How to read mongoose bike serial number serial numbers#
How to read mongoose bike serial number serial number#
How to read mongoose bike serial number serial#
How to read mongoose bike serial number full#
How to read mongoose bike serial number pro#

Third Letter = (Month of Manufacture) only after march 1985.

Second Letter = (Model) only after march 1985 (only for C=cali or E=Expert).

Second Letter = (Month of Manufacture) up to feb 1985.

First Letter = ' M' (Merida factory in Tiawan).

How to read mongoose bike serial number serial#

So to start the decoding of these serial numbers. We have been told that when the company was sold the new owners only wanted complete boxed bikes and the rest of the stock of frames were destroyed.

After the company was sold to Service Cycle in 1986, it seems all remaining frame production was moved to Tiawan. USA made frames continued the standard USA numbering.

How to read mongoose bike serial number pro#

The top of the range frames were still USA made, (ie: Pro class, Rupe, Supergoose). Then next came the first Californian and Expert frames and were USA made, while they were getting setup for Tiawan production, which started in mid 1983. In 1982, BMX Products started to manufacture a new range of non-gussett frame starting with the Pro Class 20' frames.

How to read mongoose bike serial number serial number#

To start with, any frame with a serial number starting with 'M' was made in Tiawan in the Merida factory. The 'heli' in heli arc comes from the shielding gas helium that was used. It's proper name is GTAW, or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. Unique Heliarc weld pattern ('heli arc' is another name for TIG.A round hole below the upper seat mast.Gusset at the front behind the headtube.There are a few key components to look for on a BMX Products, Inc. All USA made frames after they dropped the “C” were month, then year, then serial number.Īs a general rule anything with a Gusset behind the head tube was manufactured in the USA. USA made frames from post gusset era, still had the month first, then the year but they were stamped not on the bottom bracket but on the brace behind the bottom bracket. Sometime in 1982 the bottom bracket brace was replaced with an open design (see picture below). J2009981: according to this serial number the frame was manufactured in October of 1982. (If your frame has holes in the dropouts, BUT does not have 3 holes in the brake bridge, its NOT a supergoose, even if its chrome) See dropouts page here.

How to read mongoose bike serial number full#

These extra holes were only on the full cromo frames that had the 'step down' type dropouts. The easiest way is to check the brake bridge for the extra two slotted holes that were added. So there is actually a month or more where there was a 'Team/Supergoose' frame that had no 'T' in serial but still had 'old style' dropouts. There was a few 'crazy' months around April, May and June in 1981, when there was mix of old and new dropouts being used. When they dropped the 'C', it was realised that there was no need for it, as there were other ways to ID a Team/Supergoose (full cromo) frame. Also of note is the 'T' (for team), was also dropped. This applies to all frames made, EXCEPT those starting with the letter 'M' as these frames were made in the Merida factory in Taiwan.) As before, the letter indicates the month and the first number or the second digit in the sequence indicates the last number for that year. (nb: The frames were still made in Chatsworth up until 1984 when they moved to Moorpark. The 'C' was dropped and they started out with a single letter followed by a sequence of numbers. In April 1981 and onwards the frames were coded differently. (there are a couple of known Supergoose frames without the flat seat stay.

NBB: In 1982 and onwards, a Team frame was also offered in 'Show Chrome' as well as red or blue candy coat.

As opposed to a candy coated full cromo frame = team frame. NB: a Supergoose is just a full cromo team frame that has nickel (79/80) or chrome plating (81 onwards) as its final finish. Very early team frames had a 'T' but without the flattened seat stay, but these are very few and were in 1977 mainly. This was done to give better clearance for the chain. (Moosegoose, Two/Four, Two/Six, and the Kos Krusier also have 100 % Chromoly tubing).Īnother feature of a Team / Supergoose frame is the flattened seat stay where the chain passes it. The Team Mongoose, Team Minigoose and Supergoose, all should have a T in this area.

How to read mongoose bike serial number serial numbers#

The same coding applies to the first part of the serial numbers as we discussed above, however, if a capital T is in front of or above the CXX it indicates that it is a 100% Chromoly frame. The Team Mongoose and Supergoose frames are a little different. NB: Super X has an “X” instead of a “C” in the serial number. The rest of the serial numbers are sequential and are the number of frames produced in that series. The next number is the last number of the year the frame was produced. The next letter in the sequence is the month code. For example:Īgain, the C stands for Cromoly to make note of which frames were updated with Cromoly. Each frame had a combination of three key numbers or letters.