GMC Yukon XL Road Bike | 
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| Brand: Kent
Buy New: $301.28 - $439.99
Where applicable you'll select size, color, etc. after you click the buy button.
Rating:  32 reviews
Sales Rank: 1607
ASIN: B000FDKPCU
Promotion: Save $5.00 when you spend $25.00 or more on Qualifying Items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout. Terms and Conditions
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| Features:
| • | Road bike features a 6061 aluminum road bike frame; 20-inch and 25-inch models offer 14 speeds while 22-inch model features 16 speeds | | • | High-profile Vitesse aluminum rims that look as good as they perform | | • | Vitesse racing saddle with an alloy seat post for a smooth ride | | • | Shimano STI shifters and an alloy crank set round out this sturdy road racing cycle | | • | Frame is available in 20-, 22-, or 25-inch sizes |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Product Description
The GMC Yukon XL 700C 14-Speed Road Bike is built around a lightweight aluminum 6061 road bike frame (20-, 22-, or 25-inch frame) and Shimano tourney 14-speed gearing. The bike features high-profile Vitesse aluminum rims that look as good as they perform, and a Vitesse racing saddle with an alloy seat post for a smooth ride. Lastly, Shimano STI shifters and an alloy crank set round out this sturdy road racing cycle. GMC Yukon XL 700C Road Bike Specifications
- Frame: Aluminum 6061 straight gauge
- Fork: Aluminum Aero600 700C-11/8
- Headset: TS B52S-11/8
- Chain: KMC Z 51
- Crankset: Shimano Tourney 39X50 L170mm
- Front Derailleur: Suntour FD-XR05
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney SIS 7SPD
- Shifters: Shimano Sora STI L2/R7
- Brake Levers: Integrated with Sora shifters
- Brakes: Tektro 510A alloy caliper brake
- Hubset: Alloy quick release front and rear
- Rims: HJC alloy black 700CX14GX32H
- Tires: Kenda black with yellow band 700X25C
- Stem: A-Head aluminum silver EXT:90mm -7D
- Handlebar: Maesbend W: 430mm D:25.5mm
- Sadle: Vitesse Pro black
- Seat Post: HL aluminum micro adjust 27.2 X 300mm
- Pedals: VP-390 with toe clip
- Weight: 26.0 pounds
Amazon.com Bicycle Buying Guide
Finding the Right Bike
To really enjoy cycling, it's important to find a bicycle that works for you. Here are some things to keep in mind when you're in the market for a new bike: The Right Ride
In general, bikes are broken down into three major categories: - Road and Racing Bikes--As a general rule, road and racing are built for speed and longer distances on paved surfaces. Thinner tires, lightweight 29-inch (700c) wheels and drop bars that allow for a more aerodynamic position are the norm. Most road bikes, regardless of price, offer many gears for tackling both hilly and flat terrain.
- Mountain Bikes--With their larger tires, hill-friendly gearing and upright position, mountain bikes are very popular for all types of riding, both on pavement and off. Mountain bikes that are designed specifically for rugged trail use typically feature a suspension fork. Some may have rear suspension, as well. A quick change of the tires on any mountain bike--even one that you use regularly on trails--adds to its versatility and makes it a worthy street machine.
- Comfort/Cruiser Bikes--For tooling around on bike paths, light trails, or for cruising a quiet beach-side lane, comfort/cruiser bikes are the ticket. With a super-relaxed riding position, padded seats, and limited or no gearing, these bikes are made for enjoying the scenery and having fun with the family.
The Right Price
A bike's price boils down to three essentials: frame materials, bike weight, and component quality and durability. - Entry-level--You'll find a wide range of comfort and cruiser bikes in this category, as well as some lower-end mountain bikes and road bikes. Most will have steel frames and components that are designed to last for several years with frequent use.
- Mid-range--Bikes in this range may feature a lighter aluminum frame with mid-range components that keep performing after miles of use. If you're looking for a quality bike that is relatively lightweight and will stand up to abuse, this is the "sweet spot." Most serious commuter and touring bikes fall into this category, as do mid-range mountain bikes with a decent front suspension.
- High-end--Racers and serious enthusiasts who expect lightweight, high-performance components will want to stick to this category. For road bikes, exotic frame materials (carbon fiber, titanium) and ultra-lightweight components can add thousands to the price tag. Mountain bikes in this class often feature advanced front and rear suspension technology, as well as components designed to handle lots of rugged trail action.
