Walmart Road Bike

Claudius Vitalis said:

Quoted message said:

It seems Walmart is now selling a road bike - the Kent GMC Denali:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3663046#long_descr

Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it? It
looks like it uses mostly standard parts, making it easy to "upgrade"
if needed, but it is hard to tell from a small picture... I am
especially curious about the shifting, as it appears to use twist
shifters mounted near the stem.

Later,
Mark

I printed the page of the bike. I'm going to take the page to my
LBS and say can you match this? And if they say something smartass
like we could sell you some carbon handlebars for $150. Then I will
tell them to give them to me so I could shove up their asses, because
they've been ripping me off for years.

Gee, let us know how that works out for you.

(BTW, why'd you take the 't' off of Walmart?)

Ken said:

"Art Harris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it?

Yes, the twist shifting is very strange for a road bike.

Good fit is THE main criteria for a road bike. These bikes appear to
be "one size fits all."

Art Harris

Shifters are listed as revo. I have never heard of them before, but
twist shifts on a road bike?

Ken

It's Shimano's [censored] child branding...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7153868191

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

quote='Phil said:

It seems Walmart is now selling a road bike - the Kent GMC Denali:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3663046#long_descr

Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it? It
looks like it uses mostly standard parts, making it easy to "upgrade"
if needed, but it is hard to tell from a small picture... I am
especially curious about the shifting, as it appears to use twist
shifters mounted near the stem.

Later,
Mark

Superb! Walmart is sticking to traditional values, enhancing frame
stiffness with a traditional frame, as opposed to the flexy,
one-size-fits-all compact geometry that cuts prices for bike makers
everywhere in a giant conspiracy that is bound to bring discomfort to people
globally. I'm retro and grouchy!
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training[/QUOTE]

Since we're on the subject of one size fits all, has anyone sized em. I'd guess 50-52cm. based upon the head tube.

If shipping is 29 lbs, must be reasonably light. Are they in stores yet?

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Just bought a Kent 16" kids bike for GF's 4 y.o. Decent bike for <$30
but I'm not sure of a road racing bike by them. Would be funny if the
frame was made in the same factory as the treks, giants etc that are
all made in china.

It is. Really. So says the LBS owner.
(argumentum ad verecundiam, for those of you scoring at home)
If you cannot say with metaphysical certitude
that the bicycle was made outside Taiwan,
then it was made in Taiwan by Giant.
Or put otherwise:
Giant makes all the bicycles, except those that they do not make.

--
Michael Press

Michael Press said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Just bought a Kent 16" kids bike for GF's 4 y.o. Decent bike for <$30
but I'm not sure of a road racing bike by them. Would be funny if the
frame was made in the same factory as the treks, giants etc that are
all made in china.

It is. Really. So says the LBS owner.
(argumentum ad verecundiam, for those of you scoring at home)
If you cannot say with metaphysical certitude
that the bicycle was made outside Taiwan,
then it was made in Taiwan by Giant.
Or put otherwise:
Giant makes all the bicycles, except those that they do not make.

Since this is a 7 speed it is possible the aluminum frame is spaced at
126 mm. That would allow them to use all the inexpensive freewheel
mountain bike components.

No, I'm certain that it's the Kent renowned for their quality
cigarettes....

: > I printed the page of the bike. I'm going to take the page to my
: > LBS and say can you match this? And if they say something smartass
: > like we could sell you some carbon handlebars for $150. Then I will
: > tell them to give them to me so I could shove up their asses, because
: > they've been ripping me off for years.
:
: Gee, let us know how that works out for you.
:
: (BTW, why'd you take the 't' off of Walmart?)

He's ripping 'em off, literally.

Pat in TX
:
:

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ken said:

"Art Harris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] wrote:

> Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it?

Yes, the twist shifting is very strange for a road bike.

Good fit is THE main criteria for a road bike. These bikes appear to
be "one size fits all."

Art Harris

Shifters are listed as revo. I have never heard of them before, but
twist shifts on a road bike?

Ken

It's Shimano's [censored] child branding...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7153868191

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Well I see said the blind man. Actually the Denali if fitted with flat bars
and mtb style brake levers with the twist shifters might make for a decent
city bike, where you never really get up to top speed anyway!

Ken

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

dvt said:

Quoted message said:

dvt wrote:
> Why would anyone name this style bike a GMC Denali?

Quoted message said:

Are internet users really that deficient in geography and the US
National Park system? Denali is the name of the National Park in
Alaska that contains the highest mountain in North America.

