# My letter to Mongoose



## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

This is the email I sent to Pacific-cycles / Mongoose. 

Hello ,
In the beginning of June of 2012 I purchased a Mongoose XR-75 from my local Walmart for $135 + tax. After a day of use I noticed my bike would not shift correctly. I adjusted my rear and front derailleur, it worked fine after that. Riding on a smooth path I noticed the cranks were getting seriously stressed under load. I'm 5'11 164 pounds. I tightened my crank arms all seemed fine. . .:madman:

I've had the bike off road, gone off some small dirt mound jumps on trails etc. The description of this bike lists it can handle off road. I was surprised to discover the font shock actually did ok. The rear Hub, not so good. There is some wobble in my rear Cog. Also, today my front left SRAM that guides the front derailleur broke. The cable had become frayed and the whole unit on the handle bar broke away. :-( "Not even 2 months old." I decided to drop my chain down to the second cog and use my top cog as a bash guard. Rear derailleur still holding strong despite play in the rear wheel.:madmax:

I don't feel this bike would have lasted a person who did not know how to maintain a bike. I have had to modify the bike in order to keep it riding. After every trail ride I have to clean and lube the bike. I am unable to purchase a new bike until Feb of 2013. I saved for months to purchase this bike. I refused to believe people when they told me this bike would crumble. They told me "Mongoose sold out to Walmart and their bikes are basically junk now." I don't feel I have taken this bike outside its comfort zone at all. The trails I ride are tame, built for bikes like the XR-75, these trails are not B.C downhills. They are red clay mounds with some roots and pine trees.

Well, I'm kinda bummed my bike is about broke. I took a chance and got hosed. I could have bought a Giant from a pawn shop for $150 and passed!

The adjustments I made to my Mongoose today I'm afraid will probably be the last. I think my crank will go next. I don't have money for a $500 to a 1k bike, I just don't have it like that unfortunately.

I kept my bike indoors in my room. Like I stated I have washed, lubed and adjusted the whole bike after every ride. Sadly the components just don't hold up. The bike is marketed as a sporty, off road trail bike. This full suspension mongoose is nothing of the sort. It is meant for light paved riding. Even then it would be horrible because the rear suspension would compress under load.:nono:

I'm almost out of a bike, not really sure what to do. If Mongoose could help me out that would be great. Less than 2 months of use and your product is dying daily. Please see your description of the Mongoose XR-75

Thank you
-Thomas

P.S My grips are hosed as well. They slip off and tear so easily. The positioning of the SRAM means I would have to cut new grips I buy to make them fit!

The Mongoose XR-75 26 Men s All-Terrain Bike is a tough vehicle that is perfect for off-road cycling. The bike has an optimum combination of strength and flexibility. Its lightweight suspension frame makes sure that even young and inexperienced cyclists will find it easy to handle on the toughest of terrains. The dual suspension bike is a super performer on mountains and has enough features to ensure a safe ride. The safety features of this men s mountain bike include linear pull breaks and the 26 inch wheels. The bike comes with a quick release seat post and therefore is easily adjustable for different riders. The Mongoose XR-75, with its 21 speeds and SRAM grip shifters ensures a fast and smooth ride. Changing gears in this 21-speed bike is easy and quick.


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## VBrakesAndBarEnds (Jun 24, 2012)

Considering $135 is about the cost of a set of mountain bike tires these days... you shouldn't be surprised what happened...


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## Zoke2 (Nov 16, 2007)

did that bike have this sticker on it?


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

Nah, it didn't. have the warning.  When I got it home I adjusted everything down nice and tight. I know allot of times it's not the bike but the assembly. In Feb I'll have about $600 to hit craig's list and the pawn shops with. 

I don't think this bike would last 6 months of paved use only.


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## FullyTorque (Jun 13, 2012)

"The Mongoose XR-75 26 Men s All-Terrain Bike is a tough vehicle that is perfect for off-road cycling."
WARNING: This bike is not designed for offroad use."

Have you tried taking it back to Walmart. That's the one good thing about Walmart, they'll take back jsut about anything. If you can get your money back that would be best; you could continue to save and look for a better used bike. At the very least you might be able get a replacement XR.


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## VBrakesAndBarEnds (Jun 24, 2012)

I still think this is one of the best deals around...
http://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-O...F8&qid=1343229102&sr=8-5&keywords=diamondback

If you fit on a large frame, its only $733


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

FullyTorque said:


> "The Mongoose XR-75 26 Men s All-Terrain Bike is a tough vehicle that is perfect for off-road cycling."
> WARNING: This bike is not designed for offroad use."
> 
> Have you tried taking it back to Walmart. That's the one good thing about Walmart, they'll take back jsut about anything. If you can get your money back that would be best; you could continue to save and look for a better used bike. At the very least you might be able get a replacement XR.


 I went back to walmart and they basically told me I had to much wear on the bike. Stickers were all off it etc. "I also lost my receipt." :madman: Their mechanic offered to look over the bike. Yadda, yadda. Not much he could do that I could not. Think I should contact the store manager. Lesson learned!


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

VBrakesAndBarEnds said:


> I still think this is one of the best deals around...
> http://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-O...F8&qid=1343229102&sr=8-5&keywords=diamondback
> 
> If you fit on a large frame, its only $733


Yea that DB looks really nice. I could work that price here soon as well I think. I've also been thinking about the Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane Fantom 29Trail

Looks like a sweet hard tail 29 er around 30 lbs for $549


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## FullyTorque (Jun 13, 2012)

Tough luck. You live and learn. 
I bought a cheap Dept Store MTB for work a couple of years back. Used only to ride around the plant on paved roads at an easy pace... Lasted only a few months before crank stripped out. Replaced by an industrial grade SS bike now. 
Dept. Store Bikes = Disposable Bikes


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## VBrakesAndBarEnds (Jun 24, 2012)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Yea that DB looks really nice. I could work that price here soon as well I think. I've also been thinking about the Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane Fantom 29Trail
> 
> Looks like a sweet hard tail 29 er around 30 lbs for $549


If you don't mind Suntour forks, the motobecane is a good choice... The fork on that diamondback is awesome... and I don't typically like forks that are not air forks...


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

FullyTorque said:


> Tough luck. You live and learn.
> I bought a cheap Dept Store MTB for work a couple of years back. Used only to ride around the plant on paved roads at an easy pace... Lasted only a few months before crank stripped out. Replaced by an industrial grade SS bike now.
> Dept. Store Bikes = Disposable Bikes


 Yea, if you know how to peddle a bike a Walmart bike will fail you. I've learned my lesson. I was so pumped to get back out on the trails I would have taken anything. It's still rolling but not for long. 
:thumbsup:


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

VBrakesAndBarEnds said:


> If you don't mind Suntour forks, the motobecane is a good choice... The fork on that diamondback is awesome... and I don't typically like forks that are not air forks...


 http://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-2012-Overdrive-Mountain-Black/dp/B005NXM95I/ref=pd_sim_sg_1
? What you think ?


