Return of the Goose
1985 Mongoose ATB in chrome
A story about going back to Vintage mountain bikes
Earlier this year I snagged my first vintage mountain bike; a 1985 Mongoose ATB. I had just donated my State Core Line fixie in an effort to make room for an old 26-er mountain bike. Inspired by the vintage ATB/MTB community online, I longed for the feel of the mountain bikes I grew up with in the 90’s & early 2000’s. Yes, I loved my hardtail Giant 29er that I flung around the desert years ago, but there was something about the simplicity and nimbleness of the old 26 inch mountain bikes that I longed for.
Maybe it was nostalgia, maybe it was influence by the cool bike groups like Genosack and Hashknife, or maybe it was the trauma of my first big crash on a mountain bike when I underestimated the turning radius of that massive Giant 29er. No matter what, I wanted one of these vintage bikes to call my own.
I struck gold when I was at a Bike Saviours (@bikesaviours) art show and silent auction. This very cool event in early 2025 was held at the super eclectic Danelle Plaza in Tempe, Arizona. Bike Saviours had taken over a large space and filled it with art that encompassed the bicycle lifestyle and community. In addition to the art, they had some of their most iconic bikes displayed with clipboards to place bids in a silent auction.
I have been to auctions in the past, the traditional kind with an auctioneer speaking impressively fast but in a way that we all could still weirdly understand. I like those auctions. I like their energy.
Silent auctions, as it turns out, are not my thing.
When I want something at an auction, I will fight for it (figuratively speaking). When I laid my eyes on this chrome 1985 Mongoose ATB, I knew I had to have it. I also knew I had been saving a chunk of change for this vintage MTB quest I was on. I was to outbid anyone and everyone. Problem was, this type of auction is not something that’s over in seconds or minutes - it takes hours. You also have to check back to see if someone out-bid you.
I was circling the bike like a vulture that just witnessed the most juicy roadkill accident during rush hour traffic. It was right there, but I couldn’t just take it.
At the time, one person had bid and I upped the bid by $5. The total at the time was $125 for this rather pristine ATB. the last thing on my mind was how much this was actually worth. I just loved the way it looked and felt drawn to this bike. My friends and I also had old Mongoose & Huffy bikes like these back in the 90’s, so there was an ounce of nostalgia. It wasn’t until later that I found out these bikes go for a lot more, especially one like this.
This Mongoose had everything original, except the seat. Original grips, cantilever brakes, original rims, pedals, groupset, shifters - even the brake pads were the original Dia-Compe ones you’d get in the 80’s.
Two hours later, I won the bike at $125. I was ecstatic, and immediately rode it around the parking lot before loading it on my car to take home. For a 40 year old bike it worked pretty well. The volunteers at Bike Saviours do a decent job fixing bikes up to be in working condition.
That week I took the bike to a park to get familiar with it. Riding some single track trails, canal paths, and service roads had opened my eyes to how far we’ve come with bikes. A 40 year old mountain bike requires so much more attention when riding than a modern bike. Especially when 99% of the components on that 40 year old bike are original.
The original rims were slightly bent (and still are), causing an interesting effect when braking.
The brake pads had the stopping power of cheap sponges trying to stop a 2 ton truck.
The handlebar grips were so dry rotten they slipped off if you pulled back too hard on the bars.
This bike was old, but it was also perfect in my eyes.
While I knew I had to baby this bike the first few weeks or months of owning it, I definitely underestimated how much work it needed to keep functioning. Bike Saviours did a great job, don’t get me wrong, but 40 year old components that clearly had been beaten down by the desert heat were not going to cut it.
Upgrade, baby!
First thing I did was order new tires. The Kenda tires were fine, but I’m a Continental Girly™ and need my strong, puncture resistant peace-of-mind rubbers when riding in the desert. With the Race Kings ordered, I also ordered some heavy duty Slime™ tubes. I know some people don’t care for those things, but they saved me so many times when I was riding in the desert and picked up countless cactus thorns. Worth the added weight.
I got the tires on the bike and noticed something - one of the wheels wasn’t turning. The hub needed to be overhauled. This is where I become the Jeremy Clarkson of bicycles - I love bikes, I can ride bikes, but mechanically I’m useless beyond basic stuff like tires and cosmetics.
This would be one of many trips to Rage Cycles for the Mongoose (@RageCycles). I trust those folks with any bike I bring there, and this one seemed like it was kind of their specialty. They knew exactly what to do and fixed it right up. Later on I ended up taking it back to have the cables re-done and the rear freewheel replaced. Stuff that just goes out on a bike after four decades and doesn’t show it needs attention until you’re taking it on 20+ mile rides.
Needless to say, this has been a learning experience. Beyond the tires, a hub, cables, and freewheel; I’ve also had to replace the grips, pedals, and the brake pads. The grips are some tasty BL Select chocolate bar grips from Blue Lug. Ordered in black as I want anything on this bike to look like it sort of belongs there.
Fun fact: rubbing alcohol is great for getting rubber handlebar grips on a bike. I didn’t know this. Just spray some in the grips and on the bar, then slide them on. Once they dry, the grips lock in and stay on.
I had never replaced brake pads for cantilever brakes before, and I’m not going to lie here: it’s a pain. After too many hours, the Kool Stop pads were on and work like a charm. There’s still bent/dented rims, so it’s a little jittery when braking, but the bike definitely feels like it’s more controllable now. Only thing I’m bummed about is the old brake pads really added to the vintage aesthetic of the bike.
The pedals are the most recent thing I replaced, swapping out the originals for some MKS/Crust Super Gordito pedals. These seemed close to the 80’s ATB aesthetic of the original ones, even keeping the black/chrome theme going. I do need some thicker shoes though because these MKS pedals have some teeth on them. I can literally feel the pedals through my shoes.
Accessories are the other category of upgrades, with the following added for safety and some convenience:
Chrome water bottle cage
Blue Lug Stem/Saddle Bag
Koma front and rear lights
Blue Lug Triangle Reflector
Peak Design phone mount
Chrome bell
NiteRider 600 Lumen light
Nitto wire guard for saddle bags
The extra light is for extra visibility in darker parts of the city. I also hate bicycle computers - I think they’re the biggest waste of money for how expensive they are. A phone mount is a must, and the Peak Design one offers some nicer looking cases than the Quadlock ones I was using for years before.
A work in progress
This Mongoose ATB has been a journey, and a great one too. I’ve grown to appreciate that the work being put into it is going to keep it running longer. I intend to ride this bike more and more, using it rather than trying to preserve it. At some point, I fully expect the wheels will need to be replaced, I may also swap the groupset for something more modern and clicky vs. the temperamental friction shifters it has from the 80’s.
For now this bike has been teaching me to slow down, take it easy, and enjoy the ride. It’s still crazy nimble around the single track paths at the parks - maneuvering way easier than my Surly. With the questionable braking and needing to really commit to a gear for longer than 20 seconds, I definitely don’t have my skills honed enough to really fly through those parks. The Mongoose did, however, re-vitalized my love for these types of dusty rides in the parks and preserves.
I also think these older mountain bikes force us to become better cyclists. The work is really on us, the rider, to think through everything instead of letting the bike smooth over our mistakes.
Eventually I won’t be worried about this bike and will throw it around the trails a bit faster, but for now I’m just going to be a good student and try to remember how the hell I rode these things like I did in the 90’s.
