Differences

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--- fisher:start [2021/07/31 13:47] – gchandler
+++ fisher:start [2023/04/13 16:21] (current) – mtbtimeline
@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ----
 ===== 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.))
@@ Line 10: / Line 11: @@
   * 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, 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]].
+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]].
@@ Line 29: / Line 30: @@
-This bicycle is a transitional stage for Gar 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.
+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.
 \\
-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 both 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]].
+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]].
 \\
@@ Line 81: / Line 82: @@
 <div column 50% #s1985>
 ----
-si
 ===== 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, 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]]))
+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]]))
@@ Line 97: / Line 98: @@
 </div>
+<div column 50% #s1985>
+----
+===== 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}}
+\\
+Overland Equipment Rollercam Brake Protector.
+\\
+[[http://classiccycleus.com/home/repair/museum-bikes-for-sale|classiccyclesus]]
+\\
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Mt. Tam}}
+\\
+Mt. Tam
+[[http://classiccycleus.com/home/repair/museum-bikes-for-sale|classiccyclesus]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1987>
+----
+===== 1987 Montare =====
+Deore XT M730 (1987-88)
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Montare }}
+\\
+Montare
+[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1987_Fisher_Montare.html|mombat]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1988>
+----
+===== 1988 Competition =====
+Fillet brazed frame by Tom Teasdale.  M730 (1987-88)
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Competition }}
+\\
+Competition
+[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/363771015872|ebay]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1989>
+----
+===== 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 }}
+\\
+CR-7
+[[https://www.gxtstore.com/?product_id=116568104_65|gxstore]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1990>
+----
+===== 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 }}
+\\
+Supercaliber
+[[ https://sydneymountainbikerescue.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/1989-fisher-supercaliber/|sydneymountainbikerescue]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1991>
+----
+===== 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 }}
+\\
+RS-1
+[[ http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1991_Fisher_RS1.html|mombat]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1992>
+----
+===== 1992 Procaliber =====
+Full XTR.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1992.jpg?300|1992 Procaliber }}
+\\
+Procaliber
+[[https://www.moranosgarage.com/iii|moranosgarage]]
+</div>
 <div column 50% #murky>
@@ Line 120: / Line 235: @@
 </cite>
 </blockquote>
+{{montare.jpg?400|1983/4 Montare}}
+\\
+/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]]
 </div>
@@ Line 130: / Line 256: @@
 [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Fisher.html|mombat]]
+\\
+{{sig.jpg?300|1983/4 Montare Signature}}
+\\
+/4 Montare signed by Tom
+[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/256026570364?hash=item3b9c5f6e7c:g:P1QAAOSwDptkI2n9|ebay]]
 </div>
 <div column 50% #dissolution>
 ----
@@ Line 137: / Line 270: @@
-The breakup of the Kelly-Fisher-Ritchey partnership occurred during the summer of 1983, 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:
+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>
@@ Line 150: / Line 283: @@
 <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 to fraud omitted] ... Things went south very quickly after that.
+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
@@ Line 172: / Line 305: @@
 <div column 45%>
-{{signing.jpg?380|GF signing a Trek}}
+{{signing.jpg?400|GF signing a Trek}}
+\\
+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?
 \\
-Gary Fisher signing a Trek  [[https://www.spin.ph/life/people/gary-fisher-manila-philippines-trek-bike-father-of-the-mountain-bike|spin.ph]]
+[[https://www.404.com/|personal mtbtimeline collection]]
 </div>