I received my test bike directly from Mongoose and needed to do some of the final assembly myself. Replaced it with a Sunlite Cloud-9, Bicycle Suspension Cruiser Saddle, Cruiser Gel that you can see in the first photo. Since its introduction in 2014, Grade has pushed the boundaries of adventure riding.
It has both front and rear brakes, with the front ones being able to absorb shock on impact. Whether you’re new to riding or experienced, this fat bike is described by many people who bought it as being fun to ride. Similar to the previous bike, many reviews say that this is a good bike for the price, especially if you make minor upgrades on a few of the parts. One of the selling points of the Mongoose Switchback Expert is the tapered head tube, which the Comp version does not offer. The idea is that a buyer could upgrade the fork down the road to something better, but honestly it’s not going to be worth the expense.
I worried about flat tires so I added a bit more pressure than I usually run on my other bikes—about 20-25psi—and I recommend buyers do the same. The drivetrain is generally pretty quiet when pedaling on smooth surfaces, though things start to clang the faster (and rougher!) you ride. If part of your calculation for buying the Mongoose Switchback Expert is that you might upgrade parts over time, I say look at another bike. If you just want a bike that you’re going to ride as-is for as long as possible, the Switchback Expert could be the right choice.
In my experience, this is pretty common for bikes in this price range. The Sensor is ready to feast on all the features you can dream up, down or over. With an optimized frame design, this steed is significantly lighter than its previous iteration and is fine-tuned to fit a wider range of riders. GT’s pedal-assist electric bikes are designed around going further and discovering new places. Discover how many more trails you can grind your way up, how many out-of-the-way p…
At its full retail price of $949, the Switchback Expert is overpriced. At the current $549 price, I’d say it’s priced about right. Tires are usually an inexpensive upgrade that can make a huge difference in the way a bike feels, but here again, buyers likely won’t want to mongoose fat bike bother. The included wheels feature narrow, 18mm rims that are even narrower than what you might find on a gravel bike today. For that reason, it doesn’t make sense to run anything wider than the 2.25″ tires specced despite what appears to be plenty of frame clearance.
So far, I’ve only ridden it around the driveway and already hate the terrible twist shifter. The stock seat/torture device was replaced with an XL wide seat before it was even assembled. Get special offers, exclusive product news, and event info straight to your inbox. The original chain was worn out by that time, so I replaced it with a KMC Z sp. I knew that I couldn’t expect much for $212 and free shipping. I didn’t bother to read reviews and wasn’t ready to spend a lot more, not knowing if I would even like riding one.
Mountain bikes are a great way for the adventurous to take their ride off the pavement and into the great outdoors. The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named. My chain fell off the chainring on one particularly bumpy descent, but otherwise, it held up pretty well despite lacking a narrow-wide chainring or a clutched derailleur.
The Mongoose Switchback Expert is an aluminum hardtail mountain bike with 100mm of suspension travel up front. It has eight speeds and 29er wheels with 2.25″ wide tires. The hydraulic disc brakes are a more powerful upgrade over the mechanical brakes on the Switchback Comp, though generally speaking they’re not as easy to maintain or repair. This bike comes with the same features as the other Mongoose models, only this one is made for kids (ages six and up) as well as adults.