The GMC Denali road bike review-the best low cost commuter around
04-20-14, 01:40 PM
#1
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
The GMC Denali road bike review-the best low cost commuter around
The GMC Denali-An excellent commuter bike for those on a tight budget
A little about myself, and my experience with cycling
I have been riding bicycles all of my life and have owned several as an adult. Sadly most of them either got stolen or were neglected. All of them with the exception of three have been mountain bikes. I had a Huffy road bike back in 1989 (I know, I know,) and cracked the frame going over a curb. I became convinced that road bikes and me were bad because I am big guy. The first adult bike I road as an adult was a Christmas gift. I got the bike Xmas 1987. It was a Montgomery Ward's bike. It was either a 12 speed or 14 speed and it was awesome. I decided that I wanted to enlist in the Navy. I was told that I need to lose 50 lbs by June of 1988. To accomplish that I took two Gym classes and rode that Montgomery Wards bike like hell. My dad didn't put it together the right way and the left crank would fall off unless it was constantly tightened. I carried a socket wrench with me at all times and kept it tight as all times. It was awkward but that damn bike served it purpose well. I would ride 6-8 miles after school, and do twenty mile rides on the weekends. Thank God for the flood control bike paths in Long Beach CA. That POS bike got me started, though I sure the leet's made fun of it. Needless to say I made the cut for Boot camp.
The last “nice” mountain bike I had was a Schwinn (not a department store bike,) mountain bike with dual suspension and cost me $1100 back in 2000. I lost in 2004 over a dispute with a friend because the jerk pawned it. I went 8 years without a bike and gained more weight as a result of it and the fact that I had a car for two before it died on me (I gained 40 lbs, because I wasn't walking like I was when I took bus.)
I found myself taking the bus once again after my car died and the LAMTA isn't fun (though the Santa Monica blue bus is not bad.) I was going back to school once again (I'm on the 50 year plan for my BA,) and I wanted to have a bicycle that I could put a rack on and commute to school via the metro rail gold line. I purchased a used Cadillac mountain bike. It was heavy and built like a brick s!!t house. It didn't take me long to get tired of it, because it was slow, uncomfortable etc etc. I initially took a look at the GMC Denali road bike and was scared off by some of the negative reviews (I should of gotten it in the first place. I instead purchased a Schwinn Varsity from the ebil Walmart. It's a decent bike however it didn't work out for me, because it felt too small for me, and felt squishy underneath me. I managed to sell both bikes eventually. Enter the GMC Denali, but I before I do that I want to get a few things out of the way.
DISCLAIMERS
A. I am not even going to try and compare the Denali with the more expensive/higher quality bikes. That is not the point of this review.
B. I don't have an issue with people that ride more expensive/higher quality bikes. My issue is with the leet's that think they are greatest thing since sliced bread, because they rock an expensive lean mean, road bike high speed death machine.
C. I don't have a problem with local bike shops in general. They are the equivalent of luxury car dealerships and provide a valuable service to those that can afford it. I do have a beef with the ones that act like shady auto mechanics and I've ran into plenty of them.
D. I've ridden the Denali for a year before doing any reviews on it. I wanted to give the bike a fair shake, ride, do some maintenance on etc. (I should of mention this when I created this review.)
ENTER THE DENALI
The third time is in fact the charm. At least in this case. I rolled the dice on the Denali after making a mistake with the first two bikes (they are not bad bikes, but were bad fits for me.) I ordered it from Amazon and paid more for it than I would of at Walmart. Walmart didn't have the color I wanted which was black and silver. GO RAIDERS LOL.
Luckily for me it was shipped via UPS and the box it came in didn't look like it was dragged down the street. I did the initial assembly which was a piece of cake (many reviewers gave it a one star rating because they fail to put the fork into the proper position and/or didn't get the brakes/gears adjusted.) I walked it to the my local bike shop in downtown LA-those guys are awesome. They did a safety check on it to make sure that everything was tight and adjusted. Since then I've been riding on a regular basis, though I should be riding more. I am still alive, and all of my limbs are intact, despite of what the leets said about it being a deathtrap on wheels. I've been riding it for a year now and have performed some upgrades since then. I've made some improvements to it since I've purchased it.
