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Eric Carter called up a shop in the summer of
2006 and asked if he could come out and ride
with them the following Monday. The shop
owner, not believing that it was really Eric
Carter, argued with him, asking who it really
was. It seems the owner thought one of his
friends was prank calling the store. As Eric
said, “He was like ‘Who is this really?’ And
I had to convince him by saying ‘This really
is Eric Carter’.” It’s those kinds of stories
that demonstrate why Eric’s one of the most
beloved, popular and celebrated mountain
bikers ever. We sat down to ask him a couple
of questions before a hot summer ride to see
what makes him tick.
A world champion 4X racer and the 2006
U.S. National Mountain Cross Champion,
Eric Carter has been dominating the downhill
slopes of major UCI events for years. Racing
on his Mongoose
®
signature bikes, the Eric
Carter Downhill (the EC-D) and the Eric
Carter Mountain Cross bike (the EC-X), Eric
worked his way back from an early-season
injury in 2006 to once again hit several
podiums since, including the US National
Championships. EC worked very closely
with Mongoose
®
to develop his frames to
meet his demand. Something that we know
every rider will respect.
SB: What was the first race you ever won?
EC: The first race I ever entered. Seriously. I was 8
years old and I entered a local race in the Regional
SoCal Cycling League on a borrowed bike. I was so
intimidated by the starting gate and the entrance – that
I braked all the way to the bottom of the hill. But then
I passed everyone. I guess that is kind of like my style
now. I might not be the first one out of the gate, but I
ride hard and pick good lines to make sure I can pass
guys. I was a wound up and determined little 8 year
-old who really didn’t want to lose.
SB: What three people would you most like to go on
a ride with?
EC: Man, that’s a tough question. I would definitely
have to pick my grandfather because he passed when I
was 10 years old and I never really got to have a grown
Interview by Stephen
Balsley
9
CATEGORY MOUNTAIN DUAL SUSPENSION
MODEL EC-D EC-X
COLORS TEAM ORANGE & PEARL WHITE TEAM ORANGE & PEARL WHITE
SIZES S/M, M/L S/M, M/L
FRAME FREEDRIVE DOWNHILL
7.3-8.4"
(189-214 MM) TRAVEL 150X12 MM
ROCK SHOX MAXLE REPALACEABLE DROPOUT
FREEDRIVE FOUR CROSS
2.8-3.0" (73-83 MM) TRAVEL 135 MM QR
REPLACEABLE DROPOUTS
REAR SHOCK FOX DHX-5.0 COIL OVER W/PIGGY BACK, WITH
ADJUSTABLE PROPEDAL DAMPING, BOOST
VALVE, TUNING RANGE, REBOUND AND PRE-
L
OAD. (9.5X3.0")
ROCK SHOX MC3.1, AIR SHOCK WITH
MOTION CONTROL DAMPER, EXTERALLY
ADJUSTABLE FLOODGATE SETTING AND
REBOUND (6.0X1.0")
SEAT CLAMP ALLOY Q/R ALLOY Q/R
up conversation with him. He was a smart guy who
worked in the Pentagon and for the military for years,
and I don’t know if he ever really got the chance to
ride. I guess I would have to pick my dad for the same
reason. He never really got to ride either, and I know
that’s something I look forward to most in the world
is heading out to ride with my son in a couple of years.
The third guy would have to be Doug Jicha. I use to
race BMX with him in the day, but he passed away from
Hodgskin’s Disease about 10 years ago. And I just miss
the guy. If I had a chance to ride with him one more
time, that would be cool.
SB: This past year, you started the MONGOOSE Tribe
of riders. What’s it all about?
EC: The Tribe was an idea that was kind of created out
of a desire to have a gathering of like minded, fun, riders.
To take a group of people with common interests and
really get them out their together and ride. I mean, the
guys in the Tribe aren’t all pro riders, they are more the
salt of the sport kind of Sport and Expert class riders
that really live this lifestyle. I believe so much in my
signature bike and I really wanted to help get more
guys out there riding. I was having so much fun at the
party, that I wanted to bring some other guys along. It
really is a great experience.
M: Tell us about your best day on a bike that was not
a race.
EC: I can’t narrow it down beyond two rides. Sorry.
But these were both pretty epic. One of them has to be
the 2000 RockShox Fork Demo when a group of local
riders in Moab took me out into the desert and showed
me a really cool dinosaur fossil. It wasn’t just a couple
of bones, this was like the whole spine just hanging
out there. That was pretty amazing. And the other one
has to be my first Kernville Fat Tire Festival. Another
ride that was really epic trails, but it was my first time
really getting into mountain biking. It really showed
me the lifestyle with guys out camping next to the river
and drinking some beer with friends. That really got
me into the whole lifestyle.
SB: What is the best advice you could give to someone
just starting out in 4 cross or downhill?
EC: Two things. Have fun. Don’t take it so seriously
that you forget why you are out there. I see too many
guys with really cool bikes and expensive kits who
are out there to win, and they forget to have fun.
It’s not only about winning, it’s about riding. And
the other thing to do just that, have a good time on
your bike. You can make tons of lifelong friends riding
bikes. I don’t think there is anything cooler than that.
We couldn’t agree with you more, Eric.
EC-D
™
FRAME: MONGOOSE Freedrive Downhill 6061 Aluminum w/ Patented Floating BB, Replaceable 150 x 12mm
Thru-Axle Dropouts & Disc Mount, 7.3-8.4" Travel
FORK/SHOCK: RockShox Boxxer Team w/ Motion Control Damping w/ High & Low Speed Compression Damping
& Rebound Adjust, 203mm Travel; Fox DHX-5.0 Coilover w/ Piggyback Reservoir, Boost Valve, Adjustable
ProPedal Damping, Adjustable Tuning Range, Preload & Rebound Adjust
DRIVETRAIN: 9-Speed w/ SRAM X-9 Derailleur & Trigger Shifter; Truvativ
Holzfeller 38t Crankset w/ External Bearings
BRAKES: Avid Juicy 7 Hydraulic Disc w/ Speed Dial Adjust & 8" Rotors
WHEELS: Sun MTX Team Rims w/ Ringle Abbah SOS 32h Thru Axle
Disc Hubs, Kenda Nevegal DH 2.5" Tires w/ Stick-E Rubber
COCKPIT: Easton EA70 31.8mm Bar & Havoc Stem; SDG I-Beam
2014 Alloy Post & Bel Air ST Saddle
8
FRAME SET SPECIFICATIONS
EC-D
™
frameset
FRAME: MONGOOSE Freedrive Downhill 6061 Aluminum w/ Patented Floating BB,
Replaceable 150 x 12mm Thru-Axle Dropouts & Disc Mount, 7.3-8.4
" Travel
SHOCK: Fox DHX-5.0 Coilover w/ Piggyback Reservoir, Boost Valve, Adjustable ProPedal
Damping, Adjustable Tuning Range, Preload & Rebound Adjust
EC-X™ frameset
FRAME: MONGOOSE Freedrive Fourcross 6061 Aluminum w/ Patented Floating BB, Replaceable
135mm Q/R Dropouts & Disc Mount, Adjustable 2.8/3.0
"
Travel
SHOCK: RockShox BlackBox Technology MC3.1 Air Shock w/ Motion Control Damper, Externally
Adjustable Floodgate Setting & Rebound