View Poll Results: Best Entry Level Road Bike?
GMC Denali
0
0%
Vilano Commuter
3
100.00%
Voters: 3. You may not vote on this poll
Best Entry Level Road Bike?
08-21-15, 01:27 PM
#1
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Best Entry Level Road Bike?
I am new to cycling and I'm looking for a good entry level road bike. After doing some research, the 2 that seem to be mentioned a lot are the GMC Denali and the Vilano Commuter. They both look pretty good, but I'm leaning towards the Denali since it's been around for a long time and a lot of people buy them. Another bonus is that I can buy it at my local wally world and not have to deal with shipping or assembly. Then again, it's scary having some wally world teenager assembling my bike...
The Vilano looks good, but I've never heard of them until I started my bike search. I don't like how relatively new they are, and the fact that I'll have to buy it online and assemble it. On the other hand, it's 5 pounds lighter and a lot of people seem to like them.
Which bike do you guys recommend? Are there any better bikes in this price range or within $300? Any help would be appreciated!
The Vilano looks good, but I've never heard of them until I started my bike search. I don't like how relatively new they are, and the fact that I'll have to buy it online and assemble it. On the other hand, it's 5 pounds lighter and a lot of people seem to like them.
Which bike do you guys recommend? Are there any better bikes in this price range or within $300? Any help would be appreciated!
Last edited by BigBlockUSP; 08-21-15 at 01:37 PM.
08-21-15, 01:33 PM
#4
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Bump it up to $350 and
Save Up to 60% Off Road Bikes - Motobecane Mirage
Or this if you can't hang with downtube shifters
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._al_xi_sc2.htm
Save Up to 60% Off Road Bikes - Motobecane Mirage
Or this if you can't hang with downtube shifters
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._al_xi_sc2.htm
Last edited by LesterOfPuppets; 08-21-15 at 01:42 PM.
08-21-15, 01:40 PM
#5
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Neither. For $300-$400, look on Craigslist for a used Trek, Cannondale, Specialized, Felt aluminum framed bike with 105 or Ultegra components, or even an older steel road bike with down tube shifters - Fuji, Trek, Schwinn, Raleigh are all pretty plentiful and would all be a better choice than the bikes in the poll. That GMC is AWFUL.
08-21-15, 01:42 PM
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cut coffee for a year and you've got 500 dollars more to spend on your bike.
08-21-15, 01:43 PM
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I appreciate the replies so far, but I'm just looking for the best new road bike that I can buy for $300. Even if it's terrible, what's the least terrible new bike for $300? I'll take a look at craigslist right now, but I would definitely rather have a new bike.
08-21-15, 01:45 PM
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I have a damn near unlimited budget, but I'm not going to drop a ton of cash on something that I don't know I'll enjoy. I want a piece of **** to get started with, and then upgrade down the road if I like cycling. That's how I have a damn near unlimited budget...
08-21-15, 01:49 PM
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Another satisfied Wal-Mart customer...
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08-21-15, 01:51 PM
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Your inexperience is showing.
A $300 20 year old Craigslist bike originally sold for up to $2500-$3000 originally when new. Any $300 Craigslist bike that checks out with an experienced rider is going to be light years better than the two new bikes you are asking about.
Are you going to ride it, or are you buying it to brag to your friends that you got a new bike?
08-21-15, 01:54 PM
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then just buy a used bike for 500 bucks (which will be way better than the 2 you listed), and sell it later for 450 when you either get bored of cycling, or you are ready to upgrade, either way, you arent losing any money. and frankly this is better than spending 300 on a piece of crap that will be worth nothing when you want to get rid of it.
08-21-15, 02:06 PM
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I've ridden a few Denalis. Pretty unpleasant experience. Twist shifters snuggling the stem is my least favorite shifting setup, even worse than stem shifters. The tires feel like wood, as does the frame. Handling is terrible. Worst seat imaginable. Impossible to get good shifting performance from those derailleurs.
08-21-15, 02:39 PM
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I looked on craigslist and I don't see anything good. Unfortunately I live in a really small city and our craigslist is severely lacking, so it looks like that option is out. I'll probably just go with the Denali. At least I have a return policy if it's as bad as people make it out to be. If I love cycling then I'll quickly upgrade to a much better bike.
08-21-15, 03:08 PM
#19
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I looked on craigslist and I don't see anything good. Unfortunately I live in a really small city and our craigslist is severely lacking, so it looks like that option is out. I'll probably just go with the Denali. At least I have a return policy if it's as bad as people make it out to be. If I love cycling then I'll quickly upgrade to a much better bike.
This is probably going to sound rude, but quite honestly, if you're even remotely considering a Denali even after reviews, you probably wouldn't recognize a good road bike at a good price on Craigslist. There are, for example, typically loads of 80's-90's bikes that aren't at all sexy, but are awesome bikes to ride and can be picked up for a song.
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08-21-15, 03:24 PM
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The problem with the Denali (and other chain store bikes like it) is that it will come with poor-quality parts and the likelihood is that it will have been assembled in a sloppy manner. You might find that the brakes don't work the way they should and the shifting will also not be very good -- the shifts won't align properly with the gears, you might not be able to get to every gear, you might loose your chain a lot on the front chainrings. All of these can be corrected somewhat, but unless you know how, you'll have to go to a mechanic to fix it up -- and depending on the amount of work needed, that will likely add about $100 to the cost. Without that, it simply won't be very pleasant to ride the bike, and you might give up.
On the other hand, 15-year old decent aluminum or steel frame bikes can be found for about the same price. They will have mid-range parts both more reliable and more durable than what is on the Denali. The brakes and the shifting will work better; you'll be less distracted by gears grinding and having to stop to put your chain back on. Provided the frame is in reasonable shape, the bike will last a long time. Even if Craigslist doesn't give you much in the way of choice, I would suggest that you're better off travelling to a bigger city to look at bikes.
On the other hand, 15-year old decent aluminum or steel frame bikes can be found for about the same price. They will have mid-range parts both more reliable and more durable than what is on the Denali. The brakes and the shifting will work better; you'll be less distracted by gears grinding and having to stop to put your chain back on. Provided the frame is in reasonable shape, the bike will last a long time. Even if Craigslist doesn't give you much in the way of choice, I would suggest that you're better off travelling to a bigger city to look at bikes.
08-21-15, 03:33 PM
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I looked on craigslist and I don't see anything good. Unfortunately I live in a really small city and our craigslist is severely lacking, so it looks like that option is out. I'll probably just go with the Denali. At least I have a return policy if it's as bad as people make it out to be. If I love cycling then I'll quickly upgrade to a much better bike.
08-21-15, 03:37 PM
#22
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Commuter looks a little better on paper. Hey, it comes in 3 sizes!!! I like the shifters better, too. Probably still rides terribly, though.
08-21-15, 03:38 PM
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I looked on craigslist and I don't see anything good. Unfortunately I live in a really small city and our craigslist is severely lacking, so it looks like that option is out. I'll probably just go with the Denali. At least I have a return policy if it's as bad as people make it out to be. If I love cycling then I'll quickly upgrade to a much better bike.
GH
08-21-15, 03:45 PM
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