WALMART's BEST may very well be the 31 pound GMC DENALI 700C 21 speed bicycle that they sold so many of. This Kent bicycle is currently in production today as the GENESIS SABER. It is the same exact bike as the DENALI, just with different wording on the sticker decals since Kent no longer has a licensing agreement with General Motors. Laugh if you want to but there are hundreds of thousands of folks that love the Kent Gmc Denali, now badged as the Kent Genesis Saber.
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...-heck-not.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTdWX6VzllU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z3UZjFiT3Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3QWh0Ph-eE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZT49JO2J3E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtQwV5Khog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHfRK-mUNxE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz1fZoYDzww
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07AKY6rgLo0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hHcXrkpfxg
https://kent.bike.com/collections/al...sis-saber-road
Here is the link for the old Denali, as you can see it is the same bicycle as the current GENESIS SABER
https://kent.bike.com/collections/ro...me-road-denali
Just like the old Denali came in three Mens sizes, Small(20 inch frame) or Medium(22 inch frame) or Large (25 inch frame), so does the current GENESIS SABER.
Kent also continues to offer the (17 inch Womens frame) too with the same frame and equipment as on the former Denali version.
The KENT GMC Denali was a very popular WALLYWORLD as it was offered with the GMC DENALI decals for a decade and a half and it was massively popular for each year it was offered. There are many folks still happily riding these fifteen year old Wallyworld specials. Yes, perhaps 31 pounds and a Wallyworld pedigree is something a "serious cyclist" may detest but despite the jokes about the assembly from the Wallyworld assemblers, most of these Kent bikes are still going strong.
There are many folks that find them to be decent enough and very reliable bicycles for their pace and style of riding. You cannot argue with that. Once, not too long ago, I heard an absolute idiot trying to explain to someone else why an early seventies Campagnolo equipped , European 10 speed would be superior to the basic but Shimano equipped 21 speed 700C Denali that they were riding. You have to really laugh as there is no doubt that such a classic bike has mkt value but to suggest to someone who cares only about reliabilty and functionality, that is like telling someone to go buy a 1972 Porsche 911 instead of buying a two year old, 2020 Kia Soul.
Sure, it might be a valid suggestion if that bicycle rider has the knowledge and skills to know how to adjust, and maintain vintage equipment. Campagnolo, Simplex, and Huret rear derailleurs weren't nearly as reliable as early Seventies SHIMANO & Maeda SUNTOUR units. There is a segment of the population that just wants to drive from point A to point B each time with supreme reliabilty and decent overall economy...........this does not mean frequent trips to the dealership service bay, or the mechanic at an independent professional automotive repair facility. Bicycle consumers at levels less than the "spandex be like Lance , serious cyclsts, don't care so much about what it weighs and how fast it might go. They are "sold" on these ideas by those with a vested interest to sell the particular bikes that they carry in their shops. They cannot compete in economy basic bicycles with Wallyworld or Target, so their only strategic option is to bash the very basic offerings of the big box store chains, referring to those offerings as BSO (bicycle shaped objects) and this strategy is successful in that many consumers within a certain peer group crave a certain level of approval and acceptance, and thus are too insecure and afraid of being the person riding the "unacceptable image" bicycle even though its functionality as a basic bicycle is adequate and mostly flawless. Certainly, there are more technologically advanced and perhaps better features on many much more expensive Local Bike Shop bicycle offerings, but essentially if you only need a brand new economy car or a brand new affordable mini van, you do not generally go shopping at the Ferrari or Porsche dealership. This is probably where the entire industry serving the Local Bike Shops, really misses the boat in my opinion. It is more than a Catch-22 situation because the LBS cannot compete with WALLYWORLD or TARGET, and if they began to offer compareable basic bicycles, then the serious cyclists would acclaim that ABC bike shop and XYZ brand is losing their luster because they are now catering to "common anybodies" rather than to a somewhat exclusive clientele, as it should be. All of Wallyworld's bikes are not bad and not all of the bike shop offerings from recognized names are great. Basic bicycles are not terribly complicated. Even some of the lesser quality Wallyworld specials can be simply and easily sorted out by the do-it-yourselfer to be near perfect in functionality and durabilty as a basic bicycle. If you still are too timid and afraid to be seen riding a basic Wallyworld bicycle, then for about $20 to $25 total cost, you can purchase a neat looking colorful DECAL set for whatever marque, past or present, and give your bicycle an "upgrade". Most of the boneheads that bash these low end Wallyworld offerings wouldn't have a clue from 10ft away. You can mix and match, or make your own. Search: bicycle decal set (all categories on EBAY) and that should give you hours of fun looking at all the different reproductions being offered by various people in various countries. Though many here on bikeforums do not believe that it is even possible, but there are many people who seem to really enjoy riding Wal-mart bicycles. The youtube videos attest that this is so..