A GMC Denali For $40? Why the Heck Not?
09-08-21, 09:22 AM
#26
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Cross-promotion between GM and Walmart, I'd imagine.
Back a while, there was all kinds of that stuff--"Ferrari" and "Lamborghini" bikes, "BMW" skis ..... all just logos on existing products, but a serious attempt to both soak more cash out of folks who owned the cars, and to sell more high-end, over-priced good as "luxury items" because of the branding.
In the US, GMC and Walmart ..... well, it's a little bit country .....
Back a while, there was all kinds of that stuff--"Ferrari" and "Lamborghini" bikes, "BMW" skis ..... all just logos on existing products, but a serious attempt to both soak more cash out of folks who owned the cars, and to sell more high-end, over-priced good as "luxury items" because of the branding.
In the US, GMC and Walmart ..... well, it's a little bit country .....
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09-08-21, 09:25 AM
#27
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You can find out if cycling is what you want to do with a 40 dollar bike. Just make certain it fits you.
After almost thirty years of doing just work, eat, sleep, I got back into shape on a 46 pound bike. I even did a couple 100 milers on it. Got rid of it when I knew better what I needed. Less bike weight for the most part.
After almost thirty years of doing just work, eat, sleep, I got back into shape on a 46 pound bike. I even did a couple 100 milers on it. Got rid of it when I knew better what I needed. Less bike weight for the most part.
Agreed, I started back to riding about 5 years ago on some objectively crappy bikes. I found out I was still good at it, and needed and deserved some better bikes. The experience on the crappy ones taught me a lot about what to look for.
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09-08-21, 09:28 AM
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I was always curious about their choice of name. Why GMC? Why Denali? They could have called it the Boeing 737 or the Canon EOS1 or the Steinway Baby Grand and those names would make about as much sense.
To use General Motors names and logos on your product requires a lot of hoops to jump through from GM. Even simple items like hats or T-shirts. Even making and selling hats with something like a Pontiac logo (defunct for eleven years already) requires GM's blessing. Kent must've REALLY wanted to use the GM name and logo!
To use General Motors names and logos on your product requires a lot of hoops to jump through from GM. Even simple items like hats or T-shirts. Even making and selling hats with something like a Pontiac logo (defunct for eleven years already) requires GM's blessing. Kent must've REALLY wanted to use the GM name and logo!
I think they wanted the association with off-road adventure and what a major shortcut to piggy back on someone else's marketing!
I'm more surprised GMC would go along with it.
09-08-21, 09:28 AM
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Cross-promotion between GM and Walmart, I'd imagine.
Back a while, there was all kinds of that stuff--"Ferrari" and "Lamborghini" bikes, "BMW" skis ..... all just logos on existing products, but a serious attempt to both soak more cash out of folks who owned the cars, and to sell more high-end, over-priced good as "luxury items" because of the branding.
In the US, GMC and Walmart ..... well, it's a little bit country .....
Back a while, there was all kinds of that stuff--"Ferrari" and "Lamborghini" bikes, "BMW" skis ..... all just logos on existing products, but a serious attempt to both soak more cash out of folks who owned the cars, and to sell more high-end, over-priced good as "luxury items" because of the branding.
In the US, GMC and Walmart ..... well, it's a little bit country .....
09-08-21, 10:06 AM
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As I've said elsewhere though, that's the whole reason that people take notice of the bike in the first place, and maybe the reason people figure it must be OK:
1. people have seen the logos before, and 2. the Denali designation is on the General's trucks that have the top-spec stuff.
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09-08-21, 10:21 AM
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Porsche, don't think you can get one for $40.
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09-08-21, 10:31 AM
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The Randonee is a much better bike.
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09-08-21, 10:31 AM
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09-08-21, 10:55 AM
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09-08-21, 10:58 AM
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09-08-21, 11:13 AM
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BMW
ebike
ebike
09-08-21, 11:23 AM
#38
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I put together a Denali for someone once. I had refused to do it beforehand, but my friend knew that I couldn't refuse to do it if they brought it to my house, so I did end up putting it together. Nothing but regret about that whole ordeal, and I didn't have to ride it. I think they cost $70 back then. How do you make a wheel that can't be trued on a new bike? It's virtually impossible. I would see it on campus sometimes and the pangs of regret would show up all over again.
I think I might pay $10 for one to cut up the frame and use it to make parts for my garage bike rack.
Target used to sell Varsities for $99 on sale sometimes, and that was a pretty good bike as these things go. Especially if you abused your friendship with someone who knows how to work on bike to put it together for you.
I think the retail was $200, which really wasn't bad either. Don't take this as a recommendation, I haven't seen one for at least a decade.
I think I might pay $10 for one to cut up the frame and use it to make parts for my garage bike rack.
Target used to sell Varsities for $99 on sale sometimes, and that was a pretty good bike as these things go. Especially if you abused your friendship with someone who knows how to work on bike to put it together for you.
I think the retail was $200, which really wasn't bad either. Don't take this as a recommendation, I haven't seen one for at least a decade.
09-08-21, 12:00 PM
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09-08-21, 12:04 PM
#40
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I like riding and I certainly don’t need my bike to get anywhere.
So if it were me, no, I absolutely wouldn’t buy it. More frustrating than fun, I don’t need it.
So if it were me, no, I absolutely wouldn’t buy it. More frustrating than fun, I don’t need it.
09-08-21, 01:07 PM
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09-08-21, 02:11 PM
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^^^Chinarellos were quite the thing 10 or more years ago. IIRC a few owners fessed up here on BF. Probably didn't go as they expected....
09-09-21, 08:16 AM
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The best bikes you can get at Walmart are the super cheap aluminum Chinese cruisers with the coaster brakes. Less is more.
09-09-21, 08:22 AM
#45
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Basic to the point that almost nothing can break, and too slow and heavy to get them fast enough to break them in a crash. Definitely best bike value they offer.
09-09-21, 11:49 AM
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Sorry to hear about the job loss. What industry are you in? You doing seasonal work? The landlord/agency won’t fix the garage? That blows.
I’d store the bike in your apartment.
Buy what you want. If it’s generally regarded as a piece of **** but you like it all is good.
What’s the bike for? Pleasure? Commuting to work(what’s left of it)? Are you willing to move for a job? If that’s the case you might need to
hold off…
Good luck!
I’d store the bike in your apartment.
Buy what you want. If it’s generally regarded as a piece of **** but you like it all is good.
What’s the bike for? Pleasure? Commuting to work(what’s left of it)? Are you willing to move for a job? If that’s the case you might need to
hold off…
Good luck!
09-09-21, 12:14 PM
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09-09-21, 12:26 PM
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Speaking of Chinarellos, I had a momentary lapse of sanity for a half second before backing away from my computer when I found a "Chinarello" that wasn't the traditional fake road framesets...............it was the Bolide TT frameset. The $10k kind.
I had to go "huh, if they managed the unique dropout shape on an 'open mold'"......then maybe it was a "4th shift" product.
Either way I backed off real fast.
I had to go "huh, if they managed the unique dropout shape on an 'open mold'"......then maybe it was a "4th shift" product.
Either way I backed off real fast.
09-09-21, 01:01 PM
#49
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Not every non-brand-name Chinese frame is badly constructed, dangerous to ride, cheap, or a bad investment.
09-09-21, 01:05 PM
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I'd imagine that the problem is, if they're not branded, knowing which is which.