The Right Size
Fit is crucial for comfort, control, and proper power and endurance on a bike. Here are some basic bike fit tips: - Stand-over Height--To find out if a bike's overall height fits your body, measure your inseam. Next, determine how much clearance you'll need between your crotch and the top tube of the bike. For a mountain bike, you'll want three to five inches of clearance. A road bike should offer between one and two inches of clearance, while a commuter bike should have two to four inches. Compare the stand-over height for a given bike to your measurements (inseam + clearance) to determine the right bike height.
- Top Tube Length--You can measure your torso to get a good estimate of proper top tube length. First, make a fist and extend your arm. Measure from the center of your fist to the end of your collarbone (the part that intersects your shoulder). Next, measure your torso by placing a book against your crotch with the spine facing up. Measure from the spine to the bottom of your throat (the spot between your collarbones). Finally, add the two measurements (arm length + torso length), divide the number in half and subtract six inches. This is your approximate top tube length. Compare this number to a bike's posted top tube length. You can allow for about two inches longer or shorter, as most bikes can be adjusted via stem length/height and saddle fore/aft position to make fine adjustments to the fit.
- Bikes for Women--Proportionally, women tend to have a shorter torso and longer legs than men. Bike makers design women's bikes that offer a shorter top tube and many comfort/cruiser bikes built for women may also provide more stand-over clearance.
The Right Accessories
When you make a bike purchase, don't forget these crucial add-ons: - Helmet (this is a must!)
- Seat pack
- Lock
- Hydration pack, or water bottles and bottle cages
- Spare tubes
- Portable bike pump
- Gloves
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| Customer Reviews: Read 27 more reviews...
 Love it August 20, 2008
T. Gerencer (Maine, USA)
I bought this a month ago. I've only ridden it once so far, but I love it. Mine came mostly put together. I have an alan wrench set, so it wasn't hard to do the final assembly, though I should probably have it tuned up now by a pro. It's a great bike. Only 14 speeds, but what the heck. I'm not a competition cyclist or anything, but I like to ride, and this is just what I needed. My local bike shop wanted to charge me $1,000 for a bike. I'm sure it would have been better than this, but who cares. It has Shimano components, which are supposed to be good. I rode it 42 miles this past Sunday and everything worked great. I'll update this review later if I have any problems with it.
 This Bike is not as advertized !! August 18, 2008
P. Statz (Madison, WI USA)
I purchased this bike in May 08, when it was out of stock. It came in a few days ago, and after going over the bike, it turns out that all of the Shimano and Suntour components including the shifters, derailleurs, and crankset have been replaced by very inferior components. I have contacted the US distibutor, and have yet to hear back from him, as to whether he changed the specs or the Chinese company that built the bikes "changed the specs by themselves".
As usual Amazon service has been wonderful. They are taking the bike back for a full refund.
In the meantime, I hope that this review helps the next person and also helps Amazon, as they will be getting a lot of these bikes back, if the persons who buy the bike know what they are looking at.
Nice Bike August 10, 2008
Abhik Nandi (Jersey City, NJ USA)
The bike has definitely lived up to my expectations. It has great looks and equally good design. The rear gear shifters/derailleurs are excellent. It was pretty easy to assemble the first time it came. I have been to several rides/tours of about 50 miles and it has been a pleasant ride every time.
A few warnings though. The front derailleurs are not working any more, however, I do not use them anyway. Also, I would recommend replacing the pedals with clips(mine did not come with them).
Quite light and sturdy, it has all the bang for the buck.
I go for 10 mile rides twice a week and the longer tours every fortnight and I would recommend this bike to everyone.
 Great road bike for the money July 21, 2008
Jack Lillie (MO USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Ok, first off, and maybe a general warning to folks around my height, I received a Kent GMC Yukon XL (the 20" frame) road bike a few days ago. I'm 5'9" with a 29" inseam (30" standover height). I think I probably should've gone for the 22" frame; the 20" frame seems a tad small for me, and there's at least 2 inches of standover clearance on this 20" frame. In any case, it's a good enough size, and this is the first bicycle I've owned or ridden in 10 years+, so I'm really impressed by the new technology being put into today's bikes. This bike is no exception, especially for its low cost, but there are a few problems buyers should be aware of; and maybe be ready to dish out a few more dollars in upgrades (and/or local bike shop assembly/tuning costs) to solve the problem areas. I'll get to these problems in, The Cons. For now, I would like to praise the bike and its + points.
The Pros:
The GMC Yukon XL is very sturdy, it's fast, it's responsive, it's light (seems light to me although more expensive road bikes can be up to 10 pounds lighter I hear). The caliper brakes work great, and when properly adjusted stop the bike quickly. The Shimano Shora STI shifters are really nice and their action is very smooth and easy to perform. The Maesbend Handlebar is very comfortable. The tires and rims are very sturdy with plenty of tread. And the bike looks great. I thought the product picture looked a little flashy, but the yellows are not as dramatic as they are in the picture. I would like to get rid of the logo brandings, but once again, can't argue with the price. All-in-all I'm very pleased, but I knew from other reviewers that I'd be getting into some upgrades almost immediately, so on to, The Cons.
The Cons:
The Suntour FD-XR05 Front Derailleur. Yuck, this thing is a real pain in the butt, and short of actually bending out/widening the derailleur cage, it should not be used on this bike with this gear set. I'm very mechanically inclined, and will tinker with adjustments for hours (which I did) if necessary to get something precise, but it seems it just can't be done with this combo. There's always some rubbing at chain/gear angle extremes on my Yukon. I tuned in the Rear Derailleur very nicely (invaluable site here - http://bicycletutor.com), but the front one, uh uhh. So first upgrade: A "matching" front derailleur for a 14-speed gear set.
The Vitesse Pro black sadle. This is a very nice looking seat, but it's not easy on the tush, and I'm not sure I want to wait for my rear end to get used to this seat (like how your shoulders get used to supporting an Olympic bar for squats; hurts like hell first several times) before just replacing it with something more comfortable.
The tubes. Be prepared for Schrader valves (the big car-type inflator valves). I was fully expecting Presta valves on a modern road bike, but not here. The good news is, along with what a few others have mentioned as a necessary upgrade to avoid inner tube punctures - cloth rim strips, you can purchase new Presta valve tubes for about $5 each from your local bike shop, and the cloth rim strips for around $4 each. The narrower Presta valve will accomodate the larger Schrader type hole opening in the rim. With high pressure (90psi and above) tubes, Schrader valves just don't cut it in my opionion. Any hissing when you unhook your tire pump means a 5-10lb pressure loss, and that can be avoided with the Presta valve mechanism.
The VP-390 with toe clip Pedals. I'm not into having to insert my feet into a complete strap assembly each time I come to a stop/start situation. For city riding, there's way too much of that so I immediately purchased a $10 pair of standard hard plastic pedals and they work great.
Adjustments out of the box. A word here about assembly and tuning. The GMC Yukon arrives needing a fair bit of assembly, and definitely a lot of fine tuning. The folks at Kent do a quickly-out-the-door type tuning on this bike, and most of the things that can be adjusted, need to be adjusted. If you're so inclined (both mechanically and in the time required to do so) even a total beginner can get this bike tuned pretty well in an afternoon. The instructions are pretty bad though, as others have said, so it will take some patience and possible internet research. I have a feeling on my Yukon that the wheel bearings are too tight on both the front and rear wheels and the next time I'm at the bike shop, I'm going to have them check that out. All in all, it's not a bad idea to let your LBS finish the assembly and tune the bike for you. I hear the average cost for this is between $50-$100, and you can have them do the, what I think, are required upgrades to make this a really nice road bike.
In closing, I would've given 5 stars for this product. The price is really incredible for what you get, but due to the fact that Kent is using a front derailleur that really doesn't belong with a 14-speed gear set, I have to knock off one star. On my Yukon, that derailleur upgrade will be wholly necessary (while the others I mentioned aren't system-critical for a bike out of the box). Still a great buy though, and I'd do it again; I'd just know that I'd have to pump a little more money into it to make it really sweet. From the other reviews I'd read about this road bike, I was already expecting to shell out a little extra when I ordered the first one.
Great value - for money!! July 14, 2008
Jay (Seattle,WA USA)
I was planning to do STP (Seattle to Portland) Bike ride this summer and started looking for bikes. I didn't want to spend too much... but still wanted something reasonable - as per as components & weight of the bike & looks. To cut the story short, i bought GMC Yukon XL. and to tell you, it looks pretty fancy.
I have had it for almost 3 months, and i have put around 1200miles on it. And it has worked great. No issues, shifters work excellent.. no problems until now. I have had few minor issues with breaks. When i see my other friends spend upwards of 1000$ to get a bike which is just 10 lb lighter..i would rather buy this one and loose 10 lbs myself.
TO sum up, very good bike if you are not so worried about it being 10 lbs heavier than a 5 times costlier bike.
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