(1984-2014) 30 years of UK mountain biking.

[GrahamJohnWallace]

I had (and still have) one of the Fisher/Ritchey Montares mentioned above by Graham and I'm pretty sure I rode it at the Wendover Bash mentioned in the first post - my memory is not what it was!! I do recall the series was the "Fat Tire Five". I bought that bike from Evans in The Cut. It was preceded by a Stumpjumper Sport, which I sold on, and followed at the end of '84 by a Roberts custom frame, which I still have and ride. I bought the Stumpy and then the Ritchey in late '83. FW Evans were one of the earliest to have Mountain Bikes, if not the earliest; I remember seeing a pair of Stumpjumpers there (Magura Motorcycle Brake Levers?). However, they had a couple of bikes in at a time, rather than "available". They said something about Richard Ballantyne being involved in importing them, I think.

My brother had an early Evans, in 1984 - it was an excellent frame, in Reynolds 501. My recollection is that the Saracens and later Evans frames were not the same, nothing like as snappy to ride. Certainly these were amongst the first bikes but not the first. Madison were selling one too (Ridgeback) pretty early on. It was not in the same league, being somewhat heavy... It was, though, the first MTB that I ever test rode, from the Beta Bikes shop in North London, and as far as I can recall the first MTB that was generally available.

Takes me back a bit. Tony

This was included in the May 2013 Guardian' obituary of Richard Ballantine. The obituary was written by fellow journalist and mountain bike enthusiast Richard Grant who imported the first mountain bike to the UK in 1978 and co founder Bicycle Action magazine in 1984.

"After testing an imported US prototype mountain bike in 1982, Richard realised that they could transform cycling, but needed to be promoted. When two young Australian law students, Tim Gartside and Peter Murphy, approached Bicycle with a plan to ride across the Sahara on roadsters, Richard decided they should ride mountain bikes and that he and I should import them together. The success of the landmark, 3,410-mile, north-south crossing of the Sahara inspired us to import a further 20 mountain bikes to kickstart interest in them. Subsequently Richard co-launched the Fat Tyre Five series of mountain bike races, staged over five weekends in 1984."

This gives an insight into how a small number of US and far eastern mountain entered the UK in 1983. Such bikes were influential in that they encouraged British manufacturers to produce their own UK made copies.

 

[mrkawasaki]

More gold intell from GJW!

What were the locations for the five race series? Suspect there may be further regional links to explore...

 

[amaschio]

Great to see those Bicycle Action covers again! I remember them well - read and re-read them, though there probably wasn't a lot to read... I actually came in first (I hesitate to use the word "won") in the first of the Fat Tyre Five races (at lee valley park?). I also tried an HPV on the circuit that day, and have wanted a Windcheetah ever since. Finally got one last year!

We probably rode together at some stage back then. Has anyone proposed a "class of '84" reunion this summer -?

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

More gold intell from GJW!

What were the locations for the five race series? Suspect there may be further regional links to explore...

It's not clear that they were all races, events 3&4 may have just been organised rides. Maybe someone who went along to these could tell us about them?
1/ Eastway Cycle Circuit, Stratford East London May 27th (Now part of the Olympic Park)
2/Halton Woods, Wendover Buckinghamshire 17th June.
3/Brecon to Hay on Wye ride? August.
4/The Eridge event in the Autumn. (Near Tunbridge Wells, East Sussex?)
5/Fat Tire Bike Week in Colorado, including the legendary Crested Butte to Aspen run.

The US connection is because of Charlie Kelly's involvement. Fat Tyre Five promoter and UK MTB advocate Richard Grant, met Charlie in Marin County back in 1978 and they subsequently worked together to promote the sport in the UK.

Great to see those Bicycle Action covers again! I remember them well - read and re-read them, though there probably wasn't a lot to read... I actually came in first (I hesitate to use the word "won") in the first of the Fat Tyre Five races (at lee valley park?). I also tried an HPV on the circuit that day, and have wanted a Windcheetah ever since. Finally got one last year!