A LITTLE ON THE CRAIGSLIST PARADIGM.
Many cyclist have suggested that someone looking for a low cost road bike go on to craigslist and get a used steel framed prices for about the same as it would cost to buy a Denali. I disagree with that passionately because I've seen those bikes on CL and they are POS's for the price that their owners are asking for. I would buy one of those bikes for about $25-50 tops and I would be buying one of those for the frame. Those CL bikes are not worth a $150 because you would have to replace just about everything on them. Torn up seats, rusted frames, broke/old components, and rusted chains are some of the things you will have to replace on one of those old bikes. You wouldn't have a bike that was safe to ride.
Though I would love to do what I call the “Craigslist challenge,” take one of those mutts and give em a makeover, document the challenges of fitting new parts on an old bike etc. That would be fun for a geek like me. If you want a bike that's affordable and ready to ride then stay away from the slim pickings on Craigslist. The owner of those junkers want way too much for them.
MY REASONS FOR BUYING THE DENALI
Some of my reasons for buying the Denali differ from others.
A. The price of course. I cannot afford an expensive road bike at this time. The bottom fell out for me in 2001 when I had a personal economic collapse and its taking me a long time to climb back out of the ditch. I also realized that its better to eat $200 over a stolen bike than it is to be SOL over a bike that costs $600. It still sucks but it doesn't suck as much as losing a more expensive bike. The Denali was a bike that was ready to go once everything was tuned and adjusted. I would of loved to get a BD's direct bike or something a little nicer. Improvise, adapt and overcome is my motto.
B. I wanted a frame that was built like a tank. I live in Downtown LA. The roads/sidewalks are terrible. Pot holes, cracks, sidewalks buckled because tree roots had grown underneath them are hell on bicycles. The Schwinn varsity I had before that felt squishy underneath me.
C. Nutted wheels. Quick release wheels are awesome. That Montgomery Ward's bike had nutted wheels and yes its a PITA to get them off when you have a flat. However those wheels make it harder for a crackhead to get at them as well. I live in a high crime area and the nutted wheels are a form of theft protection IMHO. I can also upgrade if I want to later on done the road.
D. I can make upgrades over time. Some have said that its going to cost you more to upgrade the Denali over shelling out more money for a better bike upfront. I agree with them on that point. I look at it a little differently than they do.
For $200 (the cost of the bike, along with shipping and handling.) I have a bike that's ready to ride, and I have two options available to me. The first option is to upgrade the parts as they break, and thus defraying my costs over time. The second is to upgrade the components over time. It might be more expensive than buying a better bike upfront, however doing the upgrades over time helps to defray the costs and that certainly benefits the people who live month to month. Time + cost helps lower the overall cost but costs you time.
E. I want to learn how to build, fix and maintain bicycles. I would love to build my own bike from the ground up someday. I want to learn how to work on cars eventually. I have this romanticized notion that people should be as self sufficient as possible. I am fortunate that I have a mechanical/technical inclination. I like fixing and building things. I am going to volunteer at a local bike co-opt. That way I can learn and eventually be in a position to help others. Plus I cannot afford to take my bike to a local bike shop for every little problem or repair.
I am not as afraid to wrench on this bike as I would be with a more expensive road bike. I figure that I can make mistakes with this bike. I tried to install some new brakes. I had to ream the hole on the fork in order to fit the recessed nut. I screwed up and got short pull breaks. I said to myself “whats the worse that can happen? I have to buy a new fork off of Amazon.” Luckily I was able to get the old brake on with no problem. Its like buy a bucket car and cutting your teeth fixing it.
WEAK POINTS ON THE DENALI
The Denali has some weak points like every other bike, appliance etc has.
A. The brake pads and brake levers that come with the Denali are not the best in the world. The brake levers and brakes themselves work just fine, however the brake pads are absolute dogs. The good news is that they are an easy fix. I've been using these since I've had the bike. Maybe not the best choice for me but they are inexpensive and added much needed breaking power Amazon.com: Avid 20R Brake Pad Set: Sports & Outdoors . The brake levers themselves do the job, but are low end.
The components are low end but that doesn't mean that they are garbage. Don't compare them to more expensive higher quality components. They will get the job done.
