Differences

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--- sng:start [2021/08/12 17:59] – gchandler
+++ sng:start [2024/04/30 17:03] (current) – mtbtimeline
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 S&G Cycles ((S&G comes from the name "Security & General Finance", see: [[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/who-knows-what-about-muddyfox.18576/page-4|retrobike]])) was founded by Drew Lawson and Ari Hadjipetrou "during a card game in an ex-pat bar in Saudi Arabia."
 ((Short review in [[https://www.bikebiz.com/founders-of-muddy-fox-reunited-by-mtb-history-film/|bikebiz]] of the documentary: [[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5947702/|Mountain Biking: The Untold British Story]]))
-S&G Cycles imported Araya's MuddyFox mountain bike into the UK from 1983 until around 1991, replacing the S&G branding with the simple "Muddy Fox" around 1985.  The Muddy Fox Bicycles brand continues today ([[https://www.muddyfox.com/|Muddy Fox]]), with new owners and they're no longer made by Araya nor in Japan.
+S&G Cycles imported [[araya:start|Araya]]'s MuddyFox mountain bike into the UK from 1983 until around 1991, replacing the S&G/Muddy Fox/Araya branding with the simpler "Muddy Fox" in 1985.  The Muddy Fox Bicycles brand continues today ([[https://www.muddyfox.com/|Muddy Fox]]), with new owners but they're no longer made by Araya nor in Japan.
-((muddyfox.com states that: //"Muddyfox can lay claim to the first Mountain bike brand in Europe."//  [[cleland:start|Cleland]] & [[schauff:start|Schauff]] both started in 1981...))
+((muddyfox.com states that: //"Muddyfox can lay claim to the first Mountain bike brand in Europe."//  [[cleland:start|Cleland]] & [[schauff:start|Schauff]] both started in 1981.  [[centurion:start|Centurion]] of Germany started in 1982.))
 Arraya continue to make their own line of MuddyFoxes along with many other bicycles, presumably in Japan ((See Araya's web page: [[http://araya-rinkai.jp]].))
 \\
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 It's not likely that S&G imported more than a couple hundred Muddy Foxes into the UK before dropping the //**S**ecurity & **G**eneral Finance// from each bike.  Otherwise, no other Araya branded mountain bikes seem to have ever escaped Japan to the west.
 \\
-So, is this an S&G?  An Araya?  A Muddy Fox?  Answer: it's all three, but S&G comes first on the branding, so it wins the entry in the timeline.  Araya is undoubtedly the designer and manufacturer - and deserves a page of its own.
 There remains a small bike shop in Cambridge, England, named "S&G Cycles."((Its only web presence is a humble [[https://www.facebook.com/-S-and-G-Cycles--160557604021832/|facebook]] page.))  Probably unrelated - but ...
@@ Line 72: / Line 70: @@
 Date verified by serial number.  Missing grips but seems to match Araya's 1983 catalog: [[http://araya-rinkai.jp/catalogue.html]]
 \\
+So, is this an S&G?  An Araya?  A Muddy Fox?  Answer: it's all three, but S&G comes first on the branding, so it wins the entry in the timeline.  Araya is undoubtedly the designer and manufacturer - and deserves a page of its own.
 </div>
@@ Line 108: / Line 109: @@
 ===== 1985 Muddy Fox Courier =====
-The branding change-over occurred in 1985 and sales improved while heading more down market.
+The branding change-over occurred in 1985 and sales improved while heading more down market.  Ari states that they sold 30,000 Couriers in a two day trade show.  ((See the excellent documentary on Youtube: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6zbENQcwkk|Mountain Biking The Untold British story]]))  Muddy Fox really brought mt. biking to the UK.
 </div>
@@ Line 121: / Line 121: @@
 </div>
+<div column 50% #s1987>
+----
-<div column 50% #s1985>
+===== 1987 Explorer =====
+Suntour XC Sport 7000 (1987-88), Tange MTB tubing, MF branding everywhere.
