Mongoose Beast Fat Bike build and ideas

[CCR]

The American flag really seals the deal, blue shows up in a week it looks like

Maybe a Sundayx3 decal is in demand too :lol: Thanks for the ideas KF !

 

[kingfish254]

The American flag really seals the deal, blue shows up in a week it looks like

Maybe a Sundayx3 decal is in demand too :lol: Thanks for the ideas KF !

If you would have ordered in the first batch, it would have shipped from Illinois. Now you are going to half to wait from Cali.
I hope you seriously do this build. It's perfect!!!!

 

[CCR]

The American flag really seals the deal, blue shows up in a week it looks like

Maybe a Sundayx3 decal is in demand too :lol: Thanks for the ideas KF !

If you would have ordered in the first batch, it would have shipped from Illinois. Now you are going to half to wait from Cali.
I hope you seriously do this build. It's perfect!!!!

Well I got ding'd for sales tax, I dont know the online tax laws for CA but the tax had me guessing IL. IL did pass an Amazon sales tax law and Amazon canceled contracts with IL suppliers, I doubt Wal-mart would pull up the stakes and move on though. I am definitely in monster truck mode at the moment and a blue beast is headed my way ... theres a good chance I would say :lol:

 

[kingfish254]

Here is a good how to on lettering a Firestone tire.
:arrow: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66502&p=638957&hilit=firestone+tire#p638957

The canvas is so big with these tires, you've got me thinking of a MO FATTA MO BETTA lettered tire. :idea: 8)

 

[old_skool]

Still wondering if anyone makes sealed bearings for the euro bottom bracket, seems like most offerings are cartridge, which obviously won't work because of the wide spindle.

Wondering if this will work or if it just works with BMX spindles... http://www.amazon.com/Eastern-Bikes-Eur ... =1-1-fkmr1

I think that the threaded euro BMX bottom bracket you linked to will only work with a 20mm spindle

Maybe a sealed cartridge type BB could be opened up and modified to work (you could get a basic $10 one to find out)? The spindle diameter might be the same as a traditional ball bearing type euro bottom bracket...

 

[yoothgeye]

Maybe a sealed cartridge type BB could be opened up and modified to work (you could get a basic $10 one to find out)? The spindle diameter might be the same as a traditional ball bearing type euro bottom bracket...

I've got a cartridge I pulled out of a Trek frame I was throwing away, maybe I should try some surgery on it.

 

[yoothgeye]

Well I got ding'd for sales tax, I dont know the online tax laws for CA but the tax had me guessing IL. IL did pass an Amazon sales tax law and Amazon canceled contracts with IL suppliers, I doubt Wal-mart would pull up the stakes and move on though.

The way I understand it (simple brain) if you purchase from an online retailer that does not have a physical presence in your state: no tax. If that retailer does have a physical presence in your state then you pay your own sales tax.

Since Walmart has stores in all 50 states, you will always pay your state's sales tax when buying from them online.

I only live a few miles from the Virginia state line, so the last time I ordered a bike from Walmart I had it shipped to a store in Virginia instead of North Carolina, which saved me 2% in sales tax. I'm still not sure how that worked since my billing address is NC... :lol:

 

[old_skool]

Maybe a sealed cartridge type BB could be opened up and modified to work (you could get a basic $10 one to find out)? The spindle diameter might be the same as a traditional ball bearing type euro bottom bracket...

I've got a cartridge I pulled out of a Trek frame I was throwing away, maybe I should try some surgery on it.

How about this YST sealed BSA cupset? They're inexpensive and have a rubber gasket that helps to keep out dirt and grime...

 

[yoothgeye]

Those are pretty cool looking, where from?

 

[old_skool]

Those are pretty cool looking, where from?

http://www.amazon.com/YST-BSA-Cupset-Be ... B001CK0ETE

If you search "yst sealed bsa cupset" numerous online vendors have them, as well as eBay

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

That's just what the Dr. ordered....gonna pick up a set tonight.

Even if they don't fit, it's only 8 bucks.

Cheers,
Dr. T

 

[Toeslider]

I had that same Bigfoot idea for a blue one. I was even going to post the same picture!

 

[CCR]

I had that same Bigfoot idea for a blue one. I was even going to post the same picture!

