Customer Reviews

Mongoose Domain Men's Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels, Silver/Blue)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I bought this bike for my son (and yes, myself) to use when doing moderate/intermediate trails in Colorado. Colorado is well known as a cycling/active-outdoors kinda place so there are a ton of bike shops around and they all recommend getting the more expensive bikes (starting at $500 and going well up into the thousands). For my budget, spending a few hundred every few years instead of paying a few thousand up front was far more preferable. But because of the riding we wanted to do, I had to get something at least half way decent - not some Huffy or the like from our local Wally Mart. I am 5'11", my son is 5'7" so this bike (26" wheels, 18" frame) was perfect for us both. I also considered the more expensive Goosey bikes here on Amazon but their reviews were terrible so I decided on this.

Arrival:
First off, it arrived double boxed, about 4 days after it shipped on Amazon. The box was torn on one side with the pedal sticking out and naturally, a little worse for wear. A little disappointed, I opened the box expecting the worst but the damage was just cosmetic. You need a few tools and a few hours to put it together ... a lot of the parts are put into the box in reverse so that they could fit into a small space without getting damaged (the brakes/handles) and almost everything that came assembled was loose and required lubing/tightening. I am not by any means bike savvy but it took maybe 2 hours to put it together and get it adjusted right. Even though the manual is generic (covers a few bikes but not specific to any one), its pretty handy in getting it done correctly.

First ride:
The aluminum frame/wheels make the bike really light and the shifters are awesome. The bike held up well to basic dirt/mountain paths without any problems. The springs are still new so I guess they are stiffer than normal but the seat wasn't all that uncomfortable and I found the ride really good.

Conclusion:
I have only owned the bike for about a week now so I can't speak to longevity but will update my review if anything adverse happens. For the interim, the bike rides good and looks great. Well worth the money.

6 Month Later review:
The bike is still in good condition and has held up well to at least a half dozen trail rides (not counting road use). The suspension is still a bit stiff but getting better. Something to note: The brakes have needed to be adjusted twice .. (takes about 2 minutes each time) .. in the past 6 months. Once the chain came off and had to be put back on. Occasionally the gears slip but if you change down and up again while free wheeling, it gets back to normal. All of this seems very minor and normal use for any bike. And .. if that bike is only 130 bucks, its a bargain.

First, this is a "branded" bike made by a firm called Pacific Cycle. Pacific Cycle mass produces bikes and sells them under a variety of names, including Mongoose, through variety of retailers. That's not necessarily a bad thing; it just depends on what you need. This bike is perfect for riding around town. It's light, reasonably durable, and comfortable. I've owned it (actually, I own the Walmart version which is virtually identical) for nearly 3 years and haven't had any serious problems or defects. I primarily use it in an urban setting (roads, sidewalks, curbs, pot holes, etc), and occasionally take it through parks and bicycle trails. The bike excels at these uses, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a serious, off-road/trail bike - it just isn't made to withstand that kind of stress. In short, if you want a real off-road bike, go to a bicycle shop and pay 400+ dollars, but if all you need is a bike to get around town then buy this one.

I am amazed at the reviews given, not for just this bike, but for any cheap item on Amazon or elsewhere. What exactly do people expect when they are paying so little money? I just received this bike today and I'm quite satisfied with this purchase, given that I only paid less than one hundred dollars for this bike during a recent Gold Box deal.

In reading many reviews of bikes purchased through Amazon, I was quite apprehensive of the assembly needed once I received delivery of the bike. But it turned out that indeed most of the bike was already pre-assembled. I'd say probably over 80% of the bike is already assembled. You only need to place the front tire on and then tighten the front handle bars. Lastly, attach on the foot pedals and that's about it. It took us about 40 minutes to install and I'm by no means adept with assembling bikes.

Are their bikes out there which are better than this one? Of course. Can Mongoose improve on this bike? Absolutely. Can you use this for serious or professional outdoor mountain biking? Probably not. Do I plan to do that? No. If I did, I'd cough up $1000 and purchase a more serious bike to do that. Do I think this bike is worth the one hundred dollars I paid for it? ABSOLUTELY! Would I purchase it again for one hundred dollars? ABSOLUTELY. For the money, I think it's a great recreational bike. I will use this bike probably 5 times a week for about an hour or two at most riding around the neighborhood and nearby bike trails. So for me, it's more than adequate. I don't need anything more expensive currently. All in all, I'm quite satisfied with the bike for the money. I wholeheartedly give it 5 stars given the price I paid--less than one hundred dollars.

I do have one concern with this bike. I haven't been able to raise the front handle bars to a higher level. I have to lean/hunch down too far to ride it as of now. I need to get this fixed and it should be a very nice ride given the amount I paid. This has more to do with me figuring out how to raise the handle bar than the design of the bike. I'm certain it's possible to raise the handle bar, but I haven't figured it out just yet.

I've had this bike for around 6 months now, and am happy with it. However, before buying, you should be prepared for a few things:

Yes, the bike is cheap, and with free shipping it is the best deal you could possibly get for a dual suspension, however, there are some hidden costs involved:

1) New seat - the seat given is really uncomfortable and is one of those quick releases, so if you live in a urban area, gotta get something a little more secure.

2) Tune up - If you know nothing about bicycles, like me, you're going to need someone to play with this one a bit for you. They do a very poor job assembling it, so there are little things here and there that need to be fixed. For instance, my back brake didn't work at all. There was nothing wrong with the break itself, but they guy at the shop said something about "drag" and whatever else, but they were able to fix it, along with other loose screws and misalignments.

The frame is a bit small. I am 5'11", and the bike is definetely small for me. However, it is bearable, and I'm comfortable enough.