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

My first suspension bike was $200 bucks....

It wore out in 3 months then I bought a good bike....

The Walmart bikes are for people who ride from their house to the seven-eleven with the kids three times a summer.


The old 1990 ridgid is still going strong.


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## VBrakesAndBarEnds (Jun 24, 2012)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Diamondback 2012 Overdrive 29'er Mountain Bike (Black): Amazon.com: Sports & Outdoors
> ? What you think ?


A lot better than your mongoose... I actually did try this bike out at Sports Authority and I hated the bike....

I wouldn't recommend it, but it will be much better than your mongoose... The differnence between this bike and the Comp is huge... that extra 300 dollars is a good investment...


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

VBrakesAndBarEnds said:


> A lot better than your mongoose... I actually did try this bike out at Sports Authority and I hated the bike....
> 
> I wouldn't recommend it, but it will be much better than your mongoose... The differnence between this bike and the Comp is huge... that extra 300 dollars is a good investment...


 Gotcha, wonder what the weight on the $700 DB is. Wad the one you tested heavy?


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

The Walgoose. this was one week ago. the Sram broke since this, chain has been dropped down one permanently now. I can't even explain the noise I'm hearing when I peddle, busted bearings maybe? I wear a helmet yet fear for my life. LOL. I'm going to keep riding it hard and jumping it till it crumbles I guess. :thumbsup:


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

OP: Before I knew there was such things as real mountain bikes, I had a Walmart XR75 that I bought because I wanted to get into dirt riding.

1 1/2 months into owning it, I was riding it down a paved bike path close to home and slid out on a wooden bridge...separated shoulder and the forks bent and two wheels tacoed. I could have just imagined had I come off a drop or something like that....man... ouch!

Anyways, during my 5 weeks off the bike healing from the shoulder injury, I discovered mtbr.com and got some great education...went to the LBS and found a Hardrock Sport for $360 (2006 prices) and was hooked from there.

Walmart bikes do have their place....for example: Introducing kids to bicycling...you don't want to plunk alot of money only to find out the kid doesn't like bicycling... that is where a WallieWorld bike makes sense.


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> The Walgoose. this was one week ago. the Sram broke since this, chain has been dropped down one permanently now. I can't even explain the noise I'm hearing when I peddle, busted bearings maybe? I wear a helmet yet fear for my life. LOL. I'm going to keep riding it hard and jumping it till it crumbles I guess. :thumbsup:


If you look at the big picture the $135 wasn't really money badly spent. You now know you like MTB biking and you know that the cheapest bike isn't strong enough for the riding that you do. My local shop charges $70 to demo a bike for one day. My lift resort costs $100 to rent a bike for a day. So in the big picture you spent $135 to "rent" a bike for a couple of months to see if you like the sport. If you look at it that way then it wasn't money wasted and you probably learned alot on working the wall mart bike.

And the thing that broke that you refer to as SRAM is going to be your front shifter. SRAM is the brand name and they make many components (brakes, shifters, deraliers, pedals, wheels, etc). So people might get confused when you call it sram.


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## adonis_abril (Jun 7, 2012)

You're wasting your time even writing that letter...what did you expect from a $135 bike? There is no way any manufacturer can produce/provide quality workmanship on any bike at that price point. An Avid BB7 Brake setup cost twice that. Chalk it up to lesson learned.


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

adonis_abril said:


> You're wasting your time even writing that letter...what did you expect from a $135 bike? There is no way any manufacturer can produce/provide quality workmanship on any bike at that price point. An Avid BB7 Brake setup cost twice that. Chalk it up to lesson learned.


 Agree 100%


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

brent878 said:


> If you look at the big picture the $135 wasn't really money badly spent. You now know you like MTB biking and you know that the cheapest bike isn't strong enough for the riding that you do. My local shop charges $70 to demo a bike for one day. My lift resort costs $100 to rent a bike for a day. So in the big picture you spent $135 to "rent" a bike for a couple of months to see if you like the sport. If you look at it that way then it wasn't money wasted and you probably learned alot on working the wall mart bike.
> 
> And the thing that broke that you refer to as SRAM is going to be your front shifter. SRAM is the brand name and they make many components (brakes, shifters, deraliers, pedals, wheels, etc). So people might get confused when you call it sram.


 Yea I got pretty good at fixing it on the fly. Pretty confident I will be able to take very good care of a higher quality item.  It'll be some months before I get a better bike but I'll be sure to update some pictures of what I decided to go with. Some guy had a 17.5 specialized 26 FS bike with helmet and gear near me for $500 bucks. I almost crapped my self. I kinda like a smaller frame. I use to ride bmx and do allot of dirt jumping. I just love flying past trees. I could never go back to BMX after trail riding! I think I'll have lot's of options , especially if the economy continues to tank and people get desperate for cash.


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## alexplantman (May 1, 2006)

As everyone said..."what do you expect for $135?".. What did your research tell you about buying a $135 bike prior to your acquisition? ....Ahh, probably didn't research much, did you?

Try the $175 model, they really upgrade them at that price point....










...maybe not


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

what I really find sad is what has happend to the Mongoose name. When I was kid (mid 80s) Mongoose was the BMX bike to have. Then in 1998 when I got my first real mountain bike it was an entry level Mongoose. Mongoose DX 6.5 aluminum frame hardtail with basic Rock Shox fork. Shimanto STR rear and Acera X front. Nothing fancy, but rock solid and worthy of ever bit if trail I threw at it. It was a bit heavy, but nothing broke. By 2003 I moved up to a new bike with lighter frame /components., but I still have my old Mongoose. Somewhere along the way Mongoose sold out and started making cheap crap bikes. 

I makes me sad to see the Mongoose name assocaited with "cheap, crappy, & walmart".


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## Zoke2 (Nov 16, 2007)

they still have a decent line up of bikes that they dont sell through Wmart

Mongoose | Trail - MTB - Bikes


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> After every trail ride I have to clean and lube the bike.


Probably not, but is that their problem?



HammerItOutNoob said:


> I refused to believe people when they told me this bike would crumble.


Next time listen to advice.


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## marpilli (Feb 8, 2011)

Sorry to hear about your investment. It's unfortunate, but true, that the Walmart type bikes just aren't going to hold up to any off-road use.

I do have to admit I got a good laugh out of the following, though...



HammerItOutNoob said:


> I went back to walmart... * Their mechanic offered to look over the bike.*


:lol:


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## SuperSlow35th (Jul 22, 2011)

Perhaps from now you'll quit refusing to listen to people advice when you are shopping for an item? 



If you are hard up for money then perhaps you should look into a hardtail. You've already stated the trails you ride arent very difficult so a full suspension may not be needed. And if you dont need it and are on a budget then getting rid of that rear shock reduces the price by ALOT. $450-ish will buy you a good entry level hardtail that wont fail you.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

Zoke2 said:


> they still have a decent line up of bikes that they dont sell through Wmart
> 
> Mongoose | Trail - MTB - Bikes


But... if you ride "Mongoose" the first think anyone thinks about are the walmart bikes. Sad... BTW.. I know a bike is more than a name, but still...