B. A lot has been said about the Denali's handlebars. The leetist claim that they are deathtraps. I'm hear to tell you that they are not. It's true that they were cut in half, and modified so the manufacturers could fit Revo shifters on this. They are safe when properly assembled. There is a bolt that joins the two ends. Keep that bolt tightened and/or even take them apart and slap some locktight on the bolts for that extra added bit of safety. They have a metal shim that allows them to be bolted on to the neck. Make sure you get 31mm handlebars if and when you swap the stock handlebars out. The stock handlebars are heavy and I guess some can look at that as a bad thing.
C. The shifters are Revo shifters and not the best shifters in the world. They work, and the shifting overall is a bit rough-though that is to be expected because of the quality of the parts. I don't know if its because I didn't adjust them properly or its just due the quality of the parts. Its the difference between a Honda accord and a Mercedes Benz.
D. This isn't so much as a technical gripe as it is an aesthetics gripe. I didn't like the garish stickers that wear slapped on the bike. I took a hair dryer and carefully removed them. I fudged up on one and ripped some paint off but I have it covered with the mounting bracket for my bike pump. I could always slap some silver reflective tape over it which I plan on doing anyway in order to make my bike more visible at night.
These downsides are minor in my opinion because they can be easily rectified. The only serious downside for me is the brake pads. Other than that I guess I could be nit picky about the other ones. I want to give a fair and unbiased review of the bike. With that being said lets talk about the Leetist.
THE LEETS
Lets talk about the Leets. Leets (elitists,) are not people that have expensive bicycles, and other high end stuff. They do not look down on others who have lower quality bicycles, and in fact often try to help them out with advice etc when they can. The leetists on the other hand live in their figurative and in some cases literal ivory towers. They look down on others that don't have as expensive rides as they do and make a value judgment of that person based off of the dollar amount of the persons equipment. Every hobby/pursuit has leetist. They are often have their own heads stuck so far up their rear ends that someone needs to send a rescue team to find them. They are brag how they are the baddest of bad@$$es. They derive their self esteem based off of the dollar amount of their equipment. They lack an identity of their own and identify themselves by what clique and hobby group that they belong too. They lack of a core of values, and principles which define our identity. In the case of cycling they hang out at the LBS, often don't know how to fix their own stuff and have an aversion to tools. This is just my observation.
The leets have made criticizing the Denali a hobby in and of itself. They'll say garbage like “don't ride that bike near me,” or “don't you dare be in a group ride if you're riding that bike because I don't want the sight of your crumbled, broke and bleeding body to upset my sensibilities.” Of course they've never rode the bike. I don't see why they can't buy the Denali because $200 wouldn't be an imposition to them. After all they are rocking a carbon fiber road bikes that costs more than many peoples mortgage payments. I guess they might be put out, because they will have to forgo steak and lobster night. I don't like leetists and in fact despise them because they are arrogant, self centered and conceited.
IN CLOSING
I purchased this bike knowing exactly what I was going to get and for the price I was going to get it for. I spent a lot of time thinking about the purposes and reasons for getting this bike. I had two previous attempts of finding a bike that suited me. The GMC Denali road bike is a great bike for everyday commuting/exercise. Its not a speed racer, but is a good first step for someone looking to get into the hobby. Its the best everyday working mans bike who can't afford to drop a lot of money for something he might not like down the road.
Many people who have extensive knowledge of wrenching have purchase this bike and have done some amazing things with them. Cig tech is famous for riding this bike and posting a blow by blow account of it over a wide period of time. There's another person that has this bike, has done several videos that document the changes and fixes he has done on the bike. A guy in Texas showed that it doesn't take much to get this bike into fighting shape. I love this bike and Its been a better ride over some of the more expensive bikes I've had.
I hope this review helps some people out. I have done my utmost to give as accurate of a review that I can. Thank you for reading.
(
The Denali right after I purchased it and had everything adjusted.
