Mongoose Salvo Pro Full Suspension Mountain Bike | A $2000 Mongoose
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ม.ค. 2025
- Mongoose mountain bikes tend to get dismissed by many people because they are available at Walmart and other big box stores. Mongoose also markets a line of higher end MTBs like the Salvo Pro. A full suspension mountain bike with a Manitou Marvel Pro 120mm air fork, a Manitou Radium Expert rear air shock, tubeless ready wheels and tires, and a quality frame. Is this just a dressed up big box bike or the real deal? Check out the video and be sure to comment with your thoughts on the Mongoose Salvo Pro.
See the Salvo Pro on Amazon: amzn.to/2YbDWFI
note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thanks for watching. I hope you subscribe so you don't miss any upcoming KevCentral bike videos. You can also check out my website and Patreon if you want more content.
Website: www.kevcentral...
Patreon: / kevcentral
Twitter: www.twitter.com
__________________________
Music credits:
All music is from the YT audio library
Low by ELPNT
Sky Scraper by Geographer
I dunno... you can get a previous-year Giant Trance 3 for $1500, which has a 150mm travel fork, 1x drivetrain, and dropper seatpost.
The Trance is a BEAST!
Yea that bike is awsome I had the stance 3 and the trance is a better version of that let me tell you that bike is able to do anything I had one after that stance but now I am on a sworks but let me tell you your bike is so much better
Yes giant have a outstanding warranty for original owner of bike I've broken a few full sus frames and giant have been meeting over and above their obligations
I'm an Australian giant customer and they look after warranty claims really well Mongols teocali super.frame x 2 failed never buy again
Teocali is the trance competitor. This bike is a full generation behind.
Still feel like you could get a lot nicer bike for 2000
Evan Wardrop cannon dale habit aluminum
Yt pancreas but then your dealing with cannondale the diamondback release tho i agree
Evan Wardrop Canyon Neuron Al 6.0
Trek fuel ex 5
Canyon Spectral AL 5.0.
Bushing suspension pivots on a 2k bike and no dropper, that will be a hard pass for me. If you want a good bike in this price range get a vitus on clearance off crc.
Mangoose 😂
Ikr for that price you could get a specialized stumpjumper with a solid warranty. Or a marin.
hapiman97 I bought a nukeproof mega off of there for 2500 and it is soo much more than any mangoose will ever be
I’ve done shits that are better that this bike
What does a good full sus has? instead of Bushings, I mean.
The frame looks weirdly old, as does the shock and drivetrain, and I think you could do quite a bit better for 2k. I mean, no dropper and bushings for 2k? Seems like a good bike but not 2k, it looks like a bike that was 1-1.5k from 2011
Perfect bike to replace it would be a low end scott spark. Dropper, NX eagle drivetrain, rockshox fork, x-fusion rear shock. It has great specs for a great price
Even my 2005 Jamis Dakar uses sealed, standard size bearings in the frame and linkages for the rear suspension.
The only thing that this bike has going for it is a tapered headset, and that's now basically standard on bikes from $700+.
100th like amen 😇
@@Bacon676 my 500€ bike has a tapered headset
2x by, no dropper, no anodised stanchion, bushes in swingarm, QR axle, mystery rear shock
XT derailleur though!
Yes but it's old XT and old SLX :D I don't know where they got those parts, I couldn't believe it's a QR, I thought it must be some of those quick releasable thru axles. This bike travels in time. The wrong direction.
The suspension fork and shock are fine. Manitou's low end stuff is surprisingly good. But there are much better bikes in that price range. Too bad they didn't send him a Teocali
Whoever owns that undercover Hydroform at 9:14, that paint job is absolutely sick! Nice work 👌🏼
im pretty sure i'd much rather go with a giant trance, but i see the point of this video
It’s odd that they have a QR skewer on the rear on a $2000 bike. Also, that rear triangle seems like the Trek Superfly 100 Elite.
I see front boost, rear QR regularly on sub $2500 bikes.
@@KevCentral I regularly see sub 1500 USD bikes with front and rear thru axles
the Trek Roscoes are mixed as well I believe
@@downinla4076 Trek and Santa Cruz are not exactly known for being a good value
@@brauljo Neither is a lamborghini. But the performance is undeniable.
the twist in the chainstays, one low, one high, is because bike companies were having issues with the chain stays flexing independently and they were bending and breaking near the bb, that's what my bike mechanic told me. my 2006 Ellsworth moment has it too
That's the biggest ripoff I've seen. QR rear end? no dropper, basic parts, outdated geo.......the list goes on
Congrats on 50k subscribers. Your channel has really grown thanks to all of the effiort and excellent content you offer. Without seeing the Hyper Hydroform video I doubt that I would have returned to the sport. You have brought a lot of new riders into the sport and Im sure you have improved Hypers bottom line. Keep up the good work. Next stop 100,000.😊
I just saw that it clicked over 50k, thanks! Glad to hear you’re back on the saddle too.
