cyccommute 

This is probably the worst problem with HelMart bikes. They are a one size fits all solution but people aren't "one size". My wife suffered from this problem for years. It even took a long time to convince her that her bike was sized wrong because she had gotten used to a bike that was far too big for her. The right sized bike just didn't "feel right". She is only 5' tall and her first "10 speed" was a bike for me...a 58cm (or 23", for the metrically challenged). Her current bike is a 43cm with 650C wheels so it's even smaller than a "regular" bike. For those who don't think this is that much of a problem, try riding a bike that that is 7" to 10" larger then the one you ride now. For me that would be the equivalent of 30" (76 cm) to 33" (83 cm) bike. I can't swaddle either one nor could she straddle a 23".

I've owned 38 bikes over the last 40 years due to technology changes. She's owned almost as many simple trying to find one that was the right size. Discount stores just perpetuate the problem.

indyfabz

The web site couldn't even get the color right:

"Finished in a beautiful gold paint."

freeranger

From a bicycle shop, they should be able to help you pick the right bike for you, in the right size, with support and advice, in addition to providing quality service (as with everything-some will be better than others). You'll get none of that from a big box store, plus the bike itself will not be up to the quality of bikes handled by a bicycle shop. Big box bikes will usually have lower quality materials used for the frame and components, and generally will just not function as well, especially if not assembled correctly (guessing you've seen pics of Wally bikes with forks installed backwards). They are usually much heavier as well. There is a reason why bicycle shops exist, and can get more cash for the initial purchase--the product is actually better and worth the difference.

Vintage Schwinn

Answers like 12 inches of Wrong, and 15 inches of Wrong???
Please elaborate on exactly because everything I wrote there is accurate and factually correct!
You dislike it but you have no meaningful response so you resort to a childish response such as this.
There is nothing necessarilly wrong with having a strong opinion and disliking a product for whatever reason.
The fact is that there are many folks that like that 30 pound KENT GMC Denali 21 speed Road Bike.
The bikeforums thread on it approaches 40 pages or more, with those that state that it is decent enough for what it is, and you
also have a good number of folks there that slam it as being too heavy and too low rent to even consider.
If you don't like the KENT GMC Denali, then fine, but don't state something that is obviously childish and false, because what I did
write is accurate. The KENT GMC Denali is available in several sizes. The specific Model part numbers were identified.
It is a 30 pound bike with 21 speeds. There are people who have ridden it thousands of miles. My friend is one of them.
She did in fact ride a slightly modified Kent GMC Denali 21 speed to WIN her age division at the CLEMSON Triathlon in 2019.
It was not her first Victory aboard the Kent GMC Denali 21speed. Her bike is a 2012 model. She has many more than
several thousand miles on this bicycle. A telephone call with her, just moments ago and she says that just during calendar year
2019, since Jan 1st, on just that 2012 Kent GMC Denali 21 bike, her computer records indicate 1258.6 miles from JAN 1st, 2019
through 4:30 eastern time on Tuesday DEC 17th, 2019. Well that is 1258 miles this year so far and she says that she has likely
ridden it well over 1000 miles during each year since 2012.
That is easily more than 7000 miles. I would say it is a durable bicycle!
Yes, you may detest that it is a bicycle that is not sold in a proper bike store, but the fact remains that these are very functional and dependable
bicycles. Yes, it is 30 pounds and it is old fashioned technology. It is inexpensive. It is dependable.
It certainly might not be for everybody's needs but it does not pretend to be a challenger to a high-tech, high dollar, lightweight bike.
There are plenty of folks that might find that the Kent GMC Denali will satisfy their needs and budget.
It is a very good bike at a very low cost.
There are obviously many others who agree. See YOUTUBE and GOOGLE for more as this bike does have a cult following.
There are many others that just hate the thought of anyone buying such a Low Priced NEW bike that does not come from a proper bike shop.
This bicycle represents good value for the dollars spent if you're simply seeking a basic bicycle and not the latest in technology.
I suggest that you get in touch with someone at KENT INTERNATIONAL 973-434-8181 between 9AM and 4PM EASTERN TIME for more
specifics on production and retailers that carry their products.
https://www.kent.bike/where-to-buy
https://www.kent.bike/bikes/gmc/
Be sure to visit YOUTUBE and see the many videos of those that are very satisfied with their Kent GMC Denali 21 speed bicycles.
Be sure to see the many YOUTUBE videos of folks that have customized and upgraded their Kent GMC Denali 21 speed bikes.
This bicycle has been around a long time, and there are many folks that do like this bicycle. That is a fact.
There are plenty of folks who detest Walmart/Target and bikes that do not come from proper bike shops. That is a fact.
There are plenty of durable, dependable bicycles that many in the bicycle community detest and refer to as boat-anchor,
gas-pipe, or BSO, because those bicycles do not fit within the deemed narrow acceptable parameters of what a bicycle should be to
that certain segment of the bicycling community.

himespau 

Dude, stop with the uninterrupted walls of text with random (and often inappropriately used) strings of capital letters and odd punctuation. It doesn't matter if your statements are accurate and your opinions are well-supported (I wouldn't know, I can't make my way through it); just looking at it gives us all a headache, and anyone attempting to read it (most of us just skip it) is going to go in with a bias against your comments due to the terrible aesthetics of it.

jon c. 

As can be seen from the testimony on this page, sometimes cheap bikes do last. But many other times, they don't. Why take the chance?

You're always going to do much better on the used market. You'll end up with a bike that is built better, lasts longer, and provides a nicer ride.

shelbyfv

Wow. Now up to 18 inches on my small laptop!! I'm sorry your friend has to ride a BSO and sorry you have to use a computer that generates random caps and other weirdness. Life isn't fair

livedarklions

It also is apparently no longer being made. You have now written about 3 feet of gush about a bike that isn't available. One of the articles you linked had been updated to note that.

I don't care one way or the other if it's a good bike for the price if it's no longer being sold.

livedarklions

If you know what you're doing. You can also get screwed or, even worse, unknowingly buy a stolen bike.

base2 

Dude, we get it. You seem to like the 21 speed GMC Denali.
1258 miles is a months worth of riding for some here. More like 2-3 months for the rest of us here. It would take me a year & 2 months to equal your daughters last 7 years in total.

One of my favorite bikes is a 1974 Schwinn Varsity. 3500 miles this year alone. But to say it's anything but a highly polished turd isn't just an opinion...it's just wrong.

How much of the original GMC Denali is left? Is she riding the ship of Theseus? Well, that's sort of the point. New wheels, new drivetrain, new crankset, new shifters...None of that requires attention (besides a chain every 3500 miles) for a higher quality bike.

Sure a cheap derailleur cost $20, then the cable, then the housing, then the guy to put it on, then the monthly adjustments...Or, a $60 derailleur, one time that goes 35,000 miles. Or a 25,000 mile shifter that shifts 900 times per ride...Or, or, or. No one is saying the 21 speed GMC Denali is garbage. What people are saying is it is at best a recreational quality bike loaded with false economy.

You keep saying it's a 30 pound bike with 21 speeds like any of that is a good thing. Lets see you change out a chain ring when chain suck sets in. Will it be a single $20 28 tooth ring or will it be an $80 stamped steel spot-welded complete assembly? What about the 7 speed freewheel? How much to pay a shop to overhaul a hub & or replace a bent axle versus pressing in 2 6902 bearings?

The point is: Any action requiring repair costs more than the bike itself cost. It is an example of low quality disposable consumerism at it's worst. Is it suitable as a bridge to meet an immediate need for low income desperation? Sure. Is it a bike an enthusiast will find economy in? Probably not.

It's intended use is: Bridge an immediate need for a temporary economic situation. It probably fits that roll well. Quit feeling indignant others make different more economically sound choices in life.

