Mongoose Maxim Women's Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels)

Ladies, the trails await; take them on the Mongoose® Maxim 26" women's full-suspension mountain bike. With a frame and fork that maximize comfort and performance, it is up to nearly any off-road challenge. Its 21 speeds are controlled by SRAM® twist shifters, and linear-pull "V" brakes deliver great stopping power.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64651 in Sports & Outdoors
• Size: One Size Fits All
• Color: Matte White
• Brand: Mongoose
• Model: R5381
• Released on: 2009-02-15
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.00" h x 25.00" w x 50.00" l, 49.50 pounds

Features

• 26-inch women's mountain bike with full-suspension frame
• Suspension fork handles bumps and increases control
• 21-speed SRAM grip shifters and Shimano rear derailleur
• Linear pull brakes provide sure stopping power
• 3-piece crank; lightweight alloy rims

Amazon.com Product Description
Head deep into the great outdoors with the Mongoose Maxim women's 26-inch mountain bike. The Maxim is equipped with a full-suspension frame that maximizes comfort and performance, along with a suspension fork that smoothes bumps and increases control. The bike's linear pull brakes, meanwhile, provide sure stopping power on any terrain. Other features include 21-speed SRAM twist shifters, a Shimano rear derailleur, a three-piece crank, and lightweight alloy rims.

About Mongoose
In 1974, BMX Products, Inc., later to be known as Mongoose Bicycles, launched from a humble garage. The first of its kind, the BMX bicycle was named after bicycle motocross and was designed to fit the needs of the rough-and-tumble dirt-racing pastime that took its toll on wheels and bicycles. The heavy-duty, one-piece cast-aluminum Mongoose Motomag wheel was soon born, and it was the first competition-ready BMX bicycle available. Skip Hess, while in Australia pursuing his motor sports passion, came into contact with a strange and unusual cat-size animal--the mongoose. Known for its passive nature while unprovoked, yet vicious and aggressive enough to kill a threatening Cobra twice its size, the Mongoose impressed Hess, who quickly registered the Mongoose trademark for his new bicycle racing frame.

The Expert BMX bicycle model, which is still a cornerstone of the Mongoose BMX line today, was introduced in 1980. Shortly after, Mongoose captured the first ever ABA National #1 Cruiser Title. Previously known for the 20-inch bicycle, this title signaled the re-direction of Mongoose bicycles to larger-wheeled, adult-sized models. Several years later, Mongoose continues to dominate the cruiser racing circuit with six National No. 1 Cruiser titles, leading to the introduction of adult-sized Mongoose all-terrain bicycles (ATBs).

In 1992, Mongoose pioneered the full-suspension market with the introduction of the Amplifier. This design is still the most-copied suspension design in the market. Several year later, Mongoose launched the Newman adult bicycle frame, which is proven to be 15% stronger than any other bike frame in the market. The design, while functionally sound, also raised eyebrows because of its distinctive look.

In the next few years, Mongoose increased its marketing focus to dominate the bicycle industry, and more important, extend beyond it. The Mongoose brand marketing initiative makes more than 100 million impressions. Mongoose’s brand awareness increased by over 130% in 1999 and solidifies the No. 2 market share position in units and dollars. Mongoose was acquired by Pacific Cycle, LLC, and continues to grow and prosper with more than 40 models of BMX, mountain, trail, freestyle, jumping, comfort, road, and cyclocross bikes.

