Back in the mid 50's, in Fresno, CA, we called those heavy duty Schwinn bikes "newspaper bikes." Or, "Bee bikes," as the "Fresno Bee" was, and still is, our local newspaper. I think they were probably made for carrying either newspaper, or groceries. Often they were equipped with baskets on the handle bars, and a saddle frame over the rear wheel.
25:12 that cast aluminum bike has the most aero looking fork I've ever seen. It's at least 105 years ahead of it's time. Also, the pierce's fork. It's funny how timeless those turn of the century bikes are
The rear single seat stay on the Pierce is also seen as a ‘modern’ track/TT development, obviously not! The Victorians (sorry don’t know the correct Yankee era term) got there first…
I do remember the beginning of the mountain bike craze. I was a roadie and one day I showed up was my new mountain bike to show my friends.They thought that I was crazy until they caught on. We didn't have any trails then so we made our own. Thanks for that wonderful tour .
I remember back in the late late 80s, my dad bought a Mongoose mountain bike off an American guy he knew who worked for Nike in China. I couldn't believe how many gears it had with its triple chainring! No suspension. Cantilever brakes. But it was a lot of fun to ride.
“I thought that the first aluminum bike came from the 80's?” The guy looks at him thinkin' “yea right, your not that dumb are you?” Great episode, I'm from the Netherlands and like you know we are a cycling nation so we have a lot of bicycle museums but no mtb museum like this. Really enjoyed this, thanks.
Pretty cool Henry. I'm watching this on the very day I finish building up my 1985 Ritchey Ascent. I bought the same bike new in Vancouver BC to ride the trails, commute to work and tour in New Zealand and Australia the following year. It was traded in later years for a Rocky Mountain Touring2. There's nothing like the classic early mountain bikes. It's so great that these examples are being displayed and cared for.
Really appreciate you putting this together. I could listen for hours to Will on the history of bikes and the local bike culture. A Must Stop on any trip to the Bay Area. Thanks again.
Watching this on the day I finally found and purchased my dream Klunker! I’ve been MTB riding since buying a bike from Gary Fisher in the 80s!! I’m looking forward to visiting again with my new to me early 40’s Western Flyer with updated mods such as disk brakes, 9 speeds, and front shocks (bringing the 40’s frame forward into the late 1990s MTB history!) This museum is a great local treasure that I need to remember to visit more often and support through these Covid and economic hard times!! Great video- thank you!
Henrywildeberry I agree! That aluminum bike was a delightful surprise. The forks look pretty aero too. 10k on an aluminum fixie from 1890s blows my mind.
This makes me realize how blessed I am to be able to ride the MTB with all the technology we have these days. Definitely would love to give one of these a rip tho haha
So I just want say as someone to the North of Marin, Coos County OR, and not able to connect with early MTB makers I decided to build my own bike. I had ordered a set of Columbus SP tubing, the straight gauge stuff and the seller got the letters messed up and sent PS tubing instead. That was actually a blessing as my fork was really compliant but the main triangle was as whippy as could be. It eventually failed on a climb and I had to source a tandem down tube from Gary Hale in Eugene. My bike had short chainstays and relatively steeper than normal head and seat tube angles for 1982 , 70 and 69 respectively and a front fork with about near inch of "give" on big bumps. Strong light Tourist triple crank and Shimano Deer head derailleurs and cantis. I now own a 1984 Schwinn High Sierra, which has a lot of the old 30/40's Schwinn cruiser's angles and lengths dimensions. It's a nice bike overlooked in light of the Stumpjumper and early production MTB's.
That was very cool. Super informative. Mr. Clauson is an absolute wealth of knowledge. Thanks for taking the time and for taking us along. By the way, looking dapper there H. W. All the Best, Rob
Thanks for posting this great mini tour of the museum…I can’t wait to go myself! Also, I really hope Will is there to guide me through and answer questions; he seemed to be having as good of a time as you were!
@@Henrywildeberry Thanks for the reply! I am enjoying all your videos, having recently found your channel and beginning to get (back) into cycling. Learning a lot, too :)
Wow -- so fascinating! I so regret not making time to visit the museum the last time I was in Marin a couple of years ago. Thanks for this vid -- I'd love to see a part II!
