Why weren't ATBs a development of BMX?

[grey-beard]

Following a post on the BMX section on here, I went down a cycle pro? Rabbit hole.
It looks like they were doing what I imagined I would've done had I been in charge of the development of the mountain bike in the early 80's.
Basically make a BMX cruiser, which already existed and put gears on it?
It seem so obvious to me now rather than trying to convert road bike stuff for off-road use.
Anyway, what else looks this capable off road from 1982?

1982 Cycle Pro Custom 5 26 - BMXmuseum.com

bmxmuseum.com

 

[Mod-Master]

1979

 

[grey-beard]

1979

View attachment 785503

Looks a bit roadie.

 

[grey-beard]

This

Just needs gears and better brakes.
Also 1979

 

[gtturbo]

What about this one from 1980.

Vintage Bicycles: Steve Cook’s 1980 Cook Brothers Racing Cruiser – Tasshi Dennis & John Watson

We've all heard the term "Klunker" before, but as a modern misnomer in cycling, it's been used to refer to coaster-brake actuated cruiser bikes. This, my friends, is a true-to-form klunker, using gears and brakes, but it was built upon a cruiser chassis. For today's Vintage Bicycles tory, we...

theradavist.com

 

[grey-beard]

What about this one from 1980.

Vintage Bicycles: Steve Cook’s 1980 Cook Brothers Racing Cruiser – Tasshi Dennis & John Watson

We've all heard the term "Klunker" before, but as a modern misnomer in cycling, it's been used to refer to coaster-brake actuated cruiser bikes. This, my friends, is a true-to-form klunker, using gears and brakes, but it was built upon a cruiser chassis. For today's Vintage Bicycles tory, we...

theradavist.com

I love that bike, but, it's very much a development of the klunker with road parts too, the stem for example.
I'm not trying to be controversial, it's just if I had a time machine I would go back to the late 70's and tell Scott Breithaupt to stick gears on his 26" cruiser, maybe canti brakes too and call it a mountain bike.

 

[grey-beard]

Just in case

Scot Breithaupt - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I'd also give him a big hug, tell him I'm from the future and to stay off the drugs.

 

[legrandefromage]

Following a post on the BMX section on here, I went down a cycle pro? Rabbit hole.
It looks like they were doing what I imagined I would've done had I been in charge of the development of the mountain bike in the early 80's.
Basically make a BMX cruiser, which already existed and put gears on it?
It seem so obvious to me now rather than trying to convert road bike stuff for off-road use.
Anyway, what else looks this capable off road from 1982?
View attachment 785502

1982 Cycle Pro Custom 5 26 - BMXmuseum.com

bmxmuseum.com

Because...

Think back

riding off-road existed in various forms but not as a widespread sport or passtime

the great cycling parts bin comprised of road, tandem and BMX with a sprinkle of motorbike parts - sure , there was cyclocross but that evolved into lightweight bikes to be carried, not mudpluggers or fast off road

knobbly tires were not a 'thing' either

so, out of that you have to evolve an entirely new bike for you and your mates to hurl yourselves down Californian fire roads

and once you do start building your own frames after running out of 2nd hand ones, you are still limited to what is available. You have to adapt road and tandem again or go down the route of fabricating your own drop-outs, lugs and even rims

so there you go

read Charlie Kelly's books and you'll see why

 

[Imlach]

I love that bike, but, it's very much a development of the klunker with road parts too, the stem for example.
I'm not trying to be controversial, it's just if I had a time machine I would go back to the late 70's and tell Scott Breithaupt to stick gears on his 26" cruiser, maybe canti brakes too and call it a mountain bike.

Some folks did have rim brakes and external gears on their klunkers

 

[Mod-Master]

Wasn’t Shimano deerhead introduced in 1982?

But before that all you really had access to was touring bike derailleurs because it was still quite a new thing.