A little about myself, and my experience with cycling
I have been riding bicycles all of my life and have owned several as an adult. Sadly most of them either got stolen or were neglected. All of them with the exception of three have been mountain bikes. I had a Huffy road bike back in 1989 (I know, I know,) and cracked the frame going over a curb. I became convinced that road bikes and me were bad because I am big guy. The first adult bike I road as an adult was a Christmas gift. I got the bike Xmas 1987. It was a Montgomery Ward's bike. It was either a 12 speed or 14 speed and it was awesome. I decided that I wanted to enlist in the Navy. I was told that I need to lose 50 lbs by June of 1988. To accomplish that I took two Gym classes and rode that Montgomery Wards bike like hell. My dad didn't put it together the right way and the left crank would fall off unless it was constantly tightened. I carried a socket wrench with me at all times and kept it tight as all times. It was awkward but that damn bike served it purpose well. I would ride 6-8 miles after school, and do twenty mile rides on the weekends. Thank God for the flood control bike paths in Long Beach CA. That POS bike got me started, though I sure the leet's made fun of it. Needless to say I made the cut for Boot camp.
The last “nice” mountain bike I had was a Schwinn (not a department store bike,) mountain bike with dual suspension and cost me $1100 back in 2000. I lost in 2004 over a dispute with a friend because the jerk pawned it. I went 8 years without a bike and gained more weight as a result of it and the fact that I had a car for two before it died on me (I gained 40 lbs, because I wasn't walking like I was when I took bus.)
I found myself taking the bus once again after my car died and the LAMTA isn't fun (though the Santa Monica blue bus is not bad.) I was going back to school once again (I'm on the 50 year plan for my BA,) and I wanted to have a bicycle that I could put a rack on and commute to school via the metro rail gold line. I purchased a used Cadillac mountain bike. It was heavy and built like a brick s!!t house. It didn't take me long to get tired of it, because it was slow, uncomfortable etc etc. I initially took a look at the GMC Denali road bike and was scared off by some of the negative reviews (I should of gotten it in the first place. I instead purchased a Schwinn Varsity from the ebil Walmart. It's a decent bike however it didn't work out for me, because it felt too small for me, and felt squishy underneath me. I managed to sell both bikes eventually. Enter the GMC Denali, but I before I do that I want to get a few things out of the way.
DISCLAIMERS
A. I am not even going to try and compare the Denali with the more expensive/higher quality bikes. That is not the point of this review.
B. I don't have an issue with people that ride more expensive/higher quality bikes. My issue is with the leet's that think they are greatest thing since sliced bread, because they rock an expensive lean mean, road bike high speed death machine.
C. I don't have a problem with local bike shops in general. They are the equivalent of luxury car dealerships and provide a valuable service to those that can afford it. I do have a beef with the ones that act like shady auto mechanics and I've ran into plenty of them.
D. I've ridden the Denali for a year before doing any reviews on it. I wanted to give the bike a fair shake, ride, do some maintenance on etc. (I should of mention this when I created this review.)
ENTER THE DENALI
The third time is in fact the charm. At least in this case. I rolled the dice on the Denali after making a mistake with the first two bikes (they are not bad bikes, but were bad fits for me.) I ordered it from Amazon and paid more for it than I would of at Walmart. Walmart didn't have the color I wanted which was black and silver. GO RAIDERS LOL.
Luckily for me it was shipped via UPS and the box it came in didn't look like it was dragged down the street. I did the initial assembly which was a piece of cake (many reviewers gave it a one star rating because they fail to put the fork into the proper position and/or didn't get the brakes/gears adjusted.) I walked it to the my local bike shop in downtown LA-those guys are awesome. They did a safety check on it to make sure that everything was tight and adjusted. Since then I've been riding on a regular basis, though I should be riding more. I am still alive, and all of my limbs are intact, despite of what the leets said about it being a deathtrap on wheels. I've been riding it for a year now and have performed some upgrades since then. I've made some improvements to it since I've purchased it.
A LITTLE ON THE CRAIGSLIST PARADIGM.
Many cyclist have suggested that someone looking for a low cost road bike go on to craigslist and get a used steel framed prices for about the same as it would cost to buy a Denali. I disagree with that passionately because I've seen those bikes on CL and they are POS's for the price that their owners are asking for. I would buy one of those bikes for about $25-50 tops and I would be buying one of those for the frame. Those CL bikes are not worth a $150 because you would have to replace just about everything on them. Torn up seats, rusted frames, broke/old components, and rusted chains are some of the things you will have to replace on one of those old bikes. You wouldn't have a bike that was safe to ride.
