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Otis Guy Cycles
The OG OG, one of the Marin founders of Mountain Biking, an original Repack rider, a founder of the Marin Museum of Bicycling, and fine builder of custom mountain bikes since 1982. He is also a firefighter1), high school coach2), EMS teacher and operator the of the Otis Guy Mountain Bike Camp.
Otis became the only person to race in Repack, (the first organized mountain bike race, winning once and posting the 3rd fastest time ever recorded), the first National Mountain Bike Championships in 1983 and the first World Mountain Bike Championships in 1990. Marin Museum of Bicycling https://mmbhof.org/otis-guy/
Otis was always a road rider first, and mountain biker in the off-season, and his early frame building mostly concentrated on road bikes. Despite his late start making well-crafted, custom mountain bikes, Otis was there at the very beginning, riding off-road off road with Joe Breeze and Marc Vendetti starting in October 1973, was present when Joe Breeze showed Tom Ritchey his JBX1 in 1977/78, raced on Joe Breeze's road frame #2 in 1975 and helping Joe Breeze build the first mountain bikes.
I started building frames in 1982, ’cause I was tired of working in bike shops, and I had my own ideas of how I wanted frames to be. I worked with Joe [Breeze] for a while, helping him build frames, cutting up tubing and doing all that type of stuff. I got tired of dealing with retail and bike shops, so I started building my own frames then. At home. So when I built my home, I dug out underneath the house and made a shop. Otis Guy, from Mill Valley Library.
This is a one person operation with me doing everything except paint. My frames are built one at a time. I use the best steel tubing from Columbus, Ritchey and True Temper. The frames are constructed by a combination of tig welding and brazing. Otis Guy, from Otis Guy Cycles
Dating his bikes is tricky, as owners often upgrade components on their well loved frames.
Resources:
Otis Guy, in front of the Marin Museum of Bicycling,
theradavist
Otis Guy, circa 1978, on Joe Breeze's road frame #2, built about 1975 for Otis.
Photo by Wende Cragg instagram
Otis Guy and Joe Breeze training for a cross country record attempt, on a 1978/9 Ritchey “Anchor Steamer.”
Photo by Wende Cragg mountainflyermagazine
In November 1977 Howie Hammerman (on a Shelby), Otis Guy (on a Schwinn Excelsior), Chris McManus (on a 1937 Excelsior) and Joe Breeze (on his Breezer Number 1) stand atop Mt. Tamalpais.
Photo by Wende Cragg mountainflyermagazine
Otis Guy leading Hans Rey, Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly and Brett Tippie down Repack, 2021.
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Otis Guy racing at Durango in the 1990 First UCI World Championship.
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1983
Derailleur and shifters upgraded to XT M732 (1989). The early frame number (#23) is the earliest found for any Otis Guy mountain bike.
Pic by Charlie Kelly retrobike
1984
Shimano XT front derailleur (1983-86), SunTour LD-3600 shifters (1984-85), Shimano RD-6207GS 34T (1984-86). Unknown brakes (Cunningham?).
1985
Heavily restored with non-original drop bars, XT v2, Potts type II fork. As Otis blessed the post restoration bike with an autograph on the down tube, it's all good and is included as is in the timeline. Frame #56 (which is a bit high for 1985?)
1986
Frame #062B. XT M730 (1986-88). The owner states this is a 1987, but the frame # says this is earlier.
1987
Shimano 105? With a tiny cassette?? Frame #81.
1988
Potts Type II fork, Shimano Deore XT M730 group, S/N: OG 82B
1989
Frame #107. As featured in the 1989 exhibition: The Art of the Mountain Bike. Note that Otis Guy's bio states: I began building frames, under the guidance of Joe Breeze, in 1983.
1991
Frame #138. All rebuilt with newer parts.
1992 Beamer
1992 Softride “Beamer” bike, Softride “suspension” seat, with full XT. #353 (Is that a typo for #153??)
