Geoff Apps and Highpath

[danson67]

Thanks Graham and Mr K

Not only is RB an outlet for getting rid of a load of old stuff...I can dig up some old memories too. I occasionally bumped into D Wrath-Sharman and his beautiful handcrafted bikes etc on my forays out into Surrey from my home in Sevenoaks mid-eighties, but the Rangerider particularly appealed.

I was 17 in 1984, when I first saw this bike. My only source of income was working in a bike shop on Saturdays so there was no way I was going to afford the £500 for one (almost a year's wages) :cry: but it did spark something.

Two years later, I bought an Overbury's Pioneer XC for £615. I believe it was one of the first handful made (Rollercams, BioPace and Bullmoose bars) I still have it, but not in running condition at the moment, but there are plans...

I have a 1982 review of the Range Rider from a book edited by Nick Crane too:

They're a bit rough, but I'll do some better resolution scans if we go to a Geoff Apps gallery.

All the best

Dan Chambers
danson67

 

[toons]

Dan I would be interested in the higher resolutions scans of the "1982 review of the Range Rider from a book edited by Nick Crane"

Would you mind emailing me them?

James_ferguson@talk21dotcom

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Try this link to a pdf version.

It tells the tale of Nick Crane, who in 1981 tested the Range-Rider, by riding it up Snowdon.

Is this the first UK meeting of bike and mountain, without getting off and pushing?

http://ben.uk.net/archives/Range%20Rider.pdf

I also have a large archive of other contemporary Cleland and Highpath book, magazine and publicity material. To archive this in one place is a good idea.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Is this the first UK meeting of bike and mountain, without getting off and pushing?.

I took a 10 speed racer to the top of a few Munros a few years before that without getting off and pushing, and I remember taking my Raleigh kid's bike up a few too before that, following my dad on his BSA!

I think it is the terrain that defines mountain biking rather than whether or not it is actually a mountain.

As anyone familiar with Scotland's Munros can tell you, you can walk to the top of many on fairly smooth tracks, easy enough to cycle up.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Love the 24" frame - what would be the reason/logic for the design BiTD?

Mr K

Hopefully Geoff will come along and give his viewpoint. But here's my analysis for what it's worth.

The Cleland' ethos, that came from motorbike trials, is that you you should be able to ride across terrain, and not have to get off and walk. However the idea of a trials motorbike, with the engine replaced by pedals wasn't practical on a whole number of levels. So Geoff Apps started from the alternative approach of adapting bicycles to be more like a trials motorbikes. Since the bikes were meant for off-road touring, big free rolling wheels were the way to go, hence the 1981 29er Cleland.

I remember entering a Cleland into the Trials event of the 1985 Wendover Bash. And though the Cleland was very competent over technical terrain they were simply too big to take on the 20" trials bikes. So Geoff Apps conceived the Dingbat. A tractor of a bicycle with its 3" wide rear tyre and slim front tyre, it was perfect for ploughing through mud. It could take on and win against the 20" bikes. With a change of running gear also made a competent tourer.

So their is an inherent and unresolved conflict in Cleland design, and also in mountain bike design as a whole. That the big wheeled mile-eating machines, are simply not as nimble as their small wheeled, low step-over cousins.

I surpose my modern Cleland NRS bikes, with their full suspension and 26" wheels are to some degree modern-day Dingbats. When things go wrong, they're so much easier to jump off than a 29er.

 

[highlandsflyer]

My personal view is that we originated mountain biking here in the UK.

But it was borne, like most great things, from necessity.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Here's some documentary evidence of the cross Atlantic cooperation between the Geoff Apps and the US pioneers.

I love the hand typed letter The Tipex correction must have been state of the art technology back then!

 

[somerled]

Here's some documentary evidence of the cross Atlantic cooperation between the Geoff Apps and the US pioneers.

I love the hand typed letter The Tipex correction must have been state of the art technology back then!

Bloody hell !!! What a piece of history you have there. I am amazed!

 

[danson67]

Graham,

Have you been going through Geoff's bins again?

Maybe this could start a 'holy relics' thread?

All the best,

Dan Chambers
Danson67

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Graham,

Have you been going through Geoff's bins again?

Maybe this could start a 'holy relics' thread?

All the best,

Dan Chambers
Danson67

Hi Dan,

In this instance Geoff has been going through his own bins, and recently posted this letter from Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher on the new Cleland Cycles website.

http://clelandcycles.wordpress.com/

I have already started a "Myths and Legends thread" I have called Anecdotes from the pre-history of British mountain biking

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 87&start=0

But it's always satisfying when the stories behind the myths and anecdotes can be proven.