Also, if you're using for city riding, the most annoying thing about this bike is there is no convenient place to put the lock while riding. I typically have to hang it on the handlebar, which sometimes gets in the way. The oversized tubing is too oversized to place the lock holder anywhere.

Overall, though, I am very happy with the purchase. It is perfect for riding around the city. The suspension is solid enough to make going over pot holes and curbs comfortable, the ride is easy enough to go over moderate hills (like bridges), and wheels are sturdy enough to cut through parks. I say, if you're not picky, and are just looking for a good deal, this is the perfect bike if you're willing to put up with the imperfections.

I have had this bike for over a month now. It seemed to be working well initially but i would not recommend it to anyone who is planning too ride the bike off-road. Th gears need to be tweaked.... one of the peddle broke ... literally .. split in two ... and i never dropped the bike or anything so can't say much about the quality... it is also heavy so dont expect to be biking uphill in this.

But if you want a bike to ride in flat terrain ... for a mile or so every day .. then its not bad.

considering that my next-door bike shop was selling something similiar for over 350$, I suppose this a great bargain. If you're not a pro I think you'll like the bike as well since it does exactly what it's supposed to.

Assemblying was super easy and I was using the bike just 1/2 hour after receiving, even if instructions are not provided. Anyway remember this is a cheap bike so you might consider having it checked at your local bike shop to get brakes and gears tuned up -it usually takes 1 hour of labor-.

hi, i just assembled my bike. Took about 2 hours to get it perfect (this include time to figure out.) But if you know what you are doing, it takes less than 30 min. I included my little instruction for those who might need it.
To set it up, you don't really need a manual because it is not so specific for this bike. You gonna need lots of difference sizes of L-keys and some small wrenches to tightend the screws. The bike comes mostly assembled, though.

Major parts to make sure are the brakes. You need to unscrew/screw and adjust those. Remember, everything can be taken apart. So, don't afraid to take those apart.
For the handle bar, all you need to do is take out the black rubber protective cover, and slide it in the tube of the bike. Then, using L-key, just tighten it. For the seat, you don't need any tools. Just slide it in and press the lever.
For the front wheel, take off the protective black rubber bar. Then unscrew the cables holding the brakes so that you can put in the wheel. After the wheel is in, you can put the brakes back. Make sure the brakes are on the rim and not on the tire. (everyone probably know this!)

I am only 5 foot 7 inches tall, so the bike is a little big for me. With the lowest seat settings, my inseam is less than 1 inch away from the bar. But it's alright. Once i start riding, it doesn't make any differencce. I get used to it now and I can handle perfectly fine.

As always, Amazon shipping was super quick. No scratches or defects except a tiny dent in the handle bar.

For the price, you're really getting what you expect-not too cheap, not a luxury Trek. I only have 3 real complaints about the bike-
1) Like many other reviewers said, the bike is assembled poorly-I had to turn the brakes around, as they were angled up, and I would never have been able to use them like that.
2) The gears are a bit testy-sometimes when switching between gears the chain will fall off. I should note that this could be my bike only, and that it is likely just an adjustment issue (I've never taken it to a shop yet), but certainly something worth mentioning.
3) The frame, which is thick, makes for some awkward positioning of accessories. My bike lock will only fit around my seat post, since there is no place thin enough on the frame to put it elsewhere. You can't have a long/big water bottle as it will scrape up against your tire when the suspension gives going over bumps.

Of course, for the fact that you're getting a full suspension, nice looking, 21-speed bike for well under $150, these are all tolerable. The only other issues tend to affect all bikes in the budget range-uncomfortable seat, poor initial construction, overall lack of features. I have put over 120 miles on it in the past two months, and it's holding up just fine-for the money, it's a great deal!

I bought this item and ended up having to return it twice. The second time I just requested my money back. I gave it 3 stars because I think for some people this bike could be a good deal.

The first time I had to return it because the wheels were damaged in shipping. This is the only product that I have ordered from Amazon.com that has been packaged poorly. My guess is because pacific cycle packages it for shipping to them and they ship it straight out to customers without doing their own packaging.

When I got the replacement I felt I had received a good bike for the price. The gear shifters didn't work the greatest but I was able to get a feel for how to work them. The brakes were also finacky. The dual suspension was great, I'll never buy another mountain bike without dual suspension.

The kicker was when I hopped a small stream bed. The front T-bar that holds the front wheel bent back and the tire locked up against the frame causing the bike to abruptly stop and me to take a short trip over the handlbars and into the dirt. I think it is reasonable to expect a mountain bike with dual suspension to be able to stand up to a hop over a stream bed carrying a 160lb man.

I think this is a good, inexpensive bike for riding on trails and roads. The dual suspension also seemed to privide a smoother ride but from my understanding, the primary purpose of a dual suspension is enable the rider to go over moderately rough terrain with more stability and less strain on his or her body. This bike will not be able to stand up to even moderately rough terrain, I was lucky enough that this one broke on me two days before the return period expired otherwise I'd be stuck with it.

First off, I was happy when I noticed the dual-boxed shipping that was done to help keep the bike from getting scratched. Then, after pulling the bike out of the box, I noticed some nice scrapes on the fork of the bike from where the handle bars were hanging when it was shipped. Also, on further inspection, I found some other paint scrapes on the back of the body as well. Also, after placing the front wheel on and checking if it spun straight, I noticed that it was way off. Basically, it wobbles. Fixing this either requires a trip to a bike store, or purchasing a spoke wrench to fix it myself if I understand correctly. This shouldn't have come like that in my opinion. This may get shipped back to amazon at this rate. Also spent an hour trying to get the shifter adjusted so it would work in all 21 gears. I appreciate that most of it was preassembled but come on. At least do it right.