leicanthrope

Casually looking around at discussions of the early history of mountain bikes, and there are mentions of modified cruisers from the 1930's-1950's being used as proto mountain bikes prior to the development of dedicated frames. Does anyone have any good pictures of these early bikes?

surreal

https://www.clunkers.net/

Alan Bonds was one of the first to make $$ by converting balloon bikes into trail-worthy bombers, klunkers, and hybrids. That's his site.

MEversbergII

There was a documentary by an Englishman who went around the world looking for specific parts to a custom bike who met with those guys and had a whole segment dedicated to that point in cycling history. It was on YouTube, but I can't find it.

M.

surreal

Also good is the Klunkerz movie.

leicanthrope

Just the sort of thing I was looking for. Thanks!

smallpox champ

MOMBAT has a few on their site too: https://mombat.org/MOMBAT/bike_list.html

It's also interesting to note the mix of the same parts on the first purpose built mountain bikes.

LesterOfPuppets

Another interesting one from up this way
https://mtbprehistory.blogspot.com/

blilrat

Charlie Kelly's site - Him, Fisher and Ritchey started the industry.

https://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/mtbwelcome.htm

crank_addict

Curious who coined the name 'mountain bike'. There were a few bikes converted just for the purpose way back. This 1958 / 59 JC Higgins is an example. Read it was converted in 1967 (see second image.)

MEversbergII

Big cogs!

M.

Metacortex

From what I see here that would be Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher.

crank_addict

Funny to think NORBA goes back to 1983 and Repack. The trend must have been rolling good in such a short time.

Not exactly sure what year it was (early 80's?) but a friend of mine had a 'hot' setup... some yellow ally frame Cannondale with a 24" rear wheel and oddly a 26" on the front, plain steel bladed fork. Rear roller cam brakes on the chainstay. I was only curious of the ATB and do recall they were fairly expensive.

The Golden Boy 

It's a really neat subject- totally interesting to read about. It's also interesting that Charlie Kelly often posts stuff on the MTBR forums.

I got going on those links posted above- I find it fascinating.

When I started getting into bicycling, I thought I liked the idea of mountain bikes repurposed for general riding. In effect, the "gravel grinder" concept, sort of. Since then I've really kind of realized that touring bikes are that wonderful intersection of the elegance of a road bike and the brutishness of a mountain bike. My *someday* dream bike is a VERY Tom Ritchey inspired touring bike- fillet brazed, biplane forked tastefully componented bike.

Aemmer

Early Mtn. bikes are my passion. I will not jump into who coined the phrase Mountain bike or even who produced the first Mtn. bike. Way too many variables. It really comes down to the first bicycles ever created. That said no doubt something happened in N. Ca. during the mid late 70's to early 80's that turned the bicycle industry upside down.

The Allan Bonds thread above is a great starting point. Most of my bikes have been on these pages before but here are a few that are specific to the era you ask about.

Transitional bikes Late 70's (41 DX has some modern parts):



Early 80's offering. Still a mishmash of Road, BMX, and motorcycle parts. The first Mtn. bike specific group set wouldn't be available until the 1983 production models:

crank_addict

Of interest a link to Q&A - Tom Ritchey

https://www.xo-1.org/2011/01/tom-ritc...own-words.html

arex

It's probably way out of your way, but there's an interesting mountain bike museum in Crested Butte, CO.

seedsbelize 

This is a pic of some of the finishers of the First Annual Whiskeytown Downhill race, held in Mt Shasta, Ca. in 1981. I'm on the far left, on a two speed kick-down cruiser. I remember there being a lot of buzz about "that guy", someone who had been much more serious about it than the rest. He had what looked like a ten speed frame, decked out with fat tires and gears, and, I believe, won the race. By the time I had finished and we had this picture taken, he was probably long gone.
At that time, in Northern California, there were many back yard shops building these kinds of bikes for their own use. The guy who built the bike I was riding is on the far right with a somewhat nicer bike than the one that was left over for me. No one that I knew was calling them mountain bikes at that time.

Aemmer

Awesome picture!

Jimmy Deaton. 1981 WTD. Went on to be quite a rider.

In nearby Chico By fall 1981 Jeff Lindsay was offering up this:


https://mombat.org/1981Goat2.jpg

Also this ^ is the set of handlebars I seek in my signature below (anybody).

eastcoaststeve

Looking forward to riding this one when the weather clears....




















Steve

crank_addict

^^^ Great looking rides!
Curious of the first Euro purpose built mountain bikes.
Here's a Ghidini fully dressed Campagnola Euclid
<a href="https://s606.photobucket.com/user/ghi...3c02b.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://i606.photobucket.com/albums/t...psac03c02b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20130701_111042_zpsac03c02b.jpg"/></a>

Aemmer

So clean!

Jeff Wills

Here's the book: https://www.amazon.com/Its-All-About-.../dp/1608195759

And the author's name pointed me to the video:

MEversbergII

Yes, precisely, thank you loads

M.

obrentharris 

Actually soon to be not so far out of the OP's way. The Mtn. Bike Hall of Fame in Crested Butte is in the process of moving to Fairfax, CA.
https://mtnbikehalloffame.com/

Brent

crank_addict

Interesting article circa 1930... without fenders that bike could qualify as the first purpose made mountain bike.
https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/...7422ab5b_b.jpg