The Daredevils Who Invented Mountain Biking

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Author: Fig. 1 by University of California

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Today's hipsters and their fixie bikes are not the first to embody the too-cool-for-school persona of the cyclist. In the 1970's, counter-culture types in the mountains north of San Francisco took to careening down Mount Tamalpais. They were riding for adventure, for exploration, and as a way to interact with the landscape; they were not riding for exercise. Sarah McCullough, whose PhD dissertation at UC Davis explores the history of mountain biking, explains how this group of renegade cyclists invented the sport. FEATURING: Sarah McCullough, Cultural Studies, UC Davis For more information: Mountain Biking and History Archive: http://www.bikinghistory.com The Grateful Dead Archive: http://www.gdao.org Special thanks to David Takemoto-Weerts at US Bicycle Hall of Fame and Otis Guy: http://www.usbhof.org Archival Photography by Rolling Dinosaur Archives (Wende Cragg & Larry Cragg) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subscribe! http://bit.ly/1fUWHyY Fig. 1 explores new ideas and research out of the University of California — ranging from science, technology, art and humanities. Get inside the mind of a researcher. Find more research at: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/

Comments

Dave Garoutte was one of the first people I knew around the Bay area who was seriously being innovative designing " Bombers"

Bikes and music = groovy

I'm just glad these guys never backed down and chased their passion otherwise id still be on a penny farling I'm far too young for mt. Tamalpais and its glory days but I can still watch somewhat one thing I have noticed with most mountain bikers is their performance reflects their happiness.

I was one of the crazy teenagers who raced down Mt. Tamalpais every day 1973-1976. We lived in Mill Valley and hitch hiked from in front of the 2AM Club to the top. I noticed Mike Bowen is listed in the credits. He was part of our gang of downhill racers. There is a famous turn on Panoramic Highway above Stinson Beach we named "Bowen's Corner". Mike slid out and fell down the hill. Six of us had a pileup at the same spot as we came in behind him. You may recognize these names: Jason McGee, Matt Marden, Mike Dunleavy, Ron Stockham, Stuart Robinson, Dave Burdick, John Davis and of course me, John Barnes.

I really loathe the fact that California claim to have invented mountain biking. I grew up in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. England and at age 13/14, was part of a gang who loved Moto X, but were to young to have MX bikes. So we fitted MX handlebars and knobbly tyres onto bog standard 3 speed bikes, gave the bikes names such as "Bone Shaker" & Knacker Cracker" & launched ourselves down single track paths on local hills including Haughmond Hill, as well as the insane "big hill" on the world famous Hawkstone Park MX circuit. We built crude trails, plank jumps. & rode on any dirt or street obstacles we could find, in a pursuit we called "rasping" or "burning". Can I prove this? No, not even our parents had cameras then, let alone us, but the bikes we rode were much more like today's MTB's than the cruiser bikes in this video. Can I date this, well in part Yes, as I recall trespassing (I mean riding) in Haughmond Hill Quarry listening to radio coverage of the March 1974 Wolves Vs Man City League Cup final, as one of our less adventurous mates went to the game. But we were riding trails well before this. We Brits are an inventive lot, witness the internet, artificial intelligence, & cross dressing. And everyone on the planet knows that it was an Englishman; Sir Issac Newton, who invented gravity. So we put his gravity to good use by nailing it hard on hills. Us Brits invented Mountain Biking. No argument, and I'm sure other UK kids might say similar. What sets us apart from CA, apart from the lack of money, and lack of modesty, was not the need to race and wear lycra, but the modification we made to our bikes. and the use or creation of single track trails down the sides of hills as opposed to using dull highway width forest roads. I love California.love the States and actually have more family there than herein the UK. I have even been to Marin County, but take it from me guys, us Salopians were rasping trails in Shropshire long before you Californians, so wake up and smell our rubber. If not we will be terribly, terribly angry at you. Happy to talk more if anyone is interested. Sarah especially Have a Nice Day.

To learn more about a renegade to this day, check out Jacquie Phelan, who started the first mountain biking clinic--and it was for women! Long live the WOMBATS! http://jacquiephelan.org/.

Wow, that was a good summary and Toby Hardeman's smile in the crash sequence always gives me a smirk!

Thanks for all the likes on this film about my research! If you want to stay updated on the latest news about this project, sign up here: http://eepurl.com/U-Smf.

Those interested in reading more, watch for Charlie Kelly's book, Fat Tire Flyer: The True Story of Repack and the Invention of the Mountain Bike, coming out in October: http://www.velopress.com/books/fat-tire-flyer/