Submitted by
Christian
a Weekend Warrior
from Marquette, MI USA
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2004
Strengths: Strong aluminum frame. Kalloy suspension seat post. Pro-Max brakes worked well.
Weaknesses: TD Pro grip shifts and TD Pro derailleurs. I have broken both shifters and the front derailleur. Ballistic fork doesn't provide real suspension.
Bottom Line:
I would recommend this bike to someone with a shoestring budget and who is a lot shorter than myself. The frame is only 18 inches and much too small for my 6'4" body. By owning and using this bike I have learned that I would rather spend $500 to $600 on a bike from a bike shop. This way, I get a bike that actually fits me better and I get a bike that has the components that I want. I'm giving this bike to my wife and buying a 21" bike with disc brakes and a real front suspension fork.
Similar Products Used: This was my first mountain bike. I had a Murray Baja 5000 when I was a kid.
Bike Setup: I have replaced the TD Pro grip shifters and front derailleur with a SRAM MRX gripshifters and a Shimano Acera X front derailleur. Everything else is stock.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Rusty
a
from Columbia Station, OH, USA
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2003
Strengths: For the price paid, this was a great buy but I found that not all A40's were the same. Some had great components some had generic components. The A40 I bought came with Shimano front and rear derailleurs with SRAM twist/grip shifters. Shifting has always been spot on from the first ride. The frame is very strong and nimble. The translucent red color is very cool. The seat-post shock works very well and does not wobble as I most of these do. The seat itself is by far the most comfortable bicycle seat I ever used. I don't know who made it but I'd like to find out so I can get another one for my other bike. The Kenda Kwick (26x1.96) tires work very well on a variety of trails and are very fast (cool red strips on the sides). The brakes are generic linear pull V-brakes and work great as any linear pull brake system does regardless of who made it.
Weaknesses: That stupid ballistic 105 fork absolutely sucks. Mine has not broken yet although I've been trying to do so. I wish it would so I have an excuse to get another one. The hubs and 7-speed free wheel are Sun-Race. The hubs had very poor quality bearings. Half the ball bearings where hardly round at all. I un-caged the bearings after a few rides and put all new ball bearings in both hubs. I finally wore out the free wheel this year and put a Shimano in its place. This made the shifting even better than it already was.
Bottom Line:
I like this bike a lot. This quickly became my favorite bike to ride even with the crappy fork. I liked it so much I bought a second one for my Niece on her birthday. I did have to visit four Wal-Marts and look at 13 A40's to find another one with the same components that came on mine. Hey if your going to pay the same price anyway, you might as well compare them against each other, even within the same model. Last year when I saw that Wal-Mart put a close out price on these, I bought a third one for $50.00 just to get the frame, handle bar, wheels and tires.
Favorite Trail: Hinkley Reservation of Cleveland Metroparks
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$185.00
Purchased At: Wall-Mart
Similar Products Used: Any Raliegh, Specialized or Schwinn hardtail with shock seatpost and fork.
Bike Setup: Aside from un-caging the bearings, I've used this bike totally stock for a few years now. I must confess that the day I bought it, I took it to my local bike shop for a professional setup. The good folks at your local bike shop tend to put more pride in their work than the minimum wage employees at wall mart who assemble the bikes. For only $35.00, I feel it's well worth doing so.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
April
a Weekend Warrior
from Ohio, USA
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2002
Strengths: Nice Light-weight Aluminum Frame around 27-28lbs to start, Beautiful Blue Color
Weaknesses: Cheapo Ballistic 105 Shock Fork (which by the way was recalled on practically every other model besides the A40)
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent light weight bike that is price-efficient. I could have bought a Trek 4300 for about the same money that I have invested in this Mongoose, but I already had the Mongoose, so it was about $150 for my upgrades(many thanks to eBay and JensonUSA) vs. $320 for the Trek. Besides, I couldn't see wasting a perfectly good bike. I am not too good to ride a Wal Mart bike(as long as it comes in a box and I assemble it). But if you don't like to upgrade or work on your own bike, then I suggest paying a little more and going to the Bike Shop.
Similar Products Used: Mongoose XR-150(Husband's New Bike), Older Royce Union, No-Name Hybrid from the early 90s, Older Trek 8000 Aluminum, Looked at New Trek 4300
Bike Setup: Manitou SX Fork(Red) and Titec Light-weight Stem and Bars (this combo alone reduces the weight by about 4lbs), Shimano Rapid-Fire 3x7-speed shifters/brake levers combined, Kenda Kharisma Tires in Red, otherwise pretty much stock... until the stock parts break :)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Frank Pagan
a Weekend Warrior
from Tampa, Fl, Usa
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001
Strengths: The frame is good for the price.People with no bike knowledge seem to like the design.
