mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Cycle Pro Bicycles =====


Another West Coast Cycles of Los Angeles project by Howie Cohen partnered with Kuwamara.  Cycle Pro was a strong BMX brand from 1966-2013 under West Coast Cycles, which also distributed [[nishiki:start|Nishiki]] and [[norco:start|Norco]] mountain bikes, all initially made by Japanese partner Kawamura.  ((Sources:
[[https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/cycle_pro/]],
[[https://www.proteanpaper.com/scart_about.cgi?comp=howiebik]],
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nishiki_(bicycle_company)]]))

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Each year's model seems to be made from a different manufacturer.  There's no consistency in seat clusters or forks.  However, drop outs and braze-ons are consistent, probably because they're part of the spec & design.  Yet [[nishiki:start|Nishiki]] frames remained somewhat consistent over time - so perhaps Kawamura was not the principle supplier for Cycle Pro?  And many Cycle Pro ATBs had a "Handcrafted By Kawamura" sticker on their chain stays.
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Cycle Pro apparently stopped importing bikes by 1988 and resumed in the late 1990's.

{{hand.jpg?200|Handcrafted by Kawamura}}
This pic actually comes from a Nishiki...
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/390318-nishiki-serial-number-database|bikeforums]]


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<div column 45%>
{{nishiki:howie.jpg?400|Howie Cohen with Yukio Kawamura}}
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Howie Cohen with Yukio Kawamura, 1964
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[[https://classicjapanesebicycles.com/nishiki/|classicjapanesebicycles]]

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<div column 50% #snake>
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===== 1978 Snake Belly =====

Cycle Pro's biggest contribution to mountain biking was the first purpose built, lightweight off road tire, the Snake Belly.
The following is copied from the section on [[https://mtbtimeline.com/wiki/tech/tires|tires]]:
<blockquote>
Everything changed when the Snakebelly tire, the first lightweight fat tire, and the first wide aluminum rim made by Ukai became available.  Now it was possible to build an awesome mountain bike! I started building CCPROTO in 1978, designing every part from the ground up for minimum weight and maximum performance((The 1978 [[cc:start#s1978|CCPROTO]] overall weight was 26 pounds.)).
<cite>
[[cc:start|Charlie Cunningham]], from [[https://jacquiephelan.org/2012/03/22/more-about-ccproto/|Jacqui Phelan's blog]]
</cite>
</blockquote>


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<div column 45%>
{{snake.jpg?300|BMX Action, Nov 1979}}
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[[https://bmxaction.com/|BMX Action]], Nov 1979, 
[[https://bmxsociety.com/topic/31254-cycle-pro-snakebelly-tires/|bmxsociety]]


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<div column 50% #s1982>
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===== 1982 Custom 5 26 =====

15 gears.  Few, if any, Cycle Pro Custom 5's came with a front derailleur.  And many didn't come with a rear derailleur.  They were advertised as mountain bikes in 1982 issues of the Fat Tire Flyer.  Presumably the "5" means 5 speeds.
15 would make more sense...

{{peddler.png?200|FTF v3 n2}}
Fat Tire Flyer, Vol 3 No 2, March/April 1983, page 16
[[http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/ftf_welcome.htm|FTF]]


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<div column 45%>
{{1982.jpg?300|1982 Custom 5}}
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1982 Custom 5
[[https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/cycle_pro/78249|bmxmuseum]]

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<div column 50% #s1983>
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===== 1983 Ram =====

The bike to the right has a "Handcrafted by Kawamura" in Japan sticker.  SunTour MounTech 4900 (1982-83).
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The 1983 Skyline, as reviewed in [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1207451-road-test-bike-review-1983-all-terrain-bicycles.html|Nov 1983 Bicycling mag]] cost $375, weighed 32 1/2 pounds, and had SunTour AG Tech front and rear.


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<div column 45%>
{{1983b.jpg?300|1983 Ram }}
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1983 Ram
[[https://gino.shop-pro.jp/?pid=157512580|gino.shop-pro.jp]]

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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Skyline =====


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<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Skyline}}
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1984 Skyline
[[https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/the-long-beach-socal-cycle-swap-picture-thread|thecabe]]

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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 Oswego =====

Drive side detailed pics available in link.  Unicrown fork and non bullmoose stem.  "Oswego" is an Iroquoian appropriation used by six small towns across the US, none of which are mountainous.

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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Oswego}}
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1985 Oswego
[[https://completecleanouts.hibid.com/lot/67783962/oswego-cycle-pro-mountain-bike-|completecleanouts]]


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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Arroyo =====
Unknown components. Assuming the museum knows best on dating.

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<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Arroyo}}
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1986 Arroyo
[[ https://mountainbikemuseum.nl/en/mountainbikes/cyclepro-arroyo-442|mountainbikemuseum.nl]]


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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Skyline =====

SunTour XC Sport 7000 (1987-88), Dia-Compe u-brakes.  Pic from Bicycling magazine review.


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<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Skyline}}
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1987 Skyline, Bicycling March 1987
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1153339-interesting-trash-find-cycle-pro-skyline.html|bikeforums]]


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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Millennium =====

Shimano Deore MT60 (1987-88)

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<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Millennium}}
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1988 Millennium
[[https://www.facebook.com/Tysons-Bicycle-Museum-Page-2065899410186446/photos/pcb.2749599328483114/2749598518483195/|facebook]]



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