Diamondback Lux LT Review (Women’s 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike)

Hitting the trail with a mountain bike?

Nothing’s more fun than rocking and rolling along a single-trail in the great outdoors.

There’s seemingly no limit to how much money you can spend on a mountain bike. But, if you’re like me, you don’t have an unlimited budget.

You want the best bike value possible. This means finding the most features and highest quality construction at the lowest possible price.

Searching through the many mountain bikes available online can be tedious. But I’m here to help! I’ve thoroughly tested the top mountain bikes for women.

My in-depth, 100% honest Diamondback Lux LT review will show you all the pros and cons. Let’s see if this is the best bike for you:

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An In-Depth Review of Diamondback’s Lux LT Bike for Ladies

In order to provide a complete review, we’ll need to touch on a few different areas.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Budget-Minded Mountain Bike

Budget mountain bikes don’t have to be cheaply made. You can find a high quality, durable bike for under a thousand bucks.

The key is understanding which features you need and which you don’t. Then you won’t find yourself overpaying for features you’ll never use.

Before buying a mountain bike, figure out where you’ll want to use it. Are you going to mainly ride single trails near your home? You’ll want a bike designed for the terrain you’ll ride on most often.

On the other hand, you might be up for as many adventures as possible. If so, you’ll want a bike which can cross all types of obstacles.

Who Should Buy Them

This is a mountain bike designed for the woman who prefers riding outdoors on single trails, fire tracks and similar. The bike is sturdy and strong enough to cover rocky terrain, wet weather and more.

Who Should Not Buy Them

Sorry, city dwellers, but this bike is best for unpaved roads. The Diamondback SL Doublewall 27.5 inch wheelset rolls over roots, branches, rocks and more.

You’ll want to skip this bike if you plan to mainly ride through city streets and other urban areas. A cruiser or other city bike will provide a smoother ride using less energy if you’re on flatter, smoother surfaces. The Lux LT is the bike you take with you when you want to leave city life behind (at least for a little while).

What is the Diamondback Lux LT

Ready to tackle some gnarly trails?

Lightweight and durable, this trail-ready model is a mountain bike which costs under $1,000.

With high-quality construction and plenty of ton-of-the-line components, I think Lux LT is worth consideration to anyone looking for a woman’s mountain bike

Comparison to Diamondback Lux Sport 27.5 Women’s Mountain Bike – 2017

The Lux LT is similar to the Diamondback Lux Sport, but the Sport has a few more features including a Devine Edition saddle, handlebar and grips. While these extras are nice, they also raise the price of the Sport a few hundred bucks higher than the Lux LT.

Specs

Suspension: SR Suntour XCR-LO Coil 27.5, 100mm Travel

Tires: 27.5 inches

Gears: 9-Speed Shimano Drivetrain with 24 gears

Frame: Women Specific 6061-T6 Aluminum Frame with Super Low Top Tube

What Is It Best For?

This is best for women who love to mountain bike, straight up. This bike will perform well on outdoor trails of practically any type and difficulty level.

This is a great bike for someone who is just discovering (or re-discovering) a love of mountain biking. For under a thousand bucks you can get a quality bike which is ready to hit the trail.

As you become more comfortable on a mountain bike, you’ll naturally develop preferences for how you want various bike components to perform. The Lux LT is easy to upgrade in affordable stages.

Even veteran riders will likely find this bike to be a great value. You get reliable, name brand components on a hand-built aluminum frame.

Pros

• Reliable construction helps avoid breakdowns on the trail
• Lightweight aluminum frame is durable but also easy to lift and carry
• Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes stop even in steep, wet conditions

Cons

• Lack of rear suspension forks reduce cushion
• Replacement parts can be difficult to find
• Stiff frame is a bit bumpy on uneven surfaces

Features and Benefits You Get

Each part of the bike should come together to create a comfortable riding experience. The secret to finding the best value is to take a look at each individual feature of the bike.

Don’t worry if you’re not a bike expert. I completely understand how all the details of a mountain bike can seem confusing. But instead of focusing on all the technical details let’s take a look at how this bike performs on the trail:

Smooth Ride on Topsy-Turvy Trails

At 5’6” and I’m-not-telling-you-how-many pounds, I found this bike to be super comfortable and easy to ride. The SR Suntour XCT suspension fork takes the brunt of even the biggest bumps. Although I’ve had success with men’s bikes before, nothing beats a bike contoured to my body shape.

Reliable for Solo Rides Far from Home

Reliability is a big concern of mine. I usually ride alone and often far away from populated areas. The last thing I want is a mountain bike breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, that’s not a big concern when I’m riding my Lux LT.

This budget bike includes many name brand components I’m familiar with and trust. The disc brakes from Tektro Aries will safely stop the bike even in slick, muddy conditions. Plus, the Diamond SL Doublewall 27.5-inch tires are tough enough for the great outdoors.

