My blog about my Department stor mountainbike

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    • #89436

      I’ve read the threads about Walmart bikes, and it was a little too late for me.
      I’ve got one. Picked it up for $75 at a garage sale. Thought I was buying a nice full suspension Mongoose, not realizing they were being sold a Walmart now. Anyway, I’m going to ride it until it has a catastrophic failure, or until it starts holding me back. It is a "higher end" department store bike, which may be why it’s survived 1/2 dozen ot so trips to the trails so far.
      Anyway, follow my blog and enjoy.
      http://davescheapmountainbike.blogspot.com/

    • #89437

      Apparently, when buying those bikes new they have warning labels: [i:u2rgyons]Not for Off Road Use[/i:u2rgyons]. Ride it into the ground and then hit up your local LBS for a better bike, or try CList, but do a little research first.

    • #89438

      Got a pic?

    • #89439

      Someone gave me a ‘Goose D-60 that I turned into a Rigid 69er, with rear suspension (the beauty of URT), single speed. It was a fun Frankenbike project that I used for rail trails.

      My Dumpgoose!

    • #89440

      Update my blog. There’s some pics now. Bike survived Brown County State park better than me. Looking for a way to mount a couple water bottle on it right now. Migh make a bracket similar to the $26 one I saw at the local bike shop that mounts to the back of the seat.

    • #89441
      "ChiliPepper" wrote

      Yes, it does say DBR (Diamond Back Racing) on the top tube. I used to be sponsored by Diamondback, so I still show my love for them, but the badge is still a Mongoose badge.

      Image

      hey Chili, i dont know if you know this, or maybe you did this on purpose, but the head badge is upside down.

    • #89442

      I as well started building one of the Mongoose Blackcombs like Chilipepper’s but I got a recent one with some of the plastic based parts for $80 at a used bike shop.It has held up well for the 6 months I’ve been riding it and while I’m not one of the all out fastest in the open,it corners well and moves through technical areas pretty fast.After my 6 months of riding it and upgrading parts,I have started to hit 3 foot drops in addition to the 10 miles or so of rooty singletrack a week and it is taking a toll on the rear linkage and the pivots are getting sloppy.Here is a picture of that bike…

      Image

      I’ve had another Wal Mart Mongoose that I put a good deal of money into swapping everything but the cranks and bottom bracket (crank bearings and spindle) and it was a great bike.There is no size choice in frames at Wal Mart and the components are pretty crappy and very heavy compared to nicer bikes but if it can get you riding until you desire or have the means to get a better bike,then it is great!I think if you can hang with better riders with better bikes,on a heavier,lesser bike…you’ll be that much better on a bike shop quality bike.Riding that Wally World ‘Goose can give you time to determine what terrain you like to ride,which will determine what style of bike you should shoot for when you purchase a newer one.

    • #89443
      "ChiliPepper" wrote

      Everyone, please be advised that Wally World bikes are not from Mongoose, they are built by Pacific Cycles which owned by Dorel. Dorel is the owners of GT, Cannondale, Schwinn, and just about all the department Store bikes. They are now the new owners of Iron Horse as well.

      im glad to see someone knows that the Mongoose bikes at the department stores are not real Mongoose bikes, the same thing goes for the Schwinn’s that you see in the department stores, they are actually Pacific Cycles bikes branded with the Mongoose and Schwinn name in hopes to sell more bikes to the unknowing public, since Mongoose is owned by Dorel Industries and Dorel owns Pacific Cycles they have the branding rights to use the Mongoose name on those bikes, it makes me kinda mad to see that, but thats the way big business works. i ride a LBS Mongoose and its nothing like thier department store counterparts, thiers actual bearings in the pivots, the bikes come with higher end componets and everything is just all around nicer in the build quality, from what ive heard and read they actually take the bikes to Whistler and other ski resorts and test the bikes on the terrain that theyll most likely be ridden on, if you watch the movie Kranked 8 youll see that Steve Romaniuk and Garret Buehler are riding Mongoose bikes and hucking them off of some really sick stuff, even Eric Carter rides a Mongoose bike as his personal bike, so when you sit their and think that Mongoose bikes are crap because you see them in the department stores you need to do a little more research and see that they actually make quality bikes and the bikes that you see at the department stores are just Mongoose "branded" bikes. i know no one really dissed Mongoose but i thought i would just put that info out their. well with all that said i guess im done on my litte rant. 😆

    • #89444
      "ChiliPepper" wrote

      I will have to order another one to replace that one, but they are getting hard to acquire.

      oh, Chili those head badges are getting harder to find because Mongoose is painting the head badges on the bikes now, the head badge is actually different for every model of bike now instead of the same badge for every bike.

