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Mongoose Blackcomb WHAT UP?

61K views 92 replies 26 participants last post by  kozsanr06 
#1 ·
SO i have this Mongoose Blackcomb and everyone hates on it... its not a Specialized or Chumba Racing i get it but WTF? Lets break it down... People say it has horrible components...i get that Walmart bike cant expect much.. now we're down to the frame whats wrong with the frame... its heavy ok... well jus an opinion and ive never actually raced but the fastest distance between 2 points is the straightest route right? so if the bike is heavier it will stay on the ground more correct? so no HUGE air which creates and arc and eliminates the straightest point.... and when it come to whoopd de doos it wont catch a whole lotta air so again straightest point and less likly hood for loss of control... any Blackcomb owners wanna put in their 4 cents or a dollar to this subject...

My Blackcomb:
Diamondback BMX Bigfoot Pedals(way comfortable)
Avid BB7 Rear Brake set up
Soon to be Fox Vanilla or Rock Shox Bar Rear Shock...
 
#79 ·
I've been down the road of the wallyworld bike. I've ridden 10k dollar mountain bikes, and a lot in between.
I am able to discern the difference in how an entry level, bike shop quality full suspension bike rides, Vs. the very same manufacturers higher end offerings. I can feel the difference in a couple degrees of head tube angle, or a shorter or longer chainstay.... I understand bicycle geometry. I also have about an 8 year background in welding and fabrication and will soon be building a frame jig to begin building my own bike frames, as such I've been researching a lot, and talking to a former professional frame builder to answer my fabrication and frame jig questions. I understand the science behind bicycles.

Regarding the blackcomb, the ditch, the and the similar bikes from Schwinn... they are basically the same thing with slightly different components, and slightly different geometries, all of them copy old suspension designs. Not a single one uses a pivot bearing anywhere on the frame, its all bushing style connections full of stiction and/or play. They have a severe amount of lateral flex, what this means is, anytime you stand to climb or spring you are flexing the frame laterally, not to mention the suspension bob due to the rear shock having NO dampening whatsoever. The dept. store schwinn I bought to start riding again after a hiatus of several years would experience tire rub if I stood up to sprint or climb. The frames aren't dangerous, or more prone to breaking, mainly because they are severely overbuilt, heavy gauge tubing is used on all of them. The hazard for "off road riding" is mainly the fork, and wheels, as they aren't designed for mountain bikes, but just as general use products for bikes that might see some gravel roads, but mainly will roll down paved bike paths. For most people who buy these bikes, this is fine... They get out of them what they paid for them, and typically they last a few years and then get thrown out. Summer time at the bike shop is a parade of people pulling dept. store bikes out of storage and wanting to get them tuned up so they can ride... then they hear 80 bucks for a complete tune and junk the bike, starting all over again, "I only paid 150 for it!"

The general attitude here is pretty much the best one to have:
If you already have one, great, ride it, fix small things if they break, but don't invest much in this bike, and when it craps out, if you are really wanting to get into this sport, buy a bike shop quality bike, and keep at it.

The attitude on used expressed by Irishmongooserider: just like you don't buy a used car from a private seller without having a mechanic check it over, the same should go for high end mountain bikes. the seller should agree to having a bike shop check it over, maybe meet you there with the bike. most shops offer free estimates, so have them check it out. it lets you know what you're getting into, as well as gives you bargaining room on the purchase, maybe the seller would knock off the cost that the shop gives you on the repairs. Don't forget though, if you are going to use a shop's services like this, you are sort of implying you plan to spend money with them, at the very least, buying whatever consumables you need from them, even if you can get them cheaper online and do it yourself.. maybe spend the extra 5 bucks on the new chain at your LBS instead of online, and buy your lubes and such there as well... MINIMUM, if you want that shop there to help you when you're stuck, you need to show them loyalty or they might not be around next time you need their mechanic.(not directed at you irishmongoose, just a "royal you").

Dept. store bikes can be upgraded to a safe level for basic trail riding/XC. They will not be as pleasant to ride, will not handle as well, will not climb as well, will not descend as well, and will not last as long. but doing this will cost you as much as a good used bike which will last you longer, and perform better, making your experience more enjoyable. Additionally, there are factors in these low quality bikes that start to become safety issues all their own, excluding complete failure of components, there are aspects that a better quality bike wouldn't suffer. For example, the pogostick rebound of the rear shock on these bikes can lead to OTB crashes because there is no way to slow it down. The flimsy fork and wheels can cause difficulty navigating technical rock gardens, or rooty sections of trail, causing deflection of the front wheel, again, potentially causing OTB crash, or simple front tire washout, point is, you're more likely to crash on inferior equipment then you are with better parts. The list goes on, but unless you are a VERY casual rider, who ventures into the woods only a few times a year, and mainly rides paved paths and some gravel/dirt roads, riding less than once a week, You should not look to make a long term ride out of a wal-mart bike.

this advice is an echo of posts I've made before, and the product of having been through upgrading a wal-mart bike, owning a "pro line" mongoose, working in a bike shop, and having metallurgical and metal fabrication knowledge. It can get you into riding, and that is awesome. And certain parts CAN translate over to a new bike. But the value in a bike shop quality bike is something that cannot be matched by dept. store mountain bike style bikes... and we didn't even get into frame sizing issues and proper fit, and how that relates to safety, comfort, pain while riding, etc.

This post is already a novel, but I hope it reaches people it can help to make a better decision regarding their new bike purchase, or what to do with the mongoose blackcomb they just got at a yard sale for 50 bucks to get into mountain biking with.

TLDR:
dept store bikes are not worth lots of upgrades, the difference in the frames is hard to understand without a fair bit of knowledge of bicycle frame design, and material specifications, but just understand they are on average, at least 150% as heavy as a comparable frame on a bike shop brand bike, are more flexy, come only in one size, and are not as strong, though not unsafe. the weak parts are fork and wheels, and are dangerous if they fail. Buying used is fine, but get it checked by a bike mechanic before buying. Dept. stores sell toy bikes, understand that you are getting a toy bike meant for kids to ride around the neighborhood, and plan your riding, and expendatures accordingly.
 
#19 ·
well jus an opinion and ive never actually raced but the fastest distance between 2 points is the straightest route right? so if the bike is heavier it will stay on the ground more correct? so no HUGE air which creates and arc and eliminates the straightest point.... and when it come to whoopd de doos it wont catch a whole lotta air so again straightest point and less likly hood for loss of control
:skep: hmm.. Have you ever actually watched a XC(cross country), DH(downhill), DS(dual slalom) race, or even observed trials? . XC, the lighter the bike the easier it is to maneuver and climb regardless of how much " pedal power " you think you might have and takes more energy to move a heavy bicycle. So in a 5mile XC race you'll burn yourself out trying to keep up with those using less energy on lighter bikes. For downhill the fastest/straightest point sometimes is getting air as it will take to long to grab a hand full of brake to slow down enough to keep the tires in contact with the ground which takes more time thus contradicting your theories.

ride on and have fun!
 
#13 ·
I've had a Mongoose Blackcomb for about six months, and it's not a bad bike for the money. Everything on it works pretty well, it's just a little heavy, which doesn't bother me at all, since I don't race. It's a great bike for going those places I don't want to take my Specialized Camber.

That said, I assembled it myself, and pretty much rebuilt it, regreased bearings, adjusted bearing play, etc. So it was set up right, and I think that made a big difference.
 
#61 ·
Here's a guy who is passionate about a brand because he used to race the brand more than 15 years ago when the brand was still strong and legit in the competitive world. He makes some good points on his videos that the Mongoose, Pacific Cycles distributed, bikes are a good value at $300 compared to the low end of the big names like Trek that cost double. And I see is a bunch of bagging based on brand and retail sales outlets.

You've got bad mechanic, who lists his two bikes as Schwinns (most likely really old frames) and Shwinn8, who lists his three bikes as really old frames, arguing that upgrading a heavy, outdated frame isn't cost effective.

It's madness.
 
#77 ·
This. :thumbsup:

My first bike was a Mongoose Otero. I thought it was the bees knees and everyone else spending all their money on higher end bikes were stupid. Then I blew out the rear linkage and realized that if riding is to become a passion, proper equipment is needed. Spending more money up front sometimes saves you a lot of headache and regret later.
 
#81 · (Edited)
This would be my infamous Mongoose Blackcomb known as "The Tank". I bought this bike in 2005 and it was my first mountain bike. I LIVED basketball for years, but as I got into my 40's and couldn't compete well with the 20 year olds anymore, I was missing that "passion" sport for awhile. On a whim, I decided to try mountain biking. I don't even recall why, I just remember I was more and more interested in it, and I had seen some at WalMart. I went down and bought a Mongoose 250 or some crap like that. I knew nothing, but it took me about 1 ride to know that it was a horrible bike. I returned it and then upgraded to the Blackcomb...it was $350 and I thought I was throwing down some serious cash. There was a serious of trails in the met park behind my house. It gassed me just riding a few miles, but I ended up coming up with a good flow of trails that was about 5 1/2 miles. I couldn't believe how this bike would just romp over anything in it's path. I couldn't wait to get home everyday to try to beat my time. I couldn't believe someone would spend thousands of dollars for a "proper" mountain bike. I did, however, have a bike shop guy set it up the best he could, so it was better than your average Wallybike.

My dad and I went to Colorado on a trip and I talked him into renting some mountain bikes. He enjoyed it so much that he was interested in buying one. We talked about it and decided on a mid-level Full Suspension bike for each of us. Now I was starting to see why these bikes were so much better. That bike was night and day from the Blackcomb. It was SO much better in every way. But I can say this. That old Mongoose was built like a brick ****-house. While my other bikes were breaking, the 'goose was always there as a backup. I was talking with one of my friends at the local bike shop, complaining that my expensive bikes were breaking, but my old beater WalMart bike never had a problem. He said that was because it was made of iron, and couldn't be broken. Still like that line! I kept the old bike around and rode it on occasion to make things harder for myself, and to appreciate what I had. I have beaten the living stink out of this bike, and somehow it just keeps on going.

Everyone would call it "The Tank", so I went with it. I took the original stickers off, and some Tank stickers made that I applied. I put the heaviest and slowest Kenda Stick-E Nevegals on it to make it heavier and harder to pedal. I bought a dirt lid to wear while I rode that behemoth just for effect. When I barrel by on a rocky trail, it sounds like a garbage truck just rolled by. The brakes and suspension are atrocious. I ride it now and it is like a baseball player warming up with a fungo bat. He swings that heavy ass thing around for awhile, then when he picks up that regular bat it feels like bamboo.

It is for fun, agony, and nostalgia. The bottom line on this bike, however, is that I would not recommend it to a first timer trying to get into the sport. I would probably recommend a hardtail from one of the bigger company's that you can get for a very decent price...or search over Craigslist and you can find a lot of good, older bikes for a very decent price that would work totally fine for someone new to the sport.

Bicycle wheel Bicycle tire Bicycle frame Tire Wheel
 
#7 ·
There is nothing wrong with riding your blackcomb. I wouldnt put any money into it though. Most people that have expensive bikes got hooked by riding lower end bikes. The problems you will end up finding is that the weight of the bike, along with the geometry will eventually limit the riding you will be doing, and also limit the skills you will be able to develop. The other thing to consider is that your bike came with a sticker on it that says "not intended for off road use". When riding on fairly tame trails, it wont be a big deal. But as skills progress and the terrain you ride one becomes harder on your bike, frame failure can become an issue. This happened on one of my first bikes many years ago and lucky for me, it didnt cause a wreck.

I would ride it the way it is and have fun on it. Save the money that you plan on upgrading and put it towards a different bike when your blackcomb breaks or your skills outgrow what the bike can handle.
 
#9 ·
well i needd a new rear brakes and jenson had a good deal on some BB7s so i got that with some jagwire but ill follow som advice on saving rear money on that shock for anew bike but i might need a new crankset cuz this one is almost past repairing and i need the bike for work..
 
#11 ·
In my opinion, you will gate hate from people who notice you making your bike seam a lot better than what it really is. When it come down to it, the Blackcomb really isn't anything special. Some of the parts one it are so generic that it doesn't have an identifiable company associated with them! So, it's completely normal for people to hate on it when someone makes excuses for every negative thing that bike has going for itself. Enjoy the bike for the price you paid for it. Don't go talking about a 300 dollar bike as if it's you spent big bucks on it...or else you will get people who bring on the hate.

PS: I love my 2010 Mongoose Otero Elite:)
 
#12 ·
In my opinion, you will gate hate from people who notice you making your bike seam a lot better than what it really is. When it come down to it, the Blackcomb really isn't anything special. Some of the parts one it are so generic that it doesn't have an identifiable company associated with them! So, it's completely normal for people to hate on it when someone makes excuses for every negative thing that bike has going for itself. Enjoy the bike for the price you paid for it. Don't go talking about a 300 dollar bike as if it's you spent big bucks on it...or else you will get people who bring on the hate.

PS: I love my 2010 Mongoose Otero Elite:)
A Mongoose Otero Is a very respectable bike that is worth doing upgrades too.:thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
Well, I purchased a Blackcomb back in '04 when they first came out (actually '03 when they first manufactured them), and it's frame was truly tough, though the components did need a bit fixing. I say "was truly tough", because the last few years they were building them '06/'07 on, they started to get crappy and cheaper material & components started to pop up on them.

I still have my Blackcomb, well, actually my wife rides it daily (dirt & urban) these days, but she still rides it on the trails. Of course in '06 & '07 I upgraded the rear shock to a RS SID, changed over to a Manitou Minute 130mm fork, and added BB7's. I had to change the rear derailleur when a rear derailleur of my friends Blackcomb blew up while I was riding it (swapped out bikes for a ride at Santos), so I gave him mine and just purchased a better one for mine. Besides regular wear and tear, it has been a very good bike. The wheels are not super strong though, but the original hubs are still on and rolling with no issues.

Regular maintenance is a key factor with all bikes to keep them rolling. Fortunately these are not high end bikes, though I have seen high end bikes break just as much, and coast even more to replace. I have three higher end bikes, but these are specific built bikes for my gravity feed pleasure, that are built for the DH/FR abuse i dish out on them whereas the Blackcomb would never handle. Though I have seen some abuse dished out on them and they held out just fine. I am guilty of some of those.

Why the dissing, because it is not a higher end bike and it is sold at Wally World. Get over it brothers. Nothing from Wally World is high class! Just as 'rkj__' posted.... "If you enjoy riding your Mongoose, then ride it with a smile on your face, and don't worry about the haters."

Go ride your bike and enjoy it as they are brothers.

I have seen many riders taking higher end bikes and doing things with them that their bikes were not built for. Hate on them if ya going to hate....LOL!

Peace & blessings upon all here. On-On!
 
#17 ·
Guys, guys, guys... you're talking crap about my bike. As the saying goes, it's all about the rider and not the bike.

Sure the Blackcomb's a Walmart bike, but it's the higher end model. It's not one of the cheap kinds for $90 bucks.

And my bike never came with a sticker on it stating that it's not intended for off-road use.

I get a kick out of all the pip-squeaks I see standing around on their $1,000 bikes. LOL And then I ride faster and better than them (might have something to do with the fact that I ATG squat over 400 lbs. and have more pedal power in my right leg than they do in their whole entire body).
 
#18 ·
You sound ignorant. :madman:

FWIW, mountain biking is a hobby, and for some people it can become a passion of some sort. So, people who are passionate about something tend to want to get the most out of it. Yes, you can make it down your local trails in a $90 walmart bike, but I can guarantee you won't make it down any trails at Whistler on that thing, or any aggressive trails at all for that matter. Just because you ride a cheaper bike than someone else doesn't make you a badass. Try riding a $3500 bike and see if you will ever want to ride your blackcomb again...
 
#21 ·
Sometimes this forum can be alot of unintentional comedy, lol.

The Blackcomb is a $300 bike that actually has a very beefy mainframe, with a steel faux bar (not a true 4 bar Horst link) rear end that can handle alot of abuse. It comes stock with Acera/Atlus drivetrain components and early models had WTB tires and saddle.

The too short on travel RST fork was a hindrance (made the geometry too steep, and no dampening of course on a $300 bike meant that it blew through its 80mm of travel) as was the single wall rims and sometimes weak mechanical disk brakes.

That said, if a rider had the desire to, it can be built into a decent bike (and yes, it's worthy as long as the owner feels that it is to THEM). I built one up into a nice budget Freeride bike and put it through the paces as I did with far more expensive bikes and it held its own.

I had built that one with Deore components, a Rockshox Deluxe rear shock/Marzocchi All Mountain 3 fork, Azonic bar/stem/post, Sun rims on basic hubs, etc and it turned into a reliable and sturdy bike that more than handled the urban freeriding I did with it. No DH runs or major stunts, but stair gaps and loading dock drops didn't faze it for the four years I had it. I then sold it, and regretted selling it because it had turned into a fun bike to ride. Now I found a frame cheap and am going to build it into another budget Freeride bike/ heavy duty trailbike. I'll be keeping a video documentary of the build on my YouTube channel for anyone interested.
 
#24 ·
Sometimes this forum can be alot of unintentional comedy, lol.

The Blackcomb is a $300 bike that actually has a very beefy mainframe, with a steel faux bar (not a true 4 bar Horst link) rear end that can handle alot of abuse. It comes stock with Acera/Atlus drivetrain components and early models had WTB tires and saddle.

The too short on travel RST fork was a hindrance (made the geometry too steep, and no dampening of course on a $300 bike meant that it blew through its 80mm of travel) as was the single wall rims and sometimes weak mechanical disk brakes.

That said, if a rider had the desire to, it can be built into a decent bike (and yes, it's worthy as long as the owner feels that it is to THEM). I built one up into a nice budget Freeride bike and put it through the paces as I did with far more expensive bikes and it held its own.

I had built that one with Deore components, a Rockshox Deluxe rear shock/Marzocchi All Mountain 3 fork, Azonic bar/stem/post, Sun rims on basic hubs, etc and it turned into a reliable and sturdy bike that more than handled the urban freeriding I did with it. No DH runs or major stunts, but stair gaps and loading dock drops didn't faze it for the four years I had it. I then sold it, and regretted selling it because it had turned into a fun bike to ride. Now I found a frame cheap and am going to build it into another budget Freeride bike/ heavy duty trailbike. I'll be keeping a video documentary of the build on my YouTube channel for anyone interested.
2 things are going on here.

1. You are a shill for Mongoose

or

2. You drink too much

Either way you need to put in your sig your affiliation to Mongoose.
 
#23 ·
LOL, Pure 24k gold, this whole thread is gold, its the funniest thread ive read in ages, im going to have to start coming to the mongoose forum to get my laughs from now on.
OP, thanks for the laughs :D:thumbsup:
 
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