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## FullyTorque (Jun 13, 2012)

Geez guys. He kinda stated in the opening that $135 was all the budget he had at the time and is just making due until he can afford better. Even decent used bikes are going to typically cost twice that. For many people $135 isn't disposable, unfortunately the bike he got is. 

I will agree that if you can live without the rear suspension you'll find much better and cheaper options. If you like riding fast through the trails with only small jumps or drops a hardtail will do fine. 
I got my Specialized Hardrock for less than $400 from a local dealer. I will say that I'm now looking to either upgrade some parts or a whole new bike but thats due to a desire for better components, nothings breaking or wearing out, it's been rock solid. If you don't have local bike dealers BikesDirect is a good way to go (granted that you can do a bit of work). My fiance and her dad both have bikes from there and they've been fantastic bikes.


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Yea I got pretty good at fixing it on the fly. Pretty confident I will be able to take very good care of a higher quality item.  It'll be some months before I get a better bike but I'll be sure to update some pictures of what I decided to go with. Some guy had a 17.5 specialized 26 FS bike with helmet and gear near me for $500 bucks. I almost crapped my self. I kinda like a smaller frame. I use to ride bmx and do allot of dirt jumping. I just love flying past trees. I could never go back to BMX after trail riding! I think I'll have lot's of options , especially if the economy continues to tank and people get desperate for cash.


If you like BMX you should look into single speeds. They are cheaper, more reliable (less stuff to break/wear out), lighter, and less maintance costs than a geared bike. The downside is you don't have gears and no rear suspension unless you want to spend alot of money. Also selection isn't very big but you can convert any hardtail frame to single speed. I only ride single speeds now and can't see myself buying another geared bike. Just another option to look into, especially if money is a big concern and you coming from a BMX background. I think it would be worth looking at.


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

SuperSlow35th said:


> Perhaps from now you'll quit refusing to listen to people advice when you are shopping for an item?
> 
> If you are hard up for money then perhaps you should look into a hardtail. You've already stated the trails you ride arent very difficult so a full suspension may not be needed. And if you dont need it and are on a budget then getting rid of that rear shock reduces the price by ALOT. $450-ish will buy you a good entry level hardtail that wont fail you.


 Yea, I actually have been looking at a few hard tails on bikes direct. The Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane Fantom 29Trail

And the Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane 700HT

I understand it is a no name. However from what I have learned the frames are actually decent weight and the components are pretty good. I like the 29 ers but I'm not much into enduro riding. Kinda like to go fast and hit jumps. I'll be getting a hard tail for sure unless Craig's list has something awesome in a FS bike. Thanks!


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

marpilli said:


> Sorry to hear about your investment. It's unfortunate, but true, that the Walmart type bikes just aren't going to hold up to any off-road use.
> 
> I do have to admit I got a good laugh out of the following, though...
> 
> :lol:


 Yea, I kinda cocked my head at them as well. I made a terrible mistake. I've had an awesome time mountain biking though.  
What do you think of this FEZZARI? Fezzari Lone Peak Hard-Tail Mountain Bike | Fezzari Bikes


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## falconpunch79 (May 30, 2012)

I misunderstood your letter as an experiment to see what kind of answer you get. Sorry to hear you meant to actually use that Mongoose as your wheels. Let us know if you get a response. I'm curious to know how they reply.


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

lol.. your thread makes me want to go to walmart and buy a bike, just to ride it into the ground out of curiosity. i feel like not knowing whats going to break next could bring some of the excitement that has been lost in my life


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

brent878 said:


> If you like BMX you should look into single speeds. They are cheaper, more reliable (less stuff to break/wear out), lighter, and less maintance costs than a geared bike. The downside is you don't have gears and no rear suspension unless you want to spend alot of money. Also selection isn't very big but you can convert any hardtail frame to single speed. I only ride single speeds now and can't see myself buying another geared bike. Just another option to look into, especially if money is a big concern and you coming from a BMX background. I think it would be worth looking at.


 Been looking at that. Then I thought to my self. Single speed would be awesome for a short session or street. I would feel a bit limited off deep into a trail though.

Also where I live in Florida there is a place called Tom Brown park. They have a jump track there and a flow track as well. I've been sticking to Munson trail near my home in Tallahassee because I'm almost certain Tom Brown will destroy my Walgoose. Single speed would be great for Munson! 
You guy's are all pretty cool. I didn't get slammed as hard as I thought I would. LOL


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## marpilli (Feb 8, 2011)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> You guy's are all pretty cool. I didn't get slammed as hard as I thought I would. LOL


You're not the first (and I'm sure not the last) person to try and squeeze some trail time out of a Walmart bike. It's just sad that WM continues to sell bikes that "look" trail-worthy when they're not...


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

ou2mame said:


> lol.. your thread makes me want to go to walmart and buy a bike, just to ride it into the ground out of curiosity. i feel like not knowing whats going to break next could bring some of the excitement that has been lost in my life


 Hahaha, yea my friends laugh at me. My camel pack has a med kit, small sprocket set, wrench, screw driver. I get serious fear banking a berm on this thing. I pulled up on a raised mound that was about 3 feet , did a little table top. When I landed my front shock bottomed out and I nearly hit a pine tree!

My cable snapped a few days ago on the trail. glad I had my tools. The bike has made me prepared if not anything. There seems to be allot of experienced riders on here. Some people could finish this bike day one - easy! :thumbsup:


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

alexplantman said:


> As everyone said..."what do you expect for $135?".. What did your research tell you about buying a $135 bike prior to your acquisition? ....Ahh, probably didn't research much, did you?
> 
> Try the $175 model, they really upgrade them at that price point....
> 
> ...


 Yea I went online and read some reviews from people who purchased. Read a few Mountain bike reviews etc. All said it was decent some people hated it. I assumed it was because they didn't know how to fix it.

I will never ever again, never spend money on a Walmart bike ever. Not $175 not $500. Lesson learned.


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## JMP0323 (Mar 29, 2012)

Sorry about your bad experiences, but unfortunately you get what you pay for. No matter what the manufacturer states on there "sales pitch" for the bike. Good luck, and if you decide to get a new bike definitely get the most you can reasonably afford.


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

these bikes are dangerous, at best. i'm surprised there haven't been any huge class action lawsuits. i notice that some models do say not for offroad use, when their name is specifically "offroad pro 2600" or whatever, which is insane. the ones that don't say not for offroad use are just as terrible. i don't understand who decides to put those stickers on.


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

it is unfortunate what happened to your bike. I also have a Mongoose XR75, the 2006 model, and I have not had all that many problems with mine. Granted, I am amost twice the rated weight for the bike, bought it use for cheap off craigslist and amost had to imediatly replace the front crank. Now before I bought the bike, I knew exactly what I was buying and that buying it used like that, I knew I would have to replace things on it sooner than if I bought new, but like you it wasnt in the budget. That said, yes, I think that a bike should last longer than 2-3 months of use. I have had mine now going on 3 years and this year I have gotten into trail riding with my kids, my mongoose is holding up well for what I am putting it through.

