Mountain Biking - History of Mountain Biking

I am doing a essay on mountain biking because its my favorite thing to do but I can't find a site that has a complete histoy of mountain biking. I would greatly appreciate it thank you.

its history sorry

or as Chuck D would say...

His story.

Word.

Public Enemy Number 1!

Click the link in this thread, should help with some info...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=145969&highlight=hall+fame

http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/history.cfm

edited..........
oops...the previous post has a link to the same site.

I have to do a six page paper and would like a much longer history

mountain biking is so broad though

Big Font and double space, also move in the margins some maybe add some pictures. Sorry, I know not much help. Here is a site I googled if it helps:History 1 (http://www.hickoksports.com/history/mountainbiking.shtml)

or

History 2 (http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_information/n_and_l_cyclists_section/sections/history%20of%20MTB.shtml)

or

History 3 (http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/biking/expert/history.htm)

the last one is pretty good. Fill in with some description of what makes a bike a "mountain bike" and maybe some description of the current state of the sport (NORBA, IMBA, Trail usage, etc.) You could also go into cyclocross a little just to show differences. Maybe some stuff on how it is a part of other sports like Xterra and adventure racing. Maybe I should write this thing. Anyway, when you are done post it here so we can all enjoy. :D

thank you

What am I thinking! Write about the split off of various types of mountain biking, downhill, free riding, cross country, trials, etc. Man I don't think I could possibly keep this to just 6 pages! Smaller font, narrow margins, single space!

answers.google.com.....and some cash, you will have your paper and references to boot in no time!

Hey lunalover,
I am also currently writing an essay about mountain biking or biking in general for my perspectives class. These are some of the sites that I used for history....
http://www.moaa.org/magazine/february2004/f_steeds.asp <--good info about bicycles being used by the army in the 1890's.
http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/history.cfm <--the mountain bike hall of fame that several other people have mentioned.

If you want to "share ideas" ;) feel free to send me a message.

I have to do a six page paper and would like a much longer history

The secret to good writing is to focus. It's better to have LOTS of detail on a narrow topic than little detail on a BROAD topic.

I suggest you email Gary Fisher or some of the other principals of the era. If you get lucky you might get an "email interview". When you focus on people things get a lot more interesting as your audience can relate better. That's why Olympic coverage is dominated by stories about an athletes grueling 4am training regimen and dead parents instead of actual coverage of the events.

Hey lunalover,
I am also currently writing an essay about mountain biking or biking in general for my perspectives class. These are some of the sites that I used for history....
http://www.moaa.org/magazine/february2004/f_steeds.asp <--good info about bicycles being used by the army in the 1890's.
http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/history.cfm <--the mountain bike hall of fame that several other people have mentioned.

If you want to "share ideas" ;) feel free to send me a message.

Remember that all writing you should tell a story. This is what English professors obtusely refer to as "transition".

Stories can take place while providing relevant information. But a list of information does not produce a good story. It produces boredom.

start off with the history , then blend in how it has branched off from rigid bikes with HUGE tires to the technology of today vs then and how it has changed the biking from basically crosscountry to the multi faceted sport it is today. maybe you can interview an old timer and get their perspective on how the sport has evolved and how it has affected their skills, style, how the new technology has extended ability to stay in the sport, etc

Remember that all writing you should tell a story. This is what English professors obtusely refer to as "transition".

Stories can take place while providing relevant information. But a list of information does not produce a good story. It produces boredom.

Yep, aside from telling the history of mountain biking, I also raised some current issues such as building biking trails in national parks and advantages of bikes over cars, etc. I also told a few personal experiences and included some quotes from The Quotable Cyclist (http://www.breakawaybooks.com/Quotable_Cyclist.htm).

I just remember a lot about Marin County and the Gary Fischer in the 70's or 80's or something. There were stories on it about a decade ago in MTB...... kinda hazy now.

I think your bench mark would be the year the first commercially available 'mountain bike' hit the stores. Sometime in the early eighties, It might have been a Ross? if my memory dogs me right, or Ritchey or Gary Fisher.

There would be A.M. (after mountain bike) and B.M. (before mountain bike) I hope somebody sees the humor in this.


Of course, including Swiss mountain bikes and america bike cavalry from the territory days would be B.M. as well as those first cross country trips on boneshakers.

For the pre-history of mountain biking, see
Off road touring in the UK:
http://www.rsf.org.uk/
In France
http://www.confreriedes650.org/histoire.html
Suntour componentry
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hadland/page35.htm

Bicycle: The History by David V. Herlihy. (Yale University Press, ISBN# 0-300-10418-9)

I just remember a lot about Marin County and the Gary Fischer in the 70's or 80's or something. There were stories on it about a decade ago in MTB...... kinda hazy now.
The first "mountain bike" was the 1915 Bianchi full-suspension Bersagliere model produced for the elite Italian Alpine Corps. Joe Breeze and his Cook Bros. Repack runner got beat by decades

cool, I did not know that (Johnny?)
1915 Bianchi invents the first mountain bike. Developed for the “bersaglieri,” the elite Italian light infantry division, the vehicle featured a spring suspension frame and forks, 60 cm wheels with wide cross-section Pirelli tires, a collapsible frame with shoulder straps, and optional mounts for a rifle, machine gun, or mortar.

who needs a bell when you have a machine gun or mortar eah...

(Johnny?)

Nope sorry

sorry, the Johhny ref was for Johhny Carson, he always used to say "I did not know that"... check out this pic of that bike..

I have to do a six page paper and would like a much longer history

Just a guess... you're not the ace in school academics ...are you?

sorry, the Johhny ref was for Johhny Carson, he always used to say "I did not know that"... check out this pic of that bike..
Ahh! Weird wild stuff! (http://www.danacarvey.net/media/snl_jc_weird_wild_stuff.wav):p