First production mtbs in England ?

Ken McGinn

Dirt Disciple
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Does anyone know what year the first production mountain bikes arrived in England ? make and models as well. I am attempting to preserve mtb history on my web site xtremecanada.com My first mtb was the brand new 1982 Norco Sasquatch below in the picture with my friends 1982 blue Bianchi Osprey in the back ground. 1982 is when the masses in Canada could purchase a mtb retail. cheers.
 

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I remember a friend of mine having a yellow Saracen Kili Flyer in 1985/ 86 and all of us being really jealous. And he wasn't the first in our school by any means so at least a couple of years before that. If that helps? (probably not much - sorry).
 
Nah, The Raleigh Maverick was out before the Courier - it was a lot of people's introduction to mountain biking. I suspect it was a Saracen, unless you count Mr Cleland's Off Road Bicycles as mountain bikes.

Some of the specialist builders were in on the action early too, Dave Yates in 1984 I think.
 
I know it's not England, but my Uncle had a muddy fox of some description in New Zealand in 1982 (pretty sure it was that year - I went then and again in 1986 - wonder if it was that year?), so if it reached there it must surely have reached the UK...?
 
First mtb's in Britain

Bought my first mountainbike from a bloke in Stratford on Avon; he had brought it into the country to tart it round cycle dealers saying this is the way to go but nobody was interested cos of the sharp decline of interest in BMX just previously & did'nt want any more fads. So he gave up and sold it to me via the local paper small ads for £80. It was a Pro lite i think but stupidly i peeled all the decals off! Went to the Easter Mountainbike Festival at Llanwrytyd Wells with it which i think was in 83??, i bought it the winter before & still have it now.....along with all the other mtbs i have ever owned. oh- apart from that 93 Kilahooha and the Bob Jackson that was far too big!! :?
 
ahem. i remember, once (or twice) whilst flicking through my dads porno mag, (briefly) & see'ing an ad for a raleigh maverick ATB!
i think that was about 87'.

dosent answer the queston, but a good story anyway :D
 
1983 / 84 was when myself and some friends starting buying MTB's. 2 of us bought Raleigh Maverick 15 speeds, one bought a Falcon Everest and another bought a Muddy Fox but not a Courier. It might have been called a Pathfinder :? . I didn't recall seeing MTB's for sale in the UK before '83 but I was only 13 and only really aware of what the local bike shop had in stock.
 
SO does my raliegh Bomber count,that was pre the mavericks, clunker style 26's, sturnmey 3 speed big ass saddle and big tyres.
 
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