Founded in the mid-70s, Mongoose is one of the biggest names in bicycles. The company was founded by Skip Hess in Southern California and manufactured BMX bikes before quickly becoming one of the largest companies. Mongoose Bikes was a brand name of bikes originally designed, manufactured, and sold by BMX Products, Inc. Nonetheless, the popularity of the ‘Mini Scoot’ meant that the company was able to strengthen and consolidate its vision, the Mongoose brand continues. Another character falling under the ‘iconic’ umbrella is the infamous Harold ‘Magoo’ McGruther. With a BMX resume like no other (stemming from the early 1970s in which BMX was emerging), ‘Magoo’ arrives at Mongoose headquarters after having diversified and finessed product development knowledge at GT in the years prior.
Building on this positivity and rewarded for his management, Magoo is given more responsibility and ends up designing a number of products, including the ‘Hooligan’ (with Dennis McCoy) which is described by industry as the hottest bike of the year. His new recruits also blossomed into the most sought after bikers on the BMX circuit at the time, with ‘Fuzzy’ landing the very first cover of Ride BMX and Dennis McCoy dominating the Bicycle Stunt Series for 4 x years straight. Only sold in USA, Australia, Germany, Japan & New ZealandInspired by the 1984 Supergoose BMX bike, this iconic ride is perfect for the classic Mongoose connoisseur. 4130 Chromoly Supergoose loop-tail frame provides durability. Entering the 1980s, BMX as a sport has now outgrown its infancy stage and is maturing into its own distinct entity with a decade of existence to its name. This results in the formation of the ‘BMX Action Trick Team’ – being the first and most famous of the freestyle specific teams, including such legendary riders as R.L.
Some of the world’s finest riders ride Mongoose BMX Freestyle and BMX Race bikes. This is important because, as a rider, you should know which heavy bike you can handle. Heavy bikes have their advantages, such as stability, but they also have disadvantages because it can be difficult to transport them in areas with flat surfaces if you need to move them around. According to Skip, at its largest point BMX Products, Inc. employed about 85 people. In the early years Skip recalls that about 600 frames per day were produced at the Chatsworth location. Back in 1974, the BMX Products, Inc company was originally known for their famous MotoMags wheels which were produced from cast magnesium.
Classic Mongoose fans rejoice – the California Special BMX bike is back! Based on the original 1983 design, the new California Special is great for turning heads around schwinn mountain bicycles the neighborhood or at the track. It features a Hi-ten steel Mongoose frame built on original geometry of a legend for superior performance and durability.
After a couple years at the company and having progressed as far as the role would allow, a resignation was in order and the scene was set for Magoo’s next move, taking up a marketing and product management position at Mongoose. This article will highlight some of the key moments in the history of Mongoose BMX, touching on some of the ground-breaking products, the key characters, controversial moments and finally, the status of the brand and its presence in modern day BMX. Old school bmx decals for all your Mongoose and BMX Products bikes, including grips, pads, & seats.
For BMX to be shown in this light was a landmark moment – a demonstration to the general public of how rad BMX can be. LUXBMX offers free shipping on all orders over $199 (excluding bikes) Australia-wide with a flat rate express upgrade of $7.99. The Mongoose Legion L60 Bike is a good entry level BMX bike for someone on the slightly taller side.
The single speed drivetrain keeps riding simple, while the rear linear pull brake provides reliable stopping power. Plus, this race-ready ride comes with a USA BMX track sanctioned number plate. Leave the competition in the dust with the MXOne BMX race bike by Mongoose. Modeled after the iconic 1984 Supergoose, this BMX bike is sure to turn heads around the neighborhood or at the track. 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.
In its early years, Hess recalled that about 600 frames per day were produced at its Chatsworth, Los Angeles location. Shifting back to Skip, with his mechanical engineering knowledge and in working as an automotive rim designer at the time, the design and production of the first BMX specific wheelset (i.e. ‘MotoMag One’), the aforementioned problem had met its solution. Surely enough, purposefully crafted design was met with demand as the ‘MotoMag One’ was soon accepted by the BMX community as a superior product thanks to the trellis shape, ribbed spokes and light-weight alloy.
There certainly have been plenty of Mongoose models with all Cro-Mo frames over the years. The Mongoose 3-piece cro-mo (Solution?) cranks however were not. April 1984 was when all “Chatsworth” production ceased … People who don’t want to be restricted by a regular bike’s carrying capacity should look into cargo bikes. The Mongoose Envoy can be equipped with a wide array of cargo attachments, so you can carry anything you need, such as groceries and spare clothing.
It is perhaps overdue at this point to mention that the name Mongoose was the result of Skip, and interestingly, was taken from 5 x national drag racing champion Tom ‘The Mongoose’ McEwen. Pretty awesome to think that the very early roots of BMX have drag racing ties, as well as a more obvious association with motocross and skating (which was also taking off at the time, and also in southern California). Click the microphone in the search bar to try again, or start typing your search term. Identifying the serial numbers on the early Mongoose frames is actually quite easy and intuitive with this guide. The Mongoose Legion L40 Bike is ready for the beginner to intermediate level BMX rider. Features such as a sealed bearing mid bottom bracket and s…