mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Dorado =====

The Dorado bicycle brand was introduced by Rocky Cycles of Sunnyvale, CA.  Rocky Cycles started in 1962 as a motorcycle part supply business by Olga Rocky and Joseph Piazza in Redwood City, CA.  Dorado mountain bikes, which debuted in 1984, were often distributed by motorcycle dealerships.  The year prior Dorado Imports was formed by Rick Wilson who had earlier started [[corsaro:start|Corsaro]] in 1983, and helped launch Western States Imports.  Dorado and Corsaro both shared the "Sherpa" model name with similar build and components.
It's likely the initial Dorado bicycles were really the brainchild of Rick Wilson, and Rocky Cycles were the distributor and likely business partner.

Rocky Cycles went under in 1987 at which point the Dorado brand was reclaimed by Dorado Imports.  At this point the Dorado logo changed and Rocky Cycles stickers were replaced by "Dorado Imports" with the same Tiburon, CA corporate address as Corsaro Imports.

Rick Wilson, the owner of Wil-Go, helped with the founding of Western States Imports, a major MTB importer and brand creator ((See a list of WSI brands at [[https://vivalaslider.wordpress.com/bicycles/diamond-back-ramblings/|Diamond Back Ramblings]])).  A defining WSI quote: //"Boxes in, boxes out. Everything else is marketing"// (([[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-07-fi-4968-story.html|latimes]])).

Dorados by Corsaro were often quality frames of Tange tubing made by Merida of Taiwan, with mid to high level components from both SunTour and Shimano.  No decent 1984 pics have been found, nor any examples after 1993 and hence the timeline will go from 1985 -> 1993.

In the early 80's, [[rm:start|Rocky Mountain]] also sold a "Sherpa" mtb, with similar styling and paintwork.  Rocky Mountains have a clear [[ritchey:start|Tom Ritchey]] pedigree.  Is too much of a coincedence to simultaneously have a Rocky Sherpa sold next to a Rocky Mountain Sherpa?  Yet, the early 80's saw **//Sherpas//** from :

  * [[corsaro:start|Corsaro]]
  * [[hillman:start|Hillman]]
  * [[mantis:start|Mantis]]
  * [[rm:start|Rocky Mountain]]
  * [[saracen:start|Saracen]]
  * [[technobull:start|Technobull]]


The 80's were the decade of Sherpas.  Now, not so much, as it's borderline [[https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cultural-appropriation-5070458|cultural appropriation]] to commercially use [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherpa_people|Sherpa]] as a brand name [[https://reclaimingsherpa.wordpress.com/|without compensation]] to the Sherpa peoples.  In 2022, [[https://www.thenorthface.com/en-us/search/product?q=sherpa|The North Face]] announced it was dropping the "Sherpa" line of clothing in favor of the anodyne term, "High Pile".  See: [[https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/the-north-face-is-renaming-its-sherpa-fleece/|backpacker.com]].

And yet, there are some Sherpa MTBs are still being produced in 2024:

  * [[https://sherpabicycles.com/]]
  * [[https://www.stantonbikes.com/collections/sherpa]]
  * [[https://www.kuat.com/product/sherpa-2-0/]]

=== Resources ===

This time, the resource list is mostly about the chain of corporate ownership, to prove the connection between Rocky Cycles and Corsaro.

  * [[https://www.bizapedia.com/ca/rocky-cycle-co-inc.html|bizapedia]]
  * [[https://alter.com/trademarks/dorado-73496061|alter]]
  * [[https://www.bizapedia.com/ca/dorado-imports-inc.html|bizapedia]]
  * [[https://www.legalhoop.com/trademark/detail/73449674/SHERPA|legalhoop]]
  * [[https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/corporationsearch/SearchResultDetail?inquirytype=EntityName&directionType=PreviousList&searchNameOrder=ROCKYCYCLE%208502570&aggregateId=forp-850257-870d766e-a29e-424a-a9a9-af6d6bf05c6e&searchTerm=ROCKY%2013%20FLORIDA%20LLC&listNameOrder=ROCKYCREEKSPRINGWATER%20L090001011930|sunbiz]]
  * [[https://vivalaslider.wordpress.com/bicycles/diamond-back-ramblings/|Diamond Back Ramblings]]


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{{eb.jpg?400|1986 Rocky Cycles catalog}}
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1986 Rocky Cycles catalog
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/275605485042|ebay]]
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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 500L =====
Shimano Skylark (1970-80s), single front chainring, bullmoose bars, chromed frame, Shimano EM SL-MT30 shifters (1985).
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{{1985.jpg?300|1985 500L}}
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1985 500L
[[ https://www.mtbr.com/threads/does-anyone-know-about-dorado-bikes.876531/|mtbr]]
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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Sherpa =====
Rollercams front and rear.  SR Slingshot stem.
SunTour XC-Sport 6900 (1986).
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{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Sherpa}}
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1986 Sherpa
[[ https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1231425-1986-dorado-sherpa-mountain-bike.html|bikeforums]]
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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Sherpa =====
SunTour XC Sport 1987-88.
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<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Sherpa}}
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1987 Sherpa
[[ https://www.flickr.com/photos/communitycyclingcenter/7740791624/in/photolist-28gV4Di-27btHEG-u8mag-cN2zEy|flickr]]
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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Sherpa =====
SunTour XC Sport 7000 (1987-88) derailleurs, shifters and levers. No name tubing
 (using a Tange-like sticker.)
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{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Sherpa}}
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1988 Sherpa
[[ http://brokenarrowbicycles.weebly.com/dorado-sherpa.html|brokenarrowbicycles]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Sherpa Comp =====
Shimano Deore (1989 only), Tange tubing,
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{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Sherpa Comp}}
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1989 Sherpa Comp
[[ https://www.instagram.com/p/CHXdHR9AoLU/?hl=da&img_index=1|instagram]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Sherpa Trail =====
Shimano Exage 200GS (1990-91)

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{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Sherpa Trail}}
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1991 Sherpa Trail
[[ https://www.mtbr.com/threads/dorado-bikes.536475/|mtbr]]
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<div column 50% #s1992>
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===== 1992 Sherpa Pro =====
Shimano Deore DX (1991-94), Tange tubing

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{{1992.jpg?300|1992 Sherpa Pro}}
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1992 Sherpa Pro
[[ https://www.mtbr.com/threads/anybody-heard-of-a-dorado-sherpa.235759/|mtbr]]
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