Weaknesses: The parts on this bike absolutly blow gargantuan balls.
Bottom Line:
I beat this bile like a rented mule.I take it to the beach and ride it all day.The fork will bottom out like a cheap porn star,the adjusters on the fork are there for decoration.I have bunny hopped this bike all over garbage cans and many other obstacles and the frame has held well.The rest of the parts have come loose at one point or another.The stem is a very weak link, so after a while the handlebar will come loose.Overall this bike is a good value for its price.my advice:Never buy a bike that you cannot afford to destroy.The a-40 fits the bill.Upgrade the frame,you will not be dissapointed.My rating refl;ects its price values.
Similar Products Used: Any other mongoose hardtail
Bike Setup: Every part on this bike is stock.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan Dillon
a Cross Country Rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2001
Strengths: This bike has an aluminum frame with a nice metallic paint job. It has v-brakes which work fairly well. The price is nice and cheap too. It also comes with a suspension seat post (kind of wobbly but i like it)
Weaknesses: Everything other than the frame. the rear and front derailer are horrible. the crankset delivers horrible acceleration. the fork (ballistic 105) bottom out way too much, and have no adjutability. The factory parts suck
Bottom Line:
This bike has a very nice frame at a good price. The suspension seat post is also pretty comfortable- but after a while it wears down and wabbles left and right (does same to my brothers bike which is a gt zascar-very nice!!!) Other than the frame- this bike sucks. I replaced both derailers, the chain, the crank, both tires, handel bars, shifters, and a few other things. The ballistic 105 fork bottoms out all the time and cannot take a hard hit. it takes away tons of speed and the bottom line is it sucks. I am waiting for a 98 manitou spyder fork i got off ebay and am planning on replacing the headset and stem so i can ride it. this is a good frame to build off for fun. i'd say this bike with factory parts is for a kid on a budget who only does flat trails and mostly stays on road. its not designed to take serious biking- even though i've taken some pretty difficult trails on it, it doesn't work out. this bike works well on the road for commuting and for mild trails
Similar Products Used: 1998 GT Zascar 1999 Royce Union Ravage
Bike Setup: Deor LX Rear/front derailer, shimano crank, kalin handel bars, manitou spyder fork, trek tires, shimano rapid fire shifter
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Dix Hills, New York, USA
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2001
Strengths: Decent, go to work, aluminum frame; vee brakes can go wrong...
Weaknesses: Crank bearing diameter too small, cheap assed tin rivet derailleurs and poor seat. Front ballistic 105 suspension fork bottoms when I mount it and is the bottom of the barrel; lightest weight wheels incapable of surviving a hit
Bottom Line:
I garbage picked this incredibly bottom of the line aluminum frame bike and, in evaluating it have discovered a frame worth saving and the reason the former owner ditched it.
The cheap wheels were out of whack, the front fork was for show on the street, not for use on the trail. The derailleurs were absolute tin and distorted with minumum stress.
I'm gonna Sram this bike to the max and Rock Shock the front fork. All new cabling and paint with a real seat and I will have a 500 dollar bike for 250 or 300 dollars
All in all I love i.Has great looks,rides well and I got it at a great price.I ride it everywher to work to the store to see my girlfriend and her troll.Thinking about going to Memphis Tn on it.How bout that now that is a ride.Anyway I guess thats enopugh I hope I love my bike I really do its the best deal I could get.By the way Wal-Mart does negotiate.I saved Thirty dollars off the price by Negotiating.Gotta go later.George
Submitted by
JC Lopez
a Weekend Warrior
from Albuquerque
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2000
Strengths: great frame with very atractive candy apple finish. very comfortable mongoose suspension seatpost. the brakes are decent. And the under $200.00 price is another plus.
Weaknesses: bassically evrthing else. I hate the T-pro shifters so I upgradedt to Shimano XT. I also plan on upgrading the Fork both derailler and tires.
Bottom Line:
For the price its a great entry level bike that for a couple hundred buck can be upgraded to a kick ass bike. If you buy this bike have it tuned up right awy cuz wal-mart assemblers suck. overall a great value with even greater potential.
