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…..
They actually look like they’ve come off a small car and on more than one occasion I had someone stop me to take a look at them. Those tires provide a bit of a floaty ride but they also allow this bike to simply roll over just about any obstacle. They’re designed to roll through snow and sand without any problems and I’d say they perform surprisingly well. I can’t attest to how well it rides in the snow (It’s still quite warm here in Austin), but I did ride through sand and deep sawdust, without missing a beat. Those big tires practically ignore rocks and logs on the trail too and they still manage to transition back to the road without too much of problem.
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 mongoose bmx bike 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.
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.
Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. Over the years, we’ve tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more. The components all functioned well with minimal adjustments needed and served their individual duties.
After an hour or so I found myself getting very uncomfortable in the saddle, even while wearing padded shorts. I’m over 6’2″ in height and often felt kind of cramped, even with the seat extended to its highest point. Clearly Mongoose didn’t have high performance in mind when they built the Beast, they were simply looking to create a bike that is fun to ride. mongoose bmx bike If that was indeed their aim from the outset, I’d say they succeeded. While riding the Beast I found myself pleasantly surprised with how enjoyable it was to roll down a trail with relative ease. I’m sure that on more than one occasion I pedaled along with a goofy grin on my face as my big, oversized tires crushed everything that dared to get in their way.
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 coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie.