1983 Cleland Aventura (Highpath)

This is my 1983 Cleland Aventura photographed near Guildford in 1986 before it was upgraded to Highpath specification.

The bike was designed by Geoff Apps who is regarded by some, (including Charlie Kelly), as the father of the English mountain bike. The frame was made by Jeremy Torr's English Cycles company in Telford and the bike assembled by Cleland Cycles, near Aylesbury.

The bike was originaly owned by a Hertfordshire' rights of way officer who damaged the intregal rear rack and so was given a new frame under warranty. I bought the frame and components from Geoff Apps in 1985 and repaired and rebuilt the bike myself.

The frame cracked near the seat quick release pin in 1988 and went off for repair to Highpath Engineering, then based in Guildford. There David Wrath-Sharman set about not only repairing it but upgrading it to Highpath standards. This included:

asymmetric rear-triangle for an un-dished rear wheel, Wider bottom-bracket for improved tyre clearence

replaced the single frame-brace with two for extra strength and removed the integral rear rack.

He also gave me the same upgraded wheels and drum brakes of the first Highpath/Cleland prototype. The bike remains unchanged to this day, and is mostly used by my wife.

This bike (as far as I know) is the most sophisticated, Highpath/Cleland hybrid, ever made.

very interesting piece of british mtbing history, thanks for posting up.

do you have any other pics as the bike evolved?

I've read these threads with interest - but most of the photos are quite old - any recent close ups etc?

This is the bikes third and current form. Complete with Engineer and Sculptor, David Wrath-Sharman's, upgrade to Highpath standards.

This improved the reliability and strength of the bike as well as reducing the amount of maintenance it requires.

1983 Cleland/Highpath Hybrid

I don't have any pictures of the bike when it was new in 1983 but it would have looked similar to this 1982 example.

:shock: Wow! :shock:

thanks - can see much more clearly now

That's a real nice one.

Lovely to see where the nowadays mountainbikes really started from.

1983 Cleland/Highpath Hybrid

By the way, the badge on the Cleland's headstock has a large Union Jack pendant overlapping a red letter C (for Cleland) and XC in smaller blue and red letters underneath ."
Was this the first time that the term "XC" was used as an abbreviation for Cross-Country?

just found this after seeing it in BOTM. what a fantastic peace of history you have. a great bike