The Mongoose 3-piece cro-mo (Solution?) cranks however were not. Ya but the carbon frames and the kinesis frames were usa, thats what I was referring to. In the end, the quality of the frame does not have much to do with the country of origin, so much as the quality of materials and personnel who build mongoose bicycle it. There certainly have been plenty of Mongoose models with all Cro-Mo frames over the years. Clearly there were many awesome US built frames, My MCS, Patterson, or my JMC cruiser are good examples, but realistically, those were not the same market niche as a Californian, a 500B, or a Mach 1.
Youth freestyle bikes are sized depending on the diameter of the wheel staring at 12” all the way through to 18”, at a 20” wheel the bike is considered an adult size. Adult freestyle bikes are sized on top tube length, a 18.5” top tube is extra small for younger teenagers who have just moved up to an adult bike, a 20” top tube is small, mongoose dirt bike 20.5” a medium and anything over a 21” is considered large. Although this may seem like a brilliant feature, it does come at a price! Freecoaster hubs feature a “Slack” before engagement while pedalling forward. This means that you can turn the crank a set amount (Usually an adjustable amount) before the drivetrain engages.
These are great to get a feel for the sport but would not be able to keep up in a competitive environment. For first time riders new to the sport our entry level bikes, priced from £200-£400, are perfect, most of these are made from high tensile steel which means they are still relatively strong, but can be slightly heavier than higher end models. You might find you’ll want to upgrade to something lighter sooner than you’d think. If you are planning on using the bike in rain or bad weather, we do strongly advise choosing a model with fully sealed bearings all round. Freestyle bikes are designed for the skatepark, the streets or the trails.
Typically, they are constructed from lightweight materials like aluminium and carbon fibre to keep the weight down and the rider at the front of the pack. These bikes are strong enough for smooth landings on race and pump tracks but will not take the abuse that a freestyle bike would in concrete skateparks. If you’re looking to set fast lap times or begin your competitive career on the track, a race bike is the right choice. If you are already confident on a bike and have some experience in skateparks or performing tricks and jumps then we would recommend choosing a mid-range bike, priced from £400 to £700, with a full Chromoly frame, fork, and bars. This will be lighter and stronger than an entry level model.
From a design point, it’s kind of apples and oranges, really. From a weight, geometry and design standpoint it is a better frame. Build quality completely depends on other factors that are beyond our, or in fact Mongoose’s control… How much is the shift supervisor getting for running the production line 15% faster than it should be running? Did the tube fit finisher get laid the night before? Typically you see it when a frame tube ruptures or a weld breaks, but sometimes it shows up in odd ways, like a frame having the wrong brackets, etc.