Chances are good that if you’re into bicycles you know the name Mongoose. The brand has a long history in the US though after being sold to Pacific Cycle in 2001, the brand has wrestled with the reputation that comes when bike that bear your name are on the floors of Walmart. After a bit of a disappearing act, Mongoose is coming back for 2015 with an impressive line of bikes that will be sold consumer direct.
Offering a full line that includes all mountain, downhill, fat bikes, even gravel bikes, Mongoose may be making a comeback. Details next…
Sold as their flagship Enduro/All mountain bike of sorts, the 150mm travel Teocali takes advantage of the expired Horst Link patent. The aluminum frame runs a 142×12 thru axle and a tapered head tube and is based on 27.5″ wheels. Equipped with a full Shimano drivetrain, Hayes Prime Comp brakes, X Fusion Gold Slick Ano suspension and tubeless ready Alex rims the Teocali Expert looks like a good value at $2800. Sold in S, M, and L frames there will also be a lesser expensive Teocali Comp which will retail for $2399.
The Mongoose Boot’R is back as a Horst Link equipped 27.5″ DH ripper. Designed with an aluminum frame that features a 150mmx12 rear axle and 200mm of travel with 27.5″ wheels, the Boot’R would be a solid DH bike for $2600. To keep the price down the bike runs a 1×9 (yes 9 speed, remember that?) drivetrain with a Funn chain guide along with a RockShox Domain R fork and X Fusion rear shock. Other component highlights include a Funn cockpit, Kenda Honey Badger DH tires, and Sun Ringle Inferno 27.5 Tubeless ready rims.
Yes, it’s a fat bike and no, it’s not the Mongoose Beast. The Mongoose Argus is a legit fat bike with a 2×10 drivetrain, 100mm rims, and 4.0″ Vee Tire Co Mission tires, all for less than $1000. The frame features 190mm QR rear spacing along with a 135mm centered fork and a 100mm threaded BB. The frame and fork have room for bigger tires, but the rear looks like it would be a tight fit for 5″ rubber. All in, the Mongoose Argus comes in at 34.35 lbs.
As one of the few 29ers in the line up, the 100mm travel Salvo is also offered in 27.5″ guise with 120mm of travel. Sold in three different build levels, all bikes come with 3×10 Shimano drivetrains. The Sport sells for $1150, the Comp for $1400, and the Expert will retail for $1900 with Manitou/X Fusion suspension, an SLX/XT drivetrain, and Hayes Radar brakes. Like all of the Mongoose bikes, the Salvo includes tubeless ready rims.
If hard tails are more your thing, Mongoose will have three levels of the Meteore with impressive spec. The high end Expert includes a Manitou Marvel Pro fork, 27.5″ Sun Ringle Black Flag Comp wheels, a Shimano XT/SLX 3×10 drivetrain, and Hayes Prime Comp brakes. The Expert will sell for $2499, while the Sport and the Comp retail for $1499, and $1899 respectively.
Finally, while the Mongoose Selous might not make you ride like Chris Akrigg, it will tackle whatever the road or trail throws at you. With clearance for tires up to 40c, the disc brake equipped gravel bike utilizes an aluminum frame with carbon fork. Speced with a Shimano 105 mix drivetrain with cyclocross gearing, the Selous is also tubeless ready. The Selous Expert above will sell for $1500, and there will be a cheaper Comp model at $999.
All of the bikes will be available this Fall/Winter from Mongoose.com and will include a 5 year warranty but will need to be fully assembled.