It sounds like you got a bad taste in your mouth becasue you got a lemon. Granted, the walmart bikes will tend to be mostly lemons, but I think you have an equal chance to get a half way decent one too out of the mix. I wish you the best of luck with yours. and remember, if you buy cheap or used, expect there to be problems, issues, or repairs sooner than you would expect.

Just my 2 cents


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

oh its not a lemon. its a pos. it may taste sour, but its still a pos.


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> You guy's are all pretty cool. I didn't get slammed as hard as I thought I would. LOL


I understand your pain. I just got my friend into mountain biking and all he had was a old mongoose that someone gave him for free. It was all he had so I took him out every week. And everyweek I had to do maintaince on it (exactly like you are doing). He rode it for 6 months and ended up buying a used elsworth isis for $450 and is super happy now. But in the 6 months suprinsgly only broke a few parts that needed to be replaced. He broke both pedals (plastic), seatpost clamp, and seat. Had to retrue the wheels every other ride, could never get the shifting to work right so he only used like 4 gears in the back, haha. The stem wouldn't stay tight and would work its way out every ride (threaded stem), but never feel out while riding. Forks were seized (i thought they were fake until one day I saw them move 1/4" while tying the bike down, I soaked them in liquid wrench for a week and got them to move a whole 1" at the end. Not sure if that was full travel but that was the best I could get them to work. I think they were just rusted together)

I think people here are understanding as long as your not trolling them. Everyone's gotta start somewhere and I don't think you can find any bikes cheaper than $135 new. Its just too cheap a price point for MTB. Just about everypart on my bike costs more than $135 so for that much you aren't going to get a quality product. I am kinda baffeled at how they can make and sell a bike for $135 and still make a profit. If I were you I would not put any more money into this bike and just ride it while saving for a quality used bike. Just take this time to narrow down what you like and don't like about the bike so you have a more informed descistion next time when you buy a bike. And let us know the reply from mongoose.


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

ou2mame said:


> oh its not a lemon. its a pos. it may taste sour, but its still a pos.


 :thumbsup:


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

brent878 said:


> I understand your pain. I just got my friend into mountain biking and all he had was a old mongoose that someone gave him for free. It was all he had so I took him out every week. And everyweek I had to do maintaince on it (exactly like you are doing). He rode it for 6 months and ended up buying a used elsworth isis for $450 and is super happy now. But in the 6 months suprinsgly only broke a few parts that needed to be replaced. He broke both pedals (plastic), seatpost clamp, and seat. Had to retrue the wheels every other ride, could never get the shifting to work right so he only used like 4 gears in the back, haha. The stem wouldn't stay tight and would work its way out every ride (threaded stem), but never feel out while riding. Forks were seized (i thought they were fake until one day I saw them move 1/4" while tying the bike down, I soaked them in liquid wrench for a week and got them to move a whole 1" at the end. Not sure if that was full travel but that was the best I could get them to work. I think they were just rusted together)
> 
> I think people here are understanding as long as your not trolling them. Everyone's gotta start somewhere and I don't think you can find any bikes cheaper than $135 new. Its just too cheap a price point for MTB. Just about everypart on my bike costs more than $135 so for that much you aren't going to get a quality product. I am kinda baffeled at how they can make and sell a bike for $135 and still make a profit. If I were you I would not put any more money into this bike and just ride it while saving for a quality used bike. Just take this time to narrow down what you like and don't like about the bike so you have a more informed descistion next time when you buy a bike. And let us know the reply from mongoose.


 Good advice. I've had fun on it. It's a bit sketchy , but still fun.  I don't plan on putting any money into it at all. I know some bike stores give away used grips sometimes. I might go by one and check that out. My back tire is almost nothing but that is only $18 and it will keep me riding. Thanks!


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## spity (Mar 7, 2012)

Ive got a buddy who had never ridden before, he paid about 700 for a new bike, helmet and padded shorts last year. He rode it once, got sore and hasnt ridden again. Ive offered to train him, bribe him, etc to get out and start slow and easy and try some trails. Nope.

Your in this sport cheap. If you gave up and never rode that bike again it would have been a cheap learning experience unlike my buddy. Unfortunately you want to keep riding and need a bike.

Throw an add on craigslist, or ask around. I guarentee someone has a bike in a garage or shed collecting dust they will give away.


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## Luclin999 (Jul 9, 2012)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> http://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-2012-Overdrive-Mountain-Black/dp/B005NXM95I/ref=pd_sim_sg_1
> ? What you think ?


Rated as #4 in the "Best Mountain Bikes for under $1000" by Bike Radar beating out models from Specialized, GT, Cannondale, Jamis, Redline and Giant.

Best Mountain Bikes Under $1,000 - Updated For 2012 - BikeRadar

Great bike for the price.


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

I too am a former dept store bike junkie...I went thru a few of them..my first one..(which is still rideable believe it or not) was a mongoose pro zero-g..the bad thing was..it was too small..I didnt know sizes at the time..but it rode as well as could be expected...it was one of the few that actually held up...the next bike I got was a diamondback coil ex..was a good bike til I broke the rear swingarm...why they made it with the holes in it I will never know..but it broke just the same...and then the last POS bike I got was a mongoose blackcomb..It didnt break it because it weighed as much as a tank does...heavy..crappy...just a big turd that I pushed up hills because it was too heavy..that was what did it for me..then I got better..higher quality bikes from then on and Im glad too...it seemed like every ride something went wrong with those bikes..I do not know the purpose of those bikes other than something disposable or potentially dangerous to thin the herd.


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## Tone's (Nov 12, 2011)

lol, this is a funny thread, OP, spending 135 bucks on a bike, your lucky to be alive mate, just count it as a lesson learned, there are a few things in life you cant cheap out on and a 135 buck bike is one of them.
you might get away with buying 3 tires or a cheap pair of pedals for that but not a whole bike, dont worry about the loss, the cash is nothin, just get every cent you can n put it into a nice second hand bike n dont spend under 700 bucks on it, for that you should get something that you will enjoy n you will be able to do a few things with confidence on, cheers


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## propane1909 (Jul 26, 2012)

right on


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## propane1909 (Jul 26, 2012)

this is the kind of thing we try to avoid in our society


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

Tone's L'axeman said:


> you might get away with buying 3 tires or a cheap pair of pedals for that but not a whole bike, dont worry about the loss, the cash is nothin, just get every cent you can n put it into a nice second hand bike n dont spend under 700 bucks on it, for that you should get something that you will enjoy n you will be able to do a few things with confidence on, cheers


yea, this would be good advice, if you are well off enough to just throw money around like that, but as the OP stated in the 1st post, they are on a tight budget, and have to save up for quite some time. Only reason they got the $135 bike was cuz it was all that could be afforded at the time. I can fully relate to the situation. I am getting a 2nd job to make my car payment AND be able to save up for a good quality bike that will last me with minimal maint. I also have the same bike the OP has and have had good luck with mine so far.

