In the premier event for Team USA, four women made up the eight-person gate in the Elite Women’s finals. Alise Willoughby (Saint Cloud, Minn.; Team Toyota/ Daylight Cycle Co.) was first out of the gate and never looked back winning her third World Championship title and securing her nomination for her fourth Olympic Games. Made for maximum comfort and colorful looks, these bikes bring some chill to warm-weather rides. Mountain bikes are a great way for the adventurous to take their ride off the pavement and into the great outdoors. Enter your email for the top stories in mountain biking, plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week. I received my test bike directly from Mongoose and needed to do some of the final assembly myself.
The Schwinn Axum is a bike that’s priced similarly to the Mongoose Switchback Expert (the brands share a parent company), though it weighs more and is only offered in a couple of sizes. However, the Axum mongoose racing bike comes with a dropper post and features wider and more stable 2.6″ tires. One of the selling points of the Mongoose Switchback Expert is the tapered head tube, which the Comp version does not offer.
The Mongoose 700c Elroy Adventure bike features a lightweight frame and a capable adventure geometry that makes it the perfect choice for exploring any terrain. The only thing limiting your riding options will be your imagination and willingness to explore. Mongoose offers mountain bikes for every MTB discipline, from downhill full suspension to dirt jumpers. Mongoose has the right mountain bike, whether you’re tackling technical terrain or exploring with the family.
To find the right size, check that you can stand over the bike with at least an inch or more between your crotch and the top tube. Then, check that the seat can be set about even with your hip while standing beside the bike. I tested a size extra large and found it’s a pretty close fit, though even at full extension the saddle is a bit short for me. Given my profession as a mountain bike journalist and product reviewer, it’s not unusual for friends and neighbors to ask me for bike recommendations. To the uninitiated, a $400 mountain bike looks pretty similar to a $5,000 bike, so why wouldn’t you just get the cheaper one? Maybe even the Mongoose Switchback Expert, on sale at your local Dicks Sporting Goods department store.
Just like it’s predecessor, it features a durable 4130 Chromoly Supergoose loop-tail frame with retro-style top tube pad for ultimate radness. The single speed drivetrain is simple to use and maintain, while the DiaCompe MX brake kit delivers super-fast, reliable stopping power. Plus, the new Supergoose offers the same unique Mongoose Pro Class drilled aluminum rims for superior performance that won’t weigh you down.
Axios Pro is a bike inspired by the BMX racing scene, and it is perfect for riding in bike parks, pump tracks, or for your first tests on BMX tracks. In quarter-finals, Cameron Wood (Peoria, Ariz.; Mongoose Bicycles) got crashed out by a competitor right out of the gate, ending his day earlier than expected. In the next heat, Corben Sharrah (Tucson, Ariz.; Daylight Cycle Co.) got caught behind a rider heading into the first turn and would not advance to the next round. Jeremy Smith (Seminole, Fla.; Hyper Bicycles) had a fast lap in the quarter-finals finishing third, but a crash in turn one of the semis left him out of the main event. The 8-speed drivetrain with a single chainring up front promises ease of operation, though some buyers might find the gear range limiting, especially on steep or long uphill climbs. My chain fell off the chainring on one particularly bumpy descent, but otherwise, it held up pretty well despite lacking a narrow-wide chainring or a clutched derailleur.