REVIEW: 2009 Mongoose Pinn'r Foreman

Words by Mark Steinebach. Photos by Ryan Oakman.
Date: 2008-11-10

A blast from the past
Mongoose may seem like a new name to some riders, but the brand has been around since the heyday of BMX in the 1970s and the very early days of mountain biking in the 1980s. It was the bike of choice for some of the biggest riders of the day. During the last three decades, the company had its ups and downs, and spent much of that time in relative obscurity making department store bikes.

Things started to turn around in the last few years, however, with a new suspension design and Steve Romaniuk’s move from Specialized to Mongoose. Earlier this year, we tested the Khyber all-mountain bike from Mongoose, and while it was a nice ride it wasn’t designed for skinnies or bit hits. This time, we hopped on board the Pinn’r freeride-specific ride, and after several months of serious hammering, it was clear that some time out of the spotlight has been a good thing for Mongoose.  

Pinn’r deets
The Pinn’r is a true 7-and-7 bike that features a single crown fork (a dual crown can be mounted on the 1.5” head tube but this bike was designed for those who like to throw down with the x-ups). The head tube features a low-stack headset that minimizes unwanted front-end loft. The tube set features remarkably angular, styley, monocoque profiles with a bent top tube to maximize standover, an interrupted seat tube that makes way for the shock and mounts and a remarkably high down tube. The design is brutally strong, stiff and different (but not different in a bad way). For those of us that believe weld beads are art, you are going to be able to stand back and drink in the beauty of long, exquisite lines.


A nice parts package and a unique frame design add up to a sweet ride. || Photo: Mark Steinebach

Mountain bikes could learn a thing or two about cable routing from the world of road bikes, where visible lines are taboo. The Pinn’r does not have internally routed cables but the routing is remarkably low-key, passing along the down tube through specific channels that run below the shock and its mounts.

The Pinn’r uses a unique suspension design that Mongoose calls FreeDrive. The bottom bracket and mount for the shock are on a separate frame component from the front or rear triangles, and float between the two main frame pieces using a series of pivots and a small dogbone. 


The bottom bracket and rear shock mount are a separate piece from the front and rear triangles. || Photo: Mark Steinebach

The overall aesthetic of the bike design remains a bit of an enigma. The Pinn’r is definitely different and stands out in a crowd. In many ways, the design is a dramatic departure from the swoopy tube sets that everyone seems to be sporting these days. My initial reaction was certainly a bit cool, but I admit that I have now been won over to Mongoose’s dark side.

Frame geometry definitely leans toward stability on the steeps, with a 66° head tube angle and reasonable pedalability with a 69°seat tube angle. Chainstays of 17.5” translate into a bike that should track well at high speed but may sacrifice a little in the manoeuvrability department. Bottom bracket height of 13.9” is reasonably lofty, and it looks even taller because the down tube does not attach directly to the bottom bracket.

The parts spec on the Pinn’r was influenced by real riders and not just the bean counters at Mongoose. Drivetrain is pure quality with SRAM cassette, ’09 Saint derailleur (hung from a 12x150mm Maxle thru-axle with incorporated derailleur hanger) and e.13 guide. Funn pedals turn Gravity cranks over a super-stiff FSA MegaExo bottom bracket. Mongoose kept the weight down by choosing Sun Ringle’s ADD hoops laced to their new light-weight Jumping Flea hubs. The wheels are shod with Kenda Eric Carter signature Excavator tires.

’09 Hayes Stroker Ace stoppers are given the task of defying gravity. The clean looks of the SDG I-Beam post and seat (with custom Mongoose branding) really fits this bike’s techy look. Up front, a wide 28” Funn riser bar and stem is capped with Mongoose-branded, quality lock-on grips and even Mongoose-branded end caps.

