Rachel Burns

Review of Denali Outdoor Center

[See below for edits 9/14/17] I rented two mountai...

[See below for edits 9/14/17] I rented two mountain bikes here for exploring Denali. This place gets 5 stars for convenience, but 1 star each for equipment quality and customer service. Bottom line: very convenient if you don't care at all about quality or service.

1) Convenience. As far as I could tell, this was the only place to rent bikes around Denali. I considered renting in Anchorage and hauling the bikes up, but convenience won out. The shop is an easy mile from the park, so you never have to fit bikes in your car. Super convenient!

2) Equipment. The bikes were the worst I've ever ridden (and I've had many old hand-me-downs over the years). Very old, falling apart, questionable breaks and unreliable gearing. Considering that this place advertises as a mountain bike shop for Denali (gravel roads, long distances in remote country, big elevation gains and steep downhills), I was expecting better quality. On the first day, my gear shifter broke. The gears were still shifting somewhat, but I couldn't tell what gear I was in, and they kept sticking. I brought the bike into the shop, which brings us to...

3) Customer Service. When I brought the bike in for repairs, I was told there wasn't a bike technician around to help. They also apparently didn't have any other bikes I could rent. I was told that unless it was completely unridable, I would just have to deal with it. The woman "helping" me said, and I quote, "you get what you pay for." She told me that they get complaints about bike quality all the time, but that because they are the only option in town, they didn't need to improve quality or service. She then made me lock the bike outside the shop in the rain rather than inside for the night, saying that if it got stolen I'd be on the hook for $500. I wouldn't pay $50 for that bike. Also, when I asked for advice about biking Denali, no one in the shop had ever done it, and they had no advice whatsoever. One girl hadn't even been in the park. So, overall, my customer service experience ranged from laughably unhelpful to flat out rude.

If I had to do it again, I'd seriously consider renting nicer bikes in Anchorage and dealing with the logistical hassle. It would've made my days biking through Denali much more enjoyable!

EDIT 9/14/17: I am changing my review from 2 stars to 4 stars after being contacted by the owner. She was very apologetic and explained the situation the best she could. She also offered a refund, which was much appreciated. Overall very pleasant customer service experience. I can't give 5 stars due to the quality/condition of the bikes, but I greatly appreciate the prompt response by the company. Thank you!