johnj2803

@borobike

Congratulations!

monsterpile

Congrats on the loss!!! I need to lose those last few pounds myself. In that first pic for some reason I thought that radiator was some huge spiral bound prop book or something. Maybe I am not awake yet. LOL.

borobike

Thanks guys! Feels good not carrying around all that extra weight.

Went around on just an easy 12 mile ride around the university today, and took some pics. 603 miles on the bike now.



For those of you who watch college football, this is the Auburn University stadium, 2010 national champions. Haley Center building off to the right (point of reference for later picture).



New engineering buildings under construction. They are always building something at this university, have been for about the past decade or more.



Pharmacy building.



Taken atop a private parking deck, stadium can be seen as well as the Haley Center to the immediate left. That's where the majority of my health administration classes take place.

Fun ride, I took it easy for the most part and just enjoyed myself.
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degnaw

On a related note, I saw a Denali parked at my workplace the other day - the owner had installed Sora brifters and SPD-SL pedals. I thought it was pretty interesting.

Oil_LOL

Seems like a good mod. Probably needed something fast, had no money and a ****ty Craigslist market, and knew what he was doing.

borobike

What an awful day today.

Drove my truck through a puddle during an insane flood that occurred here and ended up stalling and hydrolocking the motor. Pretty sure the engine is seized and I will require a new motor. Really bad stroke of luck. So it looks like I'm going to be depending on the Denali a lot more until my truck is fixed. Makes me REALLY glad that I spent the time and money fixing it up to make it work better.

Speaking of which, the Denali is still riding great. 632 miles on it now I think. Even though it's motor doesn't like rain much either, at least it won't hydrolock.
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nfmisso

Time for a set of fenders so the "motor" doesn't get a skunk strip on his back ??

monsterpile

I looked at a Denali today at Walmart and had to keep myself from trying to convince a couple of adults from buying a new full-size mountain bike for a girl in their family since you can probably get the same level of bike on CL for half the price almost any day. I just moved along.

Also sorry about your truck that sucks. Will you be able to do some of the work yourself?

borobike

I wish, but there's no clearance between the brake caliper and the tire! I've been getting mudbutt every time it rains.

Not sure yet. My parents have taken pity on me being a broke college student and are funding my truck's repairs. It may get a brand new motor at the dealership or I might be hauling my motor out with a tree and a winch in the driveway. I don't really mind either way, it's just up to which they prefer.
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himespau 

how about one of those fenders that clips on to the seatpost. That way you only have to put it on when it rains and is above your brake system.

nfmisso

Fenders: here are a few:
https://www.amazon.com/SKS-X-Tra-Bicy...1289346&sr=1-3
https://www.amazon.com/SKS-Mud-X-Fron...289346&sr=1-16
https://www.amazon.com/SKS-Dashblade-...289346&sr=1-18
https://www.amazon.com/SKS-X-Blade-Bi...289346&sr=1-10
https://www.amazon.com/SKS-X-Board-Do...1289346&sr=1-9

borobike

As it turns out through an incredible stroke of luck, I won't be needing to worry about riding my bike in the rain. Through some miracle my truck survived and it runs like it never even happened. I will be taking a few more preventative steps on my own but it looks like it will be fine. I have to give GM credit for building a winner. With the way it happened I thought it had a one in a million chance of surviving without a bent rod, and it pulled through.

That being said, I've been relying on the Denali a lot the past couple of days, including today to go pick up my truck. It's held through just fine too. So here's the end of week report.

Did encounter a problem though. Past couple of days my front brake has been tightening itself. Really weird, considering how I couldn't see how that would be physically possible. I kept having to let more and more cable out.

Then today I got on my bike and noticed that the left brake hood was significantly lower on the bar than the right. I guess it had happened so slowly that I didn't notice before. Pushed it back into position for the ride and the brake loosened up. Made some adjustments and went on my way. Guess I'll have to remove the tape and tighten it down good. This was the stock brake lever.

Other than that, no problems. 650 miles on the bike.
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monsterpile

Whew I am happy your truck is all happy. What Chevy do you have? I miss my 1st gen S10 Blazers sometimes.

borobike

Well, it may not be a 1st gen or a Blazer but it is an S10! 1996 'LT' 4.3.




