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Vintage MTB Drop-Bar Conversion - Great For Gravel and Adventure - $280 (Tenleytown | Washington, DC)
bicycle type:
gravel
frame size:
M/L or L
wheel size:
26 in
bicycle frame material:
steel
suspension:
none (rigid)
electric assist:
none
make / manufacturer:
Mongoose
model name / number:
Switchback
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This Mongoose Switchback is a vintage mountain bike that has been converted to drop bars. It is a ton of fun. The tires are almost new.
Modern Mongoose bikes are not sold in bike shops and are sometimes called "bike-shaped objects" (BSOs). If you do some research, though, I think you will find that vintage Mongoose bikes are different and that the Mongoose Switchback is a respected and worthy bike!
You might enjoy it for gravel, bikepacking, adventure, or commuting. I still don't know exactly what an Xbike is, but if I understand correctly dropbar conversions of rigid MTBs are sometimes described this way.
This bike has been great for a 5'10" rider. I estimate it would fit well for riders 5'8" to 5'11." I invite you to see if the bike is a good fit for you.
CONDITION
Stored indoors. You will see surface imperfections characteristic of a well-loved and fun-to-ride vintage chromoly steel mountain bike.
COMPONENT HIGHLIGHTS
The Kenda semi-slick tires have low miles. Please note that they are are close but not exact match with one another.
The triple chainring and wide-spaced 7-speed cassette together provide great range. You can count the number of teeth for yourself, but I know that the smallest chainring on the triple crank has 24 teeth and the largest ring on the rear cassette has 32 teeth. That's an excellent ratio for climbing when you need low gear. You would need to pay a lot of money to buy a new bike with this type of climbing ratio.
The plastic demo pedals installed on this bike do not spin especially freely when you flick them with your finger. They work fine for pedaling, though. If you would like to install your favorite pedals, please know that the threads on the demo pedals have been freshly cleaned and greased; with the right tool, you can remove the pedals easily and install your own.
PHOTO NOTES
Rack not included, although I could sell you a rack that fits for $10 more. Plastic demo pedals not shown in photo but included.
SALE NOTES
Cash only. Near Tenleytown metro (red line). I will check watermarks on all large bills. Please do not take this personally.
For $80 more, I will list as local pickup on eBay with “accept offers” enabled. That would give you eBay buyer protection and, I believe, would let you pay with credit card, too.
You're welcome to sit on the bike to see if it fits, but if you want to test ride please inquire because I have some rules (including that you will need a helmet).
If you email to ask if I will accept a lower price, I will respond with the following: "For this sale, I will only consider lower offers once you have shown up with cash in hand and have inspected the bike to confirm everything is to your liking. If you are not willing to begin in-person bargaining at the listed price, please consider buying a different bike." I do not guarantee that I will accept a lower price, but I am sharing this because I want to give you a fair heads-up about how I will respond to email inquiries about price changes.
If you are on a tight schedule, feel free to mention in your initial message some times when you could meet up. I cannot make any promises, but I will certainly see what I can do. Otherwise, I would be happy to offer possible meet-up times when I respond.
Thanks for looking at this listing. Please let me know if you have any questions.