I was even thinking a green with purple add ons for a grave digger version would be cool ... big foot won in my mind though. I dont even have a bike yet .... who will be first !!! :mrgreen:

 

[kingfish254]

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
Battle of the Monster Bikes

 

[yoothgeye]

The cartridge bb that I have comes apart, the one side that that spindle stays in only does because it is pressed into the bearing and likely. An be removed, but the spindle in the cartridge is a smaller diameter and not not tapered where it goes through the bearIng, so to possibly make it work I would have to have my Beast's spindle machined to match the sealed bearings.

 

[deorman]

My view on changing the crank shaft/bearings on this are kind of "Smoopyish" :lol: . Why bother, unless it fails? :? The barbells that pass for arms, yeah, makes sense if you ride it more than a couple of miles. :|

 

[Rat Rod]

I'll see if I can tackle all of those questions. :lol:

I think there is a novelty factor going on with these bikes. You've read this already, but you truly have to see one in person to get an idea of what you're dealing with.

It's kind of along the same lines as why someone would want a unicycle or a swing bike...who REEALLY "needs" one of those?

In regards to the quality, the bikes are fine out of the box with some minor adjusting. Even if you didn't go through all of the bearings with extra grease they would probably still last a while considering how most of these will be used.

The fun factor of these bikes for this crowd is the tweaking and customizing aspect. Most of the members here love to mess around with stuff and these bikes are a fun base to start off with.

As far as riding them goes...it's like your riding on the monster truck of bikes...it's just fun.

Of course, if they don't appeal to you then they are really nothing to be concerned about. :wink:

 

[kingfish254]

I haven't read all 11 pages of this, but I don't get why these bikes seem to be the latest rage.
My take is that they are kinda like the gimmick tool sets that come out at Father's Day every year that does worse of a job than what our grandfathers used to turn a bolt with. And they seem to be more the Harbor Freight quality rather than Craftsman quality gimmick tools. (Well, old Craftsman anyway).
From what I gather as I skim through way too much about nothing is that to ride these bikes you have to rebuild them first, fix the bad paint, and change out parts from day one.
I am not trying to be negative about them, I am just asking for an explanation of what the attraction is. I know someone will tell me that if I don't get it already I never will, and other comments along those lines, but I honestly don't get it!
Sure if you live on the beach or ride in snow they make sense, but what makes the fat tires an improvement on the average greenway? What makes them worth accepting poor initial quality? Will the same people that now bad mouth OCC choppers and modern Stingrays as cheap Chinese junk be saying the same about these in the near future?
I did read some comments justifying why these bikes are acceptable to need work out of the box. It just absolutely floors me that people have enough disposable money to actually defend purchasing an inferior product. I say "infererior" only based on what I have read here by the people who own one, so don't throw me under the bus for that!
Is it just the gimmick factor or do they actually have some merit that I am missing? :?:

I agree with a lot of what you say, but here is my take.

Gimmick Bike - Yes, this is definitely a Sham Wow Vegamatic purchase. I know it's not gonna slice and dice like the Surly or Sun food shredders, but I had to have it because it was only $19.95 (in yard sale dollars).

Instant Rebuild - Well that's what we do here, no matter the make or cost of a bike. We are tinkerers.

Attraction - BIGFOOT - SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!!! ~nuff said

Sensibility - There is none. These don't even make much sense for beach or snow. Look at my Fugsley build. In what world does that bike make sense.

Inferior Quality - No doubt. But does that mean they can't be fun? Look at the cool stuff that RRBers have been doing with the "inferior" OCC's from day one to current time.

Merit - Same as the OCC's. Their merit is the Gimmicky fun of riding your own BIGFOOT and what you can do with it to make it your own monster truck or something completely different with the parts.

It's just like GIANT rocking chairs, balls of twine, and such. They serve no purpose, they make no sense, but people get a kick out of seeing them. It's a goofy bike, but it is FUN and anyone that you ride by will smile from ear to ear and ask the same question........WHY???????

It's crazy. I bought one. Rode it around. Returned it because it was defective. Then guess what????? I ordered another one, knowing full well, it's inferior, but not being able to resist the gimicky fun of riding a monster truck.

 

[Bill in Houston]

I honestly don't get it!

That's okay.

 

[Randythe Rat]

they are just fun bikes and they have the WOW factor when you are on one you just go WOW this is a fun bike to ride.
and people see them and just say WOW LOOK AT THOSE TIRES.
Randy