Professional Tweaks, Tips & Reviews By "AJ" Picarello I hope you find my Tweaks and Tips section helpful. If there is something you want to know about, send me an email and I will try to add that to one of my upcoming articles.

 

I had the pleasure of testing the Mongoose EC-D (size small/medium) at Interbike’s Dirt Demo held at Bootleg Canyon. I was very fortunate to snag this bike just in time to board the last shuttle. I only had time to thread on a pair of generic platforms. No preride suspension tweaks for me. Sucking in dust, while hanging off the flatbed truck, I had a few minutes to admire and figure out the suspension design.

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From what I was told, Mongoose has designed a link suspension based around the proven GT DH-I drive wheel path. The wheel path is not identical to a DH-I, but slightly tweaked to achieve even better performance. The main frame uses tubing from the Mongoose Black Diamond freeride bike to help keep the cost down. A huge 9.5” x 3.0” FOX DHX 5 is the shock choice for 2006.

You will immediately notice that the EC-D is an efficient peddler. I easy rode up the hill to the shuttle. This was the only DH bike I pedaled up the hill and keep in mind; I was whipped since this was my last run of the day! The bike has NO pedal bob, is incredibly lightweight and accelerates like NO other DH bike that I have ever ridden! The parts kit consists of only desirable components and, thank you Mongoose, an MRP chainguide.

The EC-D suspension works perfectly and the bikes geometry is spot on. The B.B. was high enough to actually pedal and still have stability through the turns. The slack head angle gave me the confidence to let off the brakes on the steeps. The chainstays are the perfect length for manuals and the top tube seemed right for me at 5’ 9” tall.

The frame had no noticeable flex and the bearing design seems easy to service. The rear suspension has a responsive feel and ramps up when you need it to. Bootleg has a few demanding sections and while other bike flounder, the Mongoose didn’t flinch. The bike rode straight through the rock gardens without a hint of deflection. The bike resists bottom out with ease.

The EC-D was by far the best riding bike that I demoed at the show and ironically the least expensive. Mongoose has designed one heck of an incredible DH race bike! The retail price of $3300 is a steal. Who should buy the EC-D? Anyone who wants to win! I’m curious what other test riders thought of the bike. It was out on demo the entire two days I waited in the dry, hot, and windy as all hell desert. The Mongoose EC-D gets my vote for best DH bike of the year!

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AJ Picarello
DownCycles

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