Why is GMC branding ten-speeds?
Looks like GMC has gotten into the bike game. Jeep did pretty well with their mountain bikes. And Ferrari, Porsche, Spyker, Cadillac and BMW have all done the road bike thing as well. Now we find GMC doing...both. Perhaps wanting to emphasize their off-road ruggedness with a smooth on-road ride, the 7 GMC bicycles from Kent (the manufacturer of the Cadillac bikes) cover both mountain and street. Buyers so inclined can choose from the Topkick, Denali, Yukon, Yukon XL and Envoy. Prices range from the $180 everyday Denalis through the $400 Yukon XL race bike. Knowing GMC as a truck-only company, the race bike seems a bit odd, to say the least.
The dual suspension Topkick is what we would consider to be the most GMC-like model. The description says it lives up to the GMC name because it is rugged, good looking, and built for the long haul. There's even a pair of Denali bikes for the tykes priced the same as the adult versions. If any of these sound appealing to you, we have some good news: Amazon has a few of them on sale and is offering free shipping.
[Source: Kent Bicycles via GM Inside News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
beaker 8:42AM (12/28/2006)
As a car guy and a former bike mechanic, these bikes are junk! At least Porsche made high quality bicycles. These are just re-badged Kent garbage. Only non-cyclists would purchase these.
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scopkins 8:45AM (12/28/2006)
The pricepoint alone tells me that these are going to be very dissapointing bikes. I have $200 in drivetrain on my bike and it's considered low-end for any kind of legitimate mountain biking.
The GMC stuff does fit into the price range of the Huffies we used to break all the time growing up.
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B Reid 8:50AM (12/28/2006)
But wait! Since these are GMCs, wouldn't that make them 'professional grade' bicycles???
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sensitive_man 9:00AM (12/28/2006)
These are being sold to help GM comply with CAFE standards.
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$0.02 9:41AM (12/28/2006)
why not?!!! Duh!
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Bonita 9:54AM (12/28/2006)
Just another vehicle from General Motors to break down.
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Richard 9:58AM (12/28/2006)
You would think these guys would be interested in sponsoring the first nationally network televised pro cycling race in America. Actually, I mean the Caddy guys.
But no one there answers the phone!
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another Steve - NewOrderrr 10:23AM (12/28/2006)
Maybe GMC saw what HUMMER was doing with their tie-in with the Montague folding bike line (http://http://www.hummerbikes.com/)
and desiced they wanted a similar connection. Though Trek or GT may have been a better match.
(maybe not Trek, VW did that years ago)
I think GMC would be better off doing a tie-in with Panasonic or Sharp to create a line of plasmas & big LCDs that'll fit in the back of the SUVs for trip home from Best Buy or CostCo. They could try a tie in for the Superbowl TV sales rush. Forget Red Tag sales, buy a GMC and get a companion flat panel TV for half price!
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John B 10:40AM (12/28/2006)
"These are being sold to help GM comply with CAFE standards."
Thanks, my chuckle of the day. I do a lot of road cycling and these bikes are crap. A top of the line $400 race bike - yeah, Lance will love that one. There isn't enough EPO in the world to make that pig go fast.
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egs 10:33AM (12/28/2006)
and folding bikes as i saw in Japan. i new i should have taken a picture. Chevy, corvette and Hummer to just name a few of the branded cycles.
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Andy 11:07AM (12/28/2006)
Lee Iacocca wanted Ford to get into the bike business (motorbikes, that is) in the 1960s as a way of getting a buying audience sooner in life. Kids used to riding Ford bikes would, in theory, move up to Ford cars. Henry Ford II objected on the basis of safety.
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American Cars suck donkey dick 11:06AM (12/28/2006)
Leave it to GM to brand their name to crappy bikes that are poorly spec'd (just like their cars).
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American Cars suck donkey dick 11:43AM (12/28/2006)
GM should offer a Toyota or Honda with every purchase of a GM car. That way, when their car breaks down, you can have a "reliable" back up car to drive.
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booger 2:04PM (12/28/2006)
YES!!
Finally. A bike to compete with all of the Magna bikes they are selling at Target!
BTW-Can we take it to the GMC car dealer for any recall matters???
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Galley 2:45PM (12/28/2006)
That reminds me of the bikes that John Deere sold back in the 70s. My cousin Tim's John Deere bike fell part before he even got it home.
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SnowTown 3:48PM (12/28/2006)
these bikes where avaliable at walmart many years ago... says a lot about quality if it is being sold at walmart.
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Eric 5:45AM (12/29/2006)
You forgot that Land Rover has bikes as well. Very nice bikes!
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Paul 8:23AM (12/29/2006)
gm is finally learning. now that they will be marketing chinese made bikes they should close down their assembly plants and markey chinese made cars. this will be the only way they will surviv. who the heck buys american products any more. except maybe the last few ignorant racist hicks.
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adamb 11:49AM (4/23/2007)
I have a Denali Pro, the $400 Wal-Mart version. I recently rode a century a kept up with all those multi-thousand dollar bikes with no trouble. Will it win the Tour, never. It is a competent bike? Deffinetly.
P.S. I did the same thing on the $160 model, too. I would still be riding it if it hadn't been stolen.
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