Weaknesses: te pro shifters suck!,ballistic fork sucks
Bottom Line:
For 20$ more you can get the a-50r witch already has a r.s.t fork shimano rapidfire shifters and components if you bought this bike without seeing a A-50r your ok if you saw the A-50r siting next to it and just wanted to save 20$ your retarded this bike is worth about $89.90 not $200.00 the only thing not generic on it is the frame!!!!!!
Submitted by
BIG AL
a Cross-Country Rider
from RICHMOND VA
Date Reviewed: August 30, 1999
Strengths: STIFF RESPONSIVE FRAME
Weaknesses: ORIGINAL COMPONENTRY
Bottom Line:
I HAVE SEEN $400-500 RANGE BIKES WITH THE SAME COMPONENTS. THIS IS A GOOD ENTRY LEVEL FRAME. WITH A FEW UPGRADES YOU HAVE A GOOD ENTRY LEVEL BIKE. MY RATING REFLECTS THE VALUE.
Strengths: very attractive bike the polished alum red color turns heads on the path.light weight and durible,about 26-28 pounds makes good for giveing some of the road bikers a hard time. quick release seat and front tire is very handy.the shock in the seat is nice when you hit bumps you hardly feel it. front shocks are a nice.
Weaknesses: Shifters are touchy and shift on their own sometimes and even miss gears. the peddles make a poping sound like something is broke or missing.
Bottom Line:
not bad for a $200.00 bike could use some upgrades walmart assembly sucks had to take it to get a tune up before i road it. i plan on changeing the shifters and the peddles and maybe the seat to a gel seat it handles great and ive raceed some non pro road bikers on the path and dusted them with this bike,not a raceing bike but if you have the skill it can be.
Bike Setup: bolstic 105 shock protd gripshifters basicly all the stuff that came on the bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Helmet
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlottesville, Va
Date Reviewed: July 6, 1999
Strengths: Frame looks cool
Weaknesses: Front Derailleur frequently knocks chain off. Shock bottoms out easily. Department store assembly sucks.
Bottom Line:
You get what you pay for. Not bad for what I need it for. Higher rating if the chain would stay on. Oh yeah, I love the pseudo adjustment knobs on the top of each shock.
Strengths: for only $200 you get alot for your buck.. light weight aluminum frame pretty crapy shocks but for $200 your lucky you have them.
Weaknesses: tires are bad (rims) feel weak and have no air. brakes are not so good but with a little tightning and bolt replacing there great.
Bottom Line:
for $200 you cant go wrong its also a great bike to upgrade i plan on putting shimano brakes and new gt tires for about $250 making this bike awsome for a $400 value.I also dont see a need to go spending 2 or 3 thousand on a bike.
Similar Products Used: gt aggressor, gt palomar, reliagh m80
Bike Setup: Mongoose promax brakes& shifters balistic shocks
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Weird Beard
a Weekend Warrior
from Carmichaels, PA
Date Reviewed: May 5, 1999
Strengths: aluminum frame, tight handling, light wieght, good looks(especially in that funky maroon color), overall feel.
Weaknesses: Ballistic fork, weak rims, r. der. shifts on its own sometimes.
Bottom Line:
for the (roughly)$700 that i have invested in the bike, including all of the extras, i am very happy. your probably wondering why i didnt just buy a better bike instead of upgrading a $200 Wal-Mart machine, well, for one, i now have a spare everything, and two, you cant buy a bike as good as this for under a thousand(i have done some research). overall, bone stock or my setup, its a fairly sweet rig. might not win any races, but i dont race anyway. i bought it for my girlfriend because she wanted my '96 StumpJumper. after i put it together with the upgrades, i took it for a spin down through the trails, and i gave her the SJ. that was it. if i have my way, its gonna be a while before i buy another bike. thats the bottom line
Similar Products Used: GT Zaskar, '96 Specialized StumpJumper A1(my other bike), Kona CinderCone, C'Dale M900 i bought off of a Team Rider in '93.
Bike Setup: most of the clearance stuff at SuperGo, plus a few extras i picked up used, but in mint condition. Manitou SX-R, XTR/WTB SpeedMaster wheelset, Tioga Psycho K tires, Titec Hellbent 1.5, Kore Lite 150mm 10deg., FSA Orbit HS, Specialized Body Geometry Seat, Coda Cranks, S&M Platform Pedals, LX BB, Grip-Shift X-Ray 800's, XT r.der., XT f.der.,Avid Arch Rival 50 Brakeset.