It is better than not having one at all, even if it does make me mad from time to time. I am more than happy to put up with the aggravation just so I can get out on the trails and ride.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

bandit1 said:


> yea, this would be good advice, if you are well off enough to just throw money around like that, but as the OP stated in the 1st post, they are on a tight budget, and have to save up for quite some time. Only reason they got the $135 bike was cuz it was all that could be afforded at the time. I can fully relate to the situation. I am getting a 2nd job to make my car payment AND be able to save up for a good quality bike that will last me with minimal maint. I also have the same bike the OP has and have had good luck with mine so far.
> 
> It is better than not having one at all, even if it does make me mad from time to time. I am more than happy to put up with the aggravation just so I can get out on the trails and ride.


Craigslist can be a viable option to wallybikes.


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

AZ.MTNS said:


> Craigslist can be a viable option to wallybikes.


 I agree. I've seen some really nice deals on there. :thumbsup:


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

Dresdenlock said:


> .I do not know the purpose of those bikes other than something disposable or potentially dangerous to thin the herd.


 LOL. Thin the herd. It could easily be a book. Thinning The Herd - The Great Department Store Bike Conspiracy.


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

haha.. walmart's trying to kill its customers


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## Grat (Jun 13, 2012)

This is my first post here and I really appreciate all of the information that has been made available by this forum. 

To the OP, I just wanted to throw you a link to a bike I just purchased. There was an additional 20% code that I used and it appears that it is offered pretty often. The total was less than $700 shipped and the components are equal to that of other hard tails costing at least twice that. If you are ok with a 26er, this may do the trick.

P.S.

Apparently I can not add link until I've reached at least 10 posts. Just go to Nashbar and search for GT Avalanche X.

-Garrett


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

Grat said:


> This is my first post here and I really appreciate all of the information that has been made available by this forum.
> 
> To the OP, I just wanted to throw you a link to a bike I just purchased. There was an additional 20% code that I used and it appears that it is offered pretty often. The total was less than $700 shipped and the components are equal to that of other hard tails costing at least twice that. If you are ok with a 26er, this may do the trick.
> 
> ...


Thanks man, will do.


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

Grat said:


> This is my first post here and I really appreciate all of the information that has been made available by this forum.
> 
> To the OP, I just wanted to throw you a link to a bike I just purchased. There was an additional 20% code that I used and it appears that it is offered pretty often. The total was less than $700 shipped and the components are equal to that of other hard tails costing at least twice that. If you are ok with a 26er, this may do the trick.
> 
> ...


 Hey what is the weight on your GT. I like it. . . Trying to stay under 30 pounds if possible.


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## Sickmak90 (May 27, 2012)

A buddy of mine is about to make the same mistake you did... I took him on some rough trails the other day hoping to scare him into getting a good bike. 

He was riding my brothers old trek 4300 and thought it was amazing. Then promptly went home and starting looking at the cheapest crap he could find. 

The difference between a $135 mongoose and a entry level specialized is huge. I went from an ironhorse warrior disc ($350) to a $1900 cannondale rush. That was a HUGE difference.


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## dubbaduba (Jul 23, 2012)

Ya I'm gonna go with spending $135 for a MTB and then doing some harder XC style riding is not the best idea. Return it to Wal-Mart or invest in a better bike that meets your needs.


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## OhioPT (Jul 14, 2012)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Hey what is the weight on your GT. I like it. . . Trying to stay under 30 pounds if possible.


I just bought one of these a couple weeks ago. My size XL Avalanche X weighs 27.5 lbs without the pedals, and 29lbs with the included platform pedals. This was on a digital bathroom scale that only measures in 1/2 lb increments (measured holding the bike, then me alone, 3 times each way), so it's not super accurate, but it's for sure under 30 lbs. I saw a picture of one weighed with a precision scale and it was like 28.5 lbs, with pedals (size M or L).

I just took the bike out for an intense 2+ hour trail ride a few days ago (Brady's Run Park in western Pennsylvania). The bike is great! You can't beat the components for the price. Hell, the air fork alone goes for around $500. At 6' 2.5" (long inseem and shorter upper body), my XL fits me like a glove. The handlebars are nice and high so it's easy on my back and neck. It's more of an All Mountain cockpit compared to a pure XC bike. IThe only downside is I think the front wheel needs trued up.


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## Grat (Jun 13, 2012)

OhioPT said:


> I just bought one of these a couple weeks ago. My size XL Avalanche X weighs 27.5 lbs without the pedals, and 29lbs with the included platform pedals. This was on a digital bathroom scale that only measures in 1/2 lb increments (measured holding the bike, then me alone, 3 times each way), so it's not super accurate, but it's for sure under 30 lbs. I saw a picture of one weighed with a precision scale and it was like 28.5 lbs, with pedals (size M or L).
> 
> I just took the bike out for an intense 2+ hour trail ride a few days ago (Brady's Run Park in western Pennsylvania). The bike is great! You can't beat the components for the price. Hell, the air fork alone goes for around $500. At 6' 2.5" (long inseem and shorter upper body), my XL fits me like a glove. The handlebars are nice and high so it's easy on my back and neck. It's more of an All Mountain cockpit compared to a pure XC bike. IThe only downside is I think the front wheel needs trued up.


Did you set up the bike yourself? Mine will be here Tuesday and I'm wondering if I should pay a bike shop to assemble and tune the bike or if it's pretty much ready to go...


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## OhioPT (Jul 14, 2012)

Grat said:


> Did you set up the bike yourself? Mine will be here Tuesday and I'm wondering if I should pay a bike shop to assemble and tune the bike or if it's pretty much ready to go...


Yeah, I did it myself. GT ships their bikes almost totally assembled. Basically, just unpack everything, bolt the rotor to the front hub using a #25 torx bit (the 6 screws with loctite already are in the bag, along with the rotor fixing plates), install the front wheel, loosen up the stem (2 side bolts and one top bolt, all allen heads) and rotate it forward, attach handlebars to stem, adjust stem so it's straight and loads the headset bearings properly (do a search online, it's easy to do), make sure the cables are routed properly and secure them with the included clips or zip-ties. Attach seat post, inflate tires, attach pedals (takes a 15mm open end wrench or spanner). Go ride  That's all off the top of my head, so it's possible I missed something. I didn't have to adjust my derailleurs; they came set up pretty well. Hydraulic brakes don't typically need adjusted. You'll want to check the air pressure in the fork at some point to ensure it's proper for your body weight. I bought a Nashbar pump when I ordered my bike, because at 200 lbs, I knew I would need to add air 

