Table of Contents
Mongoose
BMX Products was started by Skip Hess in 1974 in Simi Valley, CA. He started making Motomag BMX cast magnesium wheels, followed by Mongoose BMX frames and later complete bikes starting in 1975.1) Later, At Chatsworth, with 85 employees, BMX Products produced 600 frames per day at its peak. 2)
They continue today as a successful mountain and bmx bike company.
Skip Hess, mongoose.com
1986 Mongoose Ad
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1982 Kos Kruiser
This example was purchased as shown from a Long Beach, CA bike shop, who built up the bike with five speed SunTour Cyclone GT (1978→1980) derailleurs. The 26“ Kos Kruiser was often converted to a geared cruiser, with many examples dating from 1981. It's not a mountain bike, but Mongoose must have noticed that much of the dirt action was shifting to mountain bikes and their customers wanted to ride bikes up hill and not just pretend to be motocross racers. This is Mongoose's transitional bike to their first ATB developed in 1983.
1982 Kos Kruiser
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1983 All Terrain Bike
1984 is the official release of the Mongoose ATB 3). The example to the right was built in November 1983, according to its serial numbers and probably didn't ship to stores until 1984. The timeline will use the earlier date, as the production Mongoose ATB was first built in 1983.
SunTour MounTech GTL (1982-3), chromed frame, slingshot stem, dual crown fork, Mongoose Pro Class BMX rims, which require special metallic rim strips.
1983 All Terrain Bike
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1984 All Terrain Bike
Biplane fork, slingshot stem, newer derailleur.
1984 All Terrain Bike
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1985 ATB
Square double crown fork continues for the ATB, while the ATB Pro gains a unicrown. SunTour GTL for the ATB while the Pro gets GTL II.
1985 ATB, 1985 catalog
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1986 ATB
SunTour MounTech II GTL, XC Sport shifters, Mongoose Pro Class rims.
1986 ATB
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1987 ATB
Shimano Deore, u-brakes, Ovaltech chainrings.
1987 ATB
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1988 John Tomac Signature
Full Deore XT with Biopace celebrating The Tomes, who would go on to be the winningest mountain bike rider ever.4)
1988 John Tomac Signature
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1989 IBOC Titanium John Tomac Signature
Titanium front end made by Merlin bonded to a steel back end. John Tomac raced on a full Ti bike by Merlin, but this one has bits made by Mongoose with a Merlin serial number. It also has a full Shimano XT group set, as per original spec. As sold, it should have come with Switchblade forks and a Tioga stem. See original review. IBOC := International Bike of Champions.
1989 IBOC Titanium John Tomac Signature
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1990 Sycamore
Mongoose's mid range mountain bike, just under their IBOC range and above more “urban mountain bikes.” SunTour XCT components.
1990 Sycamore
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1991 Hill Topper
A lower end Mongoose. “The best balance of performance and value.” Shimano Acera (budget Shimano - but not the bottom.)
1991 Hill Topper
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