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We know that many of our followers are mountain biking (MTB) enthusiasts, as some modern cycling trainers also support these types of bikes. So, this post is dedicated to all of you. We’re going to take a look at some of the most interesting and relevant facts from the world of mountain biking, a sport we’re also passionate about and which is gaining more and more fans in our country.
Gary Fisher, the inventor of MTB
To be honest, we must acknowledge that MTB was born as a result of a process of changes introduced by various cyclists. But undoubtedly, one of the most important contributions to developing what we now call Mountain Bikes was Gary Fisher’s idea of adding gears to his old Schwinn Excelsior, allowing him to expand his routes into the mountains.
The concept of MTB began to take shape in the 1970s when a group of cyclists in California started organising downhill races along the fire roads of Mount Tamalpais. They soon realised that road bikes were far from ideal for this type of competition and began making modifications to their bikes. Another pioneer alongside Fisher was Joe Breeze, who also introduced several changes to his Schwinn Excelsior to adapt it to the rough conditions of the fire roads. Their ideas were an overwhelming success, and soon the two began selling what are considered the forerunners of modern MTBs.
However, it wasn’t until 1979 that Fisher, now partnered with Charlie Kelly, released what is regarded as the first Mountain Bike in history, selling 160 units.
As a fun fact, Gary Fisher was banned from these types of competitions from 1968 to 1972 for having long hair.
Today, Fisher owns a renowned bike brand, famous for its innovations, including 29-inch wheels.
Ned Overend and the first MTB videos in history
When it comes to Mountain Bike videos, Ned Overend deserves special recognition. Ned started getting into MTBs in the early 1980s, when this type of bike was beginning to gain popularity among cycling enthusiasts in some countries.
In 1988, the first-ever MTB video, titled “The Great Mountain Biking Video”, was filmed, featuring several Mountain Bike professionals like John Tomac, Martha Kennedy, and Ned Overend himself. The film was not only the first of its kind to showcase mountain biking techniques, but it also introduced the innovative use of helmet cameras.
Just two years later, Ned was one of the participants in the first MTB race ever recorded on video, titled “Battle At Durango: The First-Ever World Mountain Biking Championships”. These contributions, along with his lifelong passion for MTBs, led to his induction into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1991 and the United States Bicycle Hall of Fame in 2001.
Julien Absalon, the golden man
Mountain biking is now a sport with a vast number of fans and professional cyclists. Among the latter, one name stands out above the rest due to a record-breaking career that has made history. That name is Julien Absalon, possibly the greatest professional MTB cyclist of all time.
A quick glance at his career shows two Olympic gold medals (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), five World Championships (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2014), and four World Cups (2003, 2006, 2009, 2014), among many other accolades.
Undoubtedly, he is one of those star athletes, capable of becoming World Champion again last year after seven years without winning the title, and we’re sure he’ll continue making history.
Eric Barone and the MTB speed record: 223 km/h!
In this case, we don’t have to go too far back in time. Just over a month ago, on 28th March 2015, Eric Barone broke the world speed record on an MTB, reaching 223 km/h during a descent on snow at the Les Arcs ski resort. He achieved this at the age of 54 after dedicating half his life to mountain bike downhill racing. But we won’t say any more. It’s much better for you to enjoy the spectacle with your own eyes:
