---- ===== John Tomac ===== The history of MTB handle bars via John Tomac's career.

He has won more mountain bike races than anyone in the sport, and done so at every level and in all aspects: cross-country, uphill, downhill, even trials. [[https://mmbhof.org/john-tomac/]]

{{geometry.jpg?400|Tomac & Geometry}} \\ Tomac, age 19, fine tuning bike geometry. 1988 Mongoose ad. [[https://mbaction.com/throwback-thursday-thirty-years-back/|mbaction]]

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{{tomac5.jpg?0x160|Tomac BMX}} \\ Tomac raced BMX before turning pro with Mongoose in 1987. This is newer pic to sell the retro BMX [[https://www.cyclecraftbmx.com/|Cycle Craft]]. Those bars are too wide and flat to be vintage. [[https://www.facebook.com/Zeronineofficial/photos/a.1196781350472610/1411258202358256/|facebook]]

{{tomac6.jpg?0x160|1988 Tomac DH}} \\ 1988 Mammoth Mountain dual slalom, with Tomac riding a 24" Mongoose BMX (with gears, as the course had an uphill section. Note the wool socks...) Tomac won the overall dual slalom for 1988 on this bike. [[https://mbaction.com/the-bridge-from-bmx/|mbaction]]

{{tomac4.jpg?0x160|Tomac 1991}} \\ Winning overal NORBA title for the 3rd time in a row in 1991. Cinelli 440mm wide drop-bars. Tomac raced on drops for many years after switching from BMX and later becoming a road racer. [[https://mbaction.com/the-tomac-interview/|mbaction]]

{{tomac2.jpg?0x160|Tomac 1992}} \\ 1992 on the way to 2nd overall XC World Cup. Now sporting bar ends. [[https://cyclingtips.com/2017/01/a-chat-with-a-legend-20-questions-with-john-tomac/|cyclingtips]]

{{tomac7.jpg?0x160|2005 Tomac DH}} \\ Tomac winning the 2005 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Kamikaze|Mammoth Kamikaze]] on an eponymous [[https://www.yobicycle.com/mountain-bike/tomac-204-magnum-28256/specs|Magnum 204]] DH bike, with 760mm handlebars. [[https://mbaction.com/photo-of-the-day-johnny-t-and-the-mammoth-kamikaze/|mbaction]]

{{tomac3.jpg?0x160|2020 Looking cool}} \\ John Tomac, still looking cool, even with 780mm. 2020 photo by Skyler Bishop [[https://www.skylerbishop.com/portfolio/commercial/|skylerbishop]]

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