This leads to the feeling of sitting or standing “on the bike” rather than “in the bike.” Novice riders will likely find this feeling to be remarkably uncomfortable. When in doubt, gravitate toward one of the 26-inch offerings or even a 29. Turning back to the Mongoose story, the 1970s had treated the company well and momentum was only further embellished with the successful release of ‘E.T. At this point, Mongoose is still one of the leading companies in progressing BMX and have been designing and manufacturing products for close to a decade. For the most part, Mongoose was renowned for pushing the boundaries of BMX technology in a popular and authentic direction, however primarily in the BMX race scene. 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.
Skip Hess went on to develop the Electra brand, but he stepped down in 2014 when it was sold to Trek. When I think of the old mongoose from my childhood, I think of those huge circle gussets, odd square section, and loop tails and the dull nickel chrome finish. In all seriousness though, if my currently 8yo niece wanted a Stranger Things Mongoose, I’d happily buy her one and just swap over the dodgy looking parts for better quality parts. His work has appeared in Bicycling, Cycle World, Road & Track, WIRED, Wheels Weekly, EVO Malaysia, Esquire, and many other publications. His original design for a guitar, the Melody Burner, has been played by Billy Gibbons, Sheryl Crow, and others. Mongoose also sells the Legion 18 for children between 3-feet-8-inches to 4-feet-8-inches.
Obviously, the cost to ship to these states/countries isn’t cheap, but these bikes are affordably priced even with the cost to ship to these locations. Whether shop here at Albe’s BMX or at , we’re just stoked to help get these beauties to hardcore ‘Goose fans anywhere in the world. At Ivanhoe Cycles, we have one of the largest range of Mongoose BMX bikes in Australia. From the base level Legion L10 to the high-end Legion L100. When it was shipped to me, the forks and stem were still on the bike and I never took them off. I like mine too, I just wonder how an old school would feel in comparison.
In Hawaiian culture, the word “kulana” represents simplicity and practicality. Built on these beliefs, Kulana bikes offer an affordable way to enjoy a stylish ride along the beach. So put on your swimsuit, grab a towel, and enjoy a laid-back ride on a Kulana cruiser. Coming only a year later was the 1983 Australian film ‘BMX Bandits’, arguably resulting in an even more significant impact on BMX than ET. The film is famous for being shot in the northern beaches of Sydney (primarily Manly), featuring Nicole Kidman in one of her first ever acting roles and for its portrayal of BMX in its freestyle form.
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. The sky was the limit for BMX and no one had a better grasp on that than Mongoose. Fittingly, this article starts with Skip Hess, the founder and brains behind Mongoose until his directorship ended in 1985 (to which it was sold to American Recreation Group). Born in 1937, on the back of his fathers untimely death, Skip and his mother moved to California where a love for all things mechanical and speed were fostered. Skip spent his days hanging out at a local body shop, immersing himself in the track community as well as racing track and road bicycles, not to mention picking up a mechanical engineering degree from San Diego State University.
As part of this interview it is noted that the date of the very first BMX race was November 1970. For almost 40 years, Mongoose has been in the dirt, on the trails schwinn electric bike and off the ramps. Founded in 1974 in a Southern California garage, Mongoose has always been an aggressive brand with products that push the limits of what a rider can do. From the biggest hits on the mountain or in the park to the urban jungle, Mongoose is an authentic brand that produces durable products built for real riders.
Originally written with 9 year old characters in mind, the lack of finance meant that the script was re-written by a different team, this time pivoting to teenagers as the central characters. This was a crucial shift, and one which ultimately led to the success of the film and in turn, the cementing mongoose excursion of BMX in popular culture. Inevitably, wider society was sooner or later going to come into contact with BMX. A significant milestone in this regard was the release of the 1982 film ‘E.T.