The rear end of the bike also has quick release dropouts with 190mm hub width. There aren’t many kids fat bikes on the market, and generally this is for good reason. Fat bikes are heavy and not ideal mongoose bicycle for every day riding.
The Mongoose Argus Trail frame is comprised of 6061 aluminum. There is also a steel version sold at a slightly lower cost. That is the seat I bought to replace the stock torture device. The new seat is about 13.5″ inches wide and the horn is a lot shorter. It is a lot more comfortable. As far as I can tell, the Malus and Dolomite are essentially the same bike, just with different rims and colors.
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If you want to ride trails as fast as possible, you’ll likely progress beyond the Mongoose Switchback Expert rather quickly. Tires are usually an inexpensive upgrade that can make a huge difference in the way a bike feels, but here again, buyers likely won’t want to bother. The included wheels feature narrow, 18mm rims that are even narrower than what you might find on a gravel bike today. For that reason, it doesn’t make sense to run anything wider than the 2.25″ tires specced despite what appears to be plenty of frame clearance. I like the WTB Trail Boss tires so my advice is to just keep ’em. The rims aren’t taped inside, and they’re drilled for Schrader valves, so IMO going tubeless isn’t really worth the hassle, either.
Discover how many more trails you can grind your way up, how many out-of-the-way p… Zip between classes and haul your stuff with ease on a hybrid. With features like cargo racks and suspension forks, they combine function and comfort for the perfect campus ride. However, the Axum comes with a dropper post and features wider and more stable 2.6″ tires. At the time of publication, the Mongoose Switchback Expert was selling for $549 compared to $399 for the Switchback Comp. At its full retail price of $949, the Switchback Expert is overpriced.
Mechanical disc brakes make use of 160 mm rotors. One of the main components of any bike is the drive train. The Argus’ drive train uses a 2×8 system with a Microshift derailleur in the front and a Shimano Tourney in the rear. Taking the Argus out was a different experience than the norm and we both had fun.
In my experience, this is pretty common for bikes in this price range. Kristen is a USA Cycling certified coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. The components all functioned well with minimal adjustments needed and served their individual duties. The traits of handling and stability will most certainly transition to snow riding as well. They slowed my son’s riding down when needed but functioned as any mechanical brake set would.
My son moved downhill pretty quick, but not as rapidly as on his Trailcraft. He managed to get through the rocky, technical sections of our local test run and did have a smile mongoose fat bike on his face. It is still a rigid bike and that shows in the speeds and ability to descend. To be honest, I don’t think my son has ever used a front derailleur until now. One-by systems have all but taken over the mountain bike market.
Since its introduction in 2014, Grade has pushed the boundaries of adventure riding. The first ever purpose-built carbon gravel bike, made major waves when it was launched, winn… Whether you’re after an all day adventure or sneaking out for a quick lunch loop, size up new lines on old trails with the ready-for-anything Sensor range. I received my test bike directly from Mongoose and needed to do some of the final assembly myself. If part of your calculation for buying the Mongoose Switchback Expert is that you might upgrade parts over time, I say look at another bike. If you just want a bike that you’re going to ride as-is for as long as possible, the Switchback Expert could be the right choice.
My son was able to adapt his riding to match the needs of the machine. My son is also still a child and I don’t want to torture him too much. We will definitely stick to mountain biking with his Trailcraft, but I am excited to get my son out on some decent snow rides. I am excited to take my son fat biking this coming winter and provide a complete review.