I picked up an older '98 Mongoose Crosscreek a couple months back and I love it! The drive train worked so well I decided not to change it when I started my conversion project on it.
mongoose is a dead for $2000 I can buy a giant trance or fezzari Abajo with significantly higher quality parts and much better geometry
They should start selling these in Walmart lol😂
Ha
A specked down slack am/downhill bike for 400-600 would be sick.
@@mazon33 Dude the frames cost over $1000 most of the time.
Give it a few years...
the would be funny
Thank you so much been waiting for a proper review on this line of mongoose bikes i really hope the newer 2019 line make it to the US it would bloew some people's minds but this just shows the variety the mountain biking may have
Kev as a person who has an expensive bike I can tell you they are extremely strong. S-WORKS epic HT and full suspension. Don't be afraid to treat it rough.
Thanks go doing this video! I have been curious about the more expensive Mongoose bikes. Good to see these are legit, although I agree with some the other in that there are better options in this price range. I look forward to the upcoming comparison video!
Great job, Kevin!
My bike is a Salvo Pro. Got it on clearance for $950.00 at my local bike shop. So far it has been great. I swapped out the chain ring for a 34 tooth single chain ring and took the front derailleur off. Also changed the stem for a shorter one and swapped out the bars for a set of Nukeproof Horizon 780mm bars with 30mm rise. I went tubeless and changed tires to a Specialized Butcher on the front and a Specialized Purgatory on the rear. Pedals are Specialized aluminum pedals (kinda like Chester pedals) and grips are Specialized locking grips. The seat was horrible so I put a better seat on as well. Next upgrade is going to be putting on a dropper seat post, better brakes and possibly a paint job to cover up that ugly yellow, orange and maroon.
nice work-luv your calm demeanor and upgrades.
I don’t understand the hate on manitou when it’s one of the top suspensions out there
Cool! Id still buy a giant or trek.. But its nice that Mongoose is still making real bikes..
Man, your videos are great thanks for making them. You should review more bikes like this one
You can get a siskiu t8 for 2k$ it came with a dropper,11-46t cassete,thru axle rear and front,rockshox deluxe rear shock and a rockshox lyrik up front
Hey Kev
Greetings everyone from Canada 🇨🇦
I will watch the vid in full later.
But my analysis already. I will relate to my friend At work.
He recently bought a $4000 fridge nice basically has a tablet in the door. I recently bought a $1300 fridge. His has a black finish. Mine has a slate finish. Double door freezer in the bottom.
I have been bringing my lunch to work now. He is still buying his in the cafeteria. ....
Anyway i think you all can piece together my point... Lol...
But it is a nice bike. The viewers bikes were great as well.
Greetings from Canada 🇨🇦🇨🇦 ( go Raptors )
U could get a way nicer bike for 2k like a diamondback release 1
The “twist” is an asymmetrical chainstay design that drops the drive side so that it can clear the chain (and in this case front derailleur) at full compression. The left side has nothing the clear so it takes the shorter, direct path.
I like it. You know how beach cruisers and some other commuter bikes turn to the past as inspiration for their design? It's kind of like that, but as a mountain bike.
manitau makin great forks these days. i have a bike with a 140mm minute and it is amazing
$2000 bike with suspension components that are several years out of date and discontinued, sounds like a great deal!
/sarcasm
You could do much better in regards to a big box bike build for that money with similar tier components that aren't 3-4 years old.
Case in point, I just built up a GT Verb sport ($420 on sale from dicks) with a 11 speed SLX drivetrain, taiwanese dropper, Spank Spoon rims with Fastace Hubs, Manitou Markhor fork (+ ABS damper upgrade and custom shim stack) and McLeod for under $1700.
Edit: Actually the frame on that Mongoose looks identical to the frame on my GT Verb Sport, so I'm guessing that Mongoose just puts on really old components and slaps a high sticker price on there instead of using the cheap components.
Also, assuming it is the same frame with different paint, that frame should have bearings in all the rear triangle pivots.
Great preliminary review! I appreciate your objectiveness, and you covered everything on the bike without using your tried and true "Kevisms": "plays well with" or "serendipity" or "segue"
Such a great video I do enjoy this type of content! Please do more like this!!