I'd say you can do all of that stuff pretty easily. If the shifting is off a little, you can adjust the derailleurs yourself if you read online and watch a couple Youtube videos. Truing wheels is one of the few things you should probably have a skilled mechanic do, because chances are you don't have a truing stand, and the process is a little tricky if you've never done it before. I'm a big proponent of working on my own stuff. I always have been with cars and motorcycles, and home repairs. It seems like every time someone else works on my stuff, it doesn't get done right (not to mention I have to make appointments and then pay those people). Plus, if I ever have a breakdown in the field, I can fix it myself. This is very crucial when doing 100+ mile offroad motorcycle rides, since you could be stranded for days in the middle of BFE if you can't get your bike running. Once you start doing your own work, you'll gain confidence and your desire to work on stuff will snowball from there :thumbsup:


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

OhioPT said:


> I just bought one of these a couple weeks ago. My size XL Avalanche X weighs 27.5 lbs without the pedals, and 29lbs with the included platform pedals. This was on a digital bathroom scale that only measures in 1/2 lb increments (measured holding the bike, then me alone, 3 times each way), so it's not super accurate, but it's for sure under 30 lbs. I saw a picture of one weighed with a precision scale and it was like 28.5 lbs, with pedals (size M or L).
> 
> I just took the bike out for an intense 2+ hour trail ride a few days ago (Brady's Run Park in western Pennsylvania). The bike is great! You can't beat the components for the price. Hell, the air fork alone goes for around $500. At 6' 2.5" (long inseem and shorter upper body), my XL fits me like a glove. The handlebars are nice and high so it's easy on my back and neck. It's more of an All Mountain cockpit compared to a pure XC bike. IThe only downside is I think the front wheel needs trued up.


 Thanks man, good info. I'm going to throw this model into the mix and go over all the ones I've selected when preparing to buy.


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## deke505 (Jul 29, 2012)

Sickmak90 said:


> A buddy of mine is about to make the same mistake you did... I took him on some rough trails the other day hoping to scare him into getting a good bike.
> 
> He was riding my brothers old trek 4300 and thought it was amazing. Then promptly went home and starting looking at the cheapest crap he could find.
> 
> The difference between a $135 mongoose and a entry level specialized is huge. I went from an ironhorse warrior disc ($350) to a $1900 cannondale rush. That was a HUGE difference.


That is because Iron horse had made their bikes for a set price for sport chek. They sacrificed quality for price.


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## DavyRay (Apr 13, 2012)

ou2mame said:


> lol.. your thread makes me want to go to walmart and buy a bike, just to ride it into the ground out of curiosity. i feel like not knowing whats going to break next could bring some of the excitement that has been lost in my life


You're a nut! Try dating crazy women instead. It will be safer.


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## Sickmak90 (May 27, 2012)

deke505 said:


> That is because Iron horse had made their bikes for a set price for sport chek. They sacrificed quality for price.


The ironhorse I had was from 2003-2004. To this day it still works as good as any entry level bike. Years of neglect took its toll on the fork.


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## CRchris1996 (Apr 4, 2012)

adonis_abril said:


> You're wasting your time even writing that letter...what did you expect from a $135 bike? There is no way any manufacturer can produce/provide quality workmanship on any bike at that price point. An Avid BB7 Brake setup cost twice that. Chalk it up to lesson learned.


I agree but don't be that hard he learned that toy bikes didn't work


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## redcarguy (Oct 27, 2011)

Bluesky.com...GT's for $320, great place to start!


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## mthom50 (May 4, 2012)

Nashbar 
K2 Zed 3.29 $349.99
They also have the Diamondback Overdrive Expert for $449.99.
I bought the K2 zed 3.29 from very happy with the bike and it has held up well considering I started riding on the wrong side of 300lbs around 2 months ago needed a little adjustment out of the box and none since. I ride every day and the bike has been trouble free.
They also have the Diamondback Overdrive Expert for $449.99.


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

I have seen pimply faced kid putting these sorts of bikes together with a haphazard collection of tools.

No surprise they play up. Cheap spec and suspect assembly = bad, mmmkay?


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## alexplantman (May 1, 2006)

Sideknob said:


> I have seen pimply faced kid putting these sorts of bikes together with a haphazard collection of tools.
> 
> No surprise they play up. Cheap spec and suspect assembly = bad, mmmkay?


No man, OP expected XT components!


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

there is a homeless (I guess he's homeless..Ive heard stories of him living in a storage unit) guy riding around my town on a couple of bikes...one is an old trek 4300 and now he's got a full sus cannondale..its old as grit...gotta be in the early to mid 90's..if that guy can get a bike anyone can..and Im sure he didn't have $100 to spend on it either.


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## JasonScottCarter (Mar 23, 2006)

I didn't see, but did Mongoose actually reply back to you?


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## SuperSlow35th (Jul 22, 2011)

Dresdenlock said:


> there is a homeless (I guess he's homeless..Ive heard stories of him living in a storage unit) guy riding around my town on a couple of bikes...one is an old trek 4300 and now he's got a full sus cannondale..its old as grit...gotta be in the early to mid 90's..if that guy can get a bike anyone can..and Im sure he didn't have $100 to spend on it either.


People donate bikes to our local mens shelter. They give them to the men who are trying to pick themselves up and get jobs so they have some sort of transportation, and it helps keep them healthier. Ive taken a few sidewalk bikes down there ive found on big trash day in our neighborhood (people break minor things on them or get flats, they have a local bike mechanic down there that overhauls them). I've seen some older high end bikes end up down there.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

JoePAz said:


> what I really find sad is what has happend to the Mongoose name. When I was kid (mid 80s) Mongoose was the BMX bike to have. Then in 1998 when I got my first real mountain bike it was an entry level Mongoose. Mongoose DX 6.5 aluminum frame hardtail with basic Rock Shox fork. Shimanto STR rear and Acera X front. Nothing fancy, but rock solid and worthy of ever bit if trail I threw at it. It was a bit heavy, but nothing broke. By 2003 I moved up to a new bike with lighter frame /components., but I still have my old Mongoose. Somewhere along the way Mongoose sold out and started making cheap crap bikes.
> 
> I makes me sad to see the Mongoose name assocaited with "cheap, crappy, & walmart".


I still remember getting a Team Mongoose for Xmas after my parents figured out BMX wasn't a fad for me. Sweet racing rig.


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## chucknorse (Aug 3, 2012)

Remember "Rad"? Mongoose was the big dogs in the 80's. I learned a lot of tricks from watching that movie over and over on VHS. I think I wore out rewind.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

The Mongoose brand are nothing but TOYS....emulating what a real mountain bike should do. You basically got what you didn't pay for....


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## man.on.fire (Aug 1, 2012)

I ride a mongoose xr200. It rattles like crazy when I hit the single track. The grip shifters always shift on the trail. It rides great on smooth pavement though.


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

Zachariah said:


> The Mongoose brand are nothing but TOYS....emulating what a real mountain bike should do. You basically got what you didn't pay for....


You might want to see what Chris Akrigg does in a Mongoose before writing the whole brand off.


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## Luclin999 (Jul 9, 2012)

Zachariah said:


> *The Mongoose brand are nothing but TOYS*....emulating what a real mountain bike should do. You basically got what you didn't pay for....


