I bought a nice late 70's Mongoose frame off Ebay last year and the seller seemed a bit sketchy as to what year it was, where it came from exactly and so on... I liked the way it looked (good shape and nickel plated) and was pretty sure it also had 1st generation Redline forks on it. So, I grabbed it on a fair bid. When I received it, I checked for the serial numbers but they were deeply filed off. Not even a chance of reading them. Because there were no serial #'s to go with, I did a bit of research and decided it was probably a Supergoose. Other people have told me, maybe not... I'd like to find out for sure.

The Supergoose vs. the Team question has always bugged me a little because there seems to be some ambiguity regarding certain aspects of the differences between them. I know this subject has been debated before and there is already some very good information already out there. However, I have not seen anything out there yet that fully addresses the flattened (or pinched) seatstay question for example. It seems to be an important aspect in identifying a Team and/or Supergoose.

Because my Mongoose knowledge get's a bit fuzzy after 76/77... Here are eight questions if anyone can help:

1) Do both Teams and Supergooses always have the flattened seatstay?

Assuming the frame does have the flattened seatstay and is nickel plated:

2) Does residual paint color (blue, red etc.) inside the Bottom Bracket or Headtube indicate it's a Team?
3) If no color is found in those areas (and the nickel looks to be original), is it a Supergoose?
4) Did the Supergoose ever come in chrome as well as nickel?
5) Were all the Teams only ever produced in colors?
6) Were Teams always color over chrome? (if yes, why would BMX Products do this?)
7) What years were the Supergooses made?
8) Can a 1st year Supergoose have only one hole in the brake bridge?

Thanks guys.

1) Do both Teams and Supergooses always have the flattened seatstay?
Yes
2) Does residual paint color (blue, red etc.) inside the Bottom Bracket or Headtube indicate it's a Team?
Yes
3) If no color is found in those areas (and the nickel looks to be original), is it a Supergoose?
Yes
4) Did the Supergoose ever come in chrome as well as nickel?
Chrome came in 81
5) Were all the Teams only ever produced in colors?
Team became available in chrome in 82, but only in the step-down dropout later frame version
6) Were Teams always color over chrome? (if yes, why would BMX Products do this?)
Teams were Candy over nickel, then later Candy over chrome, later still Candy over silver powder basecoat
7) What years were the Supergooses made?
79-84 as per catalogs (may extend slightly either way)
8) Can a 1st year Supergoose have only one hole in the brake bridge?
yes

NB: there was a later Supergoose without any gussett as well.(Pro Class syle frame) So there are at least 3 different Supergooses

I think Waza pretty much nailed it except for line #6

6) Were Teams always color over chrome? (if yes, why would BMX Products do this?)
Teams were Candy over nickel, then later Candy over chrome, later still Candy over silver powder basecoat

I thought the `78 & `79 Teams were over nickel, `80 over silver, and then `81, `82 & `83 over chrome. Not saying that Waza is wrong, just saying that this is how I understood it. I have nothing to prove it either way.

I would agree with MOtor City its more likely the other way around , silver powder, then chrome. as more bikes were chrome later. As i have not seen a silver powdered base version, I would love to get a few serial #'s of silver powder versions to confirm this.

Early Team frames even though marked with a T did not have a pinched chain stay.
I don't think that there are many of these, but I have a candy red one.
Also the decals are not prismatic. The seat stay decals are yellow.
Does anyone else have one of these non pinched frames?

a freind in Oz has one also, a 78 team

very early teams also had a coaster brake tab as well

Mostly correct waza.......except

4) Did the Supergoose ever come in chrome as well as nickel?
Chrome came in 81


I have a chrome 1980 supergoose....so they were chrome as early as '80.

I just picked up a `78 Team without the pinched frame or coaster brake tab.

awesome dave. whats the serial#?

Most of my replies are coming straight from the goose catalogs. Obiviously they to took months to make a catalog, so they must have been doing a 79-80 catalog late 78 - early 79. So the edges of time are always a little fuzzy.....LOL

Warren, serial number is:

CE8
78619
T

I picked it up as a complete, but the only thing Team (or Mongoose for that matter) is the frame itself.