Race bikes are optimized for competition, with stiff frames and precise sizing. Middle-aged riders looking to recapture some of their youth without cracking their kneecaps will be interested in a flock of new “retro” bikes that repeat the styles of the ’80s and ’90s forebears with more rider room and more durable materials. Last but certainly not least, “BikeLife” is a whole new approach to BMX born from avant-garde street riders in Harlem, Philadelphia, Oakland, and elsewhere.
For BMX to be shown in this light was a landmark moment – a demonstration to the general public of how rad BMX can be. This article will highlight some of the key moments in the history of , 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. The key for old school to be successful is customization…
Leading up to and including 1985, it is important to understand that BMX freestyle was absolutely booming and Mongoose fell somewhat short of capitalising on this phenomenon, with brands like Haro and GT being frontrunners in this market. For better or worse, Mongoose released the ‘Mini Scoot’, a ‘pro-level’ scooter which took the brand down a different path, a challenging, divisive and hugely successful one. Over the years, Schwinn has empowered millions of people, earning a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of riders.
For core BMX heads, the incorporation of a scooter under the Mongoose umbrella was tough to swallow, it being a much more accessible and cheaper product which wasn’t consistent with the essence of BMX, the spirit of the sport. Interestingly, attitudes towards scooters are similarly harboured to this day, with scooters (albeit in a different mongoose bmx form) continuing to polarise people and continuing to be the easy option, the low hanging fruit. The sky was the limit for BMX and no one had a better grasp on that than Mongoose. Pacific cycle made even more this year so anyone that wants this bike ? My rough estimate, there is around little over 6000 units sold since 2019.
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. The mid 1980s resulted in a significant downfall to the growth of BMX (primarily racing), enabled through the rise of adjacent modes (i.e. freestyle, mountain bikes and scooters) and a lack of mainstream interest. It was a time to either stick to your guns and perish or reimagine and grow. 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. For almost 40 years, Mongoose has been in the dirt, on the trails and off the ramps.