Sporting the brand’s signature Lefty fork, the Bad Boy 3 stands out from the crowd, featuring a fully blacked-out look designed to blend in. It’s an exciting mix, but works perfectly for the Bad Boy. Other features include a Shimano Altus 2×8-speed drivetrain that provides a wide gear range, powerful Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and 650b wheels that blend durability and speed. You might find you’ll want to upgrade to something lighter sooner than you’d think. If you are planning on using the bike in rain or bad weather, we do strongly advise choosing a model with fully sealed bearings all round. Mongoose was born from BMX racing with products that push the limits of what a rider can do on the track.
Time 2 Shine was selected as 1 of the best bike shops in America for 2020! Join our mailing list to receive Singletrack editorial wisdom directly in your inbox. As a taller person, I think I would possibly put higher rise bars on it eventually. All in all though, I’d most likely just leave it it until I significantly damaged or broke anything on this bike before I’d invest in any upgrades/replacement parts. The bike has almost totally cured me of the aging MTBer’s bad habit of hanging off the back of the saddle when things get hairy. If you hang off the back of the Mongoose Fireball Moto you go wrong.
Mongoose’s latest line of BMX race bikes, the Title series, have been designed using that same race pedigree. The latest line of BMX race bikes, the Title series, mongoose dirt bike has been designed using that same race pedigree. Our latest line of BMX race bikes, the Title series, have been designed using that same race pedigree.
Freecoaster hubs feature a “Slack” before engagement while pedalling forward. This means that you can turn the crank a set amount (Usually an adjustable amount) before the drivetrain engages. This is referred to as the “Slack”, when riding backwards you must keep your feet positioned within the slack, if your pedals rotate too much the drivetrain will engage and your pedals will start to rotate. The smaller the slack, the harder it is to keep your pedal positioned within it while riding backwards. This means that certain tricks are harder to perform, especially those that rely on pedal pressure, for example Tire Taps. The main difference between the two is the way the bike performs when going backwards.
The 29-inch Street Performer is a big-wheeled beauty with a retro front triangle frame, double wall rims, and fully sealed bearings. These specs are just a little better than the mongoose dirt bike run-of-the-bike-life mill. The only things that would be notably different would be the tyres (larger volume and knobblier), fork (more travel) and seatpost (much, much longer).
Consult your preferred manufacturer’s spec chart before ordering. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Whether it be freestyle or race every single one of our staff is a die-hard BMXer so you know that you’re always getting the best advice. Safety is always a top priority when it comes to BMX riding, and the California Special delivers with its DiaCompe MX brake kit.
Freestyle and/or recreational riders have a wider range of options. Manufacturers like Sunday offer skatepark-specific bikes with wheels from 12 to 22 inches and a diversity of frame sizes. The BikeLife crowd prefers 26-inch or 29-inch wheels, although 24-inch and 27.5-inch options are also available.
The bike has also doubled (trebled?) as a pub bike and a camping holiday rag-around bike. By its very nature (and diminutive stature) that any family member or friend can grab it and use it to go to nearest thing they need to go to it on (shop, bar, toilet etc). This bike has lived with a lock permanently attached to it somewhere (seatpost or handlebars usually). The bikes have limited availability, and are currently on pre-order for the next ship date, coming the second week of December. They WILL sell out, so if you want one, follow the inks below and order now to receive it before Christmas. Through it all, the bike has needed a few flats fixed and a bottom bracket teardown, to eliminate a creaking down there, and that’s about it.
Is annoying heavy for bunny hops, plus the internal wiring prevents barspins. That specialization means that, as with the mountain bike cousins, you will give up performance in one area to gain it elsewhere—but the diversity of adult-sized BMX bikes is not nearly as outrageous as it is on the mountain. It’s possible to race on your skatepark bike or vice versa. As with most things we buy, our final decision is based not only on what we want but also on what we can afford—and somewhere in the middle is the best option for the money and the riding you do. So while a $6,000 custom commuter bike might make you starry-eyed, there are plenty of sub-$1,000 possibilities that fit your needs. And while a $500 city bike is easier on the wallet, it might not offer the best features for longer commutes or those with mixed terrain.