Yes, I'm aware of the source of the name Denali. But when you call it
a GMC Denali....

Russell, check this link out:

http://www.gmc.com/yukon/index.jsp

I just bought one of these scuds!

The bikes fit real nice in the back, and so do my two shepherds, just
not at the same time.

The truck is called a Yukon Denali after Mount Denali.

My dealer practically threw himself on the floor and kissed my feet when
I gave him the check!

HAND

In article <[email hidden]>, dvt <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

dvt said:

Why would anyone name this style bike a GMC Denali?

Quoted message said:

Are internet users really that deficient in geography and the US
National Park system? Denali is the name of the National Park in
Alaska that contains the highest mountain in North America.

Yes, I'm aware of the source of the name Denali. But when you call it a
GMC Denali....

It's for people who can't afford a Cadillac bicycle:

http://www.cadillacbicycles.com/index.html

One of the strangest cross-licenses I've ever seen. The bicycles
themselves include well-spec'd road bike and a pretty serious-looking FS
mountain bike, though I wouldn't recommend that anyone with a weak
constitution look at the AV8.0i.

These days, wouldn't it be snazzier to license the Lexus name, though? I
say this as a person who actually likes most of Cadillac's current cars.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>, dvt <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

dvt said:

Why would anyone name this style bike a GMC Denali?

Quoted message said:

Are internet users really that deficient in geography and the US
National Park system? Denali is the name of the National Park in
Alaska that contains the highest mountain in North America.

Yes, I'm aware of the source of the name Denali. But when you call it a
GMC Denali....

It's for people who can't afford a Cadillac bicycle:

http://www.cadillacbicycles.com/index.html

One of the strangest cross-licenses I've ever seen. The bicycles
themselves include well-spec'd road bike and a pretty serious-looking FS
mountain bike, though I wouldn't recommend that anyone with a weak
constitution look at the AV8.0i.

These days, wouldn't it be snazzier to license the Lexus name, though? I
say this as a person who actually likes most of Cadillac's current cars.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

Note the Cadilac is made by Kent.

Lexus might be snazzier, but there a many folks that want to by "American" brands such as Cadilac. More patriotic to buy you American brand Chineese bike than a Japaneese brand Chineese bike.

I saw one at the local walmart a couple of days ago. The frame is
aluminum. It could be rescued. it also has some 30 mm profile al rims.
The componets are the lowest end possible. The hubs are non-quick
release.

You could get a frame and carbon fork from www.chucksbike.com for less
than $100. You can get niced specd bikes on ebay starting at less than
$300.

Andres

meb said:

Phil said:

Quoted message said:

It seems Walmart is now selling a road bike - the Kent GMC Denali:

http://tinyurl.com/869qn

Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it? It
looks like it uses mostly standard parts, making it easy to

"upgrade"

Quoted message said:

if needed, but it is hard to tell from a small picture... I am
especially curious about the shifting, as it appears to use twist
shifters mounted near the stem.

Later,
Mark

Superb! Walmart is sticking to traditional values, enhancing frame
stiffness with a traditional frame, as opposed to the flexy,
one-size-fits-all compact geometry that cuts prices for bike makers
everywhere in a giant conspiracy that is bound to bring discomfort to
people
globally. I'm retro and grouchy!
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Since we're on the subject of one size fits all, has anyone sized em.
I'd guess 50-52cm. based upon the head tube.

If shipping is 29 lbs, must be reasonably light. Are they in stores
yet?

Dear Meb,

Not in either of mine.

Yet.

Carl Fogel

Strayhorn said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

I'll admit some of the body lines are spiffy, but I suffer a sense of

Quoted message said:

outrage whenever their adverts come on the TV: Led Zep? Say it ain't

so!

I've been over LZ for about thirty years, but Cadillac makes maybe GM's
most interesting cars, especially now that they're getting away from
their FWD emphasis. It's more than just body lines.

Quoted message said:

Just bought a Kent 16" kids bike for GF's 4 y.o. Decent bike for <$30
but I'm not sure of a road racing bike by them. Would be funny if the
frame was made in the same factory as the treks, giants etc that are
all made in china.

The future is now. Road bikes for $150. 'bout time !!

Dear Carl,

Perhaps my education is somewhat limited, incomplete, and largely forgotten, but
I've never thought there was anything grandiose about refering to a person's
self as "one", "we" always seemed to fit that bill. "one" seems sort of an
indefinite first person. But I take little interest in grammatical quibbles.

