Let me start with some history. Thirty years ago I worked a summer job as a Schwinn bicycle mechanic. I loved that job. In the process I assembled a ton of bicycles. I also purchased a Schwinn Continental 10 speed. Thirty years ago that was a great bike. Even by today's standards it would be a cool bike. That bike was stolen in 1982ish.
Move forward to 2006. I started getting the itch to ride a bicycle again. I tooled out to WalMart and bought one of those RoadMaster MtFurys for 53 bucks and rode it everyday. I decided I wanted a road bike since I was riding farther and longer, week by week. So, I ordered the 63cm GMC Denali from Amazon.
The bike arrived through the US mail in a box that looked like they dragged it behind the mail truck for a few miles. I was worried that something was broken. Nevertheless, I opened er up and the bike was fine. They packed it in a manner that allows it to take a bit of a beating in shipping. Since I was an old bicycle mechanic I never even opened the manual and put the bike together in about fifteen minutes. Basically that requires air in the tires, mount the front, put the handlebar neck in place, put the seat in place, put the pedals on, adjust the brakes, and ride. I chose to leave the reflectors off, for now.
My first impression was that I found it awkward to have to reach down to use the brakes. I got used to that fast. My second impression was how effortless it was to go fast on this bike, compared to the el-cheapo quasi mountain bike described above. The 63cm, black and silver Denali, rides really smooth and the derailers are light years better than the ones on the MtFury. I have never had, nor will I ever own and multi thousand dollar bicycle. But, I will say that this bike is really fantastic for the price. I am so impressed with the quality for under two hundred bucks.
The wheels and tires are quite narrow and 28 inches. Combine that with the aluminum frame, shimano derailers and it performs very well.
Some folks don't like the twist shifters. I find that I like it very much. I didn't think I would but, I do.
I wasn't in a position to spend a grand plus on a road bike but, I was doing a lot of daily riding. This bike has met my needs perfectly. The WalMart bike is I guess exactly the same thing except that it's a tad shorter. At 6'2 I find that the 63cm bike has me pretty much maxed out. I like it because it's tall but, if I were any shorter it would be awkward. The height lets me really get the maximum out of a pedal stroke for power and speed.
If I had a complaint it would be that the gearing is a bit short. That is that in top gear, on flat ground I max out the bike real quick. If it had a taller gear I could get more speed. The bike seems like it might be geared a bit short. On the plus side a reasonably athletic person wont need to shift gears much. Just keep her in top gear for most applications. You can get on it and boogie on down the road right now.
The seat really aint bad. If you think it is try that anvil on the MtFury. Holy cow. I like the pedals on the Denali. They fit me perfectly.
Nothing in life is perfect. But, for the price, you wont come close to his bike. I promise you that. Try it and see. I looked at used bikes before I bought this one. They were quite a bit more and looked rode hard and put up wet. The cheapest bike I found, used, near this price was a raggedy old Raleigh that the seller wanted $175.00 for. His bike had slick tires, scratches, and rust. It rode like an old bike with slick tires and rust. This bike rides tight and looks really nice. I found a Specialized bike that looked completely used up that the seller wanted the cost of three of the GMCs for. I decided that I could have three new bikes, back to back for the price of one bike that I wouldn't trust to get me around the block. I bought the Denali.
So, far I have ridden it a few hundred miles. I had one flat tire that I patched on the fly and kept on riding. It would be nice to have quick release axles. But, I carry a sawed off 15mm box wrench in by tool pouch. Works fine, last long time. They say that this bike is heavy. Come on now. It's really not bad at all. If I were in the tour de-whatever it might matter. But, for a day of riding it's a great bike. It's a heck of a lot lighter than what I was riding ya'll.
If this bike were to be stolen I would immediately buy another one.
Update: I did replace the rear sprocket set with a better set. Under heavy pedaling the chain would jump off of the sprocket a little bit. The the sprocket set fixed that. Other than that I've done nothing to this bike.
