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Even though this bike has a GMC badge it’s produced by Kent International. In my opinion, this is a good sign since a company, with many years of experience, is producing the bikes, and it’s not a company that, although they might be very good at making cars, are just starting out in the cycling industry.
They are a family-owned company dating back to the early 1900s. Kent possesses the licensing rights to 5 external brands, as well as their own. These brands are Jeep, GMC Razor Cadillac, and Little Miss Match bicycles.
The GMC Denali Road bike is clearly an entry-level bike, that is available in 3 sizes (Large, Medium, and Small). Many people have commented that they are sized a bit larger than normal, but a sizing chart is available on their website that clears things up.
Components
The GMC Denali road bike is built around an aluminum frame and fork. Component-wise it’s pretty much what you would expect for a road bike under $200.
Shimano derailleur and shifters are stock on this bike and the brakes are advertised as “alloy calipers” but there are no other markings that can be used to identify them.
The bike rolls on 700c size wheels, which is great since it’s the most common size and there are plenty replacement tires and tubes available. The alloy rims are what’s known as high-profile, this means that they are taller than regular spoke rims.
The added height gives the wheel more stiffness and better aerodynamics. High-profile rims can be considered the middle ground between disk and regular spoke wheels.
Pros
The biggest pro for this bike is its price. It’s one of the cheapest options available. The different sizes available make it easy to find the right size for you.
GMC Denali is relatively lightweight and strong considering the price point and performs excellently.
Cons
However, the GMC Denali road bike is not without its cons. The biggest deal for me is the seat, it is stiff and uncomfortable, but this might not be the case for other people. the added kickstand is very flimsy and weak, people have complained that it broke off after a few rides. Also, the brake pads are very stiff and don’t feel very responsive. Most people agree that you need to squeeze the brake levers very hard and it still doesn’t feel like you are slowing down fast enough.
One thing to keep in mind is that this bike isn’t completely assembled, and some mechanical skill is required. This isn’t necessarily a con but you might want to factor in the cost of assembly by an experienced mechanic before buying. A proper tune-up and inspection is vital to make this bike function properly.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that this GMC Denali road bike is a great deal. This is a bike that costs less than Shimano’s highest-end derailleur, and still, it performs well enough for most users, especially if you are just starting out It is a good idea to upgrade a few components right out of the gate (seat, pedals, etc.) in order to be more comfortable, but even without swapping out parts, it’s a great bike for a new or recreational rider.
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However, if you plan on taking road cycling seriously it might be a better idea to save up a bit more and buy a higher-end product. But for entry-level riders, this Denali is just great!
GMC Denali Road Bike
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Pros
- Good Geometry
- 21 speeds
- Shimano Components
- Three sizes
Cons
- Seat is stiff and uncomfortable
- Assembly needed
What is the weight limit
Hi Frank,
Can you specify what you mean by ‘weight limit?” Do you mean how much weight can the bike handle?
My Denali has 700c x 32 tires. Can I put 23 on it. What do I need to do to replace the rear rim. Had an accident and bent the rim.
Hi Gene,
Of course! You need to buy an new rim.
I’ve had this bike for a couple of years now. I put in about 20 miles a day 3 times a week as part of my commute to work. By no means am I a pro or in great shape, but this bike has been great. All of comments you made were spot on about buying the bike. I did have to take it in to get tuned up as soon as I bought it. The gears were sketchy and so were the brakes. Since then I haven’t had any problems with it. I recently thought about changed the gear shifters to the more standard trip shift lever brake setup. Question for you, what I’m looking at is the Micronew Shifters 3×7 speed SB-R473 Trip Shift Lever Brake Derailleur, the 3×7 is equivalent to a 21 speed Nike right?
Hi James,
Good to hear about the improvements. Well, if a bike has three chainrings and seven sprockets, then it follows that you have 3 x 7 = 21 gear ratios. So yes this is what is referred to as 21 speed.
What is a good price for a GMC Denali road series bicycle
Hi Troy,
It is a good entry level road bike under $200.
HI my rear Cassette on the bike has broken, Can you give me an example of a upgrade/ replacement
Hi Sam,
This bike is compatible with any Shimano components.
It has 21 speeds, Shimano Components, and has three sizes.
