Getting more out of your bike is a growing trend thanks to the flexibility of adventure bikes. Mongoose has doubled down on the long-haul lifestyle with their Guide. It aims to tackle gravel roads comfortably all day long, all while providing room for both extra gear and your water.
The Frame
The Guide Expert has a T2 aluminum frame led by a carbon fork. Its 12mm dropouts are spaced 100mm up front and 142mm in the rear; both requiring a 6mm wrench to remove the thru axle. The fork and rear triangle both have rack and fender mounts with additional pannier mounts on the fork. Additionally, their proprietary frame bag bolts across the bottom of the top tube to offer a clean look that will stay in place and not rub paint off the top tube.
Internal cable routing ports brake and shift housing through the fork and the downtube. Its bottom bracket is a 68mm standard thread.
Cage bolts are located on top of and below the downtube. It would be nice to see another cage mount on the seat tube though, especially for the 58.
The Build
The Guide Expert has Shimano’s 105 shifters and derailleurs paired with an 11-speed, 11-32T Sunrace cassette. Up front, the bb holds an FSA Gossamer crank geared to 48-32T. Rounding off the components are flat-mount hydraulic brakes that squeeze 160mm rotors front and back.
Its cockpit gets an Xposure bar and stem with plenty of room for a bag between the offset drops. A 31.8mm Xposure seatpost holds the Mongoose Adventure saddle.
It rolls on tubeless ready WTB STP-I19 wheels with 29×1.75″ Kenda gum-walled tires. Note, the stock tires are not tubeless ready.
Tire clearance is tight upfront but there’s some wiggle room in the back.
The size 58 Guide Expert weighs in at a little less than 24.5 lbs without pedals or the frame bag.
Gravel Geometry![Mongoose Guide Expert](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 800 1304"></svg>)
The Guide has long chainstays at 460mm across the board which helps fit 29×1.75 tires. In the front, its short top tube and angled 100mm stem should help sit riders upright. While a 70.5º head angle aims to offer more precise handling.
Guide Overview
The $1,800 Mongoose Guide Expert should handle wherever you go especially with its Shimano 105 components, hydraulic brakes and ample storage potential. Plus, the added frame bag helps new gravel riders get started. A bottle cage mount on the seat tube would’ve been nice for easy accessibility while riding, but you could always mount extra cages to the fork as needed. For those looking to get into the world of gravel riding for a reasonable price, the Guide looks like a comfortable option. Check back in the coming weeks when we have a better idea of what it has to offer.