Base2 out
<mic drop>

Rajflyboy

I have expensive bikes and I have WalMart bikes as well. What you are saying here is not entirely accurate. I do agree with you that often times staff at the store do not put the bikes together properly. There are some of the bikes when put together properly are actually good bicycles that will last you a while (they will be low thrills with no hydraulic brakes and they will weigh more) but still good bikes for most of the public. If you do your homework you can find models that are easily upgrade able (actually learn something more about bicycles by upgrading some of the parts). It’s a win win because the big box store bicycles allow people to become bicyclists even though they don’t have a couple thousand dollars to throw into the sport.

If if you buy one be sure to check that it’s put together properly. You can spend 45$ to have your local bike shop go over it and dial it in properly or you can do that yourself (plenty of YouTube videos on this subject).

Rajflyboy

Yes I think you are right. Dick’s has some basic good quality bikes in the $500 to $700 range.

Jax Rhapsody

Wrote a muhfuggin book, huh?

I'll admit; the pedals that are on the shelf at walmart are probay better than what's on the bikes. And from my experience when ot comes to handlebars of ANY bike at those places, avoid painted ones. Chrome or black. I have bent the handle bars of any bike I had, that had painted handlebars. And the cruisers at these places are probably the best bikes to buy IF they are single speed.

I had a mtb bike once and was cruising the sidewalk on a certain road here, that at the time I didn't know ended in a set of steps because the yards were higher than the road. And the sidewalk ended there. I had some whatever walmart mtb with green or pink handlebars and I had to jump the steps. Bent the bars on landing. I suspect the painted bars are of thinner steel than the black or chrome bars. I had another bike that was a throwaway, hopped a curb and bent one end of the whatever colored bars it had.

I will say; some of the bikes are stout and I know that from experience of running a Cranbrook in to a wall and the only damage was a bent fork. If it had a spaded fork, it probaly wouldn't have bent.

Jax Rhapsody

Honestly the most common rear derailure found on them is that black Shimano piece with thw plastic end caps. It's a decent one, actually. It comes in two styles, bolt on and axle end(with the screw). I've found it an upgrade for older bikes especially older bso bikes that have crappy derailers on them. They shift okay, like most of Shimanos stuff, you don't want to downshift under load. I wouldn't use it for a good bike, as there are older RDs that are better than those, but if you run across something that was probably a 90s or 80s low end bike and probably to flip, those Shimano blacks are a okay choice. If you think about it; Shimano flips their groups time to time. Tourney is a good example of that. I have had various bikes in different price brackets that had it. In fact I have a Schwinn Link and a Trek 800 Sport Single Track right now that both have Tourney RDs The Trek a 400 dollar bike new and the Schwinn is probably 160 bucks, not sure but I'm certain the Treks RD is better than the Schwinns, being the same group and the trek is probably at least 15years older. And a better unit.

Miele Man

A few years ago a friend of mine bought a Canadian Tire Medalist dropbar bicycle with twist-grip shifters. He went to ride it across the parking lot to his vehicle and got a flat. WHy? Because there was LOTS of brass shavings in the wheel well that cut the tube. Also, the little disc that's punched out of the rim when the hole is made for the valve stem was still in the rim between the two walls. To get the grip-shifts on the handlebar was made in three pieces that joined together just beside the stem via a bolt going through a sleeve that held everything together. the frame was a rigid aluminium frame that was very heavy.

Even if he had put on better components he'd have still had a heavy road bike.

The biggest problem I see with department store bicycles is that most of them are rather poorly assembled and adjusted. If the buyer doesn't know how to adjust everything then the buyer might just wear things out a lot faster because of that. Add the poor assembly/adjustments to the rather low quality of most of the components and you have a bicycle that might be okay for casual use but it's a crap shoot s to how long it'll last. At least with most bicycle shops you have at least 30 days to ride the bicycle and then bring it in for free adjustments.

