Mongoose Randonneur owners - how's the ride?

flyingdutch Wrote:
no idea, but if you havent seen this..

http://www.australiancyclist.com.au/..._Touring&a=109
Thanks flyingdutch - I should have mentioned that I have seen tha
review and the review of the Randonneur EX on the same site - bot
reviews helping me a lot, but still leaving me with the question of ho
the bike might perform over time, handle a touring load, be supported b
company/shops if problems arise etc. Nevertheless, good to have thi
review link here in case others interested in the MR check out thi
thread. :

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bubelrocks

bubelrocks Wrote:
Thanks flyingdutch - I should have mentioned that I have seen tha
review and the review of the Randonneur EX on the same site - bot
reviews helping me a lot, but still leaving me with the question of ho
the bike might perform over time, handle a touring load, be supported b
company/shops if problems arise etc. Nevertheless, good to have thi
review link here in case others interested in the MR check out thi
thread.

I've had one for nearly 2 years now with no problems. I've done a
week tour and quite a few weekend trips with it fully loaded, front an
rear panniers and handlebar bag, with Vittoria Randonneur (of course!
28mm tyres and it handles quite well. The lazy geometry and lon
chainstays makes it very stable - with or without a load. It does tak
a little getting used to though at low speed and when leaning it u
against things when you stop. I became very attached to the little loo
of rubber that I used to lock the front brake lever on, without it th
weight of the front bags would turn the wheel and the bike would try t
fall over.

The wheels have stayed true, even after doing 70kph downhill on roug
corrugated dirt roads and I've had no broken spokes (although I do hav
a very strong 36h mavic 520 rear rim - a dickhead driver knocked me of
and prezteled the original alex rim). Like Andrew I got an early on
and replaced the front brake with an Avid shorty 6 that is much bette
but tricky to set up so it doesn't squeal. I also upgraded from Sora
speed to Ultegra 9 speed with a 12-34 cassette - I've never neede
anything lower than that. The look-in seat that came on mine is prett
ordinary though and I don't think the suspension seat post does much.


I've got zefal mudguards on mine and it's a good wet weather commute
bike, I've even done bunch rides with 23mm tyres on it no problems a
all (except the funny looks you get). Do a google search as there hav
been quite a few posts about this bike other than the review link.

Take one for a ride and see what you think...

Ada

--
adam85

adam85 wrote:

Take one for a ride and see what you think...

Adam

We're just about living parallel cycling lives! :-) I replaced the
seat and seat post like you. And I put on full mudguards. I got the
rear wheel re-built stronger after a spoke broke. And scariest of all,
a dickhead driver knocked me off and pretzeled both my wheels!!!
(Although that was on my other bike...)

Weird huh? Now I just have to upgrade to ultegra and try some fully
loaded touring and bunch rides :-)