Most influential bikes ever

In the UK I reckon, Muddy Fox Courier and Specialised Rock Hopper.

These brought mountain biking to the masses.

I don't really follow the principal that the 'first' or most exotic are necessarily the most influential. Mercedes-Benz built the first cars; but as far as influence goes, the Ford Model T and VW Beetle have without a doubt had a greater influence on car use.

Same goes with mountain bikes, sure Breezers are cool, but no one would have heard of them if it wasn't for the likes of Specialized and Kona.

.........and sus and full sus??

Would never have happened if there hadn't been rigid first and I don't really think it effected the popularity of the sport that much, but I could just be biased. :D
 
as it were me wot mentioned said article in gil's pace thread the bikes (that I remember)that were in the article were (if memory serves me well):

Klein attitude
Pace RC 100
fat Yo Eddy
Stumpjumper

erm ...

damn 6 more to go....
erm...

sorry kettles boiling
 
cherrybomb":1ped5z37 said:
In the UK I reckon, Muddy Fox Courier and Specialised Rock Hopper.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this for the late '80s - but it's debatable whether these were truly influential for off road riding or just part of the mountain biking trend. How many Courier's actually went off road? Pavements don't count.

I'd say that if you want to talk about the big take up in real off road riding in the early '90s then any midprice Kona and Marin for mass market appeal and the Orange Clockwork for the racer who knew better.
 
So, attempting to summarise and in no particular order, we have the following as the 5 most influential (apologies if I've missed out some suggestions) for a variety of reasons:

Cunningham/Potts - at the beginning

San Andreas - enduring FS design

Stumpjumper - first mass produced bike

Muddy Fox Courier - took offroading to the UK masses (this is shamelessly a UK centric one)

Klein Attitude - showcased OS

Looking at that list it appears that there's been nothing influential for about 15 years. Is this right - is it like music and we are now recycling and adapting older ideas without any true innovation?
 
I was semi serious with the Chopper pic.

OK it had nothing to do with the development of MTB technology as such, but who on here didn't have one (or its slightly more modern cousin, the Grifter)?
This was a bike that wasn't a racer, had fat tyres that could handle more than just flat tarmac. It got me interested in bikes at an early age, and is probably the reason I'm into MTBs now. I'm sure i'm not the only one, so as an influential bike in the UK, it is pretty important
 
Hmmm..How about the (very) entry level raleigh 'mountain' bikes that were around in the early nineties? You know, the mustangs, mavericks, marauders. Utter cack maybe in reality but still introduced many a member on here to the joys of getting muddy no doubt. Let's face it, it was only when you got into biking that you find out about Ritchey, Breeze et al. And the mustang sis had a cool paintjob ;)

Also these bikes were great to overinsure and then 'lose' in the local wasteland in order to land a better model on the sly :twisted:
 
well for me, it has to be the very last bike you had, as it influences you to get a new/different one and not just stop riding?
 
For me, as a kid, I'll always recall seeing the Raleigh Bomber and lusting after that while all my peers were into racers (spit).... At the time I had a Grifter, later came the early Maverics with their early gears etc which I'd look at in catalogues for what seemed like hours :oops: Finally in 87' I think, I had a Mustang bought for me, this was my biggest influence. It took me off-road every week to Cannock Chase and was upgraded whenever I could save up enough to visit the LBS.... Happy days although I wouldn't even use a hi-ten steel bike for work now...
 
Ritchey
Cunningham
San Andreas
P.K. Ripper
Moulton (see C'dale's headshok etc. etc.)
 
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