Cheers

cyccommute 

You are still missing the point. No amount of assembly will fix bearings that crumble into dust or bottom bracket spindles that twist into pretzels nor bottom bracket cups that pull apart during act of simply removing them from the frame.

Even if the bike has a frame that could be used to upgrade, it’s hardly worth the cost of doing the upgrade. You’ll spend more money upgrading then if you just started out with a better bike to begin with. Building a bike from parts isn’t cheaper than buying a new bike.

cyccommute 

Having had some experience with the Denalis, I find it amazing that they can make aluminum so heavy.

I will say that there is a way to make a HelMart bike into a good bike. First, buy the HelMart bike. Second, buy another frame and all the components for a bike. Take all the parts off the HelMart bike, remove the frame from the work stand, put the other frame in place and add all the new components to it. You'll have a pretty good bike at that point.

The best thing to do with the left over parts is to find a scrap yard and see what you can get for them. If the frame is a Denali aluminum, aluminum is paid by the pound.

Maelochs

I still say my response is the best----spend $100, buy a Walmart bike, and see for yourself.

Jax Rhapsody

Denalis aren't that bad other than the convoluted cockpit. I had the Roadtech a few years ago, loved it. Built it up nice, too and had a bike about as light as a 90 World Sport. Pretty nimble, too. Stout. I currently have a Denali to be built up. Such beautiful frames

Jax Rhapsody

It can be if one thinks reasonably and has the right connections. It was more than worth it to me, to build up my Roadtech. Some of my upgrades were trades. I only actually paid for was the tires, seatpost, LS tape, brake levers. It's not always about cost effective. Sometimes it's having the bike you want, and then adding the parts you want. That's like saying why restomod an old Challenger, when you can just buy one of those new ugly things they call a Challeger with that Jay Leno Chin.

It's all preference and I prefer older bikes, not a single bike has ever been left stock for the want or neccesity to upgrade or mod. There are tons of bikes here just like that, so to say such a thing is near vapid. I've even seen restos on here. Hell I'm currently about to be working on a Murray Kozo for my g/f.

Rajflyboy

This bike is a Kev Central favorite. It’s very upgrade able.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-29-...SAAEgJx3fD_BwE

Jax Rhapsody

My Roadtech was lighter than a friends '90 World Sport by 3-5 lbs when I was done with mine. It already didn't have those ******** gripshifts factory and the only wieght I added to it was a sealed BB... a worthy piece of wieght imho.
Alexis wheels
Custom brand aluminum seat post
Some Bontrager seat that has a funny story
80s Schwinn double crank
CST Corerre 23c tires
Some used brake levers(forgot the make)
RD from my Lotus Pegasus
Some Shimano numbers FD I had planned to put on the Research Dynamics Coyote years before, that was stolen
LS tape
The only things left to do before it got stolen was some aluminum bars, new calipers and pads, and ditching the hiten fork. I also wanted to.make a mount for DTs and put on a 7 stem. It was a good bike and my two favorite colors red&black sad thing was everything but the pedals and rear of the frame was black and screamed cheap to me. The new wheels were black, but the red tape and satin levers and crank made it look like a whole new, not cheap looking bike. I got a number of compliments and people were surprised it was a walmart bike. Sorry for the long post.

shelbyfv

Wow, that's a BSO if ever there was one! Might get you just far enough into the woods to work up a sweat walking out.

Rajflyboy

Unapomer

Here's mine, a Schwinn Kempo bought from Walmart on a "price rollback" for $189 and free 2 day delivery. As with all big box bikes, it's best to lube and adjust ALL bearings before use. I upgraded the bottom bracket and crankset, pedals, and seat. I have less than $250 into it, I average 80 to 100 miles a week, keep the chain lubed and the tires inflated. No problems, bought it in May, 2019.
If you do your research, there are a few reasonably useable bikes out there at bargain prices. A good resource is bigboxbikes.com and kevcentral on youtube