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monsterpile

Nice truck. There are lots of people that like the 4.3. In my 2 Blazers I had a TBI and CPI and even though it was older supposedly had less horsepower and had twice as many miles the TPI seemed better for me. That little beast almost required a Tetanas shot to drive because the other body was so rusty, but it was a good little vehicle. I paid for it in cash mostly from selling bicycles which is probably a sin or something. LOL

nfmisso

Definitely a sin.

As penance you must ride no less than 100 miles per week.

rodneyd24

I got my bike and wanted to share my experience. I am very satisfied with this purchase. Shipping took less than a week and was included in the $160 price tag. Out of the box all the components worked great. Wheels are true. It took me about 2 hours to put it together, tweak and customize. I didn’t rush and the process included swapping out new brake pads, removing guards, reflectors and the kick stand, replacing the seat, installing ATB comp pedals with straps, and putting some velcro adhesive strips down on the top tube so I can attach energy gel packs for easy access.

The shifters needed minor adjustments because a couple of shifts were off and the front derailleur was scraping the chain in certain gears. But following the directions made those corrections easy. I adjusted the brakes and they work fine. I am able to lock them up if I want.

The pic is of me with the bike leaving T1 at my first triathlon. You can see the mods. I saw two other Denalis at this event.



I’ve now got 100+ miles on it and a competitive event so I’m starting to get comfortable and have a few thoughts:

• I’m just under 6’ tall and got a “large” bike. The 57.5cm frame is the right size and fits me well.
• I like the larger 32c tires. I’m not an elite competitor and prefer comfort over all-out performance. Thinner tires at high psi are a stiffer ride.
• The Revo shifters do not bother me. Brifters or thumb shifters are better options but I would prefer the Revo shifters over down tube, stem and possibly even bar-end shifters. The indexing has worked very well so far.
• The triple crank is not ideal. I don’t use the small crank at all. I think it’s a complete waste unless you are a weaker rider or doing serious climbing.

All-in-all, I’ve got about $250 invested in the bike with my customizations and am completely satisfied with this purchase. IMO, unless you can find good value in a used bike that has the components you want, the GMC Denali is a solid option. It’s a great starter bike and/or low-budget option. There will come a time, probably by next season, when the limitations of this bike will lead me to purchase a new or used higher-end road bike. I would probably do that instead of making major upgrades to this one (because of the frame weight) but certainly see the value in continuing to make upgrades.

Thanks again to everyone who positively contributes to this thread. It has been very helpful for me.

e0richt

I had one of the blue versions of the bike and it was not a very good bike (around the time of cigtech's review...) I purchased a new bike that was about 100 bucks more and I have never had to play with the bottom bracket... and it has about 2000 miles on it... (don't ride it as much as cigtech did his...)

wphamilton

One thing that's been puzzling me is about the frame, and various opinions I've seen. Mainly that it's not worth upgrading beyond low end components. I understand that the sum of the parts can be more expensive than the whole bike, but assuming you avoid the LBS prices and labor charges, what is the issue specifically?

The frame weighs four pounds. The lightest frame you can get is two pounds. Generally speaking at rational expenditures, we're looking at a pound to a pound and a half heavier than a carbon frame. So if you used the components of an 18 pound CF bike you'd have a 19 to 20 pound "Denali". Is that a deal-breaker from the frame alone?

No doubt there are differences in handling characteristics. Stiffness, road vibration, "feel" whatever that is, and so on. I wouldn't know - probably most owners of such low end bikes have little or no time in the saddle on high end bikes. So I'd like to hear from those of you who have spent time on both. What are the serious, deal-breaker drawbacks of the frame itself other than the extra pound or so?

ShinyBiker

What's the turnaround time when you order a walmart bike online and the time it gets to your local store?

LansingWes

I too just bought the GMC Denali. As a Grad Student, this bike was really the best I could afford. Also, I figured it's better to start riding and outgrow a bike rather not ride while I save up for something to grow into.

Assembly was easy out of the box. Tightening the handlebars was a trick. I had to stick the long end of the allen wrench into the post and try to turn the small end with a separate wrench. Tricky, but it worked. I also had to make slight adjustments to the brakes. And spent a lot of time centering the front wheel. All told, it took about 2 hours but I have no experience putting bikes together. Someone with the right tools and experience could probably whip it together in quite a bit less time.

