10 riders who changed mountainbiking tech

[fatbikephil]

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/ride ... king-tech/

Usual Bikeradar pish but its worth reading the comments, particularly the first one!

[Bearlegged]

Pow!

[ScotRoutes]

Sad

[Dave Barter]

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/ride ... king-tech/

Usual Bikeradar pish but its worth reading the comments, particularly the first one!

Please spare us Mr “I invented off road but let’s not talk about the RSF”

[Lazarus]

He has a point though Dave.
He is much better face to face than on print where he does seem very annoyed he is not as revered as he thinks he should be

Have a signed poster on the wall and had a beer with him at a local chat he did ( perhaps 20 folk there ) and he was great in person.

He really hates Gary fisher though( libel levels of hate if I were to put down what he said )

[fatbikephil]

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/ride ... king-tech/

Usual Bikeradar pish but its worth reading the comments, particularly the first one!

Please spare us Mr “I invented off road but let’s not talk about the RSF”

I was intrigued to discover that Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher were both RSF members. There is an article on them at the end of the 'Further Adventures of Rough Stuff' book
Can't imagine what a bunch of American hippies racing down dirt roads and clunkers must have made of the staunch RSF types fighting their way across wild UK passes!

[JohnClimber]

And no mention of Stuart

[Alpinum]

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/ride ... king-tech/

Usual Bikeradar pish but its worth reading the comments, particularly the first one!

Please spare us Mr “I invented off road but let’s not talk about the RSF”

Please spare us the pseudo neo-colonialist "we did that first" bs of the RSF

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm fairly convinced that the first people to ride bicycles off-road were the first people with bicycles.

However - is the article not about tech' and those who pushed that side of things forward?

[Karl]

I find that bizarre that someone would chime in and state they should be on the list. I'd be happy enough to know that I'd made a difference, wouldn't need recognition in some online article. But maybe that's just me. Do you think he sits on Google, Facebook, twitter etc searching his own name Actually probably searches Gary Fishers.

[jam bo]

Do you think he sits on Google, Facebook, twitter etc searching his own name

given how quickly he pops up on even marginally relevant threads on STW, then yes.

surprised he hasn't posted here yet.

[voodoo_simon]

Do you think he sits on Google, Facebook, twitter etc searching his own name

given how quickly he pops up on even marginally relevant threads on STW, then yes.

surprised he hasn't posted here yet.

Paging Gary Fisher

Paging Gary Fisher

Paging Gary Fisher…


…


Some people are mentioning RSF but what technology did they bring to the bike world? I confess to not knowing much about their setups but from looking at the bikes, they seem to be based around touring bikes using standard gear?

[Lazarus]

. I find that bizarre that someone would chime in and state they should be on the list. I'd be happy enough to know that I'd made a difference, wouldn't need recognition in some online article

We are all different and he is clearly annoyed that others get more kudos than he does and he clearly feels under appreciated.

Lots of the others are also very wealthy as well so that might also be a factor.

[ScotRoutes]

Do you think he sits on Google, Facebook, twitter etc searching his own name

That wouldn't quite explain how he finds stuff without his name. Yes, I think it's a bit sad that he has to chip in all the time. He did eventually concede in one thread that he didn't invent mountain biking, but that he did invent mountain bike racing, because no one had ever raced their bikes down forest tracks before.

[Lazarus]

Basically without that event MTB and it's history would be very very different and whilst bike racing off-road was not new they really were the starting point for the industry, sport, and bikes that came after ( not least as many of them were making them ).not really sure why so many want to deny its influence or impact.
He certainly annoys a lot of folk

[Alpinum]

He did eventually concede in one thread that he didn't invent mountain biking, but that he did invent mountain bike racing, because no one had ever raced their bikes down forest tracks before.

Obviously, when something is invented, those not writing about it (usually) can't/won't be considered.
But to believe "no one had ever raced their bikes down forest tracks before" is rather nonsense in my point of view.
Like foreign tourists that come biking in areas we have been riding for a decade or more and surely others have done so before us, but failing to see fresh tyre marks, they make the bold statement, that they were first to ride there.
Been there too with climbing/mountaineering.
And for myself am a proponent to claim some firsts...
I know folks who eg. claim to be the first to ride a singlespeed bike around the world, which they did in recent years. I just point out that this has been done on penny farthings as early as the late 19th century and let it rest.

That said I completely agree that C. Kelly must have had a huge impact and didn't know his influence seems to be denied.

not really sure why so many want to deny its influence or impact.

He certainly pops up when I talk/write about the history of mtb'ing. But that's just me, eh?