Mountain biking

Lore & Background

In the 1900s–1960s, bicycles were ridden off-road by road racing cyclists who used cyclocross as a means of keeping fit during the winter. Gwynn built a rough terrain trail bicycle, naming it a 'mountain bicycle' for its intended place of use. In the 1970s–1980s, riders around Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County, California and Crested Butte, Colorado tinkered with bikes and adapted them to the rigors of off-road riding. Modified heavy cruiser bicycles, old Schwinn bicycles retrofitted with better brakes and fat tires, were used for freewheeling down mountain trails. The first organized series of downhill races in Fairfax, California, known as 'Repack Races' triggered early innovations. Tom Ritchey built the first regularly available mountain bike frame, accessorized by Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly and sold by their company called MountainBikes. The first two mass-produced mountain bikes were sold in the early 1980s: the Specialized Stumpjumper and Univega Alpina Pro.

Reader's Guide

Mountain biking moved from a little-known sport to a mainstream activity throughout the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century. Mountain bikes and gear became available at standard bike stores, and by the mid-first decade of the 21st century, even some department stores began selling inexpensive mountain bikes with full suspension and disc brakes. The sport's significance lies in its evolution from modified cruiser bicycles to high-tech machines with air or coil-sprung shocks, larger wheels, stronger frame materials, and disc brakes. The Repack Races in Fairfax, California, provided early exposure to a nationwide audience through TV media. The sport requires self-reliance, as riders are often far from civilization and must learn to repair broken bikes and flat tires. Group rides are common, and mountain bike orienteering adds map navigation skills. The first mass-produced mountain bikes were pioneered by new companies such as MountainBikes, Ritchey, and Specialized, despite large manufacturers initially regarding mountain biking as a short-term fad.

Did You Know?

• The first organized series of downhill races in Fairfax, California, were known as 'Repack Races' because lesser-branded coaster brakes burned the grease inside, requiring riders to 'repack' the bearings after each race.
• The first two mass-produced mountain bikes were the Specialized Stumpjumper and Univega Alpina Pro, sold in the early 1980s.
• The Laguna Rads, a group of mountain bikers in Laguna Beach, California, are suggested by industry insiders to be the birth of the freeride movement.