I've followed your adventure with the Fury with less than avid interest. It's
great that someone found so reasonably priced a machine worthwhile. Sometimes I
think we lose sight in the newsgroup of the principal goals of cycling, exercise
and fun.

An acquaintance of mine has recently upgraded from his Roadmaster Sport to a
Mongoose, and it seems he might be tempted to part with the Sport for a paltry
sum. My hybrid is doing okay, but for a lark, I'm tempted.

But the last time I bought a really inexpensive bicycle, I had to replace the
wheel hubs and bottom bracket within 500 miles, so I'm not anxious to do that
again. I wonder how many miles you have on them, and what the conditions are.
The rider's weight may also be relevant.

Dale Benjamin

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Cole said:

Quoted message said:

It seems Walmart is now selling a road bike - the Kent GMC Denali:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3663046#long_descr

Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it? It
looks like it uses mostly standard parts, making it easy to "upgrade"
if needed, but it is hard to tell from a small picture... I am
especially curious about the shifting, as it appears to use twist
shifters mounted near the stem.

Word is that the Walmart bikes are very good values, one of the regulars
here is always bragging about his Roadmaster Mt. Fury. The Denali should
be 3X as good for the price.

Dear Peter,

If one owns a Fury Roadmaster, it's hard to be modest.

(Indeed, one is tempted to refer to oneself in this
grandiose fashion after forking out nearly $60, plus ten
bucks for a nice Schwinn cyclocomputer, three bucks for a
rear tube, and twenty bucks for a slick-tire experiment a
year later.)

One wonders whether one will be tempted to purchase a Denali
road bike--and if so, whether one will refer to it as a
Roadmaster Mt. Denali in an even more hyperbolic future
thread.

One sees that it comes with a sidestand, an aluminum frame,
and other exotic paraphernalia, including alleged 700c tires
heretofore unavailable at WalMart. At a sleek 29 pounds
shipping weight including box, the aerodynamic seating might
well allow one to break all existing Fury Roadmaster
records.

One is, however, hesitant to buy sight unseen, since the
Denali Roadmaster is advertised for ages 10 and up, a
somewhat broader market than the typical self-congratulatory
marques whose enthusiasts are falling all over themselves to
condemn WalMart in this thread.

One Fogel

email hidden said:

It seems Walmart is now selling a road bike - the Kent GMC Denali:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3663046#long_descr

Has anyone seen one of these in person? If so, how bad is it? It
looks like it uses mostly standard parts, making it easy to "upgrade"
if needed, but it is hard to tell from a small picture... I am
especially curious about the shifting, as it appears to use twist
shifters mounted near the stem.

Yeesh.

First, note the one-size-fits-maybe issue. Proper size is much more
important with a road bike than with a hybrid or mountain bike in my
estimation, and this one is not sized to fit.

Second, note the non-replaceable chainrings on the crank. I suspect
that crank assembly is straight off of one of the manufacturer's
mountain bikes.

Third, look at the "We're really not Cinelli, though you might have
though we were at first glance" name on the side of the seat; would
you buy a watch with the name RULEX on the face?

Fourth; where are the twist-shifters? Not in the drops! That's a
"worst of both worlds" setup; you can't shift in the drops, and you
have to put up with some godawful *&^%*$# twist-grips in the bargain.
Gimme levers!

Fifth, look at the name. IT'S A TRUCK. The GMC Denali is a massive,
heavy, lumbering gashog of an SUV whose only redeeming feature (IMO)
is that it's seldom used as the basis for a stretch limo.

If I had one of these given to me for free, I'd have to strip the
decals before I could take it home, and then I'd have to rip those
damn twist-grips off and replace them with something useful, and I'd
probably trash the crappy cranks for the used set of 105s that I've
got in the pile-o-parts. (Even though that would mean downgrading to
a double, but hey, it's a *roadie*, I'm in flatlands, what do I need
with a granny in front?)

Would I drop a buck and a half on one of these if I needed a ride and
the cupboard was that bare? Nope. I'd scrounge a better used bike at
the thrifts and garage sales for one fifth as much or less.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

justareader said:

Michael Press said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Just bought a Kent 16" kids bike for GF's 4 y.o. Decent bike for <$30
but I'm not sure of a road racing bike by them. Would be funny if the
frame was made in the same factory as the treks, giants etc that are
all made in china.

