cruiser revolution

It appears that Mongoose is taking a page out of the SE bikes marketing handbook.

Not only are they offering bikes for the modern-day rider  like the new 24 we featured earlier but also bikes that are more retro-style, befitting its long heritage in BMX, like the updated KOS Kruiser.

You might remember the new 24″ Mongoose has in the pipeline. Trent Brocker and Moody have been seen putting that bike through its paces so you know it’s going to hold up to modern-day riding.

Now to capture that end of the market that remembers the origins of the sport, they’re reintroducing the KOS Kruiser.

Named after Jeff Kosmala, the dominant cruiser rider of the late 70s/early 80s, it was a bike that was piloted to many a championship win.

Kosmala taking care of business (vintage BMX Action shot)

And while it retains its classic retro looks (hello looptail!) it’s been updated to take advantage of the improvements that have happened over the decades since its original release. Think sealed everything, v-brakes and an integrated headtube. They even go so far as to put on an aftermarket ACS freewheel–a nice touch given the tendency of generic freewheels to give up the ghost without warning (and often at the most inopportune time).  The motomag sprocket is pretty sweet too.

Sure it wouldn’t be what you would want to thrash the streets with–it wasn’t meant for that. This bike is for cruising in the truest sense of the word.

Think of it as bike that’s in the same class as the Macneil retro style cruisers. Mongoose’s advantage though is the retro-cool factor of its look combined with Mongoose’s deep legacy in the sport and Jeff Kosmala’s iconic standing as one of the dominant cruiser riders of his era.

For more pics of the updated KOS Kruiser, check out this Flickr photostream.