"Phil" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> I'm think of buying the Mongoose for touring with full camping gear.
> Does anyone out there with one care to coment on it's suitability?
They are fine for fully loaded touring and pretty good value I think.
I bought one and took it on a 6 weeks tour in France last year and it
was great, not a single mechanical problem. I bought front and rear
racks and panniers and a handlebar bag. I did change the gearing
however, upgrading to ultegra 9 speed with a 12-34 cassette instead
of the 12-30 that came standard. The rear derailleur had no problem
shifting this. This gearing was fine for me even up L'Alpe Duez and Mont
Vontoux, but I did these climbs without luggage.
Also the tektro front brake was **** so I put on an Avid shorty caliper.
Better power but they squealed badly until I toed the pads out (not in).
Strange but it worked.
I see the newer EX model has 9 speed tiagra (but still only a 30 rear
cassette) and Avid shorty front brakes. I'm sure a bike shop would swap
the rear cassette for next to nothing to make a sale. Also make sure the
front forks have the rivnut in the forks for bolting on a front rack. Mine
didn't for some reason and I had to send the forks back for this.
Adam