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Putting it together:
The bike came with the typical assembly needed for a bike shipped in a cardboard box. Attach the steering column, front tire, seat, pedals, reflectors. Then adjust brakes and fine tune gears. No big deal. Several different size allen wrenches, open end wrenches, pliers, and a screwdriver were needed. It was not hard, but if you've never put a bike together before it might seem like a lot of work, and you still might wind up at a bike shop for proper gear and brake adjustments.
Initial thoughts:
It is a nice looking bike and since road bikes are pretty much only sold in bike shops, most people will assume it cost a LOT more than it really did. A friend asked if I spent "over $1,000" on it.
I have no problems with build quality. The welds look good, the bike seems solid, the seat tube fit fine. I was surprised how well the frame fits my 6'0" size.
The Good Things:
> Nice looking bike
> Could pass for a much more expensive bike
> Lightweight
> Great gears, I hit 38.5mph on a downhill with some gear remaining, and managed 32.4mph on level ground with a tailwind (measured using handlebar mounted GPS receiver). I can cruise overall in the 16-20mph range for the first hour.
> Seat post clamps down nicely and is plenty long enough
The Bad Things:
> Seat angle does not appear to be adjustable and since I am male I will have to purchase an adjustable seat due to the high front angle
> No top pull brake levers, have to move hands into the drops in order to operate brakes
> Brakes are marginally effective, I've had cheaper toy bikes with better brakes. Am going to try different pads.
> To reach higher gears, the left gripshift turns toward you, but the right gripshift turns away from you.
> Considering the frame size would fit an average 6' tall person, they should have made the handlebar stem an inch or two longer for proper ride height adjustment.
> Due to the handlebar mounted twist grip shifters, there are very limited mounting positions available for accessories. I had to fabricate custom mounts for both my gps receiver and my headlight.
> The pedals are too narrow. I will have to purchase wider pedals. Considering the frame size of the bike, it would be reasonable to provide slightly wider pedals.
Parts Availability:
I bought this bike with the thinking that for the price if it wore out in a year I could buy 5 more for the price of a single entry level road bike at our local bike shops.
That thinking got tested sooner rather than later. Against my better judgement, I allowed a relative to ride the bike just a few days after I purchased it. He proceeded to ride into a longways crack in a sidewalk which abrubtly closed up locking the front tire and causing him to rotate over the front of the bike. He is fine (scraped up), but the bike did not fare as well.
The front rim sustained deep grooves and the entire braking area of the rim was scraped up from the side of the concrete. The tire was ripped and the tube was punctured, both in several places. The grip shift mechanisms were gouged by the concrete. The rear derailer was bent, knocked sideways, and the spring was knocked off.
Of course, none of this is the fault of the bike. Actually I was able to reattach the spring and fix the derailer, so all I really needed was a new front tire (rim, tire, tube, liner). Easier said than done!
None of my 3 local bike shops stock 28 x 700c tires.
But the bigger concern was with the manufacturer, Kent. All the phone numbers on the bike and in the manual refer you to them. I have still been unable to obtain parts from them, almost a month later. They are nice but just keep saying they are "waiting for parts".
In the meanwhile, I ordered another same model bike from Amazon and have already received it and have been using it.
Interestingly, the latest bike has much beefier tires (still the same size). The older model (by a couple of weeks) had very smooth tires with no real tread depth. The new bike's tires have more meat around the shoulder area and look like they will hold up a lot better. The newer tires seem to be of significantly higher quality.
I plan to keep the other bike for spare parts and will continue calling Kent so that hopefully someday I can get a new front tire.
Final Thoughts:
Overall I am very pleased with the bike. You just can't beat the price. I could buy 5 of these bikes including shipping for the price of the cheapest bike from my local bike shop. Obtaining OEM parts may be hard to do. The bike is lightweight, has very good gearing, and can be very fast. It goes better than it stops. Replacing several key components will improve the bike significantly. It is not perfect, but when you factor in the price, it is a great deal.