Most helpful customer reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
A bike designed by my 7 yr old sister
By Courtney Paynter
I love my 7 yr old sister but she should never be given the task of engineering a bike and now I know the same is true for whoever designed this little gem. Let me start off by saying, prior to this purchase I have always been satisfied with all my Walmart, K-mart, Crapmart bikes I've owned over the years. It doesn't take much to satisfy me in the bike department so for me to rate a bike one star says a lot. My boyfriend put the bikes together (we also purchased the men's version of this exact bike). It took awhile to get the brakes adjusted just right but overall everything seemed alright. He got on first and as soon as he turned out of the parking lot I heard the sound of his foot skidding along the front tire. At first I thought his size 13 feet were the culprit, but then I got on my bike and sure enough my size 7s were sliding down the tire as well. Turns out that anytime you turn the bike the front tire comes within two inches of the front of the petal. So if you're someone who thinks their feet may hang at least two inches off the front of the petal don't buy this bike. It's almost as if the frame of the bike was designed for a child and then they just threw on adult tires, seats, and handle bars. Within 5 minutes on the bikes we both agreed these bikes must go back. I'm still baffled as to how these bikes passed the legal requirements required for bicycles. I don't know what the requirements are but dang! Talk about low standards! These bikes are a lawsuit waiting to happen. On the bright side, because I purchased these bikes from Amazon directly I got a full refund including shipping cost. Oh Amazon!... how I love you so...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Great value mountain bike
By W. Otto
WARNING: If you are unfamiliar with road bikes and mountain bikes and you can not adjust the derailleur using hex keys, screwdrivers and other tools when it gets out of alignment or you are unwilling to use toe clips to keep your foot from extending in front of the pedal then STOP. Also if you think that you really can use all 21 speeds - STOP. If you think your feet should be able to rest flat on the ground while you are on the seat - STOP. You probably do not know enough about bikes and you will probably hurt yourself on this bike. Go to a bike shop and buy from them and get them to give you instruction and set up your bike. You can't ride a mountain bike like you rode your trusty old Schwinn when you were a kid. Like all mountain bikes, this is not recommended for a child because of the amount of maintenance needed for safety.

Like most bikes, adjust everything following the 50 page instruction booklet. Tighten everything. Ride the bike carefully and a little more aggressively. Then re-adjust and tighten everything again. I found that some things worked pretty loose after the shakedown ride.

Pros:
Dual suspension (seat is on a spring loaded frame isolated from rear wheel and the front fork has springs and shock absorbers.
Gear shifts are the twist type located on the handle bars. Hand brakes are decent quality. Overall a good value, but not a great bike at a bargain basement price.

Cons:
Well, nothing really that you would not expect: The seat, wheels, and components are mediocre. That's what you paid for. It is a little tricky to mount on my hitch-mounted bike rack.
Some people will find the mounting of the front wheel to get in the way of your feet and to be unstable for steering, but this is what a mountain bike is supposed to do. The seat is also hard for the novice, and you will want a gel seat cover.

I got it for my wife, who is used to the old generic cruising bikes from the 50's. I was a little surprised at how much you get for $160 so I might be a little more favorable in my review than you might be. This is certainly no $1000 mountain bike, but I did not expect it to be.

This arrived in one day! It was double boxed and arrived FedEx in perfect shape. Putting it together was relatively easy, compared to my $500 road bike. When my road bike came two years ago, it took a few hours to get it adjusted and ready to ride. This Mongoose required a 5 minute adjustment to the front brake, but was otherwise pretty ready to go in 15 minutes. It is a little tricky to get the front wheel through the front brake pads, but everything else was easy. I assume you know that the left pedal has a reverse thread, just like most other bikes. You also should really consider mounting toe clips before you ride the bike. Otherwise just remember to keep your toes on the pedals, never the middles of your feet.

For me, the bike feels slightly weird because I am not accustomed to the suspension. My wife complained of the unstable steering and having to keep her toes back and out of the way of the front wheel. I am going to swap out pedals so she has some toe clips to keep her feet in the right place. Again, if you want a bike that you can ride with no hands, go get a different kind of bike.

The bike is geared pretty low, at least for someone used to a road bike. But is seems to be pretty much perfect for riding around the campsite where we go camping, and climbing on trails. Don't expect to ride 20+ miles per hour on a flat road.

My wife learned to ride the bike in about an hour. We decided that it is best for her to leave the gears set for the middle chain ring (in the front) and then shift the cassette in the back. This way she can not get a bad combination of gears and she gets most of the range she is interested in. She decided that the seat is definitely too hard and is getting a gel seat cover for Christmas. I needed to make several additional adjustments after she began riding the bike. This is normal for this type of bike.

I respond to all comments, so if you have a question, don't hesitate to post a comment.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Easy assembly
By Rachel R.
Nice bike, easier to assemble then expected. Wasn't sure about buying an unassembled bike online. Actually, looked all over for one first locally. Really liked the style of this one and I didn't want to settle for just anything. Happy I went with this one love it! Only minor issue I had was the height, I'm 5'4" and had to remove the reflector to lower the seat enough to reach the ground.