The history of British mountain biking.

[carpenter]

Brilliant, thanks Drago - yes that is the sort of thing.

Are you in the photo? If so we could have a competition to guess which one - 2nd from right?

 

[FrankCrank]

Trackers, this sort of thing...

View attachment 520454

Take a normal bike, remove any extraneous weight such as lights, mudguards, and often the front brake, fit cyclo cross or chunky touring tyres and cowhorn bars and you're away. Very similar to the cycle speedway bikes that were popular in the 50's.

Geoff Apps took the tracker bike one step further, fitting 27 wheels into a 26 frame, thus raising ground clearance and break over angle.

Second from left looks like he hasn't read the game-plan, too busy looking at his slide rule I expect

 

[Drago]

No, alas, I'm not in the photo. That's just some oiks with a random grammar school kid trying to be cool.

 

[keithmac]

Muddy Fox, they used to be the dogs bxllxcks!. My mate had one as a kid and I was always a tad envious!.

Kona were a thing back then too.

I had a Raleigh Mirage!.

 

[FrankCrank]

Muddy Fox eh - where did it all go wrong. Now reduced to a few nasty trinkets at the bike section in sports direct

 

[rogerzilla]

I wonder if any couriers ever rode a Muddy Fox Courier.

 

[keithmac]

Used to be a program called "Streetwise" abouy bicycle couriers in early 90's, they all had posh bikes..

 

[oldkit]

Late 60s early 70s.
I Had a Phillips frame about that time, bought a complete bike off a mate for five bob. (25p in newspeak money), stainless front rim and spokes, the crossbar had a bend near the downtube so the saddle would go really low. the forks were straightened using three house bricks and I had a 28 t chainring on about 6.3/4" cranks Rivetted at Nicklins in Willenhall courtesy of my mates mom next door who worked there.
My older Brother was a cycle speedway champion in the 60s, Roger ellis was in his team at some point I think. Also another lad called Mike Parry. I believe his brother sponsors Wolves Speedway.

Great times