MTB Innovations

I can't find a thread on here about the innovations in mountain biking, so I'm starting one.

Back in the late 80s/early 90s it was these innovations that made mountain bikes seem so weird and rebellious. Mountain biking's heritage is populated with people who really thought about what they were riding, how it was being ridden, how it was made, how it worked, etc. Mountain bikes were like the naughty kid brother of the established and sensible road cycling scene. It was started by people who thought outside the box, and perpetuated by thinkers and tinkerers, guys making stuff in their workshops and their sheds. This was what I found so exciting about mountain biking back in the day (when I wasn't hurtling down hills, through forests, bouncing over rocks, etc, etc). And this was the stuff I would read about and drool over in MBUK and MBA.

So, what innovations have you got on your bikes? What do you know of it's history? Did it, or a version of it, ever make it into production?

I'll start the ball (bike) rolling with Suntour's Rollercam. This was Suntour's answer to Shimano's U-brake, and I think it is a superior design, with less potential for flex in the arms. And I think it looks better. Charlie Cunningham of Wilderness Trail Bikes came up with the design, which he then sold to Suntour. My version is the Suntour one, from about 1989.

Pretty sure that rollercams predate Shimano's u-brake by a couple of years?

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Too component intensive and 'busy' ... the U-brake design is simpler and better, in my (brand loyal) opinion.

:mrgreen:

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These threads seem to pop up once a year. Always fun as most of us are always acquiring new things.

I was in grade school riding bmx in the late 80s so I never got to live through and tryout all the wild parts. Collecting now I am finding myself more and more into those gr80s bikes.

One of the coolest innovations from a 18year old kid - Marinovative Decellerators

Yes, you're right, according to Mombat the rollercam did come out a couple of years before the U-brake.

And how do those Marinovative Decellerators work? What's the pulley for?

The loop of cable runs around the rollers to give a straddle wire for the cable pull:



All the best,

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The dropper post was a great invention

Aluminum rims, Ukai, Araya. Tires, Cyclopro Snakebelly, IRC Racer. Mountain bike specific group sets, Deerhead, Mountech. Mass produced frames, Specialized, Univega. Ah heck, this would take all night, and I am still only to 1983.

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Mavic made aluminum rims since 1934 but you could find the first Off road wheelset made by Mavic in 1983
For brakes : Some bikes before WW2 used brakes system very near the Roller cam and old Mafac were U brakes…

I think that the main innovation in MTB was not in creation but to keep every good ideas everywhere and to develop them