So, 30 years ago last weekend.....

[Woody662011]

 

[24pouces]

Re: Re:

30 years ago, in France, the first "Roc d'Azur"…

Was that the first French' MTB event or were there earlier races? I ask because it is interesting to draw comparisons with early UK race events.



Reports of the first UK cross country race say that despite the rain there were about 70 participants. Though many didn't have there own bikes and so borrowed them from the organisers.

Before becoming the big international event, The Roc d'Azur began with only 7 riders in 1984, 30 in 1985… until more than 100000 last year !
The creator of the race, Stéphane Hauvette brought the Mountain bike in France in 1983 and made a first event in the french Alps in La Plagne with Guest Stars like Cyril Neveu, the bike winner of the Paris Dakar raid…
(But MTB ever were in France in the 50ies, with the "Vélo Cross Club Parisien", member of the mtb All of fame since 1999)

And a picture of our museum we built for the last Roc d'Azur, for the 30th birthday of the event…

 

[robert11]

Hi Jay....

Eclipse were the company brand of Bike UK, a shop based in Villiers St, near Charing Cross in London in the mid-80's. Run by an Aussie called Greg, along with Dick and Anita (who later formed Apex Cycles in Clapham, which is still there), it was based under the arches in the old wine vaults. They had their own range of bikes, commuting and mountain. The original Canyons were built by Jeremy Torr (who build the Cleland Aventuras for Geoff Apps, and later the Rat), and then by Dave Clarke. 531, full XT, 531 bullmoose bars, ACS nylon rims (!), very early stuff. I bought mine in early '84, cost me £525, I still have the receipt! I did all the original Fat Tyre Five events on it, and the Wendover Bash, events like that. I think my ex still has all my old photos in the house, I must get them back off her....lots of nostalgia there!

Some trivia. At the end of the run of Canyons we had quiet a few of those nylon rims left. As they were pretty much indestructible we built them up on cheaper hubs and sold then all to bike couriers! Bike couriers were a sizable portion of our repair work at Charring Cross as we prioritized them often with on the spot repairs.