I use CWC Roadmaster frames with 1-1/8 shocks on my 50mph ev bikes, far better handling than Schwinn or Columbia. Built like a car Roadmasters rock! Great show thanks. My Ritchey p23 was an awesome bike.
Interesting, I ride mountain bikes and didn't know half of that stuff. You still see some of this stuff on modern mountain bikes. Short chain stays, long top tubes. Didn't see a dropper post or electronic shifter though. Thanks for the knowledge. If I ever get a chance I'm going there.
Official dropper posts are more modern. I saw a few bikes with “Breeze-Angel height rights” which performed the same function as a dropper post. Height right’s came from the 1980’s. I remember them from a bike shop I used to work at 1999-2000. I’ve still got my “extra height” model (as opposed to the standard or “lite-height”).
Wonderful video! It got me thinking about going to see it myself but I live in Michigan so it would be a special trip. A trip well worth it though. I love old things and those old bicycles had my heart skipping a beat or two especially that aluminum one. I was as surprised as you were! Thanks for a great tour and I would really enjoy seeing more from time to time. Hint. : )
Thanks Lee! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It's really great to be this close to such an amazing history of cycling. It's worth visiting the museum if you happen to be in the area. All the volunteers are incredibly friendly and knowledgable. I won't name names but they are all legends, and I don't use that word often. Thanks for leaving the nice comment!
This is super interesting and nostalgic. i lived in Marin Wood a suburb near novato. this was around 1960 or so. we rode schwinn double top tubes for out paper routes and recreational off roading , but no downhill. many years later in 1980 something , i bought a schwinn Cimmaron MTB and installed ground control tires to ride downhill in Santa Barbara . When the curator of the museum dies he will take a mountain of knowledge with him . he seems irreplaceable.
Surprised not to see a Mike Rust Shorty here. It was the first raised chainstay to reduce chain suck and was the direct inspiration for the Trek Stache
Its awsome when we think something is new innovation and we figure out it been around 100years or more my mom road mt bikes to school up hill both ways in the snow in Idaho
How cool would it be to have a copy of the 1894 shaft drive? Just the look of it gave the impression of movement! Cast Aluminum, someone was ahead of their time and very smart.
It's quite an impressive piece of machinery given the time and technology available then. To me it's a reminder of how very little bicycles have changed in the past 150 years. They evolved so quickly, and now the improvements are very subtle, and some would say even going backwards to some degree with over complications. Thanks for the comment!
Interesting the first motorcycles were bicycles with motors. Been a rider my entire life. New Departure is the best coaster brake hub. I'm lucky enough to have two of them.
Henry, I got my first mountain bike in 1984 - I need to make a trip to visit the MTB Hall of Fame - I remember many of these innovations as the sport evolved. Not to take away from your video, but where I was at the aluminum rims evolved from Bontrager taking road bike 700c rims cutting out a section then re-rolling them down to 26” size - not from BMX wheels... Ironically 30 years later the modern mountain bikes switched back to 700c/ 29er size wheels....
Definitely check out the museum when you get a chance. When we were talking about the evolution from steel wheels first used on the purpose built mountain bike to the lighter weight aluminum rims, Will was discussing how the same extruded aluminum profiles used for 20-inch BMX bikes could be cut longer and formed into a 26-inch rim. He also later talked about how the 700c rims were getting cut down as well, and the challenge of spoke count and spacing. Unfortunately, this came up later in our conversation and I didn't capture it on film. Thanks for pointing that out! I also cut out at least a 20 minute discussion on early frame failures and innovations on frame reinforcements. I think this would be another great video topic for the future.
