mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Gary Fisher =====
Gary Fisher is "//one of the inventors of the modern mountain bike//" ((Wikipedia is correct on this score: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Fisher|wikipedia]])), and a founder of "//MountainBikes, the first company to specialize in the manufacture of [mt. bikes]//" ((Wikipedia again - however, it also states that he coined the term "mountain bike."  A more entertaining story is the one about Wing Bamboo coming up with the name: [[https://www.independent.com/2012/03/17/from-klunkers-mountain-bikes/|independent.com]].  See again: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Fisher|wikipedia]])).   Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly and Tom Ritchey were perhaps the //Beatles// of Mountain Bikes ((This metaphor gets a bit tortured when you try to figure out who's Ringo or Lennon, or maybe Yoko Ono.)); ground zero for endless innovation and the crafting of enduring bicycle masterpieces.

Gary Fisher is a polarizing figure in mountain bike history, perhaps due to a larger-than-life personality.  His controversial claims to have invented the mountain bike, despite not having his own name appear on any bicycle before 1984 ((This date is disputed by [[https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/bike-accessories/cycling-gifts-fun-stuff/books/being-gary-fisher-and-the-bicycle-revolution-autobiography/p/34870/|Being Gary Fisher]].  This issue will be fully explored below.))
, are backed up by his truly foundational roles:
  * He created the first geared Marin Klunkers.  ((Fat Tire Flyer: [[https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Tire-Flyer-Repack-Mountain/dp/1937715167|amazon]], chapter 5))((The first geared klunkers were created by Russ Mahon of Cupertino [[http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/repack.htm|Charles Kelly's Repack website]]))
  * He rode and helped organize the first Repack races ((Fat Tire Flyer: [[https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Tire-Flyer-Repack-Mountain/dp/1937715167|amazon]], chapter 6))
  * He created the MountainBikes ((Gary says he coined the term "Mountain Bike."  As always, the truth is actually stranger than Gary's fiction: [[ritchey:start#fn__6|Wing Bamboo footnote]])) company, which sold the first commercially available mountain bicycles.  ((Fat Tire Flyer: [[https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Tire-Flyer-Repack-Mountain/dp/1937715167|amazon]], chapter 14))
  * He specified and gathered parts, assembled, marketed and sold most of Tom Ritchey's early frames from Kelly & Fisher's MountainBikes company. ((Fat Tire Flyer: [[https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Tire-Flyer-Repack-Mountain/dp/1937715167|amazon]], chapter 14))

Gary Fisher deserves much credit for the existence of mountain bikes, as long we remember all of the others who also created the first bikes as part of the Marin mt. bike revolution, such as Alan Bonds, Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly and Tom Ritchey - and everyone else honored in the [[https://mmbhof.org/mtn-bike-hall-of-fame/inductees/|Mountain Bike Hall of Fame]].


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<div column 45%>
{{beinggf.jpg?460|Being Gary Fisher}}
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The colorful Gary Fisher
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[[https://road.cc/content/review/being-gary-fisher-and-bicycle-revolution-285079|road.cc]]

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


This bicycle is a transitional stage for Gary Fisher, post K&F/Ritchey MountainBikes and pre-Fisher branding.  Gary Fisher kept the MountainBikes brand, moved to San Anselmo, and started importing Japanese bikes while also employing local frame builders for higher end custom mt. bikes.
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The Montare ((Spanish for "I will ride")) was sold in 1983 using a head badge of "Montare MountainBikes" with no mention of Gary Fisher.  Both Fisher **AND** Ritchey sold **identical** Montare models with different stickers.  Ritchey Montares were sold only in Canada and were distributed by [[rm:start#ritchey|Rocky Mountain]].  Both variants sold well and helped to get Fisher's business out of its inherited debt.  Ritchey and Fisher maintained some sort of business relationship through 1983 and probably into 1984.  This was likely the terms of debt redemption as K&F owed Ritchey for 100's of unpaid frames.  See [[fisher:start#dissolution|Dissolution]].
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Fisher Bike would continue to produce the Montare until 2011, which was the last year that a Fisher logo'd bike would be sold by Trek ((See archive of all Trek models by year: [[https://archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/2011|trek archives]])).  From 2012 until 2017, Trek produced a Gary Fisher signature line, where Gary's smaller signature was applied by the seat tube on to Trek designed bikes.

