Mongoose is one of those names that carries with it a lot of history, but it’s also one that can elicit mixed opinions. The brand has certainly changed quite a bit over the years, but for their 2018 line up, Mongoose isn’t trying to be something they’re not. Using the brand’s storied past as a building point, their goal these days seems to revolve around staying relevant to current industry trends, but above all keep things affordable and accessible. As Matt Prest, the Senior Product Manager for the IBD side of Mongoose, puts it, “the new Mongoose line is about being able to have fun, but still being able to afford it as well.”
For their full suspension line up, that equates to a new suspension design and incremental improvements in frame construction to hone in on modern levels of performance without breaking the bank…
The biggest improvement to the Mongoose full suspension range would have to be their new Free Floating linkage design. Looking something like a Trek Full Floater and a Horst Link suspension system had a baby, the lower shock mount floats in a similar way to the Trek and other floating shock designs. The rear pivot however, is located below the rear axle which Mongoose says will aid in suspension performance under braking. Along with the move to Metric rear shock sizing with standardized hardware, the suspension system is said to improve small bump compliance while keeping the plush feel through larger hits and limiting pedal and brake influence on the system.
Even though the new frames weren’t quite ready for the launch, a few of the (taller) editors got a chance to ride a prototype of the system. Speaking with those who had ridden both the Free Floating bikes back to back with last year’s non-floating suspension design, it seemed that almost everyone felt it was a big improvement.