Hi …
I got a gmc denali aluminium 7005 series( model# 738447).one of my tubes got messed up and wanted to changed it but I couldn’t find the right size and the standard ones. When I Google all the tubes are Presta only i dont knowhow i they will fit mine. Anyone can help figure out it will be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Amanuel,
Are you referring to your inner tubes like this one?
There are only two types of valves you need to consider: Schrader and Presta. Presta is longer and narrow. Let me know if this helps.
Presta needs an adapter to use a regular pump but adapter is really cheap like 3 dollars, so its nbd, you will find your tube size on the tire itself’s side look for it in writing, my denali is a 700c 25.
I’m a beginner rider I’m lookin at a gmc denali used the Person selling it said he is medium size 5.5 and up ? How do I know if that’s the size I need?
Hi Patsy,
Before making any decision, please read our bike sizing chart. You will know what size is compatible with you based on your height etc: Bike Size Chart – How To Choose? 5 Easy Methods
I dropped my seat post down into my frame, and it won’t come out for the life of me. Since it’s a good 6 inches down, I’d like to just put another post in, but I can’t figure out what size post I need round wise. Does anyone know what width I might need for this? I have the GMC Denali in black and green.
Hi Danelle, you can just measure the diameter of the seat tube and choose the seatpost based on that. The standard for most bikes is 27.2mm, but I can’t claim that’s 100% the case with GMC Denali.
Someone by me has this bike for sale for $100. Think it’s a good buy? I consider myself an entry level rider as far as road bikes are considered.
I can’t advise you on that without knowing the condition of the bike. If it’s in excellent condition and it gets you out on the road, it should be a good buy. 🙂
Hi!!! I have the exact same one…. however, since I’ve enjoyed seeing eBay a lot, I’ve started to upgrade my Denali (not sure if that was the best thing to do but WTH). I’ve changed cassette, shifters, front and rear derailleur, saddle and crankset and it’s waaaaaay too different from the previous one. The best part is…. Bid by bid, I’ve got everything for less than 100 bucks!!!! (of course, those are used parts but in excellent condition). Bu I’m wondering if I should invest in some wheels (I can’t find any cheap one)? Since I’m out of USA (Caribbean), what is cheap for you guys is intermediate for me, and what’s intermediate for you guys, is really expensive for me…. what do you suggest? Thanks bro!!
Hi Gabriel. As long as you enjoy riding the bike and those upgrades keep you in the saddle, they’re an excellent idea! Good quality wheels are expensive. It’s the priciest upgrade you can make. It’s hard to do it for less than $500 if you want to get a new wheelset.
With that in mind, I would recommend you to consider CERO AR24 EVO (Alloy) and Fulcrum Racing 7 LG. You can also use them as reference points and try to find something similar and maybe even cheaper. Good luck!
what Cassette did up upgrade to?
Hi Samuel,
The most common components in this brand is Shimano. Check out the most common specs below:
GMC Denali sats:
Frame: Aluminum 7005 straight gauge
Fork: GMC Series 7000 steel
Chain: KMC Z 51
Crankset: Prowheel Alloy 335P6 28X38X48 170mm
Cassette: no named 7 speed, 14-16-18-20-22-24-28T
Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-TZ30GS 7SPD
Shifters: Shimano Revo SIS L2/R7
Brake levers: Promax BL-250AP Aluminum
Brakes: Promax 501A Alloy Caliper Brake
Rims: Vitesse Alloy black 700CX14GX36H
Tires: Kenda Black With Grey Band 700X28C
Stem: Aluminum black EXT:100mm 0D.
Handlebar: Maesbend W: 430mm D:22.0mm
Saddle: Cionlli Black
Seat post: HL Aluminum Micro Adjust 27.2 X 300mm
from Pedals: VP-990S plastic body with steel cage
Water battle cage: 16 oz.
Weight: 29.0 lbs
For upgrades, you can refer to your LBS.
Hello Jeff I own a denali bike I love the bike fartherest I’ve road is about 20 miles. But now I would love some better rims and tire replacements what do u recommend. Looks like mine is 700x32c
There are so many options out there it’s really hard to recommend something without knowing more about your type of riding and budget. You should be looking at getting a lighter set of wheels/tires, so for starters, I’d recommend measuring your current set and starting your research based on that. If you want to go faster and stick to paved routes, 28mm tires would increase your speed.