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<div column 45%>
{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Montare MountainBikes}}
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1983 Montare MountainBikes
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[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/903827-1984-ritchey-mountain-bike.html|bikeforums]]

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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Mt. Tam =====



The Fisher MountainBikes logo first appeared in 1984 on the Montare, Mt. Tam and Competition ((See full specs on all 1984->1993 Fisher bikes at: [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Fisher_Specs.htm|mombat]])).  Mt. Tams were fillet brazed by Tom Teesdale.  ((His frames were usually marked with TT or TET.  See [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1218577-early-fisher-mountainbikes-ritchey-vs-teesdales.html|bikeforums]]))
((Tom Teesdale deserves a page of his own.  See obituary: [[https://redkiteprayer.com/2014/07/tom-teesdale-a-remembrance/|redkiteprayer]]))
((Prior to 1983, **ALL** frames came from Tom Ritchey.   This is contrary to Gary Fisher's recounting of events in various places.  Kelly, ever the reliable chronicler, states that "Tom's bikes were the only ones we sold." See:  [[https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Tire-Flyer-Repack-Mountain/dp/1937715167|Fat Tire Flyer]], page 170.  After 1983, Fisher sourced complete bikes from Japan plus high end custom bikes from local frame builders, such as Tom Teesdale and Brent Steelman.))
Fisher naming overlapped with [[ritchey:start|Ritchey]] as they both continued to use the names: Mt. Tam, Competition, McKinley and Everest.  Fisher did this presumably to cash in on Ritchey's good brand quality and to preserve the branding which Fisher spent so much time developing.
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The September Fisher 1984 wholesale catalog lists four wholesale prices:
  * Montare, $450
  * Mt. Tam, $740
  * Competition, $1000
  * Everest, $1186 ((From Tom Teesdale's personal Fisher wholesale parts list: [[https://www.oldschoolracing.ch/mountainbike/1983-fisher-competition/|oldschoolracing]]))


</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Mt. Tam}}
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1984 Mt. Tam
[[https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1734369/|pinkbike]]

</div>


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


Zebra paint by CycleArt in San Marcos.  Fisher bikes quickly set themselves apart from the old Ritchey's, despite Tom Teesdale's best efforts to copy Tom Ritchey's brazing quality, by using cool paint jobs.  The frame was fillet brazed by Tom Teesdale ((Gary Fisher confirmed that this specific frame was made by Tom Teesdale on [[https://crankbased.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/fisher-everest-1985/|facebook]]))


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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Everest}}
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1985 Everest
[[https://crankbased.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/fisher-everest-1985/|crankbased]]

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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1986 Mt. Tam =====


Beautiful paint scheme with matching bullmoose bars and seat.  Nicely fillet brazed frame.  Rare u-brake cover  ((The cover apparently didn't do very much.  See: [[https://totallyvalid.com/mountain-bike-parts/|info]])).  The Mt. Tam name resurrects the old 1983 Ritchey [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tamalpais|Mount Tam]] originally sold by Kelly & Fisher.

