When was the Mountain Bike Invented? And who by?

[Featch]

Back in 1966, along with a bunch of mates, I had a bike known then as a tracker. I'm sure they were popular everywhere.

It had a road frame built for 27" wheels but was fitted with 26x1 3/8 wheels shod with knobbly cycle speedway tyres, so plenty of clearance. They either had flat or cowhorn bars, 5 speed, usually Benelux, gears. Strong resemblance to a mountain bike was it not?

We used to ride them on pretty severe off road, usually old bomb sites still left from the war.

All killed stone dead by the arrival of the Raleigh Chopper.

 

[NeilM]

Blimey, you had GEARS, you must have been POSH!

A little later, as I was only 7 in 1966, but exactly the same experience, using 'tip find' or playground deal bikes. Fitted with cowhorn bars, knobbly (probably cyclo cross) tyres and occasionally a back brake so that we could perform 'broad slides'.

Used to make a nuisance of ourselves on building sites and in various bits of Epping Forest.

 

[legrandefromage]

you should read:

http://www.rsf.org.uk/

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... roughstuff

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... roughstuff

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... roughstuff

 

[NeilM]

Brilliant!

 

[Featch]

you should read:

http://www.rsf.org.uk/

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... roughstuff

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... roughstuff

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... roughstuff

I was indeed a member of the RSF towards the end of the 60's, often riding with the inspirational Bernard Heath (of Mountain Bothies Association fame) but this was always on traditional road bikes. I vividly remember riding Jacobs Ladder on 54"fixed with sprints and tubs in 1968.
The "tracker" predates that, it was a homemade teenage toy, and gave a glimpse of what might have been had off road riding not been seen as a maverick eccentricity.

Definitely influenced my design ethos behind the Zinn mountain bikes 20 years later though.

 

[02gf74]

Back in 1966, along with a bunch of mates, I had a bike known then as a tracker. I'm sure they were popular everywhere.

.... well, clearly it was you, now invent a time machine so you can go back and patent it... :?

 

[Featch]

Back in 1966, along with a bunch of mates, I had a bike known then as a tracker. I'm sure they were popular everywhere.

.... well, clearly it was you, now invent a time machine so you can go back and patent it... :?

If only eh! But I think big Eric next door beat me to it, only he forgot to patent too!

 

[justbackdated]

Yeah..'.Tracking', that was what it was about bitd

I had a 60s Rory O'Brien frame built up with cowhorns and singlespeed

I then fitted a 5 speed block which I think was 12/32t or 34t and a Huret changer.

It was far too big for me really and went back to road bike and got sold when I was at John Atkins.

.......wonder if I have any pics?

When mountain bikes came along it felt like what I had been waiting for all my life, but I did think at the time that maybe I was then a bit 'old' for that sort of thing!! Did'nt do BMX 'cos that was for kids

 

[gerryattrick]

Although this has been discussed many times it is still interesting to me. Bit by bit anecdotes come out that help show how mountain biking in its present form came about.

As a kid me and my friends used to adapt our bikes for use off-road on the coal tips and slag heaps where I lived, and kids all over the world were doing the same. Not just kids, as shown by Geoff Apps, RSF and cyclo-cross.

I don't think the Repack guys would claim that they invented mountain bikes or mountain biking, but what they did do was make a massive stride in the journey of cycling to where it is today, and without them it wouldn't be as far advanced, or as popular, as it is. They were the first to bring a bit of structure and focused design to this type of biking and deserve their place in cycling history for that.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I invented the Mountain Bike in 1973, when I took the wheels off my Raleigh Chopper and fitted wheels off an old tractor, and bars from a Triumph trials bike. I rang my mate Gray Fisher in the US and told him all about what I'd done, but he didn't seem interested.

You lot owe me billions in royalties