Reviewing Mountain Biking History

Mountain biking history began in California in the 1970s, when a group of friends began to alter their street bikes by fitting fat tires. Actually, there are many different stories about the true origin of mountain biking. Most would agree that mountain biking is the sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over very rough terrain.

Buffalo Soldiers

Some claim this group of infantry soldiers, who in the late 1800s customized their bicycles to carry gear over rough country, were the beginning of mountain biking history. They rode on a journey from Missoula, Montana to Yellowstone National Park and back, a total distance of 800 miles, to test the durability of their customized mountain bikes. The testing in mountainous terrain by the military proved very useful in future wars.

Velro Cross Club Parisien

This group of cyclists in the mid 1950s developed a sport that was very similar to mountain biking today. Approximately 20 riders juiced up their bikes and roared up and down the French Alps.

John Finley Scott

In 1953 John Finley Scott, a pioneer of mountain biking history, built what he called a “Woodsie Bike” using a Schwinn World diamond frame, balloon tires, flat handlebars, derailleur gears and cantilever brakes.

The Cupertino Riders

Also known as the Morrow Dirt Club located just 75 miles south of Marin County, California, they were modifying their bikes to help them get up and down the steep hills of San Francisco. They were grafting thumb shift operated derailleurs and motorcycle lever-operated drum brakes onto their klunkers. They just disappeared after few years.

Most mountain bikes are built with strength, durability and high performance in mind, using wide tires, large round frame tubing and shock absorbers, that transfer into a far heavier bicycle weight to rider ratio.

Categories of Mountain Biking

Through the history of mountain biking, four distinct categories have emerged, being cross country, downhill, free ride and trails or street riding. Cross country is the most popular form and involves riding point to point. Downhill is riding mountain bikes downhill. Free riding encompasses everything from downhill racing to jumping and generally requires more skill and aggressive riding.

The history of mountain biking is still in its virgin years and still developing. The purists love the sport because it requires a variety of different skills, such as endurance, bike handling skills and self reliance. Riders become very proficient at fixing flat tires so they are not stranded hundreds of miles from home.

Rides often occur in isolated areas and they always involve more than one rider for safety reasons. Mountain bikes are so comfortable and flexible, they now make up 80 percent of all bicycles currently sold in the USA.