If you are thinking of buying dirt cheap mongoose bikes available at Walmart or any store, STOP! reading this first may save you your money and pain This is an informative article for everyone out there who’s looking into buying mongoose bikes.
I am a mountain biker and a blogger at the same time so I do this for a living and for fun as well, while I was looking into writing a new article I noticed a lot of people looking into mongoose and Walmart bikes if you are one of them stick around because this article may help you a lot.
The moment I saw how many people were looking for this I realized it was not right I was amazed at how no one wrote about this sooner and it’s getting out of hand.
Here’s why I stopped you :
if you are looking to buy an entry-level dirt cheap mongoose mountain bike don’t do it, if you are serious about mountain biking and you are looking for a healthy investment this might not be the case.
Mongoose is a mainstream brand you can find its bikes listed for 250-400$ or pounds in almost every big departmental store but they are just not worth the value, at the same time you will get the quality you are paying for and that’s too low.
here’s a short dip in history on what went on for the company even though it has a name in mountain biking but why is it just not the thing for mountain bikers.
What you would get with a cheap 300$ mongoose bike :
So this is what you get for 1 third the price of the original entry-level good mountain bike.
Here’s what your first experience on a cheap bike is like.
- you will go down a track the bike will start rattling half the way
- and if you are lucky you will still have brakes and you will be moving at a turtle speed
- forget the action and stunts if you go faster the bike will rattle so much you will feel like it will come apart any moment.
- there is a high chance that once you make it to the other side the bike may not be in one piece
- Walmart or mongoose don’t provide any guarantee or replacement of their products or even take them back
- If luckily the bike made it through the trial in one piece congratulation you can use that as a commuter or for daily chores but nothing more.
It will kill your motivation for mountain biking and if you had like to purchase a new good mountain bike it will add that on top of your expenses and you will be embarrassed enough to share your experience with anyone as well.
what trails are mongoose bikes good for :
These bikes are only good for mild green trails they are not good for anything else you can get exercise out of them or commute on the mild forest trails but do not expect them to perform like a real thing.
Mongoose history :
Mangoose started with BMX bikes late in the 1970s to be more precise they made the first BMX in 1974 and their products were great the company saw great success in the early bit of history, mongoose sold off in 1985 and from then on there they never quite got on track with the quality the company was still good and it has managed to survive thanks to the marketing skills but not quite as a brand.
the company was on a roller coaster of being bought and sold almost every year and on11th of October the company was bought by the PON holdings which previously bought Cannondale.
But unlike Cannondale which was bread in rather care the mongoose was on a streak of going to different investors trying different means to squish out as many profits as they could and as a result, now we see mongoose left as bad as to be sold on department stores which are really sad.
The company does release some good bikes but almost most of them are rugged under their bad reputation and the company never saw a boom or any praise from their clients.
This is it for the history lessons now let’s take a look at why mountain bikes are expensive and why mongoose just couldn’t ever get to the point to be recognized as a mountain bike brand.
Mountain bike’s core differential qualities w.r.t other bikes :
Mountain bikes are graded by different people on different elements but there are always some common interests here they are.
- Mountain bikes should be sturdy
- and should have good suspensions otherwise you are just riding a traditional bike and it will rip you out.
- mountain bikes should have low slick geometry
- tires should provide traction
- they should have a good braking system which is very very important.
- Replaceable parts
Now, these are almost all the qualities that mountain bikes have over other bikes, and obviously, if you are considering so many things the prices are bound to shoot up and most people see it as overpriced and mongoose derived a sales narrative from it.
if you think mountain bikes are Overpriced:
There has been a narrative built over the years that mountain biking is an expensive hobby or a sport and the new enthusiasts do not realize what it means, Let me briefly explain
Mountain biking is expensive not because the bike’s prices are high but because of the other expenses, it bags itself in that includes.
- accessories cost
- maintenance costs
but most new people interested in mountain biking think that bike prices are high which is a wrong assumption just like cars and motorcycles and other things mountain bikes are made to take a beating and sustain for the best possible long period of time and this is where the cheap mountain bikes come in.
Cheap bikes :
Cheap mountain bikes are cheap because they can boost the sale with the excuse you get what you pay for, which is actually fairly right but I felt the need that there should be awareness of what you are getting and what would the actual results of that product will be.
If you are serious about buying a good mountain bike read this :
Mountain bikes are expensive but if you are really serious about mountain biking and it appeals so much to you then buy a good entry-level bike from a good brand that at least has a good reputation and saves yourself from a hellish experience on a cheap bike that you will regret your whole life.
How much good entry-level bikes cost :
A good entry-level mountain bike costs between 700-1000$ for a hardtail and 1200-1500 for a good entry-level full-suspension mountain bike.
What to look for when buying a new bike :
A lot goes into choosing a mountain bike that really fits your needs but there are certain parameters that you should have in mind while choosing one, I will be shortening them and adding links so you can check them out to make a better choice.
- Size, reach, replaceability(if parts can be upgraded in the future if you had wanted to)
- drive train, brakes(recommended hydraulic brakes)
- Thru-axles(because that’s today’s normal if you see nut bolts that’s a big no-no)
- tubeless compatibility(One of the most important)
This is the shortest and most useful answer you might wanna know the details however so here is a useful resource link that can walk you through it, what to look for when buying a used mountain bike
this will walk you if you are looking to buy a used bike or a new bike it’s a pretty extensive and comprehensive guide on buying a new or an old bike.
But if you have a hard time looking for a bike yourself here are some bikes that I researched that would be a good fit for you as entry-level bikes.
Best entry-level bikes for beginners :
Vitus Nucleus 29 VRS Bike 750 $ (hardtail)
Nukeproof Scout 290 Race Bike 1100$ (hardtail)
Bossnut Mountain Bike 1300 $ (full suspension)
These are the bikes that I really love as an entry-level bikes the market is vast but these are the best bang for the money that really caught my eye, you can check all their specs and check out and see which one suits your taste and budget well.
Another thing I had like to mention is the best time to purchase a new mountain bike.
Most of the brands sell their old stock in September they release new bikes in October so this is the best year to eye up the bike you like the most for the best possible discount.
Conclusion :
Mongoose bikes are great if you had like to drive on really mild green trails with not many rocks and roots I am no advocate of anyone praising or demoting anyone it’s just that new people might be dropping themselves in a pit without proper knowledge so I felt the need to push an article so that you should be aware of what you will be buying and if possible save someone from wasting their money.