Front and rear suspension are handled by a Marzocchi Roco TST-R coil with a 2009 Marzocchi 66 RC3 keeping the front wheel stuck to the ground. The 66’s graphics match the ADD rims, making for a nice balanced and thoughtful look. The top-level Pinn’r Foreman comes in Moss Green, while the entry-level Pinn’r Apprentice is available in Black; each model is available in three frame size options. The size medium test bike weighed in at a respectable 42.6 pounds on a digital medical scale.

Boingy boingy Pinn’r styles
Initial scrutiny of the Pinn’r’s suspension will certainly defy definition and will likely induce a headache. Take a few deep breaths and begin to unravel what is really going on here.

As mentioned above, the bottom bracket on the Pinn’r is free floating and incorporated into the suspension pivots. This freedom from the main frame triangle forms the basis of the Mongoose FreeDrive suspension. 

FreeDrive shares patents with both GT and Maverick bikes and is basically a very high-point single pivot design. The single pivot is married to the rear triangle through a small pivot and to the frame through a massive link that is built around the bottom bracket. It also directly connects to and activates the shock, allowing the bottom bracket to float or move with the suspension.


Another look at the rear shock and linkage on the Pinn'r. Single pivot with a major twist... || Photo: Mark Steinebach

As the rear triangle moves upward and backward through its suspension path, the bottom bracket moves down and backward along with it. This dramatically minimizes chain growth with suspension movement, thus eliminating the elements of suspension-induced pedal feedback and brake jack.

The real magic here is that FreeDrive is essentially achieved with what is arguably a high point single pivot suspension system. For any who have ridden a single-pivot bike, you know that pedal feedback and brake jack are things you simply come to accept. Well, Mongoose believes it has effectively wrestled these problems to the ground with the FreeDrive design.

Ride that funky Pinn’r, white boy
The Pinn’r design and stated function strongly suggest a few things: this bike should be exceptional under power, it should be fast and smooth, should be well balanced to handle stunts and skinnies, should fly well, be trick worthy and not break. A tall wish list indeed.

The first thing I noticed aboard this machine is how very, very fast it rides. I was instantly pinning through familiar sections of trail at an entirely new level of rip. Corners came up faster and gaps were cleared much further down the tranny. Speeds reminiscent of full-on DH bikes were easily peeled off with no appreciable loss of control. Most remarkable was how solid you feel on the pedals, even through the roughest of sections.


Railing around a corner on the Pinn'r is possible thanks to the suspension and rubber combo. || Photo: Ryan Oakman

As the speed mounted and corner-lean was being laid down in a big-league fashion, the front end did not have even a hint of wash. Ridiculous loads of very real traction tempted me to achieve higher and higher speeds. Once the fork and shock were dialled-in, the suspension allows the Pinn’r to be railed to the point where the only limiting factor was my fear vs. stoke ratio.

I had some serious reservations about the Kenda Excavators, and while you can really feel the drag of these big lugs at low speed, once you are up to mach speeds you get only the benefit of outrageous bite of sticky rubber on terra firma. That allows the full potential of bike to be expressed. They do squirm if you run your psi too low but things were fine with more air. They also work well in adverse conditions. The Excavators kept me on the skinnies and allowed the Pinn’r to be piloted with confidence, even in full-on mud and completely soaked woodwork.

As you might expect on a bike that likes to go fast, handling on the Pinn’r was very good. The low stack height and more upright front end prevent any steer slop so evident on pure DH bikes. The crisp and responsive steering was a real charm once on skinny stunts where the rider needs to come to a stop, corner and put on the gas to get under way again. Pinn’r balance and geometry ensure that the only limitation in this arena will be your lack of skill.


Coming down a ramp is a piece of cake on the Pinn'r. || Photo: Ryan Oakman

For the huckster set, the Pinn’r will not disappoint. No need for monster travel here. The distinct rising rate feel to the end stroke of this suspension ensures that you will have nothing but a deep, luscious feel on smaller hits. When dropping from the sky like a dump truck (I speak for myself here), the suspension firms up aggressively, preventing bottom out when you need it most.

