Cabelas has the Mongoose Montana Men's Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels) on sale for $110 + $28 shipping = $138 shipped. It features a full alloy MTB frame, MTB riser bars, quill stem, 21-speed SRAM MRX shifters, Shimano rear derailleur, alloy linear pull brakes and levers, 3-piece ATB crank. [Compare]
| Botanic Choice $10 off orders of $25 or more ![]() Discuss (0) |
Kmart Weider 200 Power Tower $95 ![]() Discuss (14) |
Newegg Perfect Pull-Up $19 ![]() Discuss (11) |
Newegg Garmin Forerunner 301 2.9" GPS + HRM $102 ![]() Discuss (2) |
#1
samijubal - Posted 11:17 pm PDT 08/26/09 (698 Posts)
Any good? Reviews I can find are pretty mixed. I need another bike.
#2
Momoney - Posted 11:48 pm PDT 08/26/09 (173 Posts)
Mongoose equates to x-mart typical junk. Besides, the shipping kills any deal. You're better off searching craigslist for a good used mtb.
#3
darktideryezing - Posted 12:46 am PDT 08/27/09 (636 Posts)
#4
elpapason - Posted 12:55 am PDT 08/27/09 (16 Posts)
same as in stores and will save shipping costs
#5
goldenboyfx - Posted 1:20 am PDT 08/27/09 (1151 Posts)
1) Its a lot lighter
2) Much stronger frame (though it's lighter )
3) Rims do not bend when hitting hard obstacles like asphalt. This means that the brake shoes can be adjusted to rest close to the rims( 2-3 mm), thereby making braking smooth, tight and even.
4) Brake shoes don't require replacement every few days.
5) I have perfect control over the brakes, I could choose to 'squeeze' the brakes just about as much as I need to prevent skidding, ka crashing. With cheap bikes, you can't have that level of accuracy.
6) Though my Raleigh has thinner tires, it's hard to get a flat tire.
7) The tires, though thin offer FAR better traction than wide yet cheap tires due to the nature of the compound they're made of. That means I can take turns faster and stop sooner too.
8_) The brake calipers retract equally every single time, unlike those cheaper bikes with unequal retraction wherein one shoe always licks the rim, thereby reducing the lifespan of the already short lived brake shoes.
9) I don't have to worry about the pedals suddenly falling off while I am ridin' it one sweet summer day.
10) I don't have to get off the bike often to slip the chain back on, greasing my hands in the process.
I've put in more than 1000 miles on my new bike to date, it's still going strong!
#6
darktideryezing - Posted 7:44 am PDT 08/27/09 (636 Posts)
#7
xirtam31337 - Posted 8:04 am PDT 08/27/09 (161 Posts)
Doesn't seem that bad of a deal if you are a very casual rider than only bikes a few times a month...though will it support my fat body?
#8
cleverendeavor7 - Posted 11:19 am PDT 08/27/09 (514 Posts)
Hi Kids, a few clarifications:
#2/3, not all Mongoose bikes are junk. They have two product lines (like Schwinn) - 1 is the junk sold in department stores, but the other line contains high-end products and is sold through bike shops like Performance Bike. Also, Mongoose is not owned by Huffy, it is owned by Pacific Cycle, which is the parent company to Huffy (and Dyno, GT, Schwinn, etc.) And not everything sold from a Pacific Cycle company is junk - the high-end offerings from Schwinn, GT, or Mongoose are great bikes.
#5, things like brake shoes and tires can be replaced/upgraded on any bike. Also, uneven braking can be adjusted on nearly every bike on the planet - it's the assembler's fault for not adjusting correctly initially. See those little screws on the sides of your brake arms? Tightening the screw on the side that's rubbing the rim will add tension to the return spring, and cause the brakes to center themselves. In fact, most of the problems you listed have to do with the bike's assembly, not with the fact that it's inexpensive.
That being said, I fully support the purchasing of a used bike via craigslist. If you do buy a bike from a department store, I highly recommend the $300-350 Forge Sawback line from Target - it has parts usually found on higher-end bikes in the $500-600 range.
#2/3, not all Mongoose bikes are junk. They have two product lines (like Schwinn) - 1 is the junk sold in department stores, but the other line contains high-end products and is sold through bike shops like Performance Bike. Also, Mongoose is not owned by Huffy, it is owned by Pacific Cycle, which is the parent company to Huffy (and Dyno, GT, Schwinn, etc.) And not everything sold from a Pacific Cycle company is junk - the high-end offerings from Schwinn, GT, or Mongoose are great bikes.
#5, things like brake shoes and tires can be replaced/upgraded on any bike. Also, uneven braking can be adjusted on nearly every bike on the planet - it's the assembler's fault for not adjusting correctly initially. See those little screws on the sides of your brake arms? Tightening the screw on the side that's rubbing the rim will add tension to the return spring, and cause the brakes to center themselves. In fact, most of the problems you listed have to do with the bike's assembly, not with the fact that it's inexpensive.
That being said, I fully support the purchasing of a used bike via craigslist. If you do buy a bike from a department store, I highly recommend the $300-350 Forge Sawback line from Target - it has parts usually found on higher-end bikes in the $500-600 range.





Wii
iPod