Oh Really?

This one seems to be about on par with most other $500-600 offerings from the "real" brands:

Mongoose | Tyax Comp

Nothing spectacular but it is comparable to other"entry level" MTBs in the same MSPR range such as this:

Specialized Rockhopper - Bike Barn - Houston, Texas:

So if the Mongoose is a "toy" then what does that make the similarly equipped bike from Specialized?


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

man.on.fire said:


> I ride a mongoose xr200. It rattles like crazy when I hit the single track. The grip shifters always shift on the trail. It rides great on smooth pavement though.


I have not hit any singletrack with my XR-75, but I have hit some wide trails locally and have not rattles. I am not sure how I feel about the grip shifters on mine, they shift ok most of the time, but never seem to want to shift through all the gears when I want them to. I am for now passing it off as a cable problem and will see if it fixes itself with new cables. I have never changed them and I suspect the previous owner(s) never did either.


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

Luclin999 said:


> Oh Really?
> 
> This one seems to be about on par with most other $500-600 offerings from the "real" brands:
> 
> ...


yes, the ones you can buy from the site made by Mongoose may be better quality, but the Mongoose in question here is a department store version... but I do agree that before the whole brand is written off as junk, the specific aspect of what branch of Mongoose is being referred to. The department store branch/mass production may be the lowest of the low, but that does not mean that a non mass produced Mongoose is on the same quality level.


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## SuzukiGS750EZ (Aug 4, 2012)

Mongoose used to be good. I followed them when I was younger with their bm bikes. They have since turned into a big box store bike sadly.


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## chucknorse (Aug 3, 2012)

I have a 2001 IU Little 500 track bike and it seems to be pretty decent. Mongoose used to make all the Little 500 bikes for the IU Student Foundation. I am not sure who makes them now as I have been out of school for a while. I have to admit that it is the frame only and I built it up as a cheap comuter bike with free parts that were laying around the shop. Single speed with a coaster hub


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## dhelm72 (May 4, 2012)

bandit1 said:


> yes, the ones you can buy from the site made by Mongoose may be better quality, but the Mongoose in question here is a department store version... but I do agree that before the whole brand is written off as junk, the specific aspect of what branch of Mongoose is being referred to. The department store branch/mass production may be the lowest of the low, but that does not mean that a non mass produced Mongoose is on the same quality level.


Yes, I bought one of these as a backup bike for $350. They have raised the price to $399 since then. Mongoose Tyax Elite Mountain Bike - Mountain Bikes It is great value for the money. I would say it is on par with any of the other $600 to $700 hard tails from the expensive manufacturers.

As of 2012, Mongoose does not sell their premium bicycles in the U.S. anymore. They still sell them in Europe and Asia. I think the whole big box store thing diminished their reputation in this country. Their premium bikes are top notch, but they realized that people can not separate the big box store brand from the premium brand.


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## Luclin999 (Jul 9, 2012)

bandit1 said:


> yes, the ones you can buy from the site made by Mongoose may be better quality, but the Mongoose in question here is a department store version... but I do agree that before the whole brand is written off as junk, the specific aspect of what branch of Mongoose is being referred to. The department store branch/mass production may be the lowest of the low, but that does not mean that a non mass produced Mongoose is on the same quality level.


Oh, I agree that the lowest end ones at K-mart and their higher tiers are not in the same league as each other, I was simply demonstrating that the claim:



> *The Mongoose brand are nothing but TOYS*....emulating what a real mountain bike should do. You basically got what you didn't pay for....


...was hyperbolic as it was disingenuous to label the entire brand as "toys" based upon their $200 offerings when it is obvious that their higher end models compare well component-wise with bicycles from other brands (such as Specialized) at the same price points.


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## j4mi3 (Aug 7, 2012)

ouch

yeah op that bike doesn't look very strong at all


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

I live in such a small town..Im not quite sure if we even have a men's shelter or not (that does not mean it does not exist)...now Ive seen the guy on 3 different bikes...the new one hes got is a huffy..the guy passes my shop almost on a daily basis...Im pretty sure someone gives him these bikes...or maybe he works for them..who knows?...he's been into my shop a couple of times asking for things (money etc)...but he doesnt smell..so who knows how this guy lives.


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## Luclin999 (Jul 9, 2012)

Dresdenlock said:


> I live in such a small town..Im not quite sure if we even have a men's shelter or not (that does not mean it does not exist)...now Ive seen the guy on 3 different bikes...the new one hes got is a huffy..the guy passes my shop almost on a daily basis...Im pretty sure someone gives him these bikes...or maybe he works for them..who knows?...he's been into my shop a couple of times asking for things (money etc)...but he doesnt smell..so who knows how this guy lives.


Not to cast stones but is it also conceivable that the person in question could be appropriating random bikes from around town as well?


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

Luclin999 said:


> Not to cast stones but is it also conceivable that the person in question could be appropriating random bikes from around town as well?


it could always be conceivable that, that is the case. So unless the local PD are asked if there is any bike thefts being reported, and offer the known info if that is the case, I would hope that it is not what is happening. I would hope that the guy seen is barrowing the bike from friends.


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

Luclin999 said:


> Not to cast stones but is it also conceivable that the person in question could be appropriating random bikes from around town as well?


its possible..but I doubt it...I think if he was doing something like that people would know..Im pretty sure the police look at him pretty closely...I dont think that hes all there..but I dont think he's a criminal either...I think he does get some type of disability or something..my offices are near the post office and he's there everyday..rain or shine..and there are times he's carrying things..the bikes he has are super old as well..I doubt any of them would bring alot of money..the only one that would prolly be worth anything would be the cannondale full sus....some collecter might pay some money for it..I looked the other day to see if I could find the model but had no luck...he does have some money..cause I see him smoking at a creek once in a while..it's kinda strange hes got money for smokes...but other things..who knows?


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## NickS606 (Aug 9, 2012)

I too have a Mongoose and have had to replace a couple things and adjust a lot but I haven't had too many problems. However, I definitely will never buy one again.


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## 00ChevyScott (Aug 10, 2012)

My boss bought a mongoose full suspension mountain bike last year and the sticker on it says not for off road use :madman::madman:


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

I have a 2010 GT Avalanche 2.0. A month ago a guy came out of one of the local trails with the bike. The rotors and wheels were out of true enough that the bike had a lot of interference when pedalling. The front derailler was also out of adjustment. The guy had bought the bike intending to mountain bike but had only used the bike a few times over the last two years on a bike path. This trail was a real mountain bike trail. Anyway the guy was spitin mad and sold me the bike on the spot for the $130 I had in my pocket. 

I took it home, cleaned it up, trued up the wheels and rotors then adjusted the front derailler. The bike is actually not bad. Seems to be holding up pretty good and the size was perfect. I have tweaked the fit a bit more and the bike just gets better. 

I had been looking on Craig's list for a while to pick up a bike better than what I had as an interem bike to tide me over while I save for a decent bike. I will be able to buy a decent bike in the not to distant future.


