What do you know about the History of Mountain Bikes?
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by: AlisonAddy
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If you are interested in mountain biking then you may be wondering exactly how the sport has been developed. What is the history of mountain biking and how did it become so popular?
There are three main things to look at when you look into the history of mountain biking. The first is the people who invented it, the second is where the sport was developed and the third is the equipment and how the bikes were put together.
Why Mountain Biking has Evolved
Mountain bikes were developed in the 1960?s when the people of San Francisco became tired of the hectic lifestyles they were living. So a few people travelled to Marin County in order to escape the hectic life and that is when they really started to take notice of mountain biking. With the different mountain terrain, they soon spotted the potential for mountain bike racing.
Bike races of 3 miles long were held in Fairfax and word soon got around to other bikers. Everyone was looking to break new records and the track was one of the best as it had a 1600 foot downhill slope. As more and more people entered the competition, word spread around and soon it became extremely popular. However, the race ended up being cancelled because of the dangers which it presented.
Despite the race being cancelled, the popularity of mountain biking did not go away. New races were set up and it was in Mount Tamalpais, California where it really picked up again. The bikes were taken to the top of the mountain and then the bikers would race down it. However, as time went on they started riding the bike up the mountain as well as down it. This is when people started to become interested in other areas of mountain biking, not just downhill racing.
Of course mountain bikes did not always look how they do now. It was in California where they started to look like they do today. Changes were made to the bikes in order to make them safer and more comfortable to ride. The brakes in particular had to be updated. Cantilever brakes were used because they were lighter and stronger than the original brakes. The added strength helped to stop the bikes when they were going at fast speeds and also when they were going over difficult terrain.
Another change made to the bikes included extra gears. These helped riders to control the bike better and to help them when they were going over higher areas. Overall mountain bikes have evolved quite a lot since they were first designed. The popularity of mountain biking has increased over the years and it really isn?t difficult to see why.
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About the Author
Have you enjoyed this article on history of mountain biking??, Alison Addy publishes articles for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . More articles on mountain bike review and mountain bike reviews at his web.
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