mtb-timeline

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<div column 45% #intro>
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===== Mountain Cross Racing =====

Brian Skinner, a "disciple of [[vva:start|Victor Vincente of America]] ((History by Brian Skinner in [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html|mombat]])), designed the first rear suspended downhill mountain bike in 1983, constructed by VVA.  Brian later worked for Shimano, helping to develop SIS shifting, SPD, and rapidfire shifting.  ((See a nice bio at [[https://mmbhof.org/brian-skinner/|mmbhof]]))

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{{skinner.jpg?460|Dan Hanebrink and Brian Skinner}}
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Dan Hanebrink and Brian Skinner
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[[https://mbaction.com/the-loss-of-a-mountain-bike-legend/|mbaction]]

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<div column 50% #s1983>
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===== 1983 Skinner Descender =====

Rear disk brakes!  Honda motorcycle shocks, headset and cabling.  6 1/2 inches of rear travel.  26" front and 24" rear.  Weighing in at 50 pounds.  May have been constructed in 1982.  Raced by Brian Skinner in 1983.

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{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Skinner Descender}}
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1983 Skinner Descender
[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html|mombat]]

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

When BMX magazine published its Fire Road Racer [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html|article]] on the MCR Descender, interest and demand grew and Brian partnered with Dan Hanebrink to create an improved version with nearly 20 pounds shaved off the bike.  Skinner raced the Descender at the final 1984 Repack race, where chain problems prevented him from making the podium.  Weight: 31 pounds.

{{1984b.jpg?300|1984 Descender}}
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1 of 24 made?
[[https://www.socaltrailriders.org/threads/sky.50985/|socaltrailriders]]
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<div column 45%>
{{1984.gif?300|1984 Descender}}
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1984 Descender
[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html|mombat]]

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

John Parker, founder of [[yeti:start|Yeti]] prototyped this, with a design inspired by the Kawasaki KX250.   75 of these were built by [[champion:start|Champion Bikes]].
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<blockquote>
1986, and 87 were good years for the Descender, and we started to gain momentum on sales, advertising, and articles. The bike preformed well at races with Kye Sharp winning Big Bear XC and DH events.

Sadly in 1987 I had to make a decision; Shimano wanted to make my position official, but I would have to give up the MCR business a conflict of interest.
<cite>
Brian Skinner, [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html|mombat]]
</cite>
</blockquote>

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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Descender}}
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1985 Descender
[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html|mombat]]

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<div column 50% #birth>
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===== The Birth of Suspension =====


Dan Hanebrink parted ways with Brian in 1984 and brought his suspension design ideas to BMX maker SE Racing, which produced the 1985 Shocker, which is nearly identical to the 1984 Descender.
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On his own, Dan made a handful of "descenders" with his own name on them.  See: [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1984_Hanebrink.html|mombat]]
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{{hanebrink.jpg?300|1984 Hanebrink}}
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1984 Hanebrink
[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1984_Hanebrink.html|mombat]]
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Compare these bikes to a 2003 Specialized Big Hit Pro: 26" front wheels, 24" rear and 6.5" of rear travel.  Price: $4340.  Weight: 41.5 pounds.
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{{bighit.jpg?300|2003 Specialized Big Hit}}
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2003 Specialized Big Hit
[[https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/value-guide/product/30124/|bicylebluebook]]

Fully suspended BMX with drum brakes.  It was achingly close to being a decent downhill bike, but not really.
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{{moto.jpg?300|1975 Yamaha Moto-Bike}}
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1975 Yamaha Moto-Bike
[[https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/yamaha/40484|bmxmuseum]]

1977 Huffy Thunder Trail: BMX bikes have had rear shocks for some time.  I personally jumped a Thunder Trail many times off a friend's backyard ramp in the 70's.  It worked.  But not for long...
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{{thunder.jpg?300|1977 Huffy Thunder Road}}
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1977 Huffy Thunder Road
[[https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/huffy/30194|bmxmuseum]]







1984 [[3rensho:start|Rensho]] prototype with perhaps the first front suspension mountain bike with disc brakes.  What was this the earliest fully suspended mtb?
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{{3rensho.jpg?300|1984 3Rensho}}
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1984 [[3rensho:start|3Rensho]], with [[https://mmbhof.org/denise-caramagno/|Denise Caramagno]], during a scouting trip in Japan for suppliers with [[ritchey:start|Tom Ritchey]] and Charlie Kelly.
[[https://www.mtbr.com/threads/1984-3rensho.287398/|mtbr entry by Charlie Kelly]]

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<div column 45%>
{{shocker.jpg?300|1985 Shocker}}
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1985 Shocker
[[https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/se_racing/15335|bmxmuseum]]

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==== Production Notes ====
<WRAP #prod1 />
[1]. 1
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<WRAP #prod2 />
[2]. 10?
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<WRAP #prod3 />
[3]. 30?  ((See: [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Descender.html]]))
In total, from 1983 -> 1987, 100 Descenders were made, according to Skinner: [[https://www.mtbr.com/threads/brian-skinner-descender-completed.305464/|mtbr]]