Arguably, that Mongoose hired ‘Magoo’ at this point was a milestone moment for the brand and one which helped to maintain the company’s trajectory and popularity. The man was and is a stalwart of the BMX scene, having remained relevant over multiple decades and having been behind the scenes of many different companies, events and products in BMX. Skip Hess started BMX Products, Inc. out of his home in Simi Valley, California in September 1974 with his first product being the famous Motomag One wheel. According to Skip “When the Motomags were the first and only product I produced, I could remain working from my home and garage in Simi Valley. I bought a van to transport the Cragar made heat treated castings to shot peening and then to the machine shop where after machining, the wheels were boxed and shipped.
Durability and robustness were now on offer and that meant only one thing, that the burning desire of BMX to advance was now well supported, a platform for progression had arrived. We have established this site because we have become aware of the many other loyal Vintage Mongoose owners and former owners throughout the world who want information about their Vintage Mongoose bikes. It is a place where you can get technical information about schwinn mountain bicycles parts, interviews, racers, company history and even a few restoration tips. We have a vast library of original brochures, dealer price sheets, and interviews, with the man behind the company, Skip Hess. Born out of a garage in SoCal back in 1974, Mongoose is synonymous with BMX. Mongoose designs BMX Freestyle and BMX Race bikes for riders of all ages and ability levels, and our bikes are trusted by some of the world’s best riders.
Interestingly, attitudes towards scooters are similarly harboured to this day, with scooters (albeit in a different form) continuing to polarise people and continuing to be the easy option, the low hanging fruit. For the Mongoose brand and its long history, the role of BMX bandits further improved the iconic status with the chrome ‘Supergoose’ model (with blue wheels and accessories) being ridden by one of the central characters ‘Goose’. Young ‘Goose’ is joined by another BMX bike enthusiast ‘P.J.’ who one day have a run in with a young trolley collector by the name of ‘Judy’ and embark on a journey to help her tally funds to buy a BMX bike. From here, the film centers on the trio as they find themselves embroiled (unintentionally) in a series of shady situations as propelled by a couple of halfwit goons attempting to rob a bank. As earlier eluded, ‘Judy’ was played by a teenage Kidman, emerging out of a field of 200 audition hopefuls, Nicole was noted as having a remarkable ability to understand, interpret and adapt to a script. Since Mongoose only offered these bikes in the continental USA they have been working hard to find a way for people in Canada, Alaska/Hawaii, Mexico, UK, ect, to get their hands on them and that’s where we come in.
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 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.