{{cover.jpg?200|1986 Mt. Tam}}
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Overland Equipment Rollercam Brake Protector. 
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[[http://classiccycleus.com/home/repair/museum-bikes-for-sale|classiccyclesus]]
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</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Mt. Tam}}
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1986 Mt. Tam
[[http://classiccycleus.com/home/repair/museum-bikes-for-sale|classiccyclesus]]

</div>


<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Montare =====
Deore XT M730 (1987-88)
</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Montare }}
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1987 Montare
[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1987_Fisher_Montare.html|mombat]]
</div>



<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Competition =====
Fillet brazed frame by Tom Teasdale.  M730 (1987-88)
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<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Competition }}
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1988 Competition
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/363771015872|ebay]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 CR-7 =====
Shimano XT M732 (1989).  Bolted on rear steel triangle onto an aluminum front end.
</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 CR-7 }}
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1989 CR-7
[[https://www.gxtstore.com/?product_id=116568104_65|gxstore]]
</div>



<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Supercaliber =====
Almost all SunTour XC Comp, except for the rear XT derailleur (1989).  Perhaps original?
The Supercaliber first appeared in the [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Fisher.html|1990 catalog]].

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Supercaliber }}
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1990 Supercaliber
[[ https://sydneymountainbikerescue.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/1989-fisher-supercaliber/|sydneymountainbikerescue]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 RS-1 =====
As spec'd it was supposed to have a full Campy Centaur gruppo w/no Shimano.  This example is full XT M735 with a Shimano disc front and a Hope rear.
Four pivots.  Front air-oil damping, elastometer rears.
Despite its name, the RS-1 did not use Rockshox RS-1's((However, the 1990 prototype RS-1 did use the RS-1 front shocks.  See: [[https://mbaction.com/throwback-thursday-mountain-bike-suspension-from-30-years-ago/|mbaction]]))  Note the very early use of disc brakes, using [[https://www.hopetech.com/history/the-nineties/|Hope]] disc brakes ((Hope discs have a spiral pattern of holes, while Pro-Stops, used on later RS-1's, used a slot pattern of rotor cooling.)) and their matching hubs.

Mert Lawwill's((The inventor of the [[lawwill:start|Lawwill]] Pro-Cruiser)) father's personal bike.
</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 RS-1 }}
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1991 RS-1
[[ http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1991_Fisher_RS1.html|mombat]]
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<div column 50% #s1992>
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===== 1992 Procaliber =====
Full XTR.
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<div column 45%>
{{1992.jpg?300|1992 Procaliber }}
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1992 Procaliber
[[https://www.moranosgarage.com/iii|moranosgarage]]
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<div column 50% #murky>
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===== Brand Murkiness=====



Kelly, Fisher and Ritchey never clearly distinguished their brands, as their business started without planning and continued with that strategy until they separated.  A brand history:

  * First MountainBikes mention in media: December 1979, [[http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/seminar2.htm|City Sports Magazine]]
  * First MountainBikes ad: February 1980, [[http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/mtbikes_company.htm|BMX Plus!]]
  * First K&F MountainBikes ad: March 1983, [[http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/ftf_welcome.htm|Fat Tire Flyer]], Volume 3, #2.
  * First Montare MountainBikes ad: September 1983.  [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Ritchey.html|mombat]].  Mentions Rocky Mt being the Canadian distributor.
  * First Fisher MountainBikes ad: January 1984, [[http://cbklunkers.com/page.cfm?pageid=10727|Fat Tire Flyer]], Volume 4, #1. ((Note that this issue also lists Ritchey bikes being sold at the old K&F address, while Fisher MountainBikes (one word) now has a new address))


<blockquote>
There were never any "Kelly-Fisher" decals. Just the Ritchey name with "MountainBikes" superimposed. The "Kelly Fisher" idea was to move into components and other areas unrelated to the Ritchey frames, but there were other issues that prevented that.
<cite>
Charlie Kelly, posting in [[https://www.mtbr.com/threads/ritchey-kelly-fisher-mountainbikes-transition.474981/|mtbr]]
</cite>
</blockquote>


{{montare.jpg?400|1983/4 Montare}}
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1983/4 Montare with dual Fisher/Ritchey branding.
Most components are consistent with 1983, some have been more recently downgraded.  This Montare has a single Fisher MountainBikes decal, with two //"designed by Tom Ritchey"// stickers on the top tube, plus two of the old TR/MountainBikes stickers on the forks.
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/256026570364?hash=item3b9c5f6e7c:g:P1QAAOSwDptkI2n9|ebay]]





