Just finished up my '85 Mongoose ATB commuter!
11-15-11, 10:11 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 118
Bikes: Centurion Ironman Master, Motobecane Jubile Sport, Mongoose ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Just finished up my '85 Mongoose ATB commuter!
Hey all, I am geeking out over this bike right now so I thought I would share! I saved this Mongoose down in Austin, TX as it was sitting in a state of disrepair and neglect. I re-used the awesome dia-compe brakes with new hangers and cables, kept the bars and sr split stem, mountain pro seat, and takagi cranks. It needed a new bottom bracket which I re-spaced for better chainline for the 1x9 plans, and then went with Deore Mega-9 with a rapid fire shifter. I had to notch the icey blue grips to shift cleanly, but it all looks so right that and feels so good that I couldn't ask for a better or more fun commuter bike! I'll try and get better pictures eventually but this was just from the first night ride when I finished it up. 
-4.jpg
-4.jpg
11-15-11, 10:16 PM
#2
Extraordinary Magnitude
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Waukesha WI
Posts: 13,646
Bikes: 1978 Trek TX700; 1978/79 Trek 736; 1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1984 Schwinn Voyageur SP; 1985 Trek 620; 1985 Trek 720; 1986 Trek 400 Elance; 1987 Schwinn High Sierra; 1990 Miyata 1000LT
Mentioned: 84 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2608 Post(s)
Liked 1,699 Times
in
935 Posts
Chrome, rack and fender mounts, and if my eyes don't deceive me- a lowrider mount on the fork.
Awesome!
Awesome!
__________________
*Recipient of the 2006 Time Magazine "Person Of The Year" Award*
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
11-16-11, 12:56 AM
#4
Ride heavy metal.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Teenage Wasteland, USA
Posts: 1,538
Bikes: '74 Raleigh LTD-3, '76 Motobecane Grand Jubile, '83 Fuji TSIII (customized commuter), '10 Mercier Kilo WT (fixed obsession), '83 Bianchi Alloro, '92 Bridgestone MB-1 (project), '83 Specialized Expedition (project), '79 Peugeot UO-8 (sold)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Love it. Looks like a great frame for a really nice looking build!
Would love to find me a decent frame in that size, right now my townie/beater is a 19.5 MB-1 and it's just a bit small for me. Also missing quite a few braze-ons, but I digress.
Would love to find me a decent frame in that size, right now my townie/beater is a 19.5 MB-1 and it's just a bit small for me. Also missing quite a few braze-ons, but I digress.
11-16-11, 06:40 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 1,959
Bikes: Too many Bicycles to list
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
45 Posts
I really liked the Mongoose ATB I redid but it was a little small for me, I set it up as a commuter for one of my lawn mower repair customers and he loved it also after moving from a 6spd cruiser that he was riding. The pictures below are after I finished it for myself and before I installed front and rear racks and installed a different seat/post and a taller stem to give him more of a upright position.
11-16-11, 08:44 AM
#6
Full Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 354
Bikes: team miyata, '73 p-14, MB-3, centurion lemans, Mystery TT, mongoose atb '85
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have an '85 mongoose that is too large for me (21" I think), your beater would be perfect for me... 
07-20-15, 08:48 PM
#7
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 26
Bikes: 70 Raleigh Super Course, 80 Raleigh Competition, 7? Schwinn Varsity, 8? Mongoose ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I know this is an old post but I am looking at a mongoose atb right now and was wondering how tall you are. I am 5'9" and I think the bike may be a 21.1/2
thanks
thanks
07-20-15, 09:18 PM
#8
Extraordinary Magnitude
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Waukesha WI
Posts: 13,646
Bikes: 1978 Trek TX700; 1978/79 Trek 736; 1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1984 Schwinn Voyageur SP; 1985 Trek 620; 1985 Trek 720; 1986 Trek 400 Elance; 1987 Schwinn High Sierra; 1990 Miyata 1000LT
Mentioned: 84 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2608 Post(s)
Liked 1,699 Times
in
935 Posts
I'm 5'8" with a 30" inseam and a 17" ATB is about right for me.
__________________
*Recipient of the 2006 Time Magazine "Person Of The Year" Award*
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
07-20-15, 09:32 PM
#9
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 26
Bikes: 70 Raleigh Super Course, 80 Raleigh Competition, 7? Schwinn Varsity, 8? Mongoose ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks, the offer is for $75. Looking to use the bike mostly for cuising around town and gravel paths. If it's too big for me I know a coworker who it would fit better.
07-20-15, 10:03 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Upper Left, USA
Posts: 1,915
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times
in
298 Posts
They are fun bikes! They aren't light, but MTB gearing is made for getting up hills at all costs. I actually just replaced the seatpost and saddle since it was stolen off the bike. It was a good opportunity to put something with less setback so that I could get a little closer to KOPS.
Btw, what's the tag(s) for posting larger image sizes? @bianchigirl does this well.
I actually just replaced the seatpost and saddle since it was stolen off the bike. It was a good opportunity to put something with less setback so that I could get a little closer to KOPS. Btw, what's the tag(s) for posting larger image sizes? @bianchigirl does this well.
07-28-15, 05:32 PM
#11
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 26
Bikes: 70 Raleigh Super Course, 80 Raleigh Competition, 7? Schwinn Varsity, 8? Mongoose ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
picked up the 'goose last week and have been riding it around at work. Feels great. Not sure if it's big on me for trails but its perfect for cruising. now i need to find one for my wife!! Not sure why everyone says this is a heavy bike, it's really not bad at all.
07-30-15, 12:48 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Upper Left, USA
Posts: 1,915
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times
in
298 Posts
I finally found the catalogs for these.
https://www.vintagemongoose.com/pdfs/mongoose_cat85.pdf
@M.Goop, they weigh in at 32 lbs stock, which is porky in this day and age. It's totally normal for an 80's mtb though. And for a commuter/tourer/bomb around bike, it's totally fine and probably preferable since those tubes definitely won't be flexing.
https://www.vintagemongoose.com/pdfs/mongoose_cat85.pdf
@M.Goop, they weigh in at 32 lbs stock, which is porky in this day and age. It's totally normal for an 80's mtb though. And for a commuter/tourer/bomb around bike, it's totally fine and probably preferable since those tubes definitely won't be flexing.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Dougbloch
Classic & Vintage
35
09-16-16 10:25 PM