I would have to check my medical records, but I believe in 1966 when I was about 10, my friends rear axel ended up in the back of my head. We were riding on the trails in our local woods doing massive skids with our coaster brakes in the mud by our stream, well I went down and his axle went in to my skull. My first full sized bike was a Columbia, single speed, coaster brake and a curved upper frame ….it”s been long gone. Quickly once the fenders had been smashed into the ballon tires too many times, they came off. The chain guard seemed to rub into the chain for some reason??? So even though my pants got eaten by the chain a lot, the guard went. Kick stand….why? Handle bars were spun around and pointed up like horns and we wrapped our bars just for cool. I just learned yesterday that I had a “kluncker”, my first dirt bike in 1966!! Since then or next, I bought a brand new green schwinn varsity with my paper route money, as time went on it got a strip down and flat bars, knobby tires. I still have this bike like a monument I keep sitting next to a shed with rust and weeds, and so many memories. Mongoose hill topper, 6 on\off road dirt motorcycles, 4 Jeeps, and my current/ new MT bike…a 1999 schwinn Moab 3. As I forge my way through my 60’s I find myself drawn back to the simple joy of skidding in the dirt on a bicycle. The limitations on finding dirt in the upstate NY that you can ride a 450lb KLR650 on is too much road, not enough dirt, and so back into dirt bicycling. A EMB is in my sights for 2022 even though it will cost equal to the cost of my van, but joy has no price tag!! It makes me laugh that at 63 I’m still chasing the same thrill I did when I was just a young boy learning how to put bandages on after an afternoon of riding dirt.
Right on! Never too old to have fun! Thanks for sharing your early mountain bike story, and I'm glad that skull fracture healed up and you were off to riding again.
G... my g2 geometry frame & g2 100 mm rock shox with the triple spacers for the headset now @ the top make hill climbing easier on my 2014 trek XCaliber 8 a breeze...Gary Fisher...
Will is the perfect ambassador/historian.
I agree! He's such a wealth of knowledge, and we're very lucky to have him share with us. Please visit the museum if you're ever in the area.
Here here! Let’s raise our glasses and have a toast. To Will. Cheers🍻
Nice video. And specially because of Will, thanks for sharing his knowledge! And what a museum!
Excuse my bad english. I am watching this from Spain.
This oral history of the genesis of the MTB is now preserved for the future.
Thank you!
So interesting, and what a great historian. Thanks for posting this.
Back in the mid 50's, in Fresno, CA, we called those heavy duty Schwinn bikes "newspaper bikes." Or, "Bee bikes," as the "Fresno Bee" was, and still is, our local newspaper. I think they were probably made for carrying either newspaper, or groceries. Often they were equipped with baskets on the handle bars, and a saddle frame over the rear wheel.
This video should be sold in the museum . it will become an important historical reference as the years go by.
that 1898 bike was way ahead of its time! what a beautiful bike!
25:12 that cast aluminum bike has the most aero looking fork I've ever seen. It's at least 105 years ahead of it's time. Also, the pierce's fork. It's funny how timeless those turn of the century bikes are
Joey V. The 1890’s seem to be the heyday of cycling innovation. Direct drive, wide tires, suspension systems, it’s all there!
The rear single seat stay on the Pierce is also seen as a ‘modern’ track/TT development, obviously not! The Victorians (sorry don’t know the correct Yankee era term) got there first…
Genesis
I do remember the beginning of the mountain bike craze. I was a roadie and one day I showed up was my new mountain bike to show my friends.They thought that I was crazy until they caught on. We didn't have any trails then so we made our own. Thanks for that wonderful tour .
I remember back in the late late 80s, my dad bought a Mongoose mountain bike off an American guy he knew who worked for Nike in China. I couldn't believe how many gears it had with its triple chainring!
No suspension. Cantilever brakes. But it was a lot of fun to ride.
The 1898 Pierce is beautiful. Looks modern. Thanks! ☮
Ol Will is so full of bike knowledge....! Brilliant really. LOVEd this bike-ride into history of the 2-wheeler.
And thank you for taking us on that tour. I just love seeing bike museums . KB.
“I thought that the first aluminum bike came from the 80's?” The guy looks at him thinkin' “yea right, your not that dumb are you?”
Great episode, I'm from the Netherlands and like you know we are a cycling nation so we have a lot of bicycle museums but no mtb museum like this. Really enjoyed this, thanks.
Totally brilliant!,,,,Would love to see more of that museum!
Love that museum. I'll stop by again when they finish the expansion.
Thank you, it was very interesting.
Pretty cool Henry. I'm watching this on the very day I finish building up my 1985 Ritchey Ascent. I bought the same bike new in Vancouver BC to ride the trails, commute to work and tour in New Zealand and Australia the following year. It was traded in later years for a Rocky Mountain Touring2.
There's nothing like the classic early mountain bikes. It's so great that these examples are being displayed and cared for.
Really appreciate you putting this together. I could listen for hours to Will on the history of bikes and the local bike culture. A Must Stop on any trip to the Bay Area. Thanks again.