Though I would love to do what I call the “Craigslist challenge,” take one of those mutts and give em a makeover, document the challenges of fitting new parts on an old bike etc. That would be fun for a geek like me. If you want a bike that's affordable and ready to ride then stay away from the slim pickings on Craigslist. The owner of those junkers want way too much for them.
MY REASONS FOR BUYING THE DENALI
Some of my reasons for buying the Denali differ from others.
A. The price of course. I cannot afford an expensive road bike at this time. The bottom fell out for me in 2001 when I had a personal economic collapse and its taking me a long time to climb back out of the ditch. I also realized that its better to eat $200 over a stolen bike than it is to be SOL over a bike that costs $600. It still sucks but it doesn't suck as much as losing a more expensive bike. The Denali was a bike that was ready to go once everything was tuned and adjusted. I would of loved to get a BD's direct bike or something a little nicer. Improvise, adapt and overcome is my motto.
B. I wanted a frame that was built like a tank. I live in Downtown LA. The roads/sidewalks are terrible. Pot holes, cracks, sidewalks buckled because tree roots had grown underneath them are hell on bicycles. The Schwinn varsity I had before that felt squishy underneath me.
C. Nutted wheels. Quick release wheels are awesome. That Montgomery Ward's bike had nutted wheels and yes its a PITA to get them off when you have a flat. However those wheels make it harder for a crackhead to get at them as well. I live in a high crime area and the nutted wheels are a form of theft protection IMHO. I can also upgrade if I want to later on done the road.
D. I can make upgrades over time. Some have said that its going to cost you more to upgrade the Denali over shelling out more money for a better bike upfront. I agree with them on that point. I look at it a little differently than they do.
For $200 (the cost of the bike, along with shipping and handling.) I have a bike that's ready to ride, and I have two options available to me. The first option is to upgrade the parts as they break, and thus defraying my costs over time. The second is to upgrade the components over time. It might be more expensive than buying a better bike upfront, however doing the upgrades over time helps to defray the costs and that certainly benefits the people who live month to month. Time + cost helps lower the overall cost but costs you time.
E. I want to learn how to build, fix and maintain bicycles. I would love to build my own bike from the ground up someday. I want to learn how to work on cars eventually. I have this romanticized notion that people should be as self sufficient as possible. I am fortunate that I have a mechanical/technical inclination. I like fixing and building things. I am going to volunteer at a local bike co-opt. That way I can learn and eventually be in a position to help others. Plus I cannot afford to take my bike to a local bike shop for every little problem or repair.
I am not as afraid to wrench on this bike as I would be with a more expensive road bike. I figure that I can make mistakes with this bike. I tried to install some new brakes. I had to ream the hole on the fork in order to fit the recessed nut. I screwed up and got short pull breaks. I said to myself “whats the worse that can happen? I have to buy a new fork off of Amazon.” Luckily I was able to get the old brake on with no problem. Its like buy a bucket car and cutting your teeth fixing it.
WEAK POINTS ON THE DENALI
The Denali has some weak points like every other bike, appliance etc has.
A. The brake pads and brake levers that come with the Denali are not the best in the world. The brake levers and brakes themselves work just fine, however the brake pads are absolute dogs. The good news is that they are an easy fix. I've been using these since I've had the bike. Maybe not the best choice for me but they are inexpensive and added much needed breaking power Amazon.com: Avid 20R Brake Pad Set: Sports & Outdoors . The brake levers themselves do the job, but are low end.
The components are low end but that doesn't mean that they are garbage. Don't compare them to more expensive higher quality components. They will get the job done.
B. A lot has been said about the Denali's handlebars. The leetist claim that they are deathtraps. I'm hear to tell you that they are not. It's true that they were cut in half, and modified so the manufacturers could fit Revo shifters on this. They are safe when properly assembled. There is a bolt that joins the two ends. Keep that bolt tightened and/or even take them apart and slap some locktight on the bolts for that extra added bit of safety. They have a metal shim that allows them to be bolted on to the neck. Make sure you get 31mm handlebars if and when you swap the stock handlebars out. The stock handlebars are heavy and I guess some can look at that as a bad thing.
