mtb-timeline

R&E Cycles Overview

R+E Cycles bicycles was established in 1973 by Angel Rodriguez and Glenn Erickson in Seattle, Washington. In 1982, R&E Asked John Olsen ¹⁾ to design the R&E Montaña mountain bike to be built in Japan. Otherwise, they occasionally hand built some mountain bikes apart from their usual custom road and tandem bikes. They continue to remain in business in Seattle: R&E Cycles. ²⁾

Angel Rodriguez of R&E cycles asked me to design a mountain bike frame for him, which sounded like fun, so I did one with curved fork blades called the R&E Montagna (Montegna?), with a Spanish umlaut in there somewhere. There was another company already using the Montagna name, so the R&E project kind of died after the first lot from Taiwan. I got paid with a bike, which I later inadvertently rammed into a very large log when my rear tire slipped as I was approaching to ride over it. The fork bent back rather a lot, but I found I could still ride it. I rode it that way for a month or so with a WHOLE lot of trail. The correct trail was, well, correcter. John Olsen, mtbr

After R&E's brief attempt at moving cheaper Japanese imports under the Montaña model name, R&E started selling Terra Tech branded imports starting around 1985/86 alongside their own “Rodriguez” custom MTBs. As Terra Techs make no mention of R&E, they will be categorized as a separate brand.

Resources:

• https://www.rodbikes.com/archives/older/pre-2003/
• https://www.rodbikes.com/articles/made_in_usa.html

Angel Rodriguez with bicycle frame at R&E Cycles, Seattle, May 10, 1974
U-Dub Museum

Glenn Erickson working at R&E Cycles, Seattle, May 10, 1974
U-Dub Museum

1983 Rodriguez

Deore XT v1 (1982-84), mostly fillet brazed w/some lug work, fastback seatstays, mix of Columbus & Tange tubing. Originally had R&E Cycles sticker, Seattle, WA. Pre Montaña custom.

1983 Rodriguez facebook

1984 Montaña

Only a single batch of all-red frames were imported from Japan and immediateley ran into copyright issues with KHS who objected to re-using their “Montaña” brand name. ³⁾

According to their 1984 catalog, it was $549 and 28 pounds ⁴⁾.

The 1984 newsletter shows biplane forks with bullmoose bars. This example is nearly identical to the 1983 Rodriguez done with lugs instead of brazing.

We design and import the red Montana bikes ourselves. R&E Bikes newsletter, March 1984

These mountain bikes are Montanas. They were built to our specifications in Japan by a builder of big name brand mountain bikes. … We imported the frames bare… We chose a bright red super thick powdered epoxy paint. R&E Bikes newsletter, Sept 1984

1984 Montaña mtbr

1985 Mountain Touring

Fillet brazed, Platypus stem, Suntour roller cams, internal cabling, SunTour XC 6300 (1984-85.)

1985 Mountain Touring facebook

1986 Rodriguez

Non original stem. U-brakes, period incorrect early Shimano XT v1 derailleurs (1982-3) - so we'll rely upon cult mtb to have provided accurate dating. Two seat post pinch bolts. Fillet brazed by Glenn Erickson.

1986 Rodriguez

facebook

1987 Rodriguez

Fillet brazed, Shimano XT M730 (1986-88), Hi-Rite tab - or, more likely a vestigial cable hanger tab for older cantilevers, u-brake rear, Magura brakes, Platypus stem, and the tallest head tube in the timeline??

1987 Rodriguez facebook

1988 Montana

Really a mountain trials bike and not a MTB. But sturdy and ready to ride off-road. Tig welded and lugged. SunTour XC 9000 (1988-89). Was the Montana name resurrected? Hard to tell without decals. Possibly an Olsen.

1988 Montana mtbr