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Post by snaker on Apr 27, 2019 15:41:15 GMT -5
I wanted to get back into bicycle riding for a couple years. Had a couple hanging in my poleshed but they were pretty nasty, dusty, bat crap, rotten tires. I was wasting time in Mills Fleetfarm store in the winter of 2017/2018 and stumbled across a Mongoose Dolomite fat bike. I thought it was pretty cool. Later I got on the internet and found one that was quite a bit cheaper on Walmart website.
I ordered it Feb 2018 and had it delivered to a nearby Walmart store for pickup. It came in a large cardboard carton needing a bit of assembly.
I rode the hell out of it last summer and am at it again. I love the thing.
I have done quite a bit of modifying to my taste. Its a lot like the scooters, made in China and cheap parts galore.
I dug up some bike/mountain bike forums for advise and some help for what I was doing. One forum in particular has a large 30 some page thread specifically for the Dolomite. Its been a huge source of information to me.
The thing I find amazing is the stream of different users who come onto the thread just to bash, stuff like if its not a $3000 bike, then its not worth having. Snobby bastards who spend their time just to be pricks, on a thread that is extremely helpful for what its intended.
Anyway, that's my story about my Dolomite
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Post by lilpinny on Apr 27, 2019 22:00:49 GMT -5
Do you put your newspapers for delivery on that back rack?
🤪
Heh... no just teasing. I like those fatty wheeled bikes like that. Looks fun. Yours has gears too... the only one I ever rode was a single speed cruiser.
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Post by aeroxbud on Apr 28, 2019 6:52:15 GMT -5
Looks cool. Is it harder to ride because of the big tires?
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Post by snaker on Apr 28, 2019 9:46:55 GMT -5
It is a different machine from the high flying road bikes. Compared to the $$$ stuff its a heavyweight for sure. Its also tough as hell. To me its like the Ford F150 4x4 of bicycles. The tires give a knobby tire growl on pavement but do ok, but loose dirt off road is where they shine. In the loose dirt that would put a mountain bike on the ground, this thing floats across like a dirt bike. I ride it a lot on dirt trails and have found that various tire pressures have a noticeable difference. Higher psi for smooth road and lower psi gives some "suspension" for rocks, bumps and tree roots.
I would say the 3 biggest complaints are: Weight, handlebars too low (I replaced with taller bars), and gearing too high.
The 1 x 7 gearing (1 front sprocket and 7 rear) is apparently from the Mongoose cruiser bikes, everyone gripes about the high gearing. Some folks replace the rear gears with a Megarange freewheel but that has a huge jump between 1st and 2nd gear. I decided to leave the rear alone and replaced the single front chainring with a 3 speed. I followed a tip from others and didn't add a front derailer, I simply change the front gears with my finger when needed. Now I have a great range of gears. I use 1st gear front for my offroad riding and switch to 2nd gear front for road riding.
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Post by milly on Apr 28, 2019 12:44:44 GMT -5
Brilliant bike. I had a go on one of the kids when I was doing cycle training in the school, quite tempted to get one myself after seeing your post 😊
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Post by snaker on Apr 28, 2019 14:23:56 GMT -5
Brilliant bike. I had a go on one of the kids when I was doing cycle training in the school, quite tempted to get one myself after seeing your post 😊 I'm not sure how the product placement works with these. My Dolomite is a Mongoose brand and distributed?? by Pacific Cycles in Wisconsin USA. Some have claimed the Dolomite name is a Walmart thing but I have seen it at other stores. Mongoose seems to have other model names that seem to be on similar or possibly identical bikes although some have differences such as aluminum frames vs. the Dolomite steel frame and some are single speed.
Then there are other brands that also look like the Mongoose brand. May be its like the scooter stuff and different brands are made at the same factory? I know Canada has their own thing going on, but I'm not sure what is out there beyond North America. The stuff is made in China but I suppose that might not mean anything these days.