    • #89445
      "ChiliPepper" wrote

      Yep, that is the Wally World mentality….."One size fits all!"

      I was lucky and got mine directly online, so I did not have to go through the BS of the Wally World kids not knowing how to put it together. I don’t think they even make those Blackcombs anymore.

      Everyone, please be advised that Wally World bikes are not from Mongoose, they are built by Pacific Cycles which owned by Dorel. Dorel is the owners of GT, Cannondale, Schwinn, and just about all the department Store bikes. They are now the new owners of Iron Horse as well.

      My current mountain bike is originally from Wally world. My brother-in-law had a Schwinn Aluminum Comp but did a bunch of upgrades to it. Then his police dept told him he needed to buy a Trek police bike, which he did, and then he gave me his upgraded Schwinn Aluminum Comp. This ain’t your garden variety Wally World bike It’s pretty sweet! 😃

      See my intro "newbie" post in this forum, where I also mention it…

      [url:20yx1gfs]http://forums.singletracks.com/viewtopic.php?f=98&t=4819[/url:20yx1gfs]

      Great forum, BTW… I like this website! 😎

    • #89446

      I rode (and still ride) a WM Mongoose XR 250 for a year before buying my hardtail from my LBS. The Goose is a lot of fun to blast down the trail. Though it is heavier, I’ve gotten use to heavier pulling my son around on a hitchiker. Without any upgrades it has survived two years of XC, though it has had two cassettes crater. The second one taking the rear derailur with it. Pacific replaced everything each time. The way I see it, I don’t ride because I like this bike or that bike. I ride this or that bike because I just like to ride 😉

    • #89447

      "The way I see it, I don’t ride because I like this bike or that bike. I ride this or that bike because I just like to ride "

      Well said

    • #89448

      I also ride a Walmart bike, or as I like to call it, a former Walmart bike simply because it’s not the same bike I began with. I always wanted a nicer bike, but seeing as I’ve never earned more than 10K in a year job-wise I had to live within my means. I bought a "legendary" Mongoose Snare in July of ’09. I say legendary in that the things are damned near impossible to find in-store. I got a lead on it thanks to GALAXY, good on him for sliding that piece of information my way. I paid about 330 dollars, on the higher end of Walmart’s bikes. I’ve seen some higher but upon examination, weren’t worth the money. Now over the last 6 or so months, I’ve parted out just about every original component on the bike, and now only the front and rear derailleurs, wheels, and crankset remain. I parted out the fork, the rear shock, seat, handlebars, shifters, brakes, etc. With all of the stuff, bike and new parts, I’ve spent 1600 dollars on components that MSRP 2200 total over the course of several months. I’m just a couple of parts away from having the bike I’ve always wanted. Not only is it spongy as hell, it’s built like a tank and feels really solid. The new handlebars give me a control over the bike at speed that I’ve never felt before. Just last night me and GALAXY were riding at the local Rock trail and it was almost ethereal it was so much fun. I may not earn a huge income but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a nice bike while living within my means. Not a single credit card was used in the construction of this baby. I wish I had a recent picture to share with the lot of you, but sadly I don’t. I don’t call it a Snare anymore, I just call it my "Hayabusa", a Japanese falcon. 😀

    • #89449

      $2,200 invested into a Walmart bike of any sort seems out of whack to me. Of course I haven’t seen it or ridden it, but I currently have $1,300 into my Giant Trance that I built. It originally retailed for $3,600.

      In my opinion, it’s better to look for a used "brand name" bike of any sort, even if it’s just a frame, and build up from there.

      My first MTB was my Specialized Rockhopper that I bought one year old for $150 from a starving college student. Other than maintenance, I spent $159 on a marzocchi mx comp fork and then rode it hard for 4 years, I still ride it now as a work commuter.

      The Giant frame was $325 on ebay, and was also local so I avoided shipping. I splurged on Formula hydraulic disc brakes ($269 + shipping), Race Face cockpit and crankset, Shimano xt and xtr drivetrain and misc other parts to round it out.

      The Rockhopper then:
      Image

      And now:
      Image

      The Giant Trance:
      Image

      On a final note, my wife had a walmart MTB for a while. I was always adjusting crap on it from her riding it on pavement. I rode it on a couple of dirt bike paths, but the lack of proper sizing, the heavy weight and cheap build would have been horrible for our front range trails here in Colorado.

