I follow the MTB history thread, its a collection of minds of valuable history and from all geographic perspectives at the same time.
Fascinating to be able to learn more than you thought was possible. And all thanks to the contributors here.
Don't misunderstand me, the above is just a single point of view of a snapshot in time. Whilst it happened, its just one perspective.
It funny though, its like we have come full circle, today and for several years, Wheel size, the right and the wrong, which is best etc has been the topic of huge debate.
Bitd, the debate wasn't about the wheel size, it was about the bike itself. Essentially Road bike or Mountain bike.
Mountain bikes, when in there infancy were seen as nothing more than play bikes, adult BMXs, ridiculed by the Road racing fraternity.
Walking into the Local Cycling clubs, club house for the weekly Monday night meet for example, you walk in with a mountain bike, you were relegated to the corner...(FACT). at the very beginning, you weren't taken seriously, the pro-Ams would take the mick, and call it all a fad.
I take on your thoughts of Hybrids, i thought about touring bikes too, but at the time, pickings of this style of bike were slim as were the choices, anything high end was mainly road.
Imported Italian frames, Handbuilt British frames all held in high regard, exquisite, delicate, Expensive.
Mass produced Mountain bike frames were great to start with, Muddy Fox, Raleigh, Saracen, etc, etc, all good for the job of a cycle courier, but very much like the early repack bikes, stuff did brake, handlebars were too wide, tyres too knobby etc etc.
Then all sorts of things started to happen, all at the same time, Keith Bontrager took a thrown away Mavic road rim out of a dumpster, cut and rerolled it for MTB use, the wide weak MTB offerings were no more.
A Strong Mavic rim for 26" use was born, so strong and light when compared to the older offerings, Mavic took note, and then Mavic MA40mb rim was born.
Off season road racers started using MTB races as training.
Some were natural, so much so, in a new field, a new Market, they could do well, they could earn a good living.
Example - Tim Gould and David Baker, both pro road racers, both show huge potential, and Race both national and international MTB events, sadly there sponsors Product, failed them misreablly.
So with the sponsors permission they have Chas Roberts custom build high end Steel for off road duties, but not bearing the Name of its maker (Roberts) , but rather the Name and livery of its Sponsor. (Peugeot)
The rims and the riders both stories well told. But, again reminding us what was happening right at that moment in time.
With limited supply of anything high end and dedicated to do the job, naturally custom road frame fabricators are outsourced by huge companies already making there own range of high end road bikes. Like this Peugeot/Roberts collaboration for Gould and Baker.
Its not surprising events like this go from whispers to legend, and are such contributing factors to this thing our ours.
Stories that become folklore I guess, and guys needing/wanting the benefits of high quality and low weight naturally turned to Frame builders like, Roberts/Overburys/Sonic to offer up there skills, as an better solution rather than the offering of high end road frames.
Fascinating to be able to learn more than you thought was possible. And all thanks to the contributors here.
Don't misunderstand me, the above is just a single point of view of a snapshot in time. Whilst it happened, its just one perspective.
It funny though, its like we have come full circle, today and for several years, Wheel size, the right and the wrong, which is best etc has been the topic of huge debate.
Bitd, the debate wasn't about the wheel size, it was about the bike itself. Essentially Road bike or Mountain bike.
Mountain bikes, when in there infancy were seen as nothing more than play bikes, adult BMXs, ridiculed by the Road racing fraternity.
Walking into the Local Cycling clubs, club house for the weekly Monday night meet for example, you walk in with a mountain bike, you were relegated to the corner...(FACT). at the very beginning, you weren't taken seriously, the pro-Ams would take the mick, and call it all a fad.
I take on your thoughts of Hybrids, i thought about touring bikes too, but at the time, pickings of this style of bike were slim as were the choices, anything high end was mainly road.
Imported Italian frames, Handbuilt British frames all held in high regard, exquisite, delicate, Expensive.
Mass produced Mountain bike frames were great to start with, Muddy Fox, Raleigh, Saracen, etc, etc, all good for the job of a cycle courier, but very much like the early repack bikes, stuff did brake, handlebars were too wide, tyres too knobby etc etc.
Then all sorts of things started to happen, all at the same time, Keith Bontrager took a thrown away Mavic road rim out of a dumpster, cut and rerolled it for MTB use, the wide weak MTB offerings were no more.
A Strong Mavic rim for 26" use was born, so strong and light when compared to the older offerings, Mavic took note, and then Mavic MA40mb rim was born.
Off season road racers started using MTB races as training.
Some were natural, so much so, in a new field, a new Market, they could do well, they could earn a good living.
Example - Tim Gould and David Baker, both pro road racers, both show huge potential, and Race both national and international MTB events, sadly there sponsors Product, failed them misreablly.
So with the sponsors permission they have Chas Roberts custom build high end Steel for off road duties, but not bearing the Name of its maker (Roberts) , but rather the Name and livery of its Sponsor. (Peugeot)
The rims and the riders both stories well told. But, again reminding us what was happening right at that moment in time.
With limited supply of anything high end and dedicated to do the job, naturally custom road frame fabricators are outsourced by huge companies already making there own range of high end road bikes. Like this Peugeot/Roberts collaboration for Gould and Baker.
Its not surprising events like this go from whispers to legend, and are such contributing factors to this thing our ours.
Stories that become folklore I guess, and guys needing/wanting the benefits of high quality and low weight naturally turned to Frame builders like, Roberts/Overburys/Sonic to offer up there skills, as an better solution rather than the offering of high end road frames.
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Some superb observations too of the time.
, one of my favourite to date on RB, ticks every box for me!