+Suntour roller cam rear brakes,
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Explorer }}
+\\
+Explorer
+[[https://www.facebook.com/groups/233887150624113/search/?q=1987|facebook]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1988>
+----
+===== 1988 Roadrunner =====
+Suntour Alpha-3040 (1988+), u-brake rear, pulley quill stem, MF branded tubing &
+ brakes, lugged frame.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Roadrunner }}
+\\
+Roadrunner
+[[https://www.facebook.com/groups/233887150624113/permalink/1390591608286989/|facebook]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1989>
+----
+===== 1989 Pathfinder =====
+Shimano Exage (Country/Mountain?) (1989), with Muddy Fox branded shoulder strap/bag & disc wheel covers.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Pathfinder }}
+\\
+Pathfinder
+[[https://mountainbikemuseum.nl/en/mountainbikes/muddy-fox-pathfinder-437|mountainbikemuseum.nl]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1990>
+----
+===== 1990 Adventurer =====
+SunTour XCM (1989-90)
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Adventurer }}
+\\
+Adventurer
+[[https://mountainbikemuseum.nl/en/mountainbikes/muddy-fox-adventurer-516|mountainbikemuseum.nl]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1991>
+----
+===== 1991 Alu Pro =====
+Shimano Deore (1989-90)
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Alu Pro }}
+\\
+Alu Pro
+[[https://mountainbikemuseum.nl/en/mountainbikes/muddy-fox-alu-pro-370| mountainbikemuseum.nl]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #sad>
 ----
@@ Line 128: / Line 210: @@
 Thanks to Drew, MF had many good ads.  A few should be attached.
+\\
+See also a TV ad: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpe0ur02Utg|youtube]]
+{{mfad1.jpg?200|Muddy Fox Ad}}
+\\
+Muddy Fox Advert, from Drew's Facebook page:
+[[https://www.facebook.com/drew.lawson.775|Drew's Facebook]]
+\\
+{{mfad2.jpg?200|Muddy Fox Ad}}
+\\
+Muddy Fox Advert, from Drew's Facebook page:
+[[https://www.facebook.com/drew.lawson.775|Drew's Facebook]]
+\\
+{{mfad3.jpg?200|Muddy Fox Ad}}
+\\
+Muddy Fox Advert, from Drew's Facebook page:
+[[https://www.facebook.com/drew.lawson.775|Drew's Facebook]]
+\\
 </div>
@@ Line 137: / Line 239: @@
 Jacquie Phelan, three time NORBA champion.
 \\
-See: [[https://mmbhof.org/jacquie-phelan/|mmbhof]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquie_Phelan|wikipedia]] and her account of the pic: [[https://www.flickr.com/photos/wombatbiker/1437514484|Jacquie's flickr]]
+See: [[https://mmbhof.org/jacquie-phelan/|mmbhof]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquie_Phelan|wikipedia]] and her account of the pic: [[https://www.flickr.com/photos/wombatbiker/1437514484|Jacquie's flickr]]  ((Also see the video: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS3Lehv0inw|First Wednesday: Unmitigated Gal with Jacquie Phelan and Friends]], where Jacqui describes how the shot was made.))
 \\
 [[https://www.facebook.com/drew.lawson.775|Drew's Facebook]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1997>
+----
+===== 1997 Intereactive Ultimate =====
+A little skip ahead to 1997, to focus on some amazing Muddy Fox tech.  The **Intereactive** ((Note the spelling adds an 'e')) first appeared in 1995, during the wild scramble of all bike makers to find the [[https://www.pinkbike.com/news/the-short-turbulent-life-of-urt-suspension-mtb-history.html|sweet spot]] of perfect suspension: stiff while pedaling, compliant while descending and balanced while braking.  The single shock, controlling both the front and rear, kept the bike even.  But not pretty.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1997.jpg?300|1997 Muddy Intereactive }}
+\\
+Muddy Intereactive Ultimate
+[[https://iconicmtb.com/iconic-mtb-s/muddy-fox|iconicmtb]]
 </div>
@@ Line 148: / Line 267: @@
 ==== Production Notes ====
 <WRAP #prod1 />
-[1]. ?
+[1]. Early numbers seem slim, as few examples remain.
+\\
+<WRAP #prod2 />
+[2]. The Muddy Fox Courier really took off.  As Ari Hadjipetrou states above, they sold 30,000 Couriers in a single day.  Whether they delivered is unknown, but Muddy Fox's early great success implies that they exceeded this goal early on.
 \\
 </div>