mtb-timeline

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<div column 95% #logo>
{{logo2.png|Rock Lobster logo}}
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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Rock Lobster =====


The Rock Lobster brand was coined by Paul Sadoff in Santa Cruz in 1984 to differentiate his new custom mountain bikes from his existing road bike efforts.  Paul starting making road frames in 1978 while apprenticed to Ross Shafer of [[salsa:start|Salsa]], branding them with either "Routier"((//Routier// is French for "truck" and was also the name of the street where Paul was living.)) or simply "Sadoff."

<blockquote>
I used to hand paint my name on the bikes but in 1984 I started building mountain bike frames. I thought, “Well, they can’t have my name on them. They have to have some sort of other name.” And I came up with the name of using Rock Lobster because I thought, “There’s Rockhopper, there’s Stumpjumper, Diamondback… all these macho names.” I thought, “Screw that. I want something that’s irreverent. Call it a Rock Lobster. It has nothing to do with riding in the dirt but it has the name ‘rock’ in there.”
<cite>
Paul Sadoff [[https://bikerumor.com/119928/|bikerumor]]
</cite>
</blockquote>

Paul Sadoff produced about 25 bicycles each year from 1978 to present, with total output about 400 road bikes, 250 cyclocross, 200 mountain bike, 100 single speeds and about 50 others.


Sources:
  * [[ http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Rock_Lobster.html|mombat]]
  * [[ https://chrisking.com/blogs/news/kindred-spirit-the-legend-of-paul-sadoff-of-rock-lobster|chrisking]]
  * [[ https://pezcyclingnews.com/interviews/pezchat-rock-lobsters-paul-sadoff/|pezcyclingnews]]

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<div column 45%>
{{paul.jpg?440|Paul Sadoff}}
\\
Paul Sadoff, April 2022
[[https://outspokencyclist.com/tag/paul-sadoff/|outspokencyclist]]

{{badge1.jpg?300|Jen Green badge}}
silver head tube badge
[[https://www.headbadges.com/store/p10/Rock_Lobster.html|headbadges]]
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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 =====
Frame #2.
Paul:  //"I am now the first and subsequently fourth owner as I got the frame back about 2011 and restored it for the 2012 NAHBS in Sacramento. The equipment is almost exactly what I put on the bike when I first built it up. The pedals are modern as the originals are long gone and were not all that great anyway. The bike first had a Campagnolo rally rear der. but a stick destroyed it after a year of riding in the forests around Santa Cruz. "//
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<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 }}
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1984
[[http://rocklobstershop.blogspot.com/2016/03/1984-rock-lobster-mtb.html|rocklobstershop]]
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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 =====
Frame #029.  All rebuilt.
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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 }}
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1985
[[ https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02zLHa2Jzv5FD71FhmzGCyiPcXQNu1HKpjA2njLuPjLxqEzKMZZeMQwNZV8jtVv4gNl&id=113555758733667|facebook]]
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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 =====
1986
MTB #16.  Correct XT front derailleur and newer, short cage rear XT.  Below handle bar XC thumbies.
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<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 }}
\\
1986
[[ https://rocklobstershop.blogspot.com/2020/01/time-capsule-mtb-16.html|rocklobstershop]]
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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 =====
Serial #045.  XT M732? (1989) derailleur, other components are M730 (1987-88).  Full XT, including hubs.  Paul states that the components, except the saddle are original.

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<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987}}
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1987
[[ https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02s7FJCg5fvTQU3Mxgp9c8y2VPjue2b4K4JDY5dqmBqpqRv9ngUzaEjGCSar8C86PHl&id=100057721110224|facebook]]
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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 =====
Serial #046WB.  Shimano Sport LX? gruppo, fillet brazed frame.
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<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 }}
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1988
[[ https://rocklobstershop.blogspot.com/2011/05/rock-lobster-046wb.html|rocklobstershop]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 =====
Mostly Shimano XT

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<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 }}
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1989
[[ https://www.mtbr.com/threads/official-rock-lobster-thread.487601/page-9|mtbr]]
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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 =====
Fillet brazed,
Shimano Deore MT-62 rears.
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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 }}
\\
1990
[[ https://crankbased.wordpress.com/2015/05/25/1990-rock-lobster-mountain-bike/|crankbased]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Bike =====
Fillet brazed, Deore XT
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<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Bike }}
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1991 Bike
[[ http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1991_Rock_Lobster.html|mombat]]
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<div column 50% #s1992>
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===== 1992 =====
Full Shimano LX components.  Signed by Paul Sadoff.  Built for Interbike to show off the orginal suspension fork, since replaced with a Tange.  "Manhattan Squares" custom paint job.  As shown in the Novemeber 1992 Bicycle Guide.



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<div column 45%>
{{1992b.jpg?300|1992 }}
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1992
[[ https://www.facebook.com/groups/927406034014215/permalink/6284717818282983/|facebook]]
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<div column 50% #s1993>
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===== 1993 =====
Rain Forest Camo paint, TIG welded, XT gruppo, Rock Shox Mag 21 forks.
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<div column 45%>
{{1993.jpg?300|1993 }}
\\
1993
[[ http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1993_Rock_Lobster_Forest.html|mombat]]
</div>