Informative and impressive, thanks for time in compiling this.
Watching this on the day I finally found and purchased my dream Klunker! I’ve been MTB riding since buying a bike from Gary Fisher in the 80s!! I’m looking forward to visiting again with my new to me early 40’s Western Flyer with updated mods such as disk brakes, 9 speeds, and front shocks (bringing the 40’s frame forward into the late 1990s MTB history!) This museum is a great local treasure that I need to remember to visit more often and support through these Covid and economic hard times!! Great video- thank you!
I could listen to Will for hours!!
20:30 Perhaps I'm wrong but I think it's likelier to be a reference to Space Oddity by David Bowie (if it's a musical reference _at all_ )
Thanks for the tour, Will! The kinda guy that could keep telling you stories about every part of the bike's history. Amazing.
Beautiful tour and thank you for sharing with us. Would love to take a trip there myself. That black shaft drive bike is absolutely stunning.
Andrew it looks brand new! The cast aluminum bike also took me by surprise. Such a wonderful collection.
Henrywildeberry I agree! That aluminum bike was a delightful surprise. The forks look pretty aero too. 10k on an aluminum fixie from 1890s blows my mind.
Wow, Beautiful Upload friend. keep it up. Thank you for sharing this to us. Greetings from Korea
This makes me realize how blessed I am to be able to ride the MTB with all the technology we have these days. Definitely would love to give one of these a rip tho haha
Such history and heritage.. Warms my aching heart thanks Will and Henry
That was fascinating. I was blown away by the beauty of the cast aluminium frame. The whole bike is a work of art. Looks like it was made yesterday.
Awesome video. Some beautiful bikes. The Pierce and the cast aluminum bike from way back were so sweet. Thanks Will for the tour and all the knfo.
Great video Henry. I am keen MTB er in The UK and remember the early Specialized, Marins. Gary Fisher, Scott, Treks etc coming here in the 80s.
So I just want say as someone to the North of Marin, Coos County OR, and not able to connect with early MTB makers I decided to build my own bike. I had ordered a set of Columbus SP tubing, the straight gauge stuff and the seller got the letters messed up and sent PS tubing instead. That was actually a blessing as my fork was really compliant but the main triangle was as whippy as could be. It eventually failed on a climb and I had to source a tandem down tube from Gary Hale in Eugene. My bike had short chainstays and relatively steeper than normal head and seat tube angles for 1982 , 70 and 69 respectively and a front fork with about near inch of "give" on big bumps. Strong light Tourist triple crank and Shimano Deer head derailleurs and cantis. I now own a 1984 Schwinn High Sierra, which has a lot of the old 30/40's Schwinn cruiser's angles and lengths dimensions. It's a nice bike overlooked in light of the Stumpjumper and early production MTB's.
That was very cool. Super informative. Mr. Clauson is an absolute wealth of knowledge. Thanks for taking the time and for taking us along. By the way, looking dapper there H. W. All the Best, Rob
The best bicycle video I ever watched ❤
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
Thank you Will, thank you Marin Bicycle Museum and thank you Henry. You done good.
Awesome bike museum and history tour! There’s so much to explore! Thank you!😊💙💛
Big thanks for you and Will. Great video.😊
P.S. These machnes from 19 century are gorgeous. Greetings from Poland.
Love it. Thanks Will and team!
Awesome, thanks for sharing.
Such a treasure trove that I would have otherwise never experienced. Thanks again.
What a legend! Thanks for sharing this.
Great video, but I wish I could see the bikes more!! Camera was pointed at him most of the time
Thanks for posting this great mini tour of the museum…I can’t wait to go myself!
Also, I really hope Will is there to guide me through and answer questions; he seemed to be having as good of a time as you were!
What a great museum. Thanks for sharing, Henrywildberry.
Priceless knowledge! Thanks for sharing!
Thankyou so much that was amazing! I love those 1800 bikes. Will is brilliant I'd chat with him all day lol.
Was at UC Davis back in the day - We built Woodsies and had races at the Bike Barn - good times! We would head over to Mt Tam too.
Brilliant. Well. Worth watching I love the cast aluminium bike looks really modern to say it over a 100 years old. quality content 😎👍🚲
Too cool! I think I need a Pierce!
