When was the Mountain Bike Invented? And who by?

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Please define the phrase Mountain bike.

Oxforddictionaries.com definition:
mountain bike
(noun)
"a bicycle with a light sturdy frame, broad deep-treaded tyres, and multiple gears, originally designed for riding on mountainous terrain".

Or...
the Definition of mountain bike noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
mountain bike
(noun)
"a bicycle with a strong frame, wide tires, and many gears, designed for riding on rough ground"

So apparently single-speeds aren't real mountain bikes. :facepalm:
Neither are Clunkers as they are too heavy and the Raleigh Bomber as its frame is not lightweight or strongly constructed and its three speed does not constitute "many gears".

What about bikes using NuVinci hubs with their step-less gearboxes?


In order to tighten up these definitions a minimum tyre width and gearing ratio needs to be stated.
i.e. 1.75" (44.45mm) minimum tyre width. (the width of the tyre fitted to narrowest mainstream mountain bikes pre 1985. And minimum 3:1 highest to lowest gearing ratio.

The above does demonstrate that the invention of the mountain bike was not a giant technological leap forwards. But happened when someone put fatter tyres and lower ratio gears on a lightweight bicycle frame. The Geoff Apps bikes also included trials motorbike geometry and components combined with the biggest diameter tyres that could be sensibly fitted.

 

[Tazio]

Of course a lot of us of a certain age (I'm 46) remember taking road bikes and putting cow horns on them and exploring local trails etc in the 70's. I still cycle some of the same paths and look with fear at some of the slopes we used to charge down on converted racers and tourers back in the day.

Sadly my first one was made with a frame a local "dodgy character" sold me, repainted by him before he sold it for some reason (cough). Some time later I decided to strip the paint so I could repaint it to my taste. As I scraped the paint off a few letters became visible.

Dawes Galaxy. I could have wept as by then I understood more about good bikes, however by then it was bashed, battered and dented to hell.

 

[electronicaeric]

I recall the Raleigh Maverick in blue coming out after the Bomber and I thought wow that looks a serious piece of kit lol rear mech protector and everything.Then followed the Mustang with its nice(not)plaggy brake levers but nice two tone fade paint.I quite fancied one of those but was into road bikes at the time.I think the Masif was raleigh's first real atempt at a MTB.Typical late 80s pastel colours yuk.
Been out this morning on old faithfull as its the only thing I have with mudguards on.After last night's usual bank holiday rain,getting soaked before breakfast was not an option today.Have a good day every one

 

[Dead Rats]

It's great to read how many different groups and individuals were riding proto-MTBs off road around the world way before the Repack lot. What I think makes the Californians stand out is that they raced, ie they invented MTB (or more specifically DH) as a competitive sport... I guess also that unlike many teenage off-road riders (me included) they actually rode down mountain as opposed to round the woods. They added the full adrenaline element to off-road riding. So it's DH as a sport that gets the mainstream cycle industry excited enough to jump in and market ATBs in the early '80s.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Yeah, the yanks invented it just after Jon Bon Jovi stole the Enigma from the Nazis.

While the Marin county boys were definitely heading there, those DH clunkers aren't as close in general purpose ability or intent to some of the rival branches of the MTB evolutionary tree.

 

[Dead Rats]

as I say, the yanks invented the sport not the bike

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I suppose we could contend that Apps invented trail riding in the 60's, and bicycle trials in the early 70's.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

... What I think makes the Californians stand out is that they raced, ie they invented MTB (or more specifically DH) as a competitive sport...

....They added the full adrenaline element to off-road riding. So it's DH as a sport that gets the mainstream cycle industry excited enough to jump in and market ATBs in the early '80s.

The French had an adrenaline centred off-road racing scene in the early 1950's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pVj2--iSPA&e

http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/page.c ... emberid=90

The big difference is that in America their were entrepreneurs who saw moneymaking potential in the activities of mountain bike pioneers. Elsewhere the cycle industry say off-road cycling as a short-lived fad and only jumped on-board when they say the success of US companies like Specialized. Even then, British companies like Raleigh didn't start making mountain bikes until three years after the first Mountain Bikes appeared in British shops.

 

[merckx]

^ LOL!

PJ Allison : Visionary

 

[Dead Rats]

I never knew that! Thanks for the links, great reading and clip!