mobilemail

I am a mountain bike idiot. This is the first MTB I have purchased new (actually I bought it in fall '22 when bike pickings were slim) since the '90s.

It's a Mongoose Salvo (Expert?) Dual Suspension bike with Deore/XT drivetrain that I bought NOS for $1K. So even as of when I bought it in '22, was it a reasonable/good buy or could I have done better with the dollars spent? Honestly, I still just have a few hours on it.

Is anyone riding one now, or has had one?

Kapusta

That is a 2017 model https://www.vitalmtb.com/product/gui...xpert-29,17859
Low-end but trailworthy build. in Other words, it is low end but not a BSO. The XT RD is there to impress at first glance, everything else is much lower-end stuff. Retailed for ~$1850 in 2017, which frankly seems a little steep for that at the time.

IIRC, it was summer / fall of 2022 when the supply chain floodgates finally opened up and a lot of bikes prices plummeted. The difference in price and availability of bikes between Feb 2022 (when I built my current MTB and paid dearly for everything) and Aug 2022 (when I bought my wife's 2022 Ibis on deep discount) was dramatic. I'd say $1K for your bike made sense (though no bargain) in early spring of 2022, but not in the fall of 2022.

But whatever, you already have it. Just enjoy it. I sometimes kick myself over the fact that my current MTB would have cost me ~$2K less had I waited 6 months to build it, but what is done is done.

Steve B.

Does it really matter if it’s a waste of money, which I don’t think it is. You are not returning it at this point so ride the crap out if it.

Samac

That looks like a fine bike, mobilemail. Ride it and enjoy.

Cheers,

Scott

veganbikes

I wouldn't want anything modern Mongoose that name is not synonymous with quality but in the end like others have said it doesn't matter you own the bike. It is functional and uses a very old but common suspension design that a lot of folks have used for a long time. There are a lot worse bikes to be had out there and for starting out this has air shocks and a decent enough groupset with an upgrade in rear derailleur.

Ride the bike save up the money towards the bike you really want and have fun out there.

Russ Roth

Only way its a waste is if the bike spends its time in your garage and not riding the dirt. Based on buying a deore equipped hardtail around the same time I'd say you got a good price, not amazing but not bad. Most dual suspension deore equipped bikes in 2017 were going for about the same MSRP so compared to that price its a bargain, compared to the average 1k price point bike on the floor today its going to be as good or better; a recent search of Trek's models at this price left me disappointed. But ultimately, what makes any bike a waste is the lack of use. When working in a shop I always liked to see the bikes that were thrashed from regular use knowing their looks and wear were well earned over the easy to fix wall hanger that was brought in every 5 years in the thought this would be the year the owner might finally get around to using it.

mobilemail

Thanks friends! The question is more curiosity driven than anything. But I guess the obvious answer is, if I ride it and enjoy, it's a good bike/good buy. Only an orphan bike is a disappointment! I have a few cool rides lined up already for when thinks warm up and dry up.

2old

Easy answer. Ride the piss out of it and it'll be one of the best purchases you ever made!

veganbikes

Please don't pee on your bikes even if the plan is to remove it while riding

Russ Roth

But that's just a sign of your serious intensity. "Loved" having to tell some of the tri folk their bike was sticky and smelled bad, please go wash it while I scrub my hands a half dozen times in the hopes they feel clean again.

prj71

The color of the bike implies that it might have been peed on already.

veganbikes

You should see a doctor if it is that color...LOL

mobilemail

I always said you shouldn't buy a bike for the color but for the bike itself...as long as it isn't pink....

Breadfan

Your cheapest bike is the one you ride the most. Ride it!

veganbikes

What? I bought a bike specifically because it was pink (a Klein) in fact two bikes though one I ended up selling and another people keep wanting to buy and I say 10k and they recoil in fear
https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/phil-...oad-bike-39413
Ok it also had the Phil Wood logo and the vintage Apple logo but it replaced a sparkly purple bike (an old Cilo). Pink is a great color and doesn't have to conform to ancient outdated gender stuff that is beyond irrelevant.

Buy and ride pink bikes unless they are crap!

DMC707

Very nice