    • #89450

      That’s awesome, maddslacker. That’s a really nice setup. Keep in mind, this is my first setup. I never considered buying a used frame and building it up. At the time, I wanted something I could ride and build it up along the way. Your way is definitely the smarter way to go, but at the time I didn’t have that mindset. Oh well, information is ammunition! If I build another one, I’ll do it your way. 😀

    • #89451

      Thanks! I should also mention walmart bikes weren’t an option for me due to my height and inseam, They just don’t fit me at all.

      I was actually in the same boat as you when I bought the Rockhopper. I needed a bike, had little money, and wanted to get on and ride right away. It had a stock front tire and the back tire was worn smooth. I friend gave me an old WTB Velociraptor rear tire, and a few rides in I got the Velociraptor front.

      So first season:
      $150 – Bike
      $ 25 – Front tire
      $ 15 – Lookin gel XC saddle
      $ 25 – Pannier rack

      Second season:
      $159 – New Fork
      $ 45 – Used Shimano SPD pedals
      $ 70 – Cannondale Roam Shoes

      In that setup I rode it two more years with no need for further repairs or parts.
      By the third season it needed brake pads, shifter cables, a chain and a cassette.

      When I built the Giant I used the Marzocchi fork listed above and got a rigid chromoly fork for the Specialized. I also got a pair of used Bontrager Comfort Hardcase tires for it ($40/pair) and in that setup I’m still riding it! Altogether I think I have put about 2,500 miles on the Specialized so far.

      As for your setup, when you get ready to shop around for a frame, you should be able to move most of your stuff over and get out of it for relatively little cost.

      Good luck, and happy riding!

    • #89452

      Yeah man, I don’t really plan on replacing my frame. I’m very happy with it’s heavy nature. Just something I’ve become accustomed to. I prefer bikes that aren’t very light because they too often feel like a beer can that I’ll crumple if I take a bad spill. Whereas my Hayabusa’s Snare frame is nice and hefty, I get a sense of security from it. That, and it’s very comfortable for me. I have short arms, so it’s smaller frame size coupled to my shorter stem make the bike more like sitting in a chair rather than reaching out over the stem to grab the handlebars. I guess it’s a personal thing. Even GALAXY said my bike is too short for him to be really comfortable. He worried about his knees hitting the edges of the handlebar, so he didn’t feel completely comfortable. He does, however, rave about my rear shock being nice and spongy, soaking up trail hits, and the slow rebound I set it for. He really enjoyed it on the downhill portion of the Powerlines down here in Gainesville. If I do get a frame in the future, I’d like it to match the geometry of the frame I’m currently using. I guess only time will tell. 😀

    • #89453

      if you ever look for a new frame,your current one is 19" so try to match that. 😃

    • #89454
      "SaiyanFury" wrote

      I have short arms, so it’s smaller frame size coupled to my shorter stem make the bike more like sitting in a chair rather than reaching out over the stem to grab the handlebars. I guess it’s a personal thing. Even GALAXY said my bike is too short for him to be really comfortable. He worried about his knees hitting the edges of the handlebar, so he didn’t feel completely comfortable.

      Incidentally, that is exactly the issue I had with my wife’s walmart bike: the standover was too high and the top tube was WAY too short. I have short legs and a long torso, so my Giant is a 16" frame but I run a 100mm stem.

    • #89455
      "GALAXY" wrote

      if you ever look for a new frame,your current one is 19" so try to match that. 😃

      Hehe, yeah my boys are touching the top tube when I stand over it. I’m quite a squat person with short limbs and a stocky build (thanks Dad 😛). I don’t know if and when I will seek a different frame, the one I’ve got now seems to work well enough. Maybe something lighter at some point. All I know is that the one I’ve got now with the setup I’m using, it’s extremely comfortable. I honestly couldn’t imagine it feeling better than it already does. I’d have to see it to believe it. 😃

    • #89456

      It does ride really nice with the new suspension and quality parts.It feels very at home now on a fast downhill (as downhill as I can get in FL) and it will only get better with the rest of the parts.

    • #89457

      Alright, took me a bit but I got a couple of shots of my bike with thanks to GALAXY. I live out in the country, and since the government screwed up my green card, the Florida DMV killed my driver’s license, so I can only get into town once a week with my brother in law. He took these so you can see what I’m riding, should anyone care. The red and white bike is GALAXY’s.

      Image

      Image

    • #89458
      "ChiliPepper" wrote

      Damn bro, you got that bike down looking good! Like it. Now you just have to toss that triple ring crank and get a bashguard and run on a FR ring set-up, then you will be ready to seriously rock. Is that a mechanical brake and a fluid brake I see?

      As a matter of fact, GALAXY is working on machining me a bashguard and I’m planning on replacing that triple chain ring with it. I saw his and was blown away by how cool his custom one on his bike is. Yes, you do see the original rear wheel pod in combination with a Hayes Stroker hydraulic setup combined with a Deore XT front shifter. I have not as of yet, rebuilt my wheels, so my rear setup now won’t support a front hydraulic brake. As is such with the hardware I bought, front/rear derailleurs/cassette/shifter/chain, the setup will not currently support my mods. I do have the parts to make my drivetrain all 9-speed, but until I get my wheels built, it will remain as is. Once I get the money to rebuild my 2 wheels with my Mavic rims it’ll all be changed out to match. I even scored a Shimano XTR chain for 50% off, so I can’t wait to try out the new stuff. That front brake has saved me from several accidents, a few from being too close to GALAXY on the trail when he stops suddenly. It’s almost sent me over my handlebars a few times it’s so damned grippy. Thanks for the compliment man, I am trying to build my bike to my taste. The same as my PC, home theatre and car. They’re all DIY to my own specs. My car was by far the most expensive. But for now, my bike is my love and it only gets better with the stuff we put on. I actually just bought a new Stella 200L light for my helmet so I can mount my 120 to my bars for better illumination. The new one was 280, a good investment. I’m hoping I can test it out tomorrow if we can go riding, God permitting. It might rain tomorrow, so I can’t say. 😃

    • #89459

      Ignore this…

    • #89460
      "INDIANADAVE" wrote

      "We now return to our regularly scheduled programming"

      ….of advertising your blog with the 2 pictures? Sorry,thought this was a forum where people could discuss Wal Mart bikes such as several people have.

    • #89461

      GALAXY FOR PRESIDENT!

    • #89462
      "SaiyanFury" wrote

      Alright, took me a bit but I got a couple of shots of my bike with thanks to GALAXY. I live out in the country, and since the government screwed up my green card, the Florida DMV killed my driver’s license, so I can only get into town once a week with my brother in law. He took these so you can see what I’m riding, should anyone care. The red and white bike is GALAXY’s.

      Nice looking bikes guys. I see building bikes kind of like building cars, you know? You can mod out a Chevy Malibu or a BMW 7-Series and in the end, depending on your aftermarket parts, the performance will be quite similar. My philosophy, and I think you guys share this too, is that you gotta ride what you got. And you gotta ride the hell out of it.

    • #89463
      "INDIANADAVE" wrote

      "We now return to our regularly scheduled programming"

      I’m not quite sure what you’re trying to say here. If my instincts are correct, you’re being horribly elitist.

    • #89464

      Nevermind… My thoughts didn’t go down in type well.
      Thought we were getting way off on a tangent until I re-read the posts…
      Carry on…
      Nice Walmart bikes! Any more info and what do they weigh?

    • #89465

      My apologies, knowing what you meant, I guess it could feel like it was straying from the topic. I didn’t mean to, we were talking about our Walmart bikes. GALAXY doesn’t ride a Walmart bike anymore. That red/white frame is a K2 Evo3. I don’t know what it weighs, nor do I know my bike’s weight. My bike plenty hefty thouogh, I assume it weighs about 40-someodd pounds. Feels good and solid for a bike that sees a lot of punishment. I don’t like light bikes; it feels like I’m riding an empty beer can that’ll crumple if I hit something with it. I don’t worry about weight. My legs are plenty strong and can propel me over just about any hill. 😀

    • #89466

      No problem…
      My Mongoose weighs 38lbs. My Trek weighs 24…
      My legs are too strong yet, so that 14lbs will make a big difference riding up the hills around here.

    • #89467
      "SaiyanFury" wrote

      My apologies, knowing what you meant, I guess it could feel like it was straying from the topic. I didn’t mean to, we were talking about our Walmart bikes. GALAXY doesn’t ride a Walmart bike anymore. That red/white frame is a K2 Evo3. I don’t know what it weighs, nor do I know my bike’s weight. My bike plenty hefty thouogh, I assume it weighs about 40-someodd pounds. Feels good and solid for a bike that sees a lot of punishment. I don’t like light bikes; it feels like I’m riding an empty beer can that’ll crumple if I hit something with it. I don’t worry about weight. My legs are plenty strong and can propel me over just about any hill. 😀

      Maybe in Florida…

      Just sayin’ man. Light bikes are cool, and I wish mine was lighter.

    • #89468

      Fun topic and I didn’t mean to skew it off course,haha.

      I really like and agree with what soezgg said…"I see building bikes kind of like building cars, you know? You can mod out a Chevy Malibu or a BMW 7-Series and in the end, depending on your aftermarket parts, the performance will be quite similar. My philosophy, and I think you guys share this too, is that you gotta ride what you got. And you gotta ride the hell out of it."

      This is illustrated in SaiyanFury and I’s love for modding the hell out of a $4000 car, (do not even think honduh,we still have SOME self respect) with $10,000 in parts and ripping more expensive cars a new one off the line.

      Anyway,nothing wrong with a Wal-Mart bike if it gets you out riding and interested in the sport.They are the entry level rides for beginning mountain bikers across the country and they do deserve a minor amount of respect for getting people interested in the sport.

      At some point,the riders skill and aggressiveness will will bring up the need for a new,quality bike that can take the aggressive riding.

    • #89469

      Department store bikes used to be at least tough… I had a Huffy as a kid and beat the snot out of it. Bombing down hills in the woods, crashing into trees, running thru creeks, jumping homemade ramps over the ditch, jumping the dirt halfpipe we made in a huge ditch. Never broke anything major.
      Even my 15 year old Pacific from Target has survived a lot of abuse. I was just out looking at it (trying to borrow the pedals for the Trek) and it is in really good shape other than some cosmetic scrathces and stuff. The more expensive Mongooses might be the exception, but I don’t think most Walmart bikes could take the abuse nowadays. "They don’t make them like they used to."

    • #89470

      This will be an interesting post. In an interesting development, me and GALAXY went riding at the Rock in Gainesville around midnight tonight. There’s a 1 foot drop near the end of the trail that until today I’ve never attempted. Well, today I got up the balls to try it. I did the drop just fine according to GALAXY, but when I landed for some reason or another my front tire got stopped a half second after I landed and I went over the handlebar. No injury to me personally, I looked back at my bike and realised that I had banana-d my front tire. Here comes the interesting part. In my 31 years on God’s green Earth, I have not once bent a single tire on any bike I’ve ridden. Earlier today I went in to Gator Cycle in Gainesville to have my new wheels built with dual-walled rims. Then today, the very same day I bring my rims and hubs to the store to have new wheels built, I bend my rim for the first time. God certainly has an interesting sense of humour. 😛

      I beg the Mods for forgiveness in reposting this in this thread, I merely thought more people might read it than in my Drop thread. I still find it amazing that I banana-d my front wheel on the same day that I submitted my new wheels to be built. Maybe it’s coincidence, but a large one by any stretch. I hold that it almost seems divine that it happened. I’ve never bent a rim so bad, it’s unridable before. 😆

    • #89471

      It wasn’t so funny at the time,but it is now…I’ll have to get a picture up.

      The frame may be built like a tank but those Wal-Mart rims are built like a beer can.He hit loose dirt and leaves trying to turn back onto the trail and that thing just folded and tossed him over the bars.

      To his credit though,that’s an odd drop even during the day so to hit it at night and land it was very good,just that loose dirt grabbing his angled tire was bad.

      Here is a link to the pics thread.. [url:2m1wrwpa]http://forums.singletracks.com/viewtopic.php?f=101&t=4908[/url:2m1wrwpa]

    • #89472

      sold the ‘goose last night…
      The college girl that bought it wants to come ride with me sometime too…
      So the ‘goose will still be hitting the trails for a while.

    • #89473

      Glad to hear it got a new home and will still get to see some dirt,kinda crummy if it were to just sit around collecting dust.Gonna invest in any parts for the Trek with the money?

    • #89474

      The Trek just got new (used) X-9 shifters and rear deraileur, new shifter cables, new 9 speed rear cassette, new chain, and used (freebie) bashgaurd…
      Kinda recouped money already spent.
      Trek shifts smooth as butter now. also like the ground clearance from the 2×9 conversion!
      Can’t wait to hit the trails with this thing now!

      Oh yea… It’s also picked up Ergon grips with small barends and a small pump along the way.
      Rode it down in Brown County Saturday and rode almost as a singlespeed my rear shifter cable was so bad… Vowed right then to get this thing converted!

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