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.