Looking for a nice road bike but don't want to break your bank accounts? Turn to the GMC Denali Pro road bike, the little brother to the popular Denali LTD. Built with the same pride and attention to detail as GMC trucks, the Denali Pro features a high-quality, handcrafted, lightweight 22-inch aluminum frame that delivers a stiff, responsive ride. The 16-speed Microshift drivetrain, meanwhile, is equipped with integrated brake/shift levers, so you can both brake and shift without moving your hands from the handlebar. And thanks to the dual-pivot brake system, the bike stops on a dime should the terrain get rough. Other features include aluminum rims with stainless-steel spokes, 700c x 25 tires, an alloy crank, and a steel fork. The recommended height range of the Denali Pro is 5' 9" to 6' 1", and the standover height is 31.5 inches.
It would be a pretty good bike that you should own right. Out of the box, the Pro is about 4 lbs heavier than the GMC Denali Pro Limited. It is essentially a Chinese version of the Taiwanese Limited. The wheelset is heavier, especially the rear wheel, but it seems sturdier with 36 spokes instead of 32 spokes. Other components that add to the weight are the old-fashioned quill stem, the 8 speed freewheel(not cassette like in the Limited), the steel fork (not carbon fiber in the Limited), the all alumninum frameset (not carbon fiber stays in the Limited), the solid bolted rear axle (not quick release as in the Limited), and the heavier saddle. The gearing is wider at the low and high end than the Limited- 53F/11R high and 39F/28R low. This is versatile gearing for hilly rides.
The frame and riding position is good and quite rideable. I ridden over 300 miles at the time of this writing and taken it through its paces on city roads, serious rides, and on rollers. It rides similar to the Limited, except the handlebars are a smaller diameter and due to the steel fork, the front end is 1.75" taller than the Limited. Therefore, it feels more upright. The wheelbase and frame geometry is the same as the Limited. The stiffness/suppleness of the frame/fork is comparable to the Limited. This is likely due to the extra heft. However, the extra heft is definitely noticeable during acceleration.
The bike is very good looking, and people have mistaken it for an expensive bicycle. The Pro is made much more attractive if you take off the ugly and unnecessary black spoke protector in the rear wheel. The picture on Amazon does not do the bike justice. What gives the Pro away as a cheap bike is the ugly steel spider and pants protector on the crankset.
In conclusion, this bike is ideal as a second road bike. Since the geometry is similar to a typical road bike, you can switch back and forth between the Pro and a higher-end road bike without re-acclimation. If you train on a 27 lb bike, you will be very fast on a typical road bike like the Limited. Also, the low price means you can bring it anywhere with no anxiety in case it gets stolen. The wheels are sturdy and will take a pounding.
Product Features
* High-quality road bike with lightweight 22-inch aluminum frame
* 16-speed Microshift drivetrain with integrated brake/shift levers
* Dual-pivot brake system helps you stop on a dime
* Aluminum rims with stainless-steel spokes; 700c x 25 tires
* Recommended height range of 5' 9" to 6' 1"
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