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<div column 45%>
{{ad.jpg?300|1983 Montare Ad}}
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September 1983 Ad for Montare MountainBikes, mentioning Ritchey
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[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Fisher.html|mombat]]

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{{sig.jpg?300|1983/4 Montare Signature}}
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1983/4 Montare signed by Tom
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/256026570364?hash=item3b9c5f6e7c:g:P1QAAOSwDptkI2n9|ebay]]
</div>


<div column 50% #dissolution>
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===== Dissolution =====


The breakup of the Kelly-Fisher-Ritchey partnership occurred during the summer of 1983((CK writes in mtbr: "I left the company around June, 1983." [[https://www.mtbr.com/threads/got-some-filleted-bullmoose-bars-in-a-pile-yesterday.301553/|mtbr]])), over cash flow issues and future directions on how to mass produce bikes from Japan.  Charlie Kelly's take on how K&F MountainBikes ended:

<blockquote>
To say we had a business plan would be an insult to real business plans.  Gary and I had no proper lines of authority for making decisions.  There was no agreement on how we planned to share profits, if there were any, or what we expected to be paid.  By 1983 our debt to Tom [Ritchey] was in the neighborhood of $60,000.  Everyone involved started to get nervous.  To be sure, [Tom] would have no trouble selling them himself, but if he cut us off he would be out a significant sum.  None of us was sleeping well.  It stopped being fun because I knew that Gary and I would argue over something.
<cite>
Charlie Kelly, [[https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Tire-Flyer-Repack-Mountain/dp/1937715167|Fat Tire Flyer]], chapter 21.
</cite>
</blockquote>

Gary Fisher's recounting of events:


<blockquote>
My relationship with Tom Ritchey began to fall apart right from the first trip to Japan ((Fisher states he made seven trips to Japan in 1981 alone, which might explain K&F's huge debt.  This trip with Ritchey to Japan likely occurred early in 1983.)).  During that trip it became very clear that he didn't want the same things I did.  I wanted complete bikes.  All he wanted was a new set of lugs so we could build cheaper frames.  ...  [aspersions about fraud omitted] ... Things went south very quickly after that.
<cite>
Gary Fisher, [[https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/bike-accessories/cycling-gifts-fun-stuff/books/being-gary-fisher-and-the-bicycle-revolution-autobiography/p/34870/|Being Gary Fisher]], page 146
</cite>
</blockquote>

Separately, the Ritchey and Fisher brands took off after this point.  Ritchey continues today as an independent bike and component maker.  Fisher Bikes was acquired by Anlen of Taiwan in 1991.  Fisher comments on his time with Anlen:

<blockquote>
I was basically a puppet president.  It was nuts. A lot of stuff went on unbeknownst to me.  It was totally frustrating watching something we built for all those years just get crushed in a lot of ways."
<cite>
Gary Fisher, quoted in: [[https://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=87389|bmxmuseum]]
</cite>
</blockquote>

18 months later, in 1993, Fisher was rescued by Trek where the brand thrived until 2011, at which point Gary Fisher's name was reduced to a small signature decal on a dwindling number of bikes until 2017.



</div>

<div column 45%>
{{signing.jpg?400|GF signing a Trek}}
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Gary Fisher signing for Trek  [[https://www.spin.ph/life/people/gary-fisher-manila-philippines-trek-bike-father-of-the-mountain-bike|spin.ph]]

{{bottle1.jpg?180|mystery bottle}}
{{bottle2.jpg?180|mystery bottle}}

Where does this dual-branded water bottle fit into the timeline?
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[[https://www.404.com/|personal mtbtimeline collection]]

</div>






<div column 50% #production>
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==== Production Notes ====
<WRAP #prod1 />
[1]. ?
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</div>