Mongoose DJ682 "Mini Beast" - on sale

Toeslider · Mar 27, 2014

I posted this a few weeks ago in the Walmart bikes thread. Kept it in the back of my mind, but $149 seemed a little steep to me...find myself in the big W today and they have exactly one...for $99.99! May still be overpriced, I don't know, but if I was on the fence at $150 I figured I needed to snap it up at 1/3 off.

I call it the Mini Beast because its basically the same geometry/same bike as the Beast, but without the 4" wheels and tires. Really its just an affordable 26" BMX cruiser. It has a freewheel with rear hand brake, and rides nice. Steel frame, 26x2.30 tires, 25.4 seat post (which should open up the options for replacements), threadless fork/headset (will get dimensions tomorrow).

I really like the color scheme. I've always wanted a Gulf Racing themed bike like Felt did a while back. This bike may be a little on the green side, but its close enough. I'm excited about throwing some parts at it soon. I'm hoping I have a lay back seat post, and a longer stem won't set me back much. Already have a much nicer black and orange seat to put on it. Think I have some polished cranks that will bolt right on to give it the right amount of bling. Also have a couple sets of narrow striped tires that might take it up a notch. As usual, the stickers are not clear coated and should come off easily.

If you're interested, check your Walmart now and see if its being clearanced everywhere. Be advised the website lists it as an aluminum framed bike, only the wheels are aluminum. I'll get an actual weight tomorrow too.

More pics:

DJ Bill · Mar 27, 2014

I wish I could figure out Walmart's policy on clearancing bikes... You got a good deal, but here's what I see more typically at walmarts around the midwest...Stopped in a Walmart store today, in MO along I-35....They had about 50 older bikes in varying states of paint fade and rusting , some with obvious damage, some obviously returned when they took a hit or were dropped and damaged, and they were either unpriced, or marked at 35 percent off. I asked the lady in the garden center about it, they said they would have to get someone from the toy dept to price them and they had had them there for about two years. So, for $159 you could buy a 2 year old Cranbrook with a torn seat and rusty chrome, or for $59 a Huffy with one crank bent at about a 30 degree angle... Why would you want to when you can buy a deal like you got? (And have a NEW bike. )

The only interest I had in the bikes was the nice alloy rims and good tires, as the rest of the bikes were pretty rough from being outside for 2 years.....I guess they will just sit on them until they need the space and then fill a dumpster?

And storing brand new bicycles with today's chrome outside until they are sold... is stupid.

LukeTheJoker · Mar 27, 2014

Looks like a decent bike, I would buy one for that price!

Luke.

Toeslider · Mar 28, 2014

Phase 1:

Got to work on it tonight, picked up a Forte stem for $10 to move the bars a little further forward:

Swapped out the seat for a nicer one, had to order a layback post, hard to find in 25.4:

Swapped out the cranks and chain ring for chrome, not really anything better, but more blingy:

Changed tires out, the usually huge Streamliner tires are actually smaller than what comes on it:

Still need to de-crapify a little more, but after struggling with the crank bolts that were put on with enough torque to turn the earth, I was too tired to remove the stickers. I did get the reflectors and chain guard off:

Interesting note, see the carcass of a Mongoose BMX bike underneath it? It has to be the heaviest BMX bike in the world. It weighs 28 pounds, WITHOUT the rear wheel and tire, which coincidentally is the same weight as this whole 26" bike.

Toeslider · Mar 29, 2014

By the way, it comes with double-walled rims...

mikeeebikey · Mar 29, 2014

The goose cranks are that tight because they loosen up!
I ran that style crank for the past year on my beater kaluna, one tough crank. I am especially hard on arms, I bend them, the goosers took my worst!
Grinds, step ups, and jumping has not affected them.

Toeslider · Mar 29, 2014

This was like "next level" tight. Took everything in my arsenal to get them off, including the impact driver I use to free up stuck lug nuts. Ultimately it was a hex wrench set with a 4 foot piece of iron pipe as a breaker bar that did the trick. It was like they were welded together.