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

Hello, this is a quick update on my Letter to Mongoose. Well they wrote me back, apologized for the inconvenience and said they would like to make it right. They sent me a new shifter with cables, rear derailleur, rear wheel, crank bearing and front derailleur. I'm hoping these parts will hold me over till this Feb when I buy my new bike. 
Anyways, kinda blew my mind they mailed me all this stuff with little to no proof of the age of my bike, receipt or anything. All I had were pics and a number engraved in my frame. I'm hoping to hit some tame trails this weekend. My bike has been dead for over a week. Chain slippage, damaged rear wheel. 
Safe riding -HammerItOutNoob


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## SuperSlow35th (Jul 22, 2011)

Definately a solid mark on Pacific's behalf when they dont hesitate to help a customer, even at their bikes price points. I still wouldn't purchase one but definately a feather in their caps.


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## madaxc (Aug 6, 2011)

SuperSlow35th said:


> Definately a solid mark on Pacific's behalf when they dont hesitate to help a customer, even at their bikes price points. I still wouldn't purchase one but definately a feather in their caps.


Very true. Good on the OP for taking the time to contact them, and good on them for actually doing something about it. Based on the size of the corporation and the price point of the bike, I certainly didn't expect this kind of response.


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## Dirtydogg (Aug 11, 2012)

If you think about the amount of components and production aspect of the bike, you'll realize $135 is not at all that much. I'm amazed that you can go buy an $88 bike at Walmart. Just goes to show you how much Bell makes off their foam/plastic helmet that I got hosed for $65 on. Just ridiculous.

Those bikes are pavement queens and nothing else. Neither tire should ever leave the ground. I get what you are saying...false advertisement. Otherwise, there isn't much of a selling point beside the fact it may look cool to some.
The bike I bought retailed for $579. I've had to adjust the components and true the wheels up 3x's now within 100miles. I have been a bit rough on it, but havent been off any crazy jumps or anything. I think for anything under $1k, you'll need some upkeep to be rough on the trails.

Glad to see they have sent you replacement components.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Hello, this is a quick update on my Letter to Mongoose. Well they wrote me back, apologized for the inconvenience and said they would like to make it right. They sent me a new shifter with cables, rear derailleur, rear wheel, crank bearing and front derailleur. I'm hoping these parts will hold me over till this Feb when I buy my new bike.
> Anyways, kinda blew my mind they mailed me all this stuff with little to no proof of the age of my bike, receipt or anything. All I had were pics and a number engraved in my frame. I'm hoping to hit some tame trails this weekend. My bike has been dead for over a week. Chain slippage, damaged rear wheel.
> Safe riding -HammerItOutNoob


Sweet, they sent you free replacement parts. 
That means you are now a sponsored rider.

Team Mongoose:thumbsup:


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## bigpedaler (Jan 29, 2007)

OK, ok......

I've been building this garbage for Wally for 12 years now; OP is right, they WILL teach you creative fixes. OTOH, this job also required me to hone my skills to the point of being offered a mechanic gig with a race team (if I could make THAT shyte rideable, then I must be able to do SOMEthing!). Didn't take it, away from home & my then-3-y-o daughter was off the table.

The BSO's they sell nowadays are so scary-bad, it's ridiculous; 8 years ago, we'd have shipped them back unassembled. Now, we just have to build 'em.

Glad OP could get parts; as the retailer, we're SUPPOSED to be able to get parts easily -- NOT! I have donated nearly three dozen bikes to a local children's charity (for that group to cobble together) this year because the factory wouldn't send us parts.

Wally should be blacklisted for selling anything bigger than a 20"-wheeled bike, or any for more than $100. Seriously, Wally and KMart are the main two keeping Huffy in business, sad to say!

At least every other year, Wally tries to "upscale" their in-store line, with $200+ hybrids and "comfort" bikes, occasionally even a roadie wannabe. They never last more than 6 months, too few sales.

Of course, there are two sides to the coin; we get bikes returned because of flat tires, cracked reflectors, or "she didn't need it no more" (an actual reported 'defect'!). When somebody spends $100-$150 on a bike @ Wally, most seem to expect to get Lance's bike in the bargain. I actually had a complaining customer TELL me, "I paid $75 for this bike (Mongoose DXR, predecessor of the XR75), that's a lot of money for a bike!" I got in trouble from management for telling her my crank cost more than that....


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## johnlh (Aug 16, 2008)

adonis_abril said:


> You're wasting your time even writing that letter...what did you expect from a $135 bike? There is no way any manufacturer can produce/provide quality workmanship on any bike at that price point. An Avid BB7 Brake setup cost twice that. Chalk it up to lesson learned.


Who would pay $270 for BB7s?


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

kjlued said:


> Sweet, they sent you free replacement parts.
> That means you are now a sponsored rider.
> 
> Team Mongoose:thumbsup:


 Hahahaha! :thumbsup:


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## HammerItOutNoob (Jul 11, 2012)

Even though they mailed me parts, I'll never buy another from them, EVER. I'm just glad they got me what I needed. It was nice of them and they didn't have to do it. I'm going to be a bit more gentle until my purchase this Feb! 

This has been a learning experience.


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## deke505 (Jul 29, 2012)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Hello, this is a quick update on my Letter to Mongoose. Well they wrote me back, apologized for the inconvenience and said they would like to make it right. They sent me a new shifter with cables, rear derailleur, rear wheel, crank bearing and front derailleur. I'm hoping these parts will hold me over till this Feb when I buy my new bike.
> Anyways, kinda blew my mind they mailed me all this stuff with little to no proof of the age of my bike, receipt or anything. All I had were pics and a number engraved in my frame. I'm hoping to hit some tame trails this weekend. My bike has been dead for over a week. Chain slippage, damaged rear wheel.
> Safe riding -HammerItOutNoob


They can tell by the engraved number when it was made.


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

HammerItOutNoob said:


> Hello, this is a quick update on my Letter to Mongoose. Well they wrote me back, apologized for the inconvenience and said they would like to make it right. They sent me a new shifter with cables, rear derailleur, rear wheel, crank bearing and front derailleur. I'm hoping these parts will hold me over till this Feb when I buy my new bike.
> Anyways, kinda blew my mind they mailed me all this stuff with little to no proof of the age of my bike, receipt or anything. All I had were pics and a number engraved in my frame. I'm hoping to hit some tame trails this weekend. My bike has been dead for over a week. Chain slippage, damaged rear wheel.
> Safe riding -HammerItOutNoob


that is pretty cool. I would have guessed that you would never hear from them or them telling you to take it back to walmart for a refund. That is probably better CS than alot of the other bike companies. Get your bike running and save for the next one.


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

thats pretty funny that they sent you half a bike to replace their broken parts, with more parts that will break. that is cool though, regardless of quality. you know what? specialized wouldn't do that. trek wouldn't do that. they would refer you to the reseller... lol, walgoose to the rescue!!


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