RACING ROOTS

Mountain bike racing has been pushing the envelope since the first knobbly tyre popped onto a rim. This is its story told through some of its biggest names and most iconic moments

- Ric McLaughlin

No matter what, where or how you ride, there is a cornerstone which is important to acknowledge: mountain biking was born a sport. Competition has been at the forefront of defining what constitutes a mountain bike since before they were even known as such. Faster was the focus, the clock the unflinching enemy. Economics and fashion may have propelled the mountain bike forward over the years, but the core element that has allowed it to weather the storm and survive to be the passion that we all enjoy today is the fact that it is, first and foremost, a competitive sport.

That sport first sprang to life amidst the much-storied and somewhat exotic-smelling dirt tracks of Mount Tamalpais, California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Knobbly tyres were fitted to slack angled beach cruisers to help them cut through deep, silty gravel. The names of the early pioneers (Mike Sinyard, Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly et al) are writ large in the history books. Speed was key the mountain bike didn't begin life as a commuter vehicle or an aesthetically-pleasing hot rod. Early tech advancements were born out of a need to go faster. The now iconic Repack races were named after the competitors' hurried need to re-pack their coaster hubs with grease in between runs. The film Klunkerz (the name given to the precursors of the mtb) features something much more than just a bimble down memory lane - it's a glimpse at the kind of speed and danger that still resonates with fans of racing today. Right from the start, competition was the driving force.

Mountain biking steadily grew, and although some of the technologies that followed those early years may now appear laughable, many stuck. The mass-market discovered the appeal of off-road cycling and exploration thanks to the ruggedness of components developed to take a beating on race day.