Mongoose Ledge 2.1/2.2 Opinions?

[trav]

Hi everybody. I have been lurking around the forum long enough, so I thought that I ought to finally post something. Before I say anything else, I want to tell you folks that you all have a great community here, and I have appreciated reading all the helpful posts that so many of you have contributed. It's a good atmosphere.

I was wondering if anyone with some experience could weigh in on the reliability of the Mongoose Ledge 2.1 or Ledge 2.2 for building an electric bike with a rear motor. I know it's a Walbike, but the steel dropouts on the rear seem pretty solid, and overall it seems like a bargain. I have a Miyata mountain bike right now with a bunch of good components that I could put on a different frame, and the only reason I don't use the Miyata is because it's a 21" or 22" frame, and I'm about 5'8". Also, I have scoured craigslist, ebay, and yardsales to no avail (so far).

 

[cal3thousand]

How do you know it has steel dropouts?

 

[trav]

Magnets stick to it.

 

[cal3thousand]

Most of what I see wrong with a Walgoose are the components used. If you are replacing them and only using the frame, you could have a nice bike on your hands.

 

[wesnewell]

I've been using the Ledge 2.1 since Nov. 2012. I replaced both wheels, handlebars, and seat when I installed the motor. It worked good for about a year and 4K miles then I had to replace BB bearings. The original bearings were 9 ball cages and I replaced them with 11 ball cages. Other than that, it's held up good. Just don't plan on real big rear tires with it. I'm using 2.4" Cyclops and the fit is tight, but doable. The rear suspension handles a heavy guy like me.

 

[dogman dan]

Wes loves his cheap bikes. I loved them till I could afford better.

What happened to me eventually was that after awhile the cheap bike frame began to lose it's stiffness. That made riding it with loaded panniers less stable. What finally killed that first mongoose frame was that I used the back rim brakes so much it softened the frame enough to where the brakes would just bend the frame out when I applied them.

Bottom line, run what you can afford. But don't buy one of those wall bikes new for $150. Get a used one, nobody rides them far. Pay 40-60 bucks max. If you have $200, hunt down a better bike, used. Get some thing like a trek 820 or similar bike. Same cheap components for the most part, shifters and such. But a hell of a lot better frame, that will stay good for a very long time.

 

[trav]

Thanks for the replies, guys. It's starting to all come together in my mind. I scooped up a ledge 2.2 the other day. It's bright OJ colored and it has a front disc on it. It feels like a pretty decent ride. I took the steel brake grips off of my old bike and put them on, and I have a few other things I'm going to swap, but all in all, it seems like a pretty good deal!

 

[dogman dan]

Nothing at all wrong with it for a start. For me, not a short guy, I always have to change some parts on those teen bikes. Taller seatpost, throw out that awful seat, then put bmx handlebars on them. Then I can ride one. After that, a better crank is nice, the stock ones are easy to bend.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Mongoose-Ledge-2.2-Men-s-Mountain-Bike-Orange/22861843

A link or picture always helps. That, despite the low price, is not such a bad bike. It has the 4 bar suspension link I like a lot. If it has 1 1/8 headset, it can then get a better fork later. If it's 1" headset, then you are stuck with cheap forks.

One of the bigger problems with these bikes is that the frame tubes are thin and weak. So adding a rear motor can start flexing the frame a lot from side to side. In some ways, a better choice is a steel frame hardtail bike. That's what Wes likes so much. They have a cheap frame too, but the steel is much stiffer.

Say, do you have a certificate? We have quite a few pilots here. I'm a balloonatic myself.

 

[trav]

I hadn't thought about putting bmx bars on it! That's a really good idea. I ditched the seat on it already, they might as well ship them without it; it would be better if I just sat on the frame! As far as the flexing goes, perhaps I can convince the university to let me have a few strain gauges. It would be great to get some data on the stresses experienced by the bike.

You fly hot air balloons? That's freakin' sweet. I am not licensed though. Actually, I found my avatar last semester while we were studying fluid mechanics. Here's a fun fact though: when I was younger, my uncle would stock up on dog food and would always have me put it away because I could reach the lower cabinet better than he could. After a while, he nicknamed me Dogfood Boy. Sounds like a pretty good name for a sidekick, if you ask me

 

[dogman dan]

Lot of engineers here too, I'm the dumbshit Agriculture degree guy here. I'm dogman because I am a dog, and keep a pack of big dogs all the time. Right now two St Bernards and a Bloodhound.

As for the frames, load up enough weight in the back, pedal hard, and you will very likely see that frame bending back and forth with every pedal stroke. Like a dog wagging it's tail. Freaky till you get used to it. Of course the simple solution is stop pedaling.

It won't be so bad if you can carry your battery up front, and are not trying to carry two 12 packs of beer home on the bike. But put a 20 pound battery back there, and you will see the frame start wagging.

Or, while doing about 20, do a steer induced wobble. You'll see the weak tubing. Strong from top to bottom, bendy side to side.

 

[trav]

Perhaps I should look into getting a beer cart. Maybe I'll get real crazy and go double-semi-trailer-style and get a 48V 200AH LiFePO4.

Now you've got me thinking... perhaps I ought to just forget about the bike and build an electric wheelbarrow. It might not get me very far, but at least I'll be able to lug around my battery! :wink:

Seriously though, thanks for the tip. I'm starting to second-guess my decision to build my first eBike using a bike that looks like spaghetti when I ride it. Do you know if the wag is a result of the suspension system, or is it due to the material properties of the frame?

 

[wesnewell]

I've been using the 2.1 Ledge fo about 18 months and have not had any problems with the frame, but I'm only 270 lbs. I do bottom out the front suspension most of the time though. No problems with frame wobble though that I can tell. Now I am using my own wheels with 39mm rim and 2.4" tires. When I was using narrow rims I did some wobble, but more from the tires, not the frame. Narrow rims and big tires will do that on any bike.

 

[dogman dan]

The frame is sure to be strong enough to carry your weight. Since you carry the battery up front Wes, you won't see the frame wag.

The problem I am talking about is when you put 20-50 pounds on a rear rack. Then the rear weight will start to cause pedaling to twist the frame from side to side. The bend is forward of the seatpost, but I have seen wag in some kinds of suspension linkages. But the 4 bar link on that bike should not cause much flex there.


Don't worry trav, you will get at least a year or more out of that bike. It just won't feel as rigid as a $1000 alloy FS frame. Try to put some battery up front, rather than load up a rear rack with more than 10 pounds.

 

[trav]

Very cool. I'm gonna make some cardboard models later and take it for a ride. I think I'm going to end up getting an em3ev lihium ion for whichever kit I end up deciding to go with. I would use Li Po, but considering that I have seen two wall outlets in my apartment burn up, I am not sure it would be a wise decision.

I'm looking at the 50V 14.35Ah 22p 3c samsung battery located here: http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=132

It's dimensions are listed as 3 inches thick. 11 inches long, 5.5 inches wide and it weighs about 11 lbs. I've always been a skinny dude, I hover around 140 lbs. I think a 11pound battery would be okay on a rack, or am I mistaken? I don't want to be popping wheelies due to a torquey motor and a heavy battery. If possible, I'll probably just put it in front of the seat post.