Which is better? Specialiazed, Diamondback, Jamis, or ???

Question

Want to spend no more than $400 on a womens mountain bike, thanks!

Answer 1

check out specialized's myka. it has women's specific geometry, and runs from $360-$940, depending on components, wheelset, etc.

as far as who makes what bikes, where, check this link: http://allanti.com/page.cfm?PageID=328

Answer 2

Hi Lori...

First, a correction regarding another answer. Diamondback is owned by Raleigh USA, not Pacific Cycles. Many Diamondbacks are duplicated in the Raleigh line.

In your price range you won't find a whole lot of difference in the brands you mention ALTHOUGH Specialized and Trek tend to have one level LOWER components than the other brands at the same price.

Although the other answerer is correct stating that most bikes are built in one of a handful of factories in Taiwan or China he is ABSOLUTELY wrong about how they are built. Most bikes with the exception of the very cheapest stuff have proprietary frames and have completely different component selections, colors, and artwork. They are built to order in what some might consider a very complex system of manufacturing.

Answer 3

i have a diamondback XC i paid $400 for it back in 2005, I do some pretty hard riding like freeride and street, the fame takes it easy and for only $400, a very good deal

Answer 4

Lori,

Almost all mountain bikes in your price range are outsourced, manufactured by one of a few big producers in Taiwan (usually better) or mainland China.  The label is put on at the end.

All 3 of those are reputable brands, but you need to be aware that Diamondback (owned by Pacific, a multi-brand company) has two lines, one of which is a very cheap department store grade bike.

In your price range I recommend that you check out the offerings of Bikes Direct.  Be warned that bicycle shops (I used to own one) will typically trash talk their bikes -- because they can't match the prices.  These are built by the same companies that build the rest.  The difference is the label and the markup.

Giant, the world's largest bicycle manufacturer, builds under their own label and others.  Theirs are usually excellent buys if you prefer to buy locally, which is a good idea for a beginner, especially one with limited mechanical skills.

Finally, you can't go wrong with Specialized.  They don't have a plant.  They are a label that is made by various manufacturers, but they have excellent quality control and customer service.  My brother used to be their rep in this area.

Good luck, and happy riding.