Everything is probably broken in by now. I've been riding a week now and have gone about 54 miles. I need to take it to my LBS to tune the derailleurs because I'm not comfortable doing that myself.

Personally, I hate the placement of the shifters. I'd like to replace the entire drop bar assembly and switch to an integrated shifter/brake system. My longest ride was today, when I rode around town and on the bike path we have here. I went 19 miles and the seat is a little uncomfortable. Then again, I have yet to get bike shorts. I'm hoping to buy some later this week and I think that will go a long way to reduce any discomfort.

Like you, I don't think the gears are big enough. I'm not sure if I should replace the crankset or the cassette. It's mostly flat here and, unless I'm riding in traffic (where I have to make stops at many red lights), I'm riding in the biggest gear.

I really do think that for the money this is the best bike around. I spent $150 at Amazon. So far I'm having fun and feeling great. Sure, it's not the last bike I'll ever own. But, it's a great machine to start out on. And, at least I'm riding while I wait to get something better!

MyBikeGotStolen

Great review, I have been reading all your updates so far! Also, I like the truck. I have the same 96 S10, same colors and everything. Lol, my color is pretty bad faded, and I only have the 4 cylinder.

borobike

Lots of comments! I'll go through and try to respond to them all.

693 miles on the Denali now, still no problems. Rides great. Reached a new top speed today of 39.7 mph over my last top speed of 37.1 mph.

Thanks! The CPI engine is indeed more powerful but had a lot more problems. I think between the two you were better off with the TBI. The CPI was only around for a couple of years until it was replaced by the MPFI Vortec motor in 1996.

Glad you are enjoying your new bike! Hope it works well for you.
I can't really tell you much because I only spent a brief amount of time on another bike, and it was also aluminum, not carbon fiber. All I can tell you is that the Denali feels very responsive and in touch with the road without being an overly rough ride. Even at high speeds (40 mph) it feels very solid and stable.

The only problem I've had with it is a few standard parts don't fit, for example I had to slightly drill out one side to fit in standard recessed bolt calipers, and it comes with a freewheel instead of a cassette.

Probably about two days. They also ship to your home for free, no need to have to go pick it up at the store.

Congrats! Hope you enjoy your new ride.

Thanks! It's been a great, dependable truck for me. Also has a few extra non-standard options like leather and HID projectors which have helped to modernize it and will help me to use it as my daily for a bit longer. Don't plan on ever getting rid of it, as it was originally my grandfather's truck.
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LansingWes

I'm absolutely loving it! I owe it all to posts like yours and CigTech's. My wife is wondering if the GMC Denali women's road bike is of a similar quality. I'm inclined to believe so. Have you heard anything about it?

borobike

Glad to help! I haven't had the opportunity to see the women's version up close, but I'd be willing to bet that it almost certainly uses the same components on a smaller frame.

Also, I noticed above you were wondering about the best way to go about getting a higher top speed. Ordinarily, I'd recommend replacing the freewheel because it's cheaper, easier, and doesn't necessarily have to change the way your bike performs in it's lowest gear if you keep the tooth count the same. But the Denali uses a freewheel from Sunway which, while a decent performer, seems to require a tool to remove that is not commonly available. My bike shop couldn't remove it and yours might not be able to either without damaging the wheel.

That being the case, I'd recommend swapping out the front cranks. Your current crank has a large ring with a 48 tooth count, you'll want something with more. Most mountain bike cranksets seem to have the 48 tooth count (this is what the Denali has, a mountain crank) while the road cranks may have anywhere from 50-53 usually. You'll want at least a double to give you a bailout gear for hills (I find some hills impossible to go up in the large chainring, mine is 52 teeth) and you may have to change out your front derailleur for a road derailleur if you find, like I did, that the stock derailleur is too wide and strikes the crank arms on each revolution. Any Shimano road derailleur will work well, as long as it's clamp on and not braze on. I went with Sora and it's absolutely flawless.

A note on the above though: If you do change out your crank arms and derailleur, there's a fair chance that your stock shifter won't work with it. I can't say for sure because I'd already changed out the shifters by the time I changed the crankset and derailleur.
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