Prices are also kind of weird. I have seen the same model vary from $170 to $250 US at different times so it is worth shopping around. Of course any shipping charges could also become a big factor. The Dolomite in particular has been around for quite a few years and stores tend to get in a batch and quickly sell out, its gained something of a cult following, maybe that is the reason for the price swings.
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Post by FrankenMech on May 5, 2019 19:12:05 GMT -5
Really cool! I just want a three wheel 'tadpole' version, my balance sucks.
Watch the fingertips and chains  |
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Post by SMALL CC TEK on May 5, 2019 22:35:50 GMT -5
Brilliant bike. I had a go on one of the kids when I was doing cycle training in the school, quite tempted to get one myself after seeing your post 😊 I'm not sure how the product placement works with these. My Dolomite is a Mongoose brand and distributed?? by Pacific Cycles in Wisconsin USA. Some have claimed the Dolomite name is a Walmart thing but I have seen it at other stores. Mongoose seems to have other model names that seem to be on similar or possibly identical bikes although some have differences such as aluminum frames vs. the Dolomite steel frame and some are single speed.
Then there are other brands that also look like the Mongoose brand. May be its like the scooter stuff and different brands are made at the same factory? I know Canada has their own thing going on, but I'm not sure what is out there beyond North America. The stuff is made in China but I suppose that might not mean anything these days.
Prices are also kind of weird. I have seen the same model vary from $170 to $250 US at different times so it is worth shopping around. Of course any shipping charges could also become a big factor. The Dolomite in particular has been around for quite a few years and stores tend to get in a batch and quickly sell out, its gained something of a cult following, maybe that is the reason for the price swings.
Pacific Cycles bought all the old names in the mid 90's Mongoose schwinn . A bicycle shop mongoose is not the same bike as a Walmart version . They are different frames parts etc .That's the reason most bike shop bikes cost more that Big box store bikes of the same brand ! Disclaimer i was in the bike shop business for some years and have raced BMX and Road Bike I still ride don't race anything ! lol Any bicycle is a nice bike if it get's the job done for you , I have 4 bikes still Fixie ,mountain, road, BMX ! I have a original moosegoose still .. Nice bike !! |
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Post by snaker on May 6, 2019 11:15:57 GMT -5
Really cool! I just want a three wheel 'tadpole' version, my balance sucks.
Watch the fingertips and chains While searching for info I was surprised at the extent of electric bike kits out there. The Dolomite seems to be a great platform for that. I bet a electric kit on a trike would be the cats pajama's. |
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Post by snaker on May 6, 2019 11:41:47 GMT -5
Pacific Cycles bought all the old names in the mid 90's Mongoose schwinn . A bicycle shop mongoose is not the same bike as a Walmart version . They are different frames parts etc .That's the reason most bike shop bikes cost more that Big box store bikes of the same brand ! Disclaimer i was in the bike shop business for some years and have raced BMX and Road Bike I still ride don't race anything ! lol Any bicycle is a nice bike if it get's the job done for you , I have 4 bikes still Fixie ,mountain, road, BMX ! I have a original moosegoose still .. Nice bike !! Thanks for the great info.
I want to give a call out to Pacific Cycles. These Dolomites are apparently even wider than the other fat bikes. The crankshaft (bottom bracket?) and the wheel axles are longer than the others. Forums have been mixed on those parts fitting from other brands.
My bike had a noticeable wobble in the rear axle. Forum advise was to address it while on warranty or be screwed. I contacted Pacific Cycle and they sent me free of charge and free shipping a complete rear wheel, everything except the tube and tire. In reality I would have been happy with a replacement axle. PC said that the axle wasn't available by itself. If I was them I would source a batch of axle's only. I'd hate to be the one who need's a rear axle and have to pay for that whole thing.
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Post by SMALL CC TEK on May 9, 2019 15:19:08 GMT -5
Yeah the warranty is no big deal for them . Pacific Cycles has been selling to Walmart for more than 12 years so they have made there money , Walmart has over 5000 stores and i bet it has a lower that usual return rate until Christmas time .That forum gave you good advice use your warranty 85% of people don't they just take the bike to a bike shop and pay .
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