It is sold at the price of what bikes in a toy store sell for. Just keep that in mind and realize you aren't buying a professional model bike, and it should meet or exceed your expectations.
Best Deals for GMC Denali Road Bike
The Denali is typical of mass produced, imported, department store bicycles. It will need some tinkering and adjustments, the extent of which will depend upon your experience, tools and desires. Most riders opting for this road bike will want to do things like true the wheels and adjust the brakes and derailleurs. They are close out of the box but need tweaking. Aesthetically, it is pretty with its anodized blue look, accented with black and silver stickers. The wheel stickers make the bike look expensive, but the metal name plates on the frame are a bit tacky and look like they're about to fall off (although you probably couldn't pry them off if you wanted to). Newer models don't have the name plates.
Problem areas on my Denali were the brake lever hoods (which began splitting after a few day's use), less than desired stopping power, and a bottom bracket lock ring that needed tightening. Installing upgraded levers with better hoods eliminated the splitting, and better brake pads improved the braking, although better calipers would help even more.
The ride is smooth, light and nimble, and the Revo grip shifters are excellent but take up a bit of top bar space. The seat is comfortable for a road bike, and the Denali pedals easily, making long rides a breeze. The kickstand is a welcomed addition (and removable for those who balk at kickstands).
If drop bars turn you off, a viable option would be to replace the stem and split road bar (needed to accommodate the grip shifters) and replace them with a 22.2mm mountain bike stem, flat handlebar and mountain bike brake levers, keeping the Revo shifters. This would involve installing new cables and grips and may be beyond the budget/capabilities of most riders, but what a wonderful, inexpensive hybrid you'd create!
If you're looking for a bicycle that's dialed in for you with personalized dealer support, go to a bicycle shop and be prepared to pay quite a bit more. If you want a true bargain, have some tools/experience and are willing to tinker, get the Denali. It's a hoot to ride!
Honest reviews on GMC Denali Road Bike
I purchased this bike to start exercising so that I may reduce my cholesterol level at the recommendation of my doctor. After few rides, I realized I love biking and now put about 50~60 miles/week. I love this bike because it let me get back into biking, which I abandoned since High School. I now have over 500 miles on it and plan to put 1000 miles by end of summer.
Since the bike is so in expensive I figure the bike will pay for itself after 1000 miles when compared to driving my Toyota Highlander.
Here's my calculation:
$140 for the bike / $3 per cost of gallon of gas x 20Mpg on highlander = 933.33 miles
The bike uses bottom of the barrel components and the price reflects it.
The bad news is that the components will wear/fall apart sooner and need to be replaced. The good news is that just about any type of upgrade will be a major improvement, and you can learn to fix and maintain a bicycle. I learned how to adjust derailleur, true a wheel, wrap a handlebar tape, and adjust the brakes and much more. This doesn't mean it will prevent you from riding the bike in the beginning. Any and all bikes require some sort of fine-tuning. With a bit of tinkering and polishing, Denali becomes an excellent commuter bike.
I've also compiled a list of Facts and Myths surrounding this diamond in the rough.
FACT:
The bike is a great bargain: There really is no comparison on the market.
The bike is considered heavy for a racing bike: However the bike weight is more than acceptable for touring or commuting purposes.
MTB Components: 48/38/28t chairing and 14-28T freewheels are MTB components for easier hill climbs, rather than 30Mph racing. Probably cost cutting measures.
Brakes are weak: At minimum, the front brake pads should be replaced for any sort of hill descents.
Weak handlebar tape: The tape does not have adhesives and will start to come off after few hundred miles. Any aftermarket will remedy this problem.
The original tires are very heavy. You will notice immediate speed improvement after upgrading.
MYTH:
Gearing is junk and will skip unintentionally: All Gears need adjustments and fine-tuning. If your gears are not shifting properly, you need to adjust the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur. If the chain is rubbing against the Front derailleur, you need to tighten the cable as well as learn trimming. Grip shifter on road bike is unusual, but much better than down tube shifter like in the old days.