It is. Really. So says the LBS owner.
(argumentum ad verecundiam, for those of you scoring at home)
If you cannot say with metaphysical certitude
that the bicycle was made outside Taiwan,
then it was made in Taiwan by Giant.
Or put otherwise:
Giant makes all the bicycles, except those that they do not make.

Since this is a 7 speed it is possible the aluminum frame is spaced at
126 mm. That would allow them to use all the inexpensive freewheel
mountain bike components.

It looks like that's what it's wearing. I'm pretty sure the smallest
sprocket is a 14, maybe a 13 if they're lucky. I suspect they've
pulled the old "Use just enough Shimano to put the name on the
chainstay" dodge again as well; that FD looks suspiciously like the
supercrap I've come to expect on older low-end Pacifics; suitable only
for ensuring that the shifting will never be right. I would not be
surprised if the RD is the only Shimano bit on the bike...and it looks
to be a low-end unit that's no better than the stuff that ships with
an axle mounting tab.

The closer I look, the worse it smells.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Werehatrack said:

First, note the one-size-fits-maybe issue. Proper size is much more
important with a road bike than with a hybrid or mountain bike in my
estimation, and this one is not sized to fit.

Well, it would only fit a range of riders, but (more importantly)
setting it up for med-lg would likely involve getting new seatpost and
stem and the expense that would involve. One of the apples-to-apples
levelers between a *Mart bike and a LBS bike is the setup (and assembly
and adjustments).

Quoted message said:

Second, note the non-replaceable chainrings on the crank. I suspect
that crank assembly is straight off of one of the manufacturer's
mountain bikes.

Steel rings last a very long time. Even if they were replaceable the
bolt pattern would probably not be standard, nor would you want to
probably keep original cheap aluminum arms that had survived wearing out
steel rings.

Quoted message said:

Third, look at the "We're really not Cinelli, though you might have
though we were at first glance" name on the side of the seat; would
you buy a watch with the name RULEX on the face?

I dunno, worse than "Werehatrack"?

Quoted message said:

Fourth; where are the twist-shifters? Not in the drops! That's a
"worst of both worlds" setup; you can't shift in the drops, and you
have to put up with some godawful *&^%*$# twist-grips in the bargain.
Gimme levers!

Twist shifters are fine, and nothing really wrong with mounting them there.

Quoted message said:

(Even though that would mean downgrading to
a double, but hey, it's a *roadie*, I'm in flatlands, what do I need
with a granny in front?)

Nothing wrong with a triple, better to have and not need than need and
not have.

Quoted message said:

Would I drop a buck and a half on one of these if I needed a ride and
the cupboard was that bare? Nope. I'd scrounge a better used bike at
the thrifts and garage sales for one fifth as much or less.

I don't know how good or bad this bike is. I'm not impressed with most
of what I see available used, either. Bikes have improved immensely in
the past decade or so. My concern at this price point would be over
safety (brakes work, etc.) and setup.

Werehatrack said:

justareader said:

Michael Press said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] wrote:

> Just bought a Kent 16" kids bike for GF's 4 y.o. Decent bike for <$30
> but I'm not sure of a road racing bike by them. Would be funny if the
> frame was made in the same factory as the treks, giants etc that are
> all made in china.

It is. Really. So says the LBS owner.
(argumentum ad verecundiam, for those of you scoring at home)
If you cannot say with metaphysical certitude
that the bicycle was made outside Taiwan,
then it was made in Taiwan by Giant.
Or put otherwise:
Giant makes all the bicycles, except those that they do not make.

Since this is a 7 speed it is possible the aluminum frame is spaced at
126 mm. That would allow them to use all the inexpensive freewheel
mountain bike components.

It looks like that's what it's wearing. I'm pretty sure the smallest
sprocket is a 14, maybe a 13 if they're lucky. I suspect they've
pulled the old "Use just enough Shimano to put the name on the
chainstay" dodge again as well; that FD looks suspiciously like the
supercrap I've come to expect on older low-end Pacifics; suitable only
for ensuring that the shifting will never be right. I would not be
surprised if the RD is the only Shimano bit on the bike...and it looks
to be a low-end unit that's no better than the stuff that ships with
an axle mounting tab.

The closer I look, the worse it smells.

Since they put the shifter up on the drops it would be nice if they
added a pair of auxilliary brake handles for safety.

This bike could be a boon for bike shops. Along with the usual cable
adjustments, chains, and wheel truing, people will likely be seeking
upgrades.