mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== 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 (([[https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/files/document/migrated/publication/201009022.pdf|cyclinguk.org]])).  However well made and timed, his Range-Rider and Aventura were unfortunately financial unsuccessful:

<blockquote>
Apps sold a few but missed the mountain biking wave.
<cite>[[https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/files/document/migrated/publication/201009022.pdf|cyclinguk]]</cite>
</blockquote>

One person can not make a movement, nor a new market.  He did, however, influence many British bike makes who followed.
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{{geoff.jpg?360|Geoff Apps}}
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Geoff Apps [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Apps|wikipedia]]
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<div column 50% #s1979>
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===== 1979 Range Rider =====

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

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{{1979.jpg?300|1979 Range Rider}}
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Range Rider [[https://clelandcycles.wordpress.com/history/|wordpress]]
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<div column 50% #more>
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===== The Birth of the 29er =====

[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29er_(bicycle)|29ers]] are now the standard mt. bike wheel size (([[https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/What-Do-10-000-Mountain-Bikers-Think-Vital-MTB-Audience-Survey-Results,2787|vitalmtb]]|since 2018, 29ers are the most popular)).  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 ((By the way, 29" wheels are smaller than 27" wheels)).  26" became the standard merely because BMX bikes experimented with larger rim sizes which created a market for many "balloon" tires with treads.
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Geoff Apps was a bit too ahead of his time in 1980 when he shipped samples of 650Bx54 Finnish [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokian_Tyres#Bicycle|Nokian Tyres]] to Kelly and Fisher in Marin. (([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Apps|wikipedia]] "We got some tires from Geoff Apps really early on and we said ‘Holy Toledo!’" --Gary Fisher))  Despite Geoff Apps, [[https://mmbhof.org/mtn-bike-hall-of-fame/history/john-finley-scott/|John Finley Scott]] and Tom Ritchey's efforts to make larger rim sizes standard, lighter weight and cheaper 26" took over the market.


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{{1982.jpg?300|1982 Aventura}}
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1982 Aventura [[https://clelandcycles.wordpress.com/history/|wordpress]]
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<div column 50% #s1983>
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===== 1983 Aventura =====
Upgraded in 1985 by [[highpath:start|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 [[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1983-cleland-aventura-highpath.46418/|Graham John Wallace]], the current owner.

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{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Aventura }}
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1983 Aventura
[[ https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1983-cleland-aventura-highpath.46418/|retrobike]]
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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 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?
  
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{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Aventura }}
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1984 Aventura
[[ https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1983-cleland-aventura-highpath.46418/page-3|retrobike]]
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==== Production Notes ====
<WRAP #prod1 />
[1].  No info available.  It appears that small quantities were made each year until 1984.