flexible for power rides.

  • You may have some difficulty assembling the bike because of its poor instructions.

Expert Quotes

“To be able to promote your highest level of comfort, it comes with an ergonomic design. The seat, for instance, is well-contoured and has generous cushioning, making it able to provide a pleasurable ride.” – Smart Outdoor Zone

“If you want to drive smoothly in off-road or rough track, this hybrid bike will make the task easier for you.” – Cyclester

How Does Diamondback Edgewood Compare to Other Diamondback Bikes?

One of the best ways to gauge the value of a bike is to compare it to the manufacturer’s other offerings to see where they felt improvements were necessary. So let’s consider some other models in the Diamondback lineup to see how the Edgewood fares. Here, we’ll compare it to Diamondback’s Lustre, Vital 2, Classic, Vital 1, and Division models.

Effective Top Tube Length

Effective top tube length = the horizontal distance between the saddle and the top tube.

The two outliers for the effective tube length are the Lustre and the Division, at either end of the price scale. The former has a more upright ride that, while excelling as a comfort bike, may make taking sharp corners awkward. The latter gives a stretched-out feel to the ride, with the Edgewood at 546mm falling in between the two.

Wheelbase

Wheelbase = the length between the front and rear axles of the bike.

Again, we have the extremes with the Lustre and Division. The longer wheelbase provides a more stable ride for the Division, whereas the Lustre capitalizes on handleability. The Edgewood at 1061mm falls right in the range of a touring bike, as do the other models.

Chainstay Length

Chainstay length = the length of the tube connecting the bottom bracket to the real wheel. 

The longer distance of the Division provides better comfort and more stability and is a good choice if you use panniers on your ride. At 440mm, the Edgewood leans toward the profile of a cyclocross bike meant for commuting or touring. The comfort is still there, but there’s also a little less heel clearance.

Price

The Escape 2 is on the lower end of the price scale at $450. Some of the differences come down to the frame material for which all the bikes under $1,000 have the basic ALUXX-grade aluminum material. The Fastroad SLR is the highest grade, giving it 20 percent lighter tubes, whereas the Defy Advanced 3 uses advanced-grade composite.

It’s worth noting how the geometries of the bikes fall in line with MSR prices. At $349.99, the Edgewood is comparable to the Vital 2 and Wildwood Classic, both in cost and measurements. The Wildwood Classic and the Edgewood are the only two which come in four sizes; the others have only two with lots of variability between them in measurements such as the chainstay and seat tube lengths.

Component Differences

Even the higher-end Division has an aluminum frame, though with its Luxury Sport Hybrid Geometry. Diamondback also swapped out the Alloy Linear brakes and Shimano EF-51 Easyfire, 3×7 Speed shifters for the Tekro Lyra Flat Mount Disc, w/ 160mm Rotors. A disc brake provides superior stopping power in a wide range of cycling conditions, which gives it a performance edge for the road bike rider.

How Does Diamondback Edgewood Compare to Similar Bikes on the Market?

You’ll have plenty of other options at this price point if the Diamondback Edgewood doesn’t speak to you. There are some stark differences between these models that can affect your style of riding. It’s worth checking these out to get a bike suitable for your needs because even small changes can have a big impact. We’ll compare it to the Giant Roam 2 & Cypress, Cannondale Althea, Specialized Sirrus, and the Trek FX.

Effective Tube Length

Effective top tube length = the horizontal distance between the saddle and the top tube.

Most of these selections fit in with the range we’d expect for this type of bike. The Giant Roam 2, however, stands out with the extra distance that may provide a more comfortable ride for someone with a long torso or who prefers a more aerodynamic one. The Diamondback bicycle is on the lower end of the scale with 546mm for a more upright position which some may prefer instead.

Head Tube Length

Head tube length = the length of the tube mounting the front fork steerer. 

All the bikes have a shorter head tube length that makes up for some of the losses in aerodynamics with other aspects of their geometry. The Escape 2 is in the middle of the pack at 11.43cm. The Specialized Ariel Mechanical Disc leans more toward the stability end of the scale because of its emphasis on control and handling.

The longer wheelbases of all our selections put them in the touring bike category, including the Edgewood at 1061mm. For the cyclist, that means more stability and comfort as you ride, which is great for the recreational user. However, if you want something livelier, look for a model with a shorter wheelbase.

All the bikes, including the Edgewood, at 440mm are comparable with only minor differences in chainstay length. That’s where your style of biking comes into play. If you use panniers on your bike, a longer chainstay length will keep you from knocking your heels on them during long rides.

 

Component Differences

Each of the bikes has a unique feature that sets it apart from the rest. With the Giant Roam 2 and Cypress, there is its ALUXX Aluminum Technology which makes the tubes 20 percent lighter than previous models. The Cypress also has a suspension seat post for a more comfortable ride. The Althea has a great upgrade in its brakes with the Shimano Hydro Disc set.

The Specialized Sirrus offers versatility with a Shimano 8-speed gear, which it shares with the Althea. In addition, the Trex FX has a DuoTrap S compatible Bluetooth sensor built into its frame for logging your miles with your smartphone. Finally, the Diamondback Edgewood hybrid bicycle emphasizes comfort with its KindShock Alloy Suspension to handle a variety of road conditions.

If the comfort of an upright position is high on your list, both the Edgewood and Cypress offer excellent choices. If you prefer something sporty, then the FX and Cannondale are great bikes to consider. For a commuter bike or recreational ride, you may want to take a closer look at the Roam 2 and Cypress because of their greater chainstays to accommodate panniers.