4:50
No shocks have pressure-guides, because all frames have different leverage ratios and suspension layout, so it's literally impossible for any manufacturer to include a pressure-guide on a shock.
As for the fork, it can have pressure-guides, since a forks leverage ratio is always 1:1 unless it's a linkage fork of course. Hope this clears things up, Kev.
Tomi Saaranen they actually do have pressure guides. My FOX shock when I purchased it came with the manual, and inside is a recommended pressure chart according to rider weight. You then set sag and tune
Mine has a pressure guide, but it's in the bike manual not on the shock. Gives me a guide pressure and ideal sag percentage
@@adambcvg Yeah, frame-manufacturers can sometimes include these. This is possible for obvious reasons.
You should check out the French brand Decathlon. They seem to have branches in the US as well. My experience with them is that they make great products (including bikes) for the price!
This channel was an advocate for budget friendly cycling previously. To see it promoting higher costing bikes naturally may turn away those on a lower budget. How about giving tips of having a good cycling experience with a budget bike? Cycling tips on the trail and how to avoid damages whilst cycling a walmart bike.
I guess you missed the part where this bike was acquired to be used for benchmarking a modified budget bike?
@@KevCentral Ah HA
Someone mentioned the design looked old. It is old. The Salvo goes back a ways, and updates every year have been minimal. This model goes back to 2017. It used to be listed on the Mongoose website, with other legit models like the Teocali....I bought the Salvo Comp back then because I got a really good deal. Mongoose no longer has these listed on their website. I have had a few bikes with Manitou forks over the years and have never been disappointed by the models I had.
I was surprised to see this video with a 2019 date stamp on it, and even more suprised to hear that Mongoose sent you a bike they phased off their site.
I have to mimic other comments though...it isn't worth 2k. I like my Salvo Comp...but if I had to pay the $1300 list for it...I would be riding something more up to date instead. ...but like you said, there is a lot to be said for a bike that just "fits".
how is proj xr pro compares to this one? I still thought you could get much better set up within $2000 budget.
BTW, the rear shock, I believe it is an OEM from DMN.
The xr is probably better than this😂
@@sam.dejardin Guaranteed.
I ride a Trek EX9 2013 model with the full floater setup on the swing arm and this bike is set up just like that the arms are also un even on my trek, looks weird but works great!
Good looking Mongoose , now it was blue/black like my Stat, Yea I'm partial to blue...
Thanks for the review...
Great Job as usual.
I didn’t even know they made good bikes anymore. Hopefully this video deters immediate dismissal of their bikes
congrats for 50000 subs!
Thanks!
So close to 50k just a couple more let’s go!👌🤩
Kevin welcome to my world and my bike this is what I grew up on something like
I love it when bikes are advertised with the tires included on them. You know that’s when you’re dealing with budget. $200 max for a set of tires and that’s a very very very high figure.
Also you could get a very very competitive hardtail for this, or half of this, and the suspension would likely be better.
I've noticed that mongoose charges a lot for their higher end bikes. As other people have pointed out, you can get a lot more bang for your buck with other bike companies. Still an interesting video though.
OLKIE hey! I just saw this bike on amazon for $999
Patiently waiting for this comparison video and they hyper comparison video 🙃
I have 2 manatou forks atm , the mattoc and the machete, happy with both of them , got the mattoc comp for $250 and the machete for $220. both on special [thats Aussie dollars] .
Interestingly the "" marvel "" is not on their website [Hayes] ..
Not a bad fork for price but doesn’t compare to a top end lyrik or 36
Kev, how many inch seat tube? Im sure its size fits your geometry to make you confidently blasting through the trails.
When a bad renter moved out they left their walmart mongoose behind, I put a springy seat on it and now it's my bouncy bike.
Can’t wait to see how your big box compares
My only criticism is that for this price they should have given it a full XT group set (which is not terribly expensive), especially with an aluminium frame. SLX is perfectly fine, but they should give XT for a $2000 bike.
Great video. I have wanted to see you review a high-end Mongoose for quite a while. I would prefer to see a 1x with a broader range on the rear cassette. I would also like to see Mongoose tone down the graphics. That's just my preference.
Himalo 29er frame 250 bucks with Aliexpress app. Its a winner with 68 degree head angle and 190 rear shock. Its a serious trail frame.
Design team: How many decals should we put on this bike?
Mongoose: Yes.
😂
I have a 2007 gary fisher hifi pro that has the same weird slant on the chain stays
The right side chain stay is lower to minimize chain slap...........you bunch of rookies.