Absolutely fascinating stuff! A fantastic place and Will was brilliant also!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Will is a treasure.
@@Henrywildeberry Thanks for the reply! I am enjoying all your videos, having recently found your channel and beginning to get (back) into cycling. Learning a lot, too :)
Will is sharp. Great video.
Love your videos....but...Henry did I see you cycling the wrong way on a one way street?; naughty !!! Keep em coming!!
We're outlaws here on the west coast!
I've been meaning to go and somehow I'll be back in San Raphael for work in two weeks. Thank you for reminding me to go. Cheers!
Fantastic interview and museum. Love to visit one day.
Fascinating documentary,thanks for the vid
Wow -- so fascinating! I so regret not making time to visit the museum the last time I was in Marin a couple of years ago. Thanks for this vid -- I'd love to see a part II!
So cool. Ty for the knowledge
Thanks for watching!
That was wonderful, thank you!
I use CWC Roadmaster frames with 1-1/8 shocks on my 50mph ev bikes, far better handling than Schwinn or Columbia. Built like a car Roadmasters rock! Great show thanks. My Ritchey p23 was an awesome bike.
Interesting, I ride mountain bikes and didn't know half of that stuff. You still see some of this stuff on modern mountain bikes. Short chain stays, long top tubes. Didn't see a dropper post or electronic shifter though. Thanks for the knowledge. If I ever get a chance I'm going there.
Official dropper posts are more modern. I saw a few bikes with “Breeze-Angel height rights” which performed the same function as a dropper post. Height right’s came from the 1980’s. I remember them from a bike shop I used to work at 1999-2000. I’ve still got my “extra height” model (as opposed to the standard or “lite-height”).
Good stuff. Thanks for the knowledge and entertainment!
Such an interesting video! Thanks!
Loved this video. Thanks!
What a great collection. Love to see it.
Wonderful video! It got me thinking about going to see it myself but I live in Michigan so it would be a special trip. A trip well worth it though. I love old things and those old bicycles had my heart skipping a beat or two especially that aluminum one. I was as surprised as you were! Thanks for a great tour and I would really enjoy seeing more from time to time. Hint. : )
Thanks Lee! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It's really great to be this close to such an amazing history of cycling. It's worth visiting the museum if you happen to be in the area. All the volunteers are incredibly friendly and knowledgable. I won't name names but they are all legends, and I don't use that word often. Thanks for leaving the nice comment!
Fantastic video, thank you.
so cool. Thanks for sharing this.
An interesting and insightful velo video.
Been closed for months due to CV. Can’t wait till they open again.
This is super interesting and nostalgic. i lived in Marin Wood a suburb near novato. this was around 1960 or so. we rode schwinn double top tubes for out paper routes and recreational off roading , but no downhill. many years later in 1980 something , i bought a schwinn Cimmaron MTB and installed ground control tires to ride downhill in Santa Barbara .
When the curator of the museum dies he will take a mountain of knowledge with him . he seems irreplaceable.
those saddles look great actually
What a cool dude.
Surprised not to see a Mike Rust Shorty here. It was the first raised chainstay to reduce chain suck and was the direct inspiration for the Trek Stache
Its awsome when we think something is new innovation and we figure out it been around 100years or more my mom road mt bikes to school up hill both ways in the snow in Idaho
I remember my hardtail in the 90's. I got the tranx version of the stem suspension.
Fascinating!! thanks 👏🏻
How cool would it be to have a copy of the 1894 shaft drive? Just the look of it gave the impression of movement! Cast Aluminum, someone was ahead of their time and very smart.
It's quite an impressive piece of machinery given the time and technology available then. To me it's a reminder of how very little bicycles have changed in the past 150 years. They evolved so quickly, and now the improvements are very subtle, and some would say even going backwards to some degree with over complications. Thanks for the comment!
Interesting the first motorcycles were bicycles with motors. Been a rider my entire life. New Departure is the best coaster brake hub. I'm lucky enough to have two of them.
Henry,
I got my first mountain bike in 1984 - I need to make a trip to visit the MTB Hall of Fame - I remember many of these innovations as the sport evolved. Not to take away from your video, but where I was at the aluminum rims evolved from Bontrager taking road bike 700c rims cutting out a section then re-rolling them down to 26” size - