Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media. Exceptionally well-designed, the Vado 4.0 has an SRAM NX, 11-speed drivetrain, powerful SRAM Level brakes, and an SR Suntour Mobie A32 suspension fork for a smooth feel. Power settings are adjustable via an easy-to-manage phone app, plus all of the needed accessories for commuting—rack, fenders, and lights—come standard. While the Vado is pricier than some other bikes in the class, it has a refined feel, a strong global dealer network in case of motor issues, and is a thrilling e-bike to ride.
Just as there is no one type of commute or commuter, there is no singular type of commuter bike. But thanks to new technology and a greater demand to live a two-wheeled lifestyle, the category is sprawling. We’re going back about 35 years with this photo of John Tomac.
This bike feels great to ride, especially on gravel paths and firm trails. Its construction is sturdy, even when traversing moderately bouncy surfaces. Though it isn’t designed for extreme mountain biking trails, the front suspension fork provides enough shock absorption to carry you over the bumps and cracks of your commute smoothly. Their improved traction and cushioning create a smooth ride, which can be a comfort to young, inexperienced riders. The Argus ST from Mongoose stands out in particular because it’s durable—important when it comes to roughhousing kids—and features strong hydraulic disc brakes, which should provide some peace of mind for parents. Whatever you want a fat tire bike to do, the Farley 9.6 can handle it; from challenging mountain trails and winter riding, to fat bike racing and loose surfaces.
When the Title Elite hit the market it caused quite a stir, and it’s easy to see why. Both models feature a flip-flop hub with a cassette body and fixed thread that lets you easily swap between fixed and freewheel cogs with a standard bottom bracket mongoose racing bike tool. And all adult Priority models use a quieter, cleaner, less-mess Gates belt drive instead of a traditional chain and cassette. A 680mm-wide, flat handlebar and 28mm WTB ThickSlick tires round out this clean-looking, stylish city fixie.
These days, he lives all over the world, performs music sporadically, and spends a lot of time thinking how to best improve his Honda Element conversion. To ride fast on firm ground, you’ll want to pump up to somewhere between 20- and 30 PSI, depending on how much bounce you can handle. With all that power, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this is also the heaviest mongoose bicycle bike on the list. It can carry loads of up to 300 pounds though, so it won’t have any problem carrying a hunter, backpacker, or other outdoor adventurer gear. On that score, though, it’s worth noting that with the default fenders and headlight, the RadRover 6 Plus isn’t compatible with some vehicle racks, particularly those that grip the bike by the front wheel.