The Marzocchi 66 was the real surprise here. I had ridden a previous version of the 66 in the past and was less than impressed. This is not the same fork. Massive stanchions simply do not flex and internal magic renders this fork nothing but deep, deep, deep when you land a drop. A markedly broad scope of adjustability allows this fork to also be simply superb even for low- and high-speed stutter. I found myself pushing the front end down BMX style when in the air simply to get that exquisite smooth feel of a front-end first landing.


Flying through the air with the greatest of ease... || Photo: Ryan Oakman

When riding gaps aboard a 40+ pound rig, you cannot expect to bust out anything like you might aboard a short travel slopestyle rig. That said, the Pinn’r is so well balanced that it feels much lighter once airborne than it actually is.

Bike park riding is just simply a dream aboard this bike. Speed, airs, traction/cornering are excellent and smooth suspension equals big fun. I did find that super steeps are sometimes a challenge for bikes that feature less rake than a full-on DH ride. Rear suspension that didn’t pack up, no pedal feedback when navigating root/rock gnar, and superb traction had the Pinn’r slaying Garbanzo steeps at Whistler Bike Park as well as Honey Drop and other nasties at Sun Peaks with ease. The Pinn’r gave me the kind of confidence you get when you can control your descents and stand with conviction on your pedals, despite the terrain.

How the components stack up
The Hayes Stroker Ace brakes were notably more powerful than Avid Juicys, but there was distinctly less modulation. This is in part due to the four piston calipers. Once I had a couple of rides in, I was really enjoying the additional power and this was not in any way diminished by a minor reduction in modulation. The Strokers were definitely noisy, though.

Whoever built the wheel set needs to be smacked and then given some remedial lessons on how to built wheels that are both safe and durable. One ride in and half the spokes on the rear wheel were loose and the hoop was wickedly out of true. Once properly tensioned and trued, the ADD wheels continued to run true with only the flat spots one expects to see with any rim that is being sufficiently abused.


The Pinn'r inspired confidence in the air as well as on the ground. || Photo: Ryan Oakman

In my opinion, Mongoose blew it by not equipping the Pinn’r with an e.13 DRS guide and a front derailleur. This bike pedals so well that it could easily be humped up some reasonable climbs. As it sports a 36 tooth front chain ring and an 11-34 cluster, it is going to keep you pushing when the grade turns upward. There are so many places that shuttling is not an option and with gas prices at nauseating levels, the shuttle run is heading the way of the Dodo. This bike wants to be pedalled, so equip it appropriately. Perhaps the emergence of new planetary technology like Truvativ’s HammerSchmidt would be a good fit for a bike like this.

Both the Roco and the 66 came without any paperwork, and there is no readily available info about these 2009 components. I adjusted the sag and empirically adjusted the pre-load, compression and rebound, and found that the settings were pretty good right out of the box. A few tweaks after a couple of rides to adjust for bottom out on the 66 and to improve for small bump sensitivity on the Roco had things exactly right. Once I had things set properly, I didn’t touch the settings again except when I was riding the bike park. For those that like perpetual fiddling, though, both the fork and the shock have everything you need to get your geek on.

What’s the final word, Doctor Mark?
I must admit that before riding the Pinn’r, I would not have paid any substantial attention to Mongoose bikes. Fair or unfair, part of this was due to Mongoose having been left behind after its time at the top several decades ago.

I tried hard not to let that influence me, and instead focused on what Mongoose was trying to accomplish with the design, as well as the bike’s performance in the category it fits into. And the Pinn’r both surprised and delighted from the very first ride. Every ride revealed new magic and my love of this bike grew exponentially. I rode better on this bike and my expectations were surpassed on every single ride.