I didn't go to the Lea Valley first event. It would be good to hear a write-up of this first event as I can't find anything about it online.

I'am thinking of starting a 1984 picture thread in which I and others can post photos and memorabilia more or less chronologically as the 30th Anniversary year progresses. What do people think? Maybe the Guvnor can help publicise it so we get more pictures uploaded?
I have 9 photos I took at the Wendover Bash.
Do you have any photos of Eastway or other events amaschio?

We probably rode together at some stage back then. Has anyone proposed a "class of '84" reunion this summer -?

We must have crossed paths. Back then I rode a silver F.W Evans ATB with mudguards and drop handlebars.

I am in discussion with Geoff Apps about marking the Anniversary with some rides near Wendover. The frontrunner date is the weekend of 12th and 13th of July. That way we can tie it in to the Chiltern's Cycling Festival at Amersham on Sunday the 13th.
http://chilterncyclingfestival.com/

 

[shedobits]

Re:

What a great read! My memory must be playing up though as I'm shure there was a Fat Tyre Sixth on the North Downs Way near Dorking. My mate broke his rear mech there and after that we both bought some bendy bits of metal that were clamped under the wheel nuts to protect them. Mine was in luminous yellow. :facepalm: Worst still I had a helmet like those on the front cover of MBA.

Back then you needed to seek out shops that sold Mountain Bikes and I remember that a guy in a Covent Garden shop was so rude we walked out and went to a shop near Kings Cross which stocked M.F and Ridgeback. We each had a test ride and can remember being amazed at how powerful canti brakes were! They gave us some brochures and we went back to the car to compare specs. Girls kept knocking on the window and asking if we were looking for business, one opened her coat and had nothing on underneath. :shock: We went back in and bought two bikes whilst we still could. And it's been all downhill since then.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Re:

30th Anniversary dates confirmed....

‘The Fat Tyre’ 2014
30 years of UK Mountain Biking 1984-2014

In order to mark the 30th anniversary of the sport of mountain biking in Britain, Geoff Apps will be hosting two days of activities in the Chiltern Hills. You might also like to celebrate those 30 years by joining us.

The ride on Saturday the 12th of July 2014 will also celebrate the first ever Wendover Bash, which was the 2nd ever mountain bike race event to be held in Britain. The original event being organised and hosted by Geoff Apps on the 17th June 1984.
(We meet around 10am, at Crumb’s Cafe and sandwich bar near the Clock Tower at the bottom of the High Street, where we chat, gird our loins with something to sustain us, and usually set off around 11am).

On Sunday 13th July, as well as a leisurely ride nearby, we hope to join in with some of the activities of The Chiltern Cycling festival held at Amersham old town. (Amersham being the place where the first British made off-road bicycle frames were built circa 1979).
http://chilterncyclingfestival.com/

"Saturday's ride is a completely informal event, with no need to register, or anything like that. Just turn up with your mountain bike, or Cleland, or home-brewed lash-up, with an open mind and not too competitive a spirit". Watch this space for more details…
http://clelandcycles.wordpress.com/weekend-rides/

 

[mrkawasaki]

Sounds good - should have an impromptu 1984 bikes show'n'ride...!

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Sounds good - should have an impromptu 1984 bikes show'n'ride...!

I wonder where this Roberts bike, that I photographed at the first Wendover Bash, is now?

 

[DrJo]

omg long lost unicorn moment.
GJW does it again
thanxeverso graham keep 'em coming

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Re:

I have started a new thread relating to this topic called "The start of mountain biking in Britain 1984 picture thread"

The idea behind this is that anyone with pictures or anecdotes from 1984 should dump them there, and in doing so help build up a unique record of the first year of UK mountain biking. A year for which there is currently very little British mountain biking information or pictures to be found online.

For my part, over the next six months, will be scanning and posting my own photos roughly in line with the dates they were taken. I will also be hassling other people who were around at the time to do the same.
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