He is known as a humble person, and many have compared his mentality to that of a recreational cyclist who enjoys riding his bicycle.
 In the past he has been criticised for lacking aggressiveness and for haplessness.
 For a while he was not able to put on a rain cape without having to put his feet on the ground.

The magazine Vélo  said he had a "calm and a lucidity, a way of talking openly, something too of a rage hidden behind a smile, for him, a little painful."

He is known as a clean cyclist who relies on homeopathy.
François Migraine of Cofidis said: "Everyone is more or less unanimous that David Moncoutié doesn't dabble [in drugs].
I would have 10 of him in the team if I could.
He wins three races a year and he still manages to finish in the UCI's top 50.
It goes to show that you don't have to dabble in drugs to have a career in cycling."

When Cofidis was at the centre of a doping scandal in 2004, one of those at the centre of events, Philippe Gaumont, wrote that Moncoutie did not follow most riders in taking drugs.

His team-mates have joked that while they are eager to try the latest and lightest equipment, Moncoutié would be happy riding on wooden wheels.
Moncoutié said: "Equipment, even the latest technology, that's not my thing.
What I like is to be on my bike and to ride.
That's when I'm happy."
His directeur sportif, Eric Boyer, said:
David is a loner.
He's happy in a group but he doesn't need it to live.
When I came to the team, I said to myself, as other people must have, that I was going to try to change him, to chivvy him up so that he got more involved, that he raised his ambitions.
Today, I realise that even if I find one or two keys to open the door, I won't get very far.
It doesn't interest him.
He just wants to be left in peace.
He is known as a humble person, and many have compared his mentality to that of a recreational cyclist who enjoys riding his bicycle.  In the past he has been criticised for lacking aggressiveness and for haplessness.  For a while he was not able to put on a rain cape without having to put his feet on the ground.
The magazine Vélo  said he had a "calm and a lucidity, a way of talking openly, something too of a rage hidden behind a smile, for him, a little painful."
He is known as a clean cyclist who relies on homeopathy. François Migraine of Cofidis said: "Everyone is more or less unanimous that David Moncoutié doesn't dabble [in drugs]. I would have 10 of him in the team if I could. He wins three races a year and he still manages to finish in the UCI's top 50. It goes to show that you don't have to dabble in drugs to have a career in cycling."
When Cofidis was at the centre of a doping scandal in 2004, one of those at the centre of events, Philippe Gaumont, wrote that Moncoutie did not follow most riders in taking drugs.
His team-mates have joked that while they are eager to try the latest and lightest equipment, Moncoutié would be happy riding on wooden wheels. Moncoutié said: "Equipment, even the latest technology, that's not my thing. What I like is to be on my bike and to ride. That's when I'm happy." His directeur sportif, Eric Boyer, said:
David is a loner. He's happy in a group but he doesn't need it to live. When I came to the team, I said to myself, as other people must have, that I was going to try to change him, to chivvy him up so that he got more involved, that he raised his ambitions. Today, I realise that even if I find one or two keys to open the door, I won't get very far. It doesn't interest him. He just wants to be left in peace.
David Moncoutié