Shifting worked out of the box and functioned well. To be honest, I don’t think my son has ever used a front derailleur until now. One-by systems mongoose bmx bike have all but taken over the mountain bike market. I have a 7 speed Shimano thumb shifter and aluminum mountain bike pedals on the way.
With that said, the bike handled as a fat bike should. My son was able to adapt his riding to match the needs of the machine. My son is also still a child and I don’t want to torture him too much. We will definitely stick to mountain biking with his Trailcraft, but I am excited to get my son out on some decent snow rides. It could be swapped for a shorter stem to add some downhill stability. There aren’t many kids fat bikes on the market, and generally this is for good reason.
He did a good video recently on some more budget parts (including hydraulic disc brakes) as well as he has been playing with a Walmart MTB recently. As with any bike, stay within your budget but get the best spec you can afford. Your bike will simply work better, and you’ll have more fun riding it. The Mongoose Argus Trail handled my excursions with ease. The bike carried my body weight well, did not flex, and is durable. This bike will outlast my son’s use because of it’s strength and componentry.
That said, there are plenty of families who need a kids fat bike for niche riding either in sand or in snow. For those select families, there is the Mongoose Argus Trail. Hopefully some training will allow him to be able to climb on his own for some of the ride. Sticking to flat nordic type trails for fat biking in the snow might be our best bet. The components as a whole function as they should.
The stock brakes kinda suck too so I was thinking about upgrading to Shimano hydraulic brakes in the future. Kristen is a USA Cycling certified mongoose bmx bike coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie.
After all, I own helmets that cost more than most of the bike sold in the big box stores. So when I was asked to test out the the Beast from Mongoose a agreed, although with a bit of trepidation. Despite my reservations however, I ended up having a great time on this bike, proving that when you put aside your preconceptions, even a $200 bike can surprise you.
Likewise, this isn’t the most agile of bikes either. Those big tires won’t turn on a dime and they certainly wont take the sharpest of corners. But then again, when they are capable of simply rolling over just about anything that gets in their way, the point is mostly moot anyway. The most notable feature on the Beast, at least from a visual stand point, are the massive 4-1/4″ tires.
The drive train is setup for either snow or sand riding and my son seemed to ride comfortably. Taking the Argus out was a different experience than the norm and we both had fun. Mongoose has given the “go-ahead” to do a long term review to assess the handling and function of the Argus once winter comes. So if you’re curious about how the bike performs in the snow, stay tuned…..
There is also a steel version sold at a slightly lower cost. Get special offers, exclusive product news, and event info straight to your inbox. Luckily, we have tow ropes to mitigate the complaints. Fat tires tend to make riding very stable. A Sunrace cassette and KMC chain round out the drive train. A cycling community enthusiastic about mountain biking and all things related.
The weight of the bike is nearly 34 pounds (15.04 kg) and it shows. That is almost as heavy as MY full suspension fat bike. Mongoose made a sound decision considering the weight that a child must pedal. Having a wider gear range makes for a versatile bike that can conquer the terrain.