Used bikes on craigslist or EBay is better: Depending on the condition, used bikes may cost more in terms of maintenance and reconditioning to get it ride-ready. For beginning rider it is extremely difficult to pick out a bargain bike from used list.
The bike is poor quality: Kent makes other higher level bikes such as the limited and the pro version with carbon fiber fork and Shimano STI shifters, both based on same frame from the base model.
This bike has too many issues: All bikes require maintenance and adjustments. sheldonbrown and bicycletutor are great sites to learn about both.
I really started to enjoy biking and purchased a Motobecane Mirage Comp as a weekend bike, and now use the Denali as a 12-mile daily commuter. Only downside is that I think I kind of went overboard with accessories and upgrades, since they cost more than the bike itself. However, I think it just adds to the fun factor and motivates me to ride even more.
Following is the list of purchases I made towards the bike:
Kool stop eagle claw brake (Must for the front) = $8
Bell Handlebar Tape (Original will come off sooner or later) = $8
700x28c Continental Ultra 2000(front, found at LBS clearance box) = $12
700x28c Continental Super Sport (rear, found at LBS clearance box) = $10
2 x 700x28c tube = $10
Ventura rear rack = $14
Mirrycle mirror = $14
Schwinn bike computer = $10
M-Wave Large Saddle bag = $10
Planet Bike Blinky = $10
Planet Bike 5000x Xenon light = $35
20Oz Polar water bottle = $5
Bell Gel seat cover = $10
Shimano Sora 3304 STI shifter (left side only to accommodate the mirrycle) = $30
Bell Shift and Brake cables + housing (I might as well since replacing the left shifter) = $6
On-guard mini U-lock (must for commuter) = $15
Wellgo RC-713 Pedals (Hand me down from Mirage Comp) = free
Reduced Cholesterol and Triglyceride level, and losing 10 pounds in one month = Priceless!!!
Some other additional purchases, which I share with the second bike:
Schwinn Helmet = $15
Bell Gel Glove = $15
2 x Jersey = $50
2 x Shorts = $50
Schwinn floor pump = $30
Bell multi-tool = $15
Avenir Spoke Wrench = $10
tri-flow = $8
Finish Line Dry lube = $8
Finish Line Grease = $8
Pearl Izumi Quest MTB Shoes = $33
Shimano SH-56 = $15
M-wave bike stand = $18
-update 7/30/10
Upgraded the front brake caliper, as it was flexing too much during downhill descent.
Tektro R536 with standard nut mount fits perfectly: Tektro R536 Caliper Front, Standard Nut
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for GMC Denali Road Bike
I've always had mountain bikes, and wanted to dable in road bikes, but didn't want to spend a bunch of money only to find out that I should stick with my mountain bike.
The package arrived fairly quickly from Amazon, but the box was heavily damaged. Luckily, the bike only had a few scratches on the frame. Setup took me about an hour (not rushing it). The look and feel of the frame are great, but the rest of the components are and look cheap.
The brakes, even with a good adjustment are pretty bad. Tires are easily punctured, and the derailleurs are horrible and will require professional adjustmnet by a bike shop. All in all, for the money I can't complain.
I have upgraded the tires to Michelins Dynamic ($20 a piece), and also upgraded the brake calipers to Shimano's SC ($40 for front and rear with pads). I had the derailleurs professionally adjusted ($10), and now the bike is much better and rides 10x better.
I plan to upgraded the pedals and brake levers in the future. For a beginner, I would recommended it, but you will quickly find that it needs some fine tuning to make a descent bike.
The good
Looks good
Nice frame
Not too heavy
Good build quality on the frame
Cheapest road bike you can buy
The Bad
Horrible cheap brakes
Crappy derailleurs that require fine tuning by the pros
mediocre Kenda tires (puncture easily)
non-adjustable seat angle
I use it to commute half the distance to work everyday, and I've put over 200 miles on it so far. I've spent $90 dollars after the fact trying to improve it. Still a great deal, even with the money I've spent on it.