C. The shifters are Revo shifters and not the best shifters in the world. They work, and the shifting overall is a bit rough-though that is to be expected because of the quality of the parts. I don't know if its because I didn't adjust them properly or its just due the quality of the parts. Its the difference between a Honda accord and a Mercedes Benz.
D. This isn't so much as a technical gripe as it is an aesthetics gripe. I didn't like the garish stickers that wear slapped on the bike. I took a hair dryer and carefully removed them. I fudged up on one and ripped some paint off but I have it covered with the mounting bracket for my bike pump. I could always slap some silver reflective tape over it which I plan on doing anyway in order to make my bike more visible at night.
These downsides are minor in my opinion because they can be easily rectified. The only serious downside for me is the brake pads. Other than that I guess I could be nit picky about the other ones. I want to give a fair and unbiased review of the bike. With that being said lets talk about the Leetist.
THE LEETS
Lets talk about the Leets. Leets (elitists,) are not people that have expensive bicycles, and other high end stuff. They do not look down on others who have lower quality bicycles, and in fact often try to help them out with advice etc when they can. The leetists on the other hand live in their figurative and in some cases literal ivory towers. They look down on others that don't have as expensive rides as they do and make a value judgment of that person based off of the dollar amount of the persons equipment. Every hobby/pursuit has leetist. They are often have their own heads stuck so far up their rear ends that someone needs to send a rescue team to find them. They are brag how they are the baddest of bad@$$es. They derive their self esteem based off of the dollar amount of their equipment. They lack an identity of their own and identify themselves by what clique and hobby group that they belong too. They lack of a core of values, and principles which define our identity. In the case of cycling they hang out at the LBS, often don't know how to fix their own stuff and have an aversion to tools. This is just my observation.
The leets have made criticizing the Denali a hobby in and of itself. They'll say garbage like “don't ride that bike near me,” or “don't you dare be in a group ride if you're riding that bike because I don't want the sight of your crumbled, broke and bleeding body to upset my sensibilities.” Of course they've never rode the bike. I don't see why they can't buy the Denali because $200 wouldn't be an imposition to them. After all they are rocking a carbon fiber road bikes that costs more than many peoples mortgage payments. I guess they might be put out, because they will have to forgo steak and lobster night. I don't like leetists and in fact despise them because they are arrogant, self centered and conceited.
IN CLOSING
I purchased this bike knowing exactly what I was going to get and for the price I was going to get it for. I spent a lot of time thinking about the purposes and reasons for getting this bike. I had two previous attempts of finding a bike that suited me. The GMC Denali road bike is a great bike for everyday commuting/exercise. Its not a speed racer, but is a good first step for someone looking to get into the hobby. Its the best everyday working mans bike who can't afford to drop a lot of money for something he might not like down the road.
Many people who have extensive knowledge of wrenching have purchase this bike and have done some amazing things with them. Cig tech is famous for riding this bike and posting a blow by blow account of it over a wide period of time. There's another person that has this bike, has done several videos that document the changes and fixes he has done on the bike. A guy in Texas showed that it doesn't take much to get this bike into fighting shape. I love this bike and Its been a better ride over some of the more expensive bikes I've had.
I hope this review helps some people out. I have done my utmost to give as accurate of a review that I can. Thank you for reading.
(The Denali right after I purchased it and had everything adjusted.
Last edited by grizzly907la; 04-21-14 at 03:48 PM.
04-20-14, 03:37 PM
#2
Banned
I like thrift so I approve of this thead.
I wanted something very colourful so the Denali was out.
Feel free to join my cheap BSO thread if you'd like
Keep on riding and finish the BS
I wanted something very colourful so the Denali was out.
Feel free to join my cheap BSO thread if you'd like
Keep on riding and finish the BS
04-20-14, 03:40 PM
#3
Senior Member
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Nice review. I do, however, disagree with your assessment of the CL used bike route. That is, I think it's possible to find that deal if you're patient. I managed to find a mint touring bike to use as my commuter on CL for $150, though it took 2 months and a WTB ad.
04-20-14, 03:47 PM
#4
Senior Member
the problem with CL is that you DO have to be patient... can you find some deals on it? yes but they are not as plentiful these days. I got a great deal off of CL with my 1220 but haven't seen a deal like that since and its been a few years... add in travel time to check a bike out, it becomes somewhat burdensome...