No matter how you slice it, the Pinn'r was a fun bike to ride. || Photo: Ryan Oakman

As a side note, the Pinn’r was a breeze to clean after muddy rides on the Shore. Initial impressions of the suspension design and the way that the bottom bracket and associated aspects of the suspension elements seem to be more exposed would suggest that mud would collect beautifully. Mud did seem to collect around the pivots and linkage elements, but there was plenty of room for brushes to allow for very easy cleaning. And after struggling with the tight tolerances of cleaning around VPP-type suspension linkages, keeping the Pinn’r clean and tidy was a dream.

I now stand back and can look at bikes from Mongoose in a whole new light. The Pinn’r takes advantage of an innovative design that just simply works. At US$3,799 for the top-of-the-line Foreman model, you’re getting a lot of bike for a very reasonable amount of coin. A similarly equipped bike from another manufacturer could easily be priced at $5K or more. Simplicity, functionality, value, and innovative design – that adds up to everything you could want in a bike.

The Pinn’r will not make you into Steve Romaniuk, but it will make you better than you are and will make your riding time more fun. Spend a few of the dollars that you saved buying the Pinn’r instead of a more expensive ride on an e.13 DRS and front derailleur (or blow your wad on the HammerSchmidt when it comes out) and you will have put some icing on a really, really nice cake.

The Good:
•    A confidence-inspiring, smooth, fun ride
•    A suspension system that simply works – no brake jack or pedal feedback here
•    Very good value
•    High-quality components throughout
•    One of the best bikes available in the freeride category
•    Stands out in a crowd of look-a-like bikes

The Bad:
•    Stands out in a crowd of look-a-like bikes (yup this was definitely a love-hate thing)
•    Lack of front derailleur limits pedalability
•    Can someone at Hayes do something about the screaming squirrels included with their brakes?
•    The Mongoose name still has a ways to go before shedding the Supercycle-like association

The Ugly:
•    Lack of attention to detail by the wheel builder is simply dangerous

- Mark (“Baloom”) Steinebach

 

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Pinn'r Crackhead Edition - she was stolen!
Cam got this message from Mark a few weeks ago...

Some bad news today. I was going to go riding today to get some riding photos on the Pinn'r to finish the test article and had all my gear and the bike in the back of my Yukon and some bastard had broken the handle off the back door and stolen it.

I was out at 6:30 am and when I went out again at about 7:15 to leave to go riding, the back door handle was broken off. The bike, my $400 carbon fibre helmet and my gear bag with all my armour, riding cloths and all of my tools are gone. I am soooooo exquisitely pissed and I feel really guilty about the Pinn'r. I don't know how many times I have done exactly this in the past with my own bikes and other test bikes and never had anything taken (and it is my birthday today so happy birthday to me).

As the bike is pretty unique, I can't imagine that it will go unnoticed if it doesn't get parted out. A posting ought to go up on the site's BB so that people will keep their eyes open for it.

And then the good news...

I'm going out to buy a lottery ticket because the near impossible just occured. I have been posting photos and notices of the stolen mongoose in all the bike shops and have been offering a reward in hopes of getting it back. No word until today. A local RCMP was in a local shop buying a bike for his kid and he when he saw my notice he said "I have seen that bike." I contacted him and after meeting him at the evidence lockup I was reunited with the Pinn'r. The bike was recovered as evidence when this same cop busted a local Crack House looking for a particular person. When he was in the house he happened to notice this nice bike in a pile of other stolen goods. The arrested perp claimed he had purchased it for $100 worth of crack from a user who claimed it had been through the hands of several crack heads who had been using it for local transport and then a tradeable commodity for the purchase of crack. Apparently my neighbourhood is a gold mine for these folks who pretty much are just looking for something to trade for crack. The serial number has been scrubbed off so it was good fortune that I was able to describe every little bit of the bike otherwise the cop was reluctant to hand it over. My gear bag and helmet are nowhere to be seen. I will be going over it carefully but it appears to be exactly as it was when it was taken.

An hence the Crackhead Edition was born. Thanks to Chilliwack RCMP for their help in recovering the bike.

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Want to talk about the Pinn'r? There's already a discussion going on over on the boards.