Geoff Apps and Highpath

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Just found this on Flickr. It was made as a comment relating to a 1979, 650B, Jack Taylor RoughStuff bike.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77646587@N ... 660374680/

"Damn, I haven't seen one of these in 20 years. Where did you find it? Fulton Street Cyclery in SFO was the west coast headquarters for these when 650b was the only way we could make offroad bikes with light wheels. Used to run Hakkepelitta rubber. There was a brief moment in time when Ritchey, Merz & a few others made offroad 650 bikes based on these. Gary Fisher rode a 650 Ritchey at the '81 cross natz".

This is an interesting account of what the US pioneers did with the Hakkapeliita tyres that Geoff Apps sent over

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

I recently found this picture taken in December 2004, which shows a 1988, 650b wheeled, Highpath made Cleland next to a 1981, 700c wheeled Cleland Range-Rider.

Nowadays of course a 700c off-road bike with fat tyres is called a 29er.

The 700c Cleland is sometimes referred to as an "Aventura Prototype" as it was the last Cleland to be made before the first production Aventuras in 1982.

The difference in wheel size can be clearly seen. However the Nokia (now Nokian) 700c snow tyres where especially difficult to get hold of so all production Aventuras used the 650b x 2" alternatives.

The principle of maximising a tyres' ground contact area by fitting large wheels was always commonplace in Cleland circles. This, combined with the use low tyre pressures and good tyre/frame clearances, gave the Clelands a reputation for being suburb mud-bikes.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Here is some old footage that I recently rediscovered that shows Geoff Apps gently riding a 1982 Cleland Aventura through some Chiltern mud.

Generally speaking, mud riding in the Chilterns requires a lot more effort and speed than this. Though riding slowly whilst relying on the traction of the low pressure tyres, is more dignified.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1bYUSRhPRg

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Here is a video that shows a collection Clelands and Highpaths.

These were gathered together as part of a Roughstuff Felowship event Held at High Wycombe, Bucks on the 29th of April 2012

https://vimeo.com/41379844

 

[hydorah]

Nice updates. All really interesting stuff! Especially the cooperation and exchange between pioneers!

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Some photos of the Clelands and Highpaths gathered together as part of a Roughstuff Felowship event Held at High Wycombe, Bucks on the 29th of April 2012

SOME CLELANDS

1981-84

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

SOME MORE CLELAND PHOTOS

1983-84

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

SOME CLELANDS THAT HAVE HIGHPATH ENGINEERING MODIFICATIONS

1983-84

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

A HIGHPATH ENGINEERING MADE CLELAND 1988 and a modern 2010 CLELAND NRS

 

[jujupunk]

Riding wendover woods this month, the birthplace of UK MTB

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... highlight=