04-20-14, 04:38 PM
#5
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
I could of prefaced it by saying that the craigslist in LA has slim pickings. We rarely get winter weather here and people are looking for bikes. I also think that the owners of these bike charge too much money for them-especially you are going to have to buy parts to get the bike up to standard. That's just me. I would pay $50 tops for one of those bikes.
04-20-14, 04:40 PM
#6
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by acidfast7
I like thrift so I approve of this thead.
I wanted something very colourful so the Denali was out.
Feel free to join my cheap BSO thread if you'd like
Keep on riding and finish the BS
I wanted something very colourful so the Denali was out.
Feel free to join my cheap BSO thread if you'd like
Keep on riding and finish the BS
04-21-14, 09:19 AM
#7
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Originally Posted by grizzly907la
Kind of a Sanford and Sons operation.
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04-21-14, 09:30 AM
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Nice review.. The best bike is the one you get out and ride!
If you ride it then I am going to say it's an awesome bike!
I agree with your Leetist comments.. They irritate me to no end.. While there are plenty of awesome, awesome cyclist out there, there are also plenty of what I call cycling snobs...
If you ride it then I am going to say it's an awesome bike!
I agree with your Leetist comments.. They irritate me to no end.. While there are plenty of awesome, awesome cyclist out there, there are also plenty of what I call cycling snobs...
04-21-14, 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted by awfulwaffle
Nice review. I do, however, disagree with your assessment of the CL used bike route. That is, I think it's possible to find that deal if you're patient. I managed to find a mint touring bike to use as my commuter on CL for $150, though it took 2 months and a WTB ad.
I agree with this guy!
04-21-14, 10:18 AM
#11
Pedalin' Erry Day
That was a nice review Grizzly.
Only thing I would add to what has been said is that the Walmart site currently offers the Schwinn Admiral at about the same price, and to my mind that looks like an even better option for commuting since it comes with fenders and a cargo rack, and it avoids most of the things about the Denali that I dislike (I'm not an elitist, but I am a mechanic and have ridden my share of cheapo bikes).
Only thing I would add to what has been said is that the Walmart site currently offers the Schwinn Admiral at about the same price, and to my mind that looks like an even better option for commuting since it comes with fenders and a cargo rack, and it avoids most of the things about the Denali that I dislike (I'm not an elitist, but I am a mechanic and have ridden my share of cheapo bikes).
04-21-14, 11:08 AM
#12
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I know if you can come up with $260 you can get a road bike from Bikes Direct which looks to be better quality, but at $200 what other choices are there for *new* geared road bikes besides the Denali?
04-21-14, 11:09 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by lasauge
That was a nice review Grizzly.
Only thing I would add to what has been said is that the Walmart site currently offers the Schwinn Admiral at about the same price, and to my mind that looks like an even better option for commuting since it comes with fenders and a cargo rack, and it avoids most of the things about the Denali that I dislike (I'm not an elitist, but I am a mechanic and have ridden my share of cheapo bikes).
Only thing I would add to what has been said is that the Walmart site currently offers the Schwinn Admiral at about the same price, and to my mind that looks like an even better option for commuting since it comes with fenders and a cargo rack, and it avoids most of the things about the Denali that I dislike (I'm not an elitist, but I am a mechanic and have ridden my share of cheapo bikes).
Never mind. Looks like the OP put flat bars on it anyway.
Last edited by tjspiel; 04-21-14 at 11:18 AM.
04-21-14, 11:12 AM
#14
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Originally Posted by grizzly907la
I could of prefaced it by saying that the craigslist in LA has slim pickings. We rarely get winter weather here and people are looking for bikes. I also think that the owners of these bike charge too much money for them-especially you are going to have to buy parts to get the bike up to standard. That's just me. I would pay $50 tops for one of those bikes.
04-21-14, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by awfulwaffle
Oh, same around these parts (though Milwaukee is certainly no LA). That's why, for me at least, the key was to ask. Everything I found was overpriced (think Schwinn Worlds for $200), so I just asked for what I wanted in my WTB ad. Got 2 replies within a couple of days, and ended up going for the better deal. At the very least, I think that option is worth a shot before discounting Craigslist altogether.