Giant yuckon SX it still failed there but giant warranty saved the day they are fabulous
@@derekneumann my giant yuckon sx with that cracked there giants warranty saved the day but not sure that asymmetrical style is the best so many types around on.dual sus MTBs all claim the best I know mongoose teocali and kyhber were crap designed by total nutters
My Cannondale Scalpel has that to
Very much satisfied with the product .
Kev, nice find! I will have to take a look at mongoose when I save up enough dough to pull the trigger on my full squish! Until then my X Cal 8 is doing a bang up job!
Mike R im still trying to get an X Cal because a hardtail is all I really need even when the trail is rough.
XCal 8 is a great bike.
Wesley Alth I love my X Cal but It beats me up a little too much.I’m no spring chicken so for me to continue riding I’m going to go full squish.
KevCentral I put a Lev Integra dropper on it and it really makes a difference!
I have slx on my ghost and i love everything except the front mech. When it gets dirty i have to take it off the bike to clean and oil or it stops dropping down
For 2000$, you could get a Canyon fullsuspension bike at a good entry level, with rock shoxx suspension and a one by 11. A good looking one too.
I literally just commented about the tyax like an hour ago man
pls test a vitus, either the vitus nucleus vr for 560€ or the vitus sentier vr 1100€. I think they are among the best bang for your buck bikes out there
Im still rockin a 2010 Otero Elite. Did lots of upgrades but still have all the original parts haha.
So glad I got here so early!
Pretty sexy bike! I had no idea they were still making decent stuff!
Almost all of us Americans say “shwalbe” but the correct pronunciation is “Sh-Val-ba” Ws in German have a V sound.
Component list is pretty sweet! Would've liked at least a low end dropper like a KS Lev for that price point, but it's still worth buying one with that price. Curious how well it climbs. That color... oh man! So sweet. Would like to see a 120mm travel bike for my needs in my area though.
"I press buttons and things move." LOL!
What's your opinion on the Merida big nine 20 d 2019? Is worth 500$?
Very similar configuration to the GT Aggressor Pro.
The mongoose salvo definitely is a good bike. But, 2000 seems a little bit steep. For 1800 you can get a Santa Cruz Chameleon. Mongoose has to work out their prices better and go with name brand suspension. Not saying the suspension is bad, but most companies go with Fox or Rockshox. They have a long way to go to be up to par with the big brands.
Agree. At this price, there are far better options. Maybe around 1500-1600 it'd be a better deal
The price fluctuates. It is $18xx today, but was $16xx last week.
KevCentral But even for that price there are still better options. You should make a comparison video between the salvo and another bike at the same price.
Hey! I was hoping and suggesting that you do a review of these! Thanks
Can’t wait to see that next video! How can I post a picture of my bike for you?
Hey Kev. What's with the Jessica and Euro MTB frames have you heard of them? I don't want to purchase one but just wanted to know if you seen any in action.
I have a Radium on my XR pro I like it alot it's a pretty sweet rear shock, but I bought mine for $200 like 7, 8 years ago I don't even know they still made them. Just goes to show you the xr-pro has been around that long and people are still talking about it. And it was basically considered old technology back then. The frame design at least.
any update on shwinn aluminum comp part 2 upgrades plz
keep on riding kev!
Fairly soon
What do ppl mean "it's not a mtb without a taper"? Dh bikes often have a straight steerer and my mtb, while older, has a straight steerer but is very capable even at downhill parks. Can somebody explain the benefits of tapers and why some argue that it negates the mtb experience? Great vid as always, Kev!
Alex Nezar to me it was always a marketing ploy to a non issue. The headtube bearing standard. The standard was 1 1/8” without there ever being an issue. It was used during the freeride explosion during the late 90’s and early 00’s. Then somewhere in the mid 00’s there was talk of the new 1.5” standard for headtubes. Cannondale and Intense were already using 1.5” headtubes long before this. The 1.5” standard died out because there was a non issue with the current headtube bearing size. Years later the taper headtube came out with a 1 1/8” upper and 1.5” lower bearings. Claiming benefits of being stiffer. There was never an issue. Heck, dirtbikes used 1” headsets. Ive been around bikes for a long time. When I read the comments on bike related issues. I can tell who has and hasn’t been around bikes for long time.
@@HPAa3 very interesting! Thanks for enlightening me:)
What caught my eye? The Bontrager pedals. I was looking at these when I recent purchased a new mountain bike. In the end, I had the shop install RaceFace Chesters because I know they are awesome pedals. Now I am kinda wishing I had seen this first. I will agree that I am somewhat questioning the colors that Trek elected to make available for these pedals, but I am also thinking that the olive grey/black would look kinda cool on my flat black frame. As for the bike, it doesn't look like anything special, but I would have to ride it. The 2x drive train is interesting - leftover old tech or new idea that we will eventually embrace?
looks solid but a non-boost quick release rear axle on a $2,000 bike is just crazy. Way outdated.
