mtb-timeline

Cleland Cyclings Limited

For over a century cyclists have been modifying bikes to perform better offroad. Britain especially nurtures eccentrics who make the imaginative leaps to keep society advancing. Geoff Apps of Buckinghamshire, England, solved the offroad problem and created a worthy mountain bike prototype in 1979 with direct inspiration and consultation with Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly ¹⁾. However well made and timed, his Range-Rider and Aventura were unfortunately financial unsuccessful:

Apps sold a few but missed the mountain biking wave. cyclinguk

One person can not make a movement, nor a new market. He did, however, influence many British bike makes who followed.

Geoff Apps wikipedia

1979 Range Rider

Most Cleland cycles were designed around 650B wheels with a few 700C (29er) versions produced.

Range Rider wordpress

The Birth of the 29er

29ers are now the standard mt. bike wheel size ²⁾. Old 26“ wheels became nearly non-existent as 650B's (aka 27.5”) flew by them in 2013 which were then themselves overtaken by 29“ in 2018 ³⁾. 26” became the standard merely because BMX bikes experimented with larger rim sizes which created a market for many “balloon” tires with treads.

Geoff Apps was a bit too ahead of his time in 1980 when he shipped samples of 650Bx54 Finnish Nokian Tyres to Kelly and Fisher in Marin. ⁴⁾ Despite Geoff Apps, John Finley Scott and Tom Ritchey's efforts to make larger rim sizes standard, lighter weight and cheaper 26“ took over the market.

1982 Aventura wordpress

1983 Aventura

Upgraded in 1985 by Highpath Engineering (who added the Highpath decal) to include:

• “asymmetric rear-triangle for an un-dished rear wheel, Wider bottom-bracket for improved tyre clearance”
• replaced the single frame-brace with two for extra strength and removed the integral rear rack.

As per Graham John Wallace, the current owner.

1983 Aventura retrobike

1984 Aventura

TA cranks with XT v1 derailleurs (1982-84), integral rear rack. Hub brakes, mudguards and chainguards, as usual. Why have top tube padding?

1984 Aventura retrobike