Durable but Lightweight

I can tear through the toughest trails on my bike. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy for me to lift a bike up to the storage hooks in my garage. So I’m always on the lookout for a bike which balances strength with weight.

The Lux LT is easy enough to lift up over my head. There have even been a few times on the trail I’ve had to lift the bike up in order to cross a stream. I’m confident I can carry this bike in an emergency situation.

Tires for Major Miles

The rubber meets the trail with these custom 27.5 inch Sl-7 Doublewall wheels. They provide enough height to roll over tall obstacles without having to sacrifice speed.

Twenty-nine inches is about the top limit to mountain bike wheel height while 26 inches is the traditional size. Lux LT lets you split the difference with a 27.5-inch wheel. Personally, I love the 27.5 because the 29 is just a bit too tall for my body height.

What Makes the Diamondback Lux LT Unique?

Designed for Women

Outdoor super-women rejoice! The Lux LT is designed for the unique proportions of a woman. A butted aluminum frame includes a low and short top tube for increased clearance. Also has a laid-back seat.

Women’s bikes are built for our unique body types. A mountain bike designed for women will have narrow handlebars, small wheels and a seat created for our (relatively) longer legs and shorter torsos.

Gears for Your Riding Style

The Shimano drivetrain has 24 speeds. You’ll have an easy time shifting into the right gear for any type of terrain.

This bike is suitably for one-tracks, fire trails, red and blue difficulties, off-road, jumping and more. If you’re a beginner, this bike will go just about anywhere you’re comfortable with. Veteran riders will appreciate the bike’s versatility.

Great Value for New Mountain Bikers

If you’re new to the world of mountain biking, you don’t want to drop a ton of dough just to get started. The Lux LT is a great value. For under a $1,000 you get a mountain bike ready to go on fire trails, downhill races and practically everything else outdoors.

As your biking skills grow so can your bike. The Lux LT can be upgraded easily without putting much of a dent in your budget.

Suppose you decide you want a different type of rear brake. You can order new ones online, install them yourself and you’ll still like be under $1,000 spent total.

Sizing Chart

Price

This bike can be found for $424 to just under $1,000. If you’re willing to shop around, you can probably find this bike for under $500.

That price is definitely on the low-end, so I spent a lot of time making sure the parts were on the high-end. Fortunately, this bike seems likely to stay in great shape for years after purchase.

Plus, because the initial price is so low, you can upgrade individual parts pretty substantially without spending over one grand in total.

Alternatives to the Diamondback Lux LT 27.5 Mountain Bike

Mountain biking is a pretty personal activity. Not everyone will feel the same way about a particular bike. If the Diamondback Lux LT doesn’t sound like exactly what you’re looking for, here are some other options which might suit you better:

• Breezer Storm 29 Comp Mountain Bike: Looking for a similar bike but with bigger wheels? The 29-inch wheels of the Breezer Storm let you roll over tall and jagged obstacles will ease. Note that the taller bike isn’t as comfortable for many women riders as the Lux LT.
  
   
  Click or tap here to learn more about Breezer Storm 29 Comp Mountain Bike.
  
   
• Diamondback Lux Sport 27.5 Women’s Mountain Bike – 2017: With a different front fork, the Lux Sport is designed for pretty hard-core mountain biking. There are also a few extra features including special Devine Design grips on the handlebars.
  
   
  Click or tap here to learn more about Diamondback Lux Sport 27.5.
  
   
• Mongoose Ruddy Comp 27.5: Another bike in the same vein as the Lux LT, the Mongoose Ruddy Comp has a similar aluminum frame and disc braking system. Unique to the Ruddy Comp is a suspension fork with a remote lockout. You can easily switch the suspension on and off.
  
   
  Click or tap here to learn more about the Mongoose Ruddy Comp.

Conclusion

Updated 2/9/2020 – I never set out to learn so much about mountain biking – I just wanted to ride trails. But now that I’m familiar with what makes a great mountain bike I’m more than happy to share that info with you.

I’m sure I’m not the only lady who lives a busy life. So hopefully my Diamondback Lux LT review helped you save a ton of time.

You need to know what type of mountain biking you want to do. Finding a mountain bike with the features you need isn’t as hard as you think. The Lux LT checks a lot of the right boxes.

The aluminum 6160-T6 frame is light enough for me to lift over my head but still strong enough to remain undented after a gnarly mountain spill.

The women-specific design includes narrow handlebars and 27.5-inch sized wheels. Plus, the seat is positioned for a woman’s leg length to torso ratio.

Overall, if you’re a lady like me who loves to rock the trails on a mountain bike, there’s a lot to love about the Diamondback Lux LT.

Click Here To See The Diamondback Lux LT