ross:start
Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Next revision | Previous revision | ||
ross:start [2021/06/20 15:03] – created gchandler | ross:start [2024/01/14 09:58] (current) – mtbtimeline | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | asdadsfa | + | <div column 50% # |
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== Ross Bicycles ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | The company was founded in 1940 by Albert Ross as Ross Galvanizing Works, located in Brooklyn, NY. It started making bicycle in 1946 and by the 1950s it was the third largest producer of bicyles after Schwinn and Huffy. | ||
+ | http:// | ||
+ | ((Sherwood B. Ross CV: [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | Ross had models that directly competed with the Schwinn Sidewinder called the Ross Diamond Cruiser. Ross introduced their first production MTB, the Force 1, during the first Interbike Show in October 1982 the bikes name was later changed to the Mt. Hood due to a trademark conflict. In early 1982 Ross Signature (hand made bike department) was making custom Mountain bikes. Jim Redcay was the builder (Tom Kellogg was working on Road Bikes). | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | http:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{buddy.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | Even Buddy Can Ride a Ross [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1982 Diamond Cruiser ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Easy to make fun of, but compared well against Schwinn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | Charlie Kelly rode ... this Ross at the 2018 Crested Butte-Aspen Klunker Tour. He deemed the bike to be unsuitable for use for anything beyond a landfill. | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Its main problem was weight. | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1982d.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1982 Diamond Cruiser | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1982 Force 1 ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The first Ross mt. bike came right after the Diamond Cruiser. | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Raced by the first sponsored mt. bike team: [[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The bike pictured is probably a 1983. | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1982.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1983 Force 1 | ||
+ | [[http:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1983 Redcay Mountain ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ross started a signature series of handmade frames made by Jim Redcay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1983.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1983 Redcay Mountain | ||
+ | [[http:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1984 Curb Crusher ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Low end semi-mtb-cruiser. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1984b.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1984 Curb Crusher | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1984 Mt. Hood ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In 1984 Ross chromed all of their mt. bikes, as chrome is strong, stainless (for a few years,) and shiny. | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Not sure why a Brooklyn, NY company would name their bike after a mountain in Oregon - as it would be 36 years until Mt. Hood would allow bicycles on its year round ski lifts: [[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The picture at the right is likely a 1983. | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1984.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1983 Mt. Hood | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1985 Mt. Washington ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ross stretched their brand down range a bit, just before discovering that Asia had the low-end business model locked up. The Mt. Washington was 35.4 pounds, with 1 piece cranks, and "heavy duty" steel rims. Ross moved production to Taiwan in 1986 and then declared bankruptcy in 1988. ((Three resurrections since then have failed [[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1985 also saw the introduction of a Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens and a Mt. Whitney. | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1985.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1985 Mt. Washington | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1986 Mt. Whitney ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1986.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1986 Mt. Whitney | ||
+ | [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1987 Bear Mt. ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1987b.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1987 Bear Mt. | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1988 Mt. Hood ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shimano Light Action SGS (1987-1992+). | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sporting a " | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1988.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1988 Mt. Hood | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1989 Mt. Olympus ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1989.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1989 Mt. Olympus | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== 1991 Mt. Katahdin ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Full Shimano 70GS (1990-1992), | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1991.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1991 Mt. Katahdin | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ==== Production Notes ==== | ||
+ | <WRAP #prod1 /> | ||
+ | [1]. Ross made many, many tons of mt bikes: | ||
+ | * 1 million bikes per year in the 1970' | ||
+ | * 20 millions bikes in total: [[https:// | ||
+ | * 40% of it sales were mt. bikes by the mid 1980' | ||
+ | * Thus it's likely they peaked at nearly 200k mt bikes per year, assuming their profit margins and sales fell off a cliff starting in 1986, when they closed their Allentown factory. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Thus, via guesswork: | ||
+ | * **1982**: 10,000 | ||
+ | * **1983**: 30,000 | ||
+ | * **1984**: 80,000 | ||
+ | * **1985**: 200,000 | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ |
ross/start.1624226631.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/06/20 15:03 by gchandler