1970's

[NeilM]

I have a vague recollection from around 1971 / 2/ 3 of a bunch of us making 'crossers'. These were ordinary bikes (from the tip quite often) which had wide 'cow horn' bars, possibly a back brake and 'knobblies', which I guess must have been cyclocross tyres.

We used to belt round bits of Epping Forest and also fly in and out of bomb holes, seeing who could jump the highest or furthest without breaking something (our necks probably).

 

[godders]

I have a vague recollection from around 1971 / 2/ 3 of a bunch of us making 'crossers'. These were ordinary bikes (from the tip quite often) which had wide 'cow horn' bars, possibly a back brake and 'knobblies', which I guess must have been cyclocross tyres.

We used to belt round bits of Epping Forest and also fly in and out of bomb holes, seeing who could jump the highest or furthest without breaking something (our necks probably).

I wonder how many on here have been through the very same thing ??
when my brother left home i managed to blag his 5 speed racer
have no idea what make it was but it had a full crome frame and fork
........looked good to me anyway ended up with flat bars and cx tyres, but still the original drop bar brake levers ...wich made things ...interesting when trying to slow down i was gutted when he showed up at home one day and said he wanted it back :cry: and that was the last time i rode a bike for the next twenty years !!!

 

[DEAN C.]

I have a vague recollection from around 1971 / 2/ 3 of a bunch of us making 'crossers'. These were ordinary bikes (from the tip quite often) which had wide 'cow horn' bars, possibly a back brake and 'knobblies', which I guess must have been cyclocross tyres.

We used to belt round bits of Epping Forest and also fly in and out of bomb holes, seeing who could jump the highest or furthest without breaking something (our necks probably).

Jeees! Me too in the early mid 70's before we had heard of mountain bikes.
We had heavy road frames with cow horns and 24 or 26" wheels with the most nobbly road tyres we could find. We would set jumps up with planks and milk crates in the woods or building sites. I also actually won a race in a quarry and around some woods that the cub scouts had set up when I was about 8 years old. Using a small frame 24" wheel raleigh with flat bars.
Could I get mountain bike pioneer status for that?Halcyon days.

Dean.

 

[kaya]

I have a vague recollection from around 1971 / 2/ 3 of a bunch of us making 'crossers'. These were ordinary bikes (from the tip quite often) which had wide 'cow horn' bars, possibly a back brake and 'knobblies', which I guess must have been cyclocross tyres.

We used to call them 'Trackers' (we rode tracks in the woods & on the moors hence the name), I think it was the late 60's (Im showing my age here ) when I built my first but some one must have shown us what to do. So I would think they had been around longer than that.
Wished I could find some pics..

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

awesome!
and so very true; it was true well into the 80's; I know

 

[silverclaws]

Seventies were I remember many frames and wheels that did not last long with us, for it was the five speed racer with drop handlebars and general purpose tyres on them, the cheapest we could get and hit the trails and whatever else took our interest. So single track, which I still enjoy most with a more durable bike now

But of stupidity, my pal broke his chain out in the sticks, so bright idea, find some stringy stuff and ended up with a rather knotty length of bailing twine and the job was for me to tow my pal, which was fine no problems except the berk did not slow down when I did and he piled into the back of my bike snapping his frame as the forks bent backward on impact. He had a Raleigh something or other, something modern for the time and I had a brazed Dawes from the Sixties, solid bike that was, built like a tank, about as heavy as well for a bike meant for the road.

 

[FMJ]

It wasn't till i got my second motorcycle at 14 that my parents thought "maybe we oughta buy the l'il nutbar a helmet". In the woods jumping everything in sight during the late 60s on modded Stingrays was a given.

 

[NeilM]

I forgot to add that the back brake was usually only there to allow us to perform 'broadslides'; riding into an open area as fast as possible, and then locking the back wheel, and pretty much performing a massive handbrake turn. Whoever left the biggest skid, won.

The alternative on tarmac, was to do the same thing in a straight line. But this was best done on 'slicks', which usually came from the tip, along with various bike parts.

 

[Glassman]

Teheee! kills me reading these absoloutely some of the old saying's like broadlides, cow horns.

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

This thread needs more photos. C'mon members, post pics of your crazy youth on bikes...if you dare :twisted:

(I've got a couple...somewhere)