corrado33

Hi All. I've read that in the past, before mongoose was a BSO, they used to have some decent bikes. Anyone haev any experiences with older mongooses? I came across this old mongoose Alta frame and was considering making it a winter bike. (The white color is nice.)

I found pictures of a 1995 alta that looked newer than this one. It had all round tubing where this one is shaped. It's not a terrible frame. The welds are... large (cheap) but the frame itself is OK. Forged dropouts, disc brake mounts, aluminum, etc.

Anyway, I'd like to hear your experiences with old mongoose bikes, and if you have any specific info about this bike, I'd like to hear about that too.

Thanks!



EDIT: I can't win with tiny pic. The picture is right side up on my computer. I've leaving it this way.

Darth Lefty 

I have found a few other hits implying it's from about 2006, and was inexpensive, coming with a noname fork. Probably sold at a sporting goods store or something, a little better than Walmart. But I can't find anything in particular with a component list like you can usually find, like from Bikepedia

SkyDog75

Mongoose started as a wheelbuilding operation in the 1970s. Chip Hess designed, built, and sold his "Motomag" BMX wheels out of Southern California. That operation grew into BMX Products, Inc., which also started building Mongoose-branded BMX bikes. In the '70s and '80s, Mongoose was a reputable BMX brand. While I was riding my Huffy, I coveted other kids' Mongoose, Redline, Skyway, PK Ripper, and GT bikes until I eventually got one myself. (I still dig those classic 1980-ish Mongoose frames with the gusset plates at the head tube.)

Sometime in the early '80s, BMX Products started outsourcing some manufacturing to Asia and by the mid-80s, I think all production in SoCal shut down. The Mongoose brand eventually got sold to Brunswick Corporation, whose bicycle operations got bought out by Pacific Cycle (Dorel Industries) in 2001. Since then, Mongoose is just another name in Pacific's brand portfolio. And just like Pacific does with the Schwinn brand, they sell cheap Walmart bikes with the Mongoose name on them as well as some nicer bikes.

corrado33

Interesting. It seems to be a pretty solid frame. Pretty light as well. (Not as light as brand name aluminum bikes.) Considering this frame is bare, I can make it as nice or as crappy as I want. I honestly just like the look of the frame. I may build it and a Rocky Mountain up to see which one rides better. Obviously the rocky mountain is a better quality frame, but we'll see which I like better.

This frame isn't bargain basement, as it does have forged dropouts and some other indications like a removable dropout hanger that show it's not made as cheaply as possible. But then again I guess for aluminum bikes the dropouts HAVE to be forged.

exmechanic89

I remember Mongoose mostly for BMX bikes in the 80's, they were quite popular and were supposed to be well made. I agree the frame you have looks pretty decent, OP. I say build it up and see what you end up with. Probably a pretty nice bike, Im guessing.

rob_ralph

Mongoose had some decent mountain bikes late 80's early 90's.....Tomac rode them (with a mullet) in the early years of NORBA.
The middle bike is an IBOC Pro, came with a complete Deore DX group.

oldgrowth45

I'm right there with SkyDog75. Back in my bmx days (early 80's) Mongoose was one of the big dogs - lightweight frames (relative to Huffy) and really nice components. Ah... memories. I haven't thought about those bikes in ages. Good times.