UPDATE: See our review of the Mongoose Beast bike here: “We bought a Fat-bike from Walmart and took it for a test ride.”
First, Walmart introduced affordable single-speed bikes and fixies. Now, fat bikes? The retail elephant calls its new Mongoose model an “oversized, all-terrain bike.”
With 4.25-in.-wide knobby tires supported on extra wide rims, it looks like a fat bike to us.
Granted, the Mongoose Beast model has coaster brakes and a chain guard. It takes as much design inspiration from a beach cruiser as a Pugsley.
Walmart sales copy cites it is “an agile, resilient bike that can be ridden easily on a wide variety of terrain thanks to oversized tires for stability and traction.” Snow, sand, and mud included.
The bike — official name: 26” Mongoose Beast Men’s Oversized All Terrain Bike — has a steel frame, single-speed gearing, coaster brakes, ATB handlebar, and flat pedals.
At $199, the whole bike costs less than a couple fat tires from an industry brand. This price and wide availability at Walmart might make fat-biking more mainstream.
Shipping weight is 46 pounds, though we’re not sure how much less the bike weighs alone. Final detail: The bike comes with a kickstand that, Walmart says, is “extra strong to hold up the Beast” when you stop.
—Stephen Regenold is the editor of GearJunkie.
UPDATE: We review the Mongoose Beast bike here: “We bought a Fat-bike from Walmart and took it for a test ride.”
