My free alley Kos

[pepper]

My free alley Kos
On Saturdays I drive the local alleys looking for junk bikes. I found this one leaning up against the back of a shop off the alley. I went around front and asked the owner if it was for sale or if I could snag it, it was an older gentleman- he said to snag it. I originally I thought it was an old Diamondback with old Mongoose parts. I was informed that it was not a Diamondback but a Kos, and that it’s a rare bird. My Google-flu confirmed the tingling in my empty wallet…
Anyhoo the original owner put bars, and tires from an old MTB. The stem that came with it is a Cromo Rotate… something-( Im cleaning it up). I put this neck on it so I could test ride it

Link to the original thread
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30661



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Edit: in red

 

[halsencrew]

wow bro that bike is nice I love the cranks and the wheels you lucky

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Nice bike but didn't Mongoose make the Kos cruiser?

 

[pepper]

Fixed it

 

[outskirtscustoms]

ok I thought my mongoose knowledge was slipping, what's the serial and I can decode it for you?

 

[pepper]

F112373

 

[halsencrew]

81 baby nice you are lucky for sure Id like those cranks but price would prolly be out amy range LOL

 

[outskirtscustoms]

F112373....... Yep, but an early '81, F would be June, mid year they went to the "super dropout" that had 2 holes machined into the rear dropout. This one has the early solid dropout. Next comes the number 1 standing for 1981. The absence of an M in front of the serial means it was made in Chatsworth, CA as were most of them. If it had the M that DOES NOT mean Mongoose as is common thought, it would mean it was made in Merida, Taiwan.

So you have an American made, June of 1981, Mongoose with build number 12,373.

 

[halsencrew]

yep and I love those cranks LOL and the wheels but yes a keeper if it was mine

 

[mikesbikes36]

i wish i could find cool bikes 4 free ....thats a sweet ride man !!! mike

 

[pepper]

Beleve me im never the guy with this story. Its just goofy noob luck. :mrgreen:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Beleve me im never the guy with this story. Its just goofy noob luck. :mrgreen:

That's how I started, then I started getting the word out that I work on bikes, people would see me riding with my bike trailer full of bike parts, I'd chase down junkers....sometimes with a load of bikes already on the trailer....lol. Just put the word out there and the bikes will find you.

 

[pepper]

A fellow board member found my KOS parts sale on EBAY and brought it to my attention I didn't respond to his offer on the KOS I found.

let me just say it wasn't done intentionally, I wasn't avoiding and I didn't just blow anyone's offer off. I was swamped on three different email accounts, three forums, text messages and phone calls on my home and cell... all over the KOS.

Some offers just slipped through the cracks, im an upstanding guy and not a flake. I apologize for not returning any messages.