are diamondback bikes junk????

mutat

i'm trying to get information on what bike i should get. maybe i should start by saying i'm 28 and 5'2". several of the lbs i've been to have told me to not get diamondback because they are not good bikes. i have been dead set against a diamondback until today when i went to another lbs and they showed me the diamondback insight1 which is in my price range around 350.00. the bike trail i usually go on is gravel and dirt and some sand but i also want to use the bike for road bike tours also. i wasnt sure if i would be better off paying a little extra for a giant or a trek bike?? not sure which model i would use in either of those brands? and i'm unsure if those brands are completely out of my price range for the style of bike i need or if they're even any better than the diamondback?? i want the best bang for my buck, but i also want a bike that will last me a few years.

Hewerrr

I say that anyone who says something like "Diamond Back bikes are junk" is feeding you a line trying to sell you a more expensive bike. A $350 bike is a $350 bike. There's not a whole lot of difference between entry level hybrid bikes. The more you spend on a bike, the better the machine, but it may not be better for your purposes.

If you like the bike, it fits you well, and is right for the type of riding you plan on doing, then go ahead with it. Having googled the Insight, it seems about right for the type of riding you described. If you end up getting geeked about riding and start doing a lot of tours and centuries and stuff, then you'll probably want to upgrade to more of a road bike that will be more comfortable and perform better for that type of riding. Until then, I think the Diamond Back is perfectly acceptable for what you want.