Diamondback Serene or Forge Athena? Please help!!



Fletcher123

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Aug 9, 2009
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Looking at the Diamondback Serene comfort bike (around $200 on sale) or the Forge Athena ($250). I know they're both entry level bikes - good for starting out and getting the toddlers out with me. (I hope!!) Can anyone tell me which is a better bike for the $? :confused:
I don't know if one has better components than the other. Open to advice, recommendations, alternatives .. thanks in advance!! :):):)
Cheers,
Fletcher

Here are the specs on the Athena:
Frame: 6061 ALUMINUM EASY-MOUNT COMFORT FRAME W/RACK AND FENDER MOUNTS Front Suspension: SPINNER ODESA 700C Wheels Rims: ALLOY 36H CH-18 700C SILVER Hubs: JOYTECH ALLOY 36H Spokes: 14G STAINLESS STEEL Tires: KENDA K-180 700X40C Drivetrain Speed: 21 Shifters: SRAM 3.0 COMFORT GRIP SHIFT Front Derailleur: SRAM 3.0 Rear Derailleur: SRAM 3.0 Cassete: SHIMANO MF-TZ07 Chain: KMC Z51 Pedals: VP-896 RESIN BLACK Components Saddle: GEL INTEGRATED SUSPENSION COMFORT Seat Post: ALLOY 30.8X300MM, SUSPENSION WITH QUICK RELEASE Handlebar: ALLOY ADJUST 30MM RISE Stem: ALLOY ADJUST Grips: VELO FORM Brake Set: TEKTRO ALLOY LINEAR-PULL Extras: CLEAR COAT PAINT FINISH, CATEYE REFLECTOR SET, STORAGE RACK & FENDER MOUNTS, KICK STAND AND OWNERS MANUAL

Here are specs on the Diamondback Serene:
FrameDB 6061-T6 Heat-Treated Aluminum Laid Back Comfort (LBC) Geometry w/ internal Cable routing, replaceable derailleur Hanger, H2O Bottle Mounts ForkComfort Suspension 50mm travel w/ Alloycrown Rear ShockN/A CranksComfort Compact Alloy w/ chainguard, 22/32/42t Bottom BracketCartridge Type F. DerailleurMicroshift M20 R. DerailleurShimano TX-31 ShifterSunRace TSM-26 light action 7spd Twist Brake LeversPromax Linear w/ reach adj BrakesPromax Linear GearShimano 7spd MegaRange Freewheel (14-34t) Rims32h SSW26, double tunnel alloy TiresKenda Comfort w/ puncture resistant K-shield 26x1.95 PedalsAvenir Comfort Platform HandlebarCustom LBC Riser 62mm StemAlloy Adjustable Quill SeatpostAlloy Suspension 27.2mm SeatAvenir Comfort w/ supersoft foam, coil spring HeadsetThreaded 1 1/8" Colors Prada Sky, Prada Purple ChainThreaded 1 1/8" Hubset(F) 36h Alloy QR (R) 32h Alloy QR Spokes14g Stainless Steel GripsBiologic 3-D Comfort ExtrasOwner's Manual, Chainstay Protector, Clear Coat, H20 bottle mounts
 
Between the two bikes, I think the selection should be based on your height ...

If you are taller than 5'4" (an arbitrarily chosen height), then you should probably select the Forge Athena because it has 700c wheels.

If you are shorter than 5'2", then you may be more comfortable riding the bike with the 26" wheels.

If you are between 5'2" & 5'4" then you just have to decide which seems better for you.

BTW. If you are going to ride with your kid ON the bike, have the bike shop mount a seat & put 20+ lbs. of dead weight (e.g., 2-to-3 gallon jugs filled with water that YOU bring to the shop -- bunjee cord the jugs in the seat) in it so you can see how the bike will handle with the extra weight.

A trailer is better for transporting your kid(s) than those kid-seats, but a trailer is obviously more expensive ... the trailers are NOT created equal!
 
Thanks! I'm 5'3" :)

Is one component set better than the other? Both bikes are comfortable enough to ride ...

We're going to try the trail-a-gator for my 4 year old who rides - hubby will take the youngest on his bike - or I'll try towing the Chariot (a friend has one I'm going to test it and a few others before we invest in that ...)

For now I have to decide on a bike for me ...

Any thoughts on the components or are they comparable?

Thanks again,
Fletcher
 
Fletcher123 said:
Any thoughts on the components or are they comparable?
I don't think there is a significant difference in the components, per se ... BUT, a bike whose wheels use a Cassette is better than a bike which uses a Freewheel ... so the Forge Athena would get the nod.

If all things were equal, them 'my' preference would be for a bike with Shimano components because SRAM went proprietary a few years ago ... at least on their high-zoot stuff ... but, some SRAM "stuff" may still be Shimano-compatible.

While the components should last-a-lifetime if you don't leave the bike outside to rust, sometimes components do need to be replaced AND it will theoretically be easier to replace a Shimano derailleur/shifter than a possibly proprietary SRAM derailleur (SRAM stuff is readily available for the most part, so it may not be an issue ... but, SRAM's support seems mostly to be focused on their latest & greatest rather than the stuff which may be considered to have a legacy) ...

I'm only talking about the derailleurs & shifters ... so, worrying about potential replacement parts several years down the road really isn't that big a deal ...

So, if the bike with the 700c wheels works for you, that is the one I would recommend UNLESS your husband's bike only has 26" wheels ... the more theoretical continuity between bikes in a household, the better.
 
BTW. If there is a version of the Forge Athena which does NOT have a suspension fork, then that is the one you should choose because it should cost less, weigh less, and you probably won't miss the suspension fork if you are only riding on roadways & bike paths or hardpacked trails.
 

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