I've used WTB posts a few times in the past and I was surprised how well it worked out. From the sellers standpoint, responding to WTB posts saves a lot of time. You already know you have interested buyer.
04-21-14, 11:26 AM
#16
Pedalin' Erry Day
Originally Posted by tjspiel
But it's not a road bike, - if I'm looking at the same thing
04-21-14, 11:29 AM
#17
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
I actually checked out CL before buying the Denali from Amazon hence my opinions on CL. I didn't form my opinions about CL without first checking it out. I don't own a car right now so traveling out of the range of the light rail system is a challenge for me. I got my bike shipped right to my door with Amazon. I can get parts shipped right to my door. I think CL is a great site in and of itself, however some of the people that sell stuff on CL have inflated ideas about what their stuff is worth.
04-21-14, 11:34 AM
#18
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
I googled that term and you are right-albeit the frame is a bit heavy. The extra weight is good in a sense because then I would be hauling ass on a lighter bicycle.
04-21-14, 11:38 AM
#19
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
I've been on BD and checked it out before buying the Denali and the bike I wanted would cost around $400. Though its not like I can't buy a BD bike one of these days. Though I would like to do what I call the Craigslist challenge and buy an old steel frame bike has worn out/broken components and replace them. I would do it for my own edification and curiosity factor.
04-21-14, 11:40 AM
#20
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by wphamilton
Still trucking after 5 years or so
04-21-14, 11:46 AM
#21
Grouchy Old man
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by lasauge
That was a nice review Grizzly.
Only thing I would add to what has been said is that the Walmart site currently offers the Schwinn Admiral at about the same price, and to my mind that looks like an even better option for commuting since it comes with fenders and a cargo rack, and it avoids most of the things about the Denali that I dislike (I'm not an elitist, but I am a mechanic and have ridden my share of cheapo bikes).
Only thing I would add to what has been said is that the Walmart site currently offers the Schwinn Admiral at about the same price, and to my mind that looks like an even better option for commuting since it comes with fenders and a cargo rack, and it avoids most of the things about the Denali that I dislike (I'm not an elitist, but I am a mechanic and have ridden my share of cheapo bikes).
I'm the opposite when it comes to riding bikes. I've ridden many nice bicycles, but took it for granted that I would always be able to get a nice bike. I appreciate this bike despite its flaws because I got to find out what its like not to have a bike for many years.
04-21-14, 11:53 AM
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Originally Posted by grizzly907la
Has it been hard to maintain and/or find parts for it? Happy and safe trails.
The grip shifter for the front was a headache - the grip tended to slip and also it froze up the first or second winter, then I gripped and twisted hard and something snapped in the mechanism. As in the photo, it's now a 1x7 effectively solving that problem and any potential front DR issues, and I couldn't be happier with that decision.
04-21-14, 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by awfulwaffle
Oh, same around these parts (though Milwaukee is certainly no LA). That's why, for me at least, the key was to ask. Everything I found was overpriced (think Schwinn Worlds for $200), so I just asked for what I wanted in my WTB ad. Got 2 replies within a couple of days, and ended up going for the better deal. At the very least, I think that option is worth a shot before discounting Craigslist altogether.
04-21-14, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by MRT2
When I was volunteering at the Wheel and Sprocket Expo a couple of weeks ago, I was shocked at the nice bikes people were wheeling in to trade in. 10 to 15 year old barely ridden hybrids and hardtail mountain bikes. These bikes never made it to Craigslist. What Wheel and Sprocket did with these trade ins IDK, but I would be shocked if they offered more than $50 or $75 trade in on any of them.
04-21-14, 12:24 PM
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Originally Posted by awfulwaffle
Interesting, I thought the point of the expo was to reduce their stock. I'd like to know what they did with those bikes, as none of the locations I've visited sell used bikes IIRC.
There are LBS in Milwaukee that sell used. South Shore Cyclery, North Shore Wheels, Cory the Bike Fixer and BikeSmiths all sell used bikes. They might not be screaming good deals, but for the most part, the shops will replace worn parts and only sell bikes in ready to ride condition, unlike certain Craigslist flippers.
