The Mongoose Ledge X1 is a full suspension mountain bike that features an aluminum frame and progressive trail bike geometry. The Ledge X1 has a 17-inch frame size and fits riders best with a height of 64 to 74 inches.
It features a tapered head tube though the Element fork is a straight steerer with no adjustments or lockout. It does however have 100mm of travel and a quick release dropout.
The chain stay mounted kickstand looks a bit crude with its sharp corners and would look much better by simply rounding the corners. I know I’m nit picking here but little details like that can impact the visual aesthetics greatly.
One thing I’m very surprised about is the internal cable routing and it even comes fitted with ports for a dropper seat post for easy, on-the-fly seat height adjustments so you can ride further back on the bike on those descents without worrying about the seat hitting your jiggly bits.
The bike is equipped with a 1×7 drivetrain setup with 6061 heat treated crank arms fitted with a 68mm threaded bottom bracket. The front chainring is a 30t narrow/wide and an tied in with an 11-32t rear cassette. Since this is a 1×7 don’t expect to have much of a gear range, I would consider swapping out the cassette and derailleur for a 1×10 or even a 1×11 setup.
The 11-32t cassette is handled with a Pro Rush rear derailleur and I was shocked to find that it’s fitted with a clutch to help reduce chain slap.
The cockpit is handled with 31.8mm Mongoose branded handlebars and a slammed 35mm short stem. Fitted to the bars is Pro Rush shifter and standard alloy brake levers.
What’s nice about this setup is that the shifter and brake levers are separate from one another, something you don’t find too often on bikes in this price range. Both front and rear disc brakes are 160mm.
The Element aluminum double wall rims are wrapped with Compass wire bead tires measuring in at 27.5×2.60in. One thing I highly suggest changing on this bike to help save from injury are the plastic platform pedals.
It looks like Mongoose is steeping their game up and the Ledge X1 is a great choice for anyone looking for a solid base on which to improve upon.
Though the components on this build are not the greatest, its an excellent platform for beginners who want to learn the sport and the mechanics of bike building by replacing the components.
I would suggest starting with the front and rear suspension followed up by the drivetrain then wheels.
Personally, I’ve never really been a fan of Mongoose since my days of BMX riding but if I had the space I would seriously consider picking up one of these just to tinker with.
MSRP is $478 but it’s currently listed for $398 at Walmart.com, though out of stock at the time of writing this. Click Here to view on Walmart.