I’m sure it’s a good bike but I always wonder if Kev has to send the bikes back, if not why did he not upgrade the Mongoose Ripsaw?
I had looked at their expensive bikes because I thought it would be cool to have a $2500 “Walmart” bike. But I felt like YT was a much better value!
You get to keep this?
Hey, I'm an English viewer here and was wondering if you have btwin/ Carrera over in the states, and if so whether you're planning on reviewing them? Either way great videos
Hadn’t planned on reviewing either, but I do have interest in those brands
I love that bike! Nice video!
Hey brother what do you think of the mongoose Mack?? Iv got one that iv motorized and its really smooth at 45mph ...except for the crappy shock on the front iv got a triple tree setup um putting on it off of a Royce union down hill racer ...it should be good then..
Mangoose RipSaw seems to be my favourite
That's actually a Shimano M506 brakeset; it's the non-branded Deore-level lever with Shimano's servo-wave tech.
This hold a lot of resemblance to the 2019 canyon neuron Al 6.0 main differences are suspension and brakes, but the frames have the same sort of twist.
Big-box bikes are real bikes, just that they are inexpensive real bikes so ride them accordingly--or upgrade appropriately. And for me, Mongoose is like Schwinn, original players back in the day. And Mongoose was smart, snatching the BMX baton from Schwinn and making the first true BMX bike for kids ready to upgrade from modified Sting-Rays, the original bike for BMX racing. Not sure, however, about paying a couple of grand for a Mongoose mountain bike. A premium BMX bike or a single-speed cruiser, sure, because that was their forte back in the day. And in '82 I bought a 26" single-speed Mongoose for racing in the BMX cruiser class. And it could wheelie for days. Flick it up and let it float.
Oh yeah i also have a dinosaur mtb that's been with me for awhile now. Lol get this a Polaris full Suspension! It's been upgraded before it brought over to me and let me tell if it wasn't because of the weight the bike could've been nice to have around.
It was worth the experimentation. What does it weigh?
If held back on mods to the Hydroform. I’m concerned about the pedal strike issues. How does the XR pro compare to the Hydroform with regards to pedal strike? Any comparisons on that coming?
My hydro doesn’t have any pedal strike issues since I went back to 29” wheels.
The Orange HH is sweet looking.
At my Local bikeshop you could get a specialized sj st for the same price
Love the videos!!
I find the fork looks backwards. As you mentioned at that price it should have internal cable routing.
Manitou voodou
Is it my imagination or does that look extremely similar to the XR-PRO? I know the thingy with the chainstay and a taper, but let's be honest, that stuff is NOT that hard to change during the manufacturing process...
I honestly thought you had done a custom paint on the XR...in order to get rid of the suiqigallies.
Other than it being a full suspension bike I don’t think it looks any more like an XR Pro than my Trigger 3 does.
The chain stay is the same as my MERIDA 120/7.600 . i love the whole frame on it [Merida], extremely strong and high quality looking. German engineered
I think both Giant and Merida have design houses in Germany but both companies are Taiwanese and most of the engineers are in Taiwan where the manufacturing facilities are plus the manufactured product testing is there. Saying that Mike Burrows has designed quite a few Giant bikes including road bikes and the Half-way. I think he designed the TCR road frame which was revolutionary at the time with regard performance and reduced manufacturing cost. However it is the Taiwanese engineers who had to take his designs and create the manufactured product. Merida are expensive nowadays if Mongoose are using Merida frames that would possibly account for the uncompetitive price. Many brands are importing their bikes from Bangladesh and Cambodia nowadays who are much cheaper than Taiwan and mainland China.
It has good drivetrain, brakes, tires and bottom bracket. But the fork, shock, seatpost, and cockpit is lacking
Can u review the Schwinn sidewinder from walmart
I've seen a few high end bikes with the rear triangle twist.
It's... odd, but seems to work, I guess.
Kinda expensive for a frame with outdated geometry, no 1x and not so good suspension
DaniDaimondz Official Manitou is good. What do you mean ??🤦♂️
Kev, @ $2k , you can get a Diamondback with a more update suspension lay out. That suspension system is way too old for that price.
It’s a fine bike but it’s a tough sell. You can get a Gian Stance that’s similarly priced with a dropper post. The giant would have better resale value too if you decided to trade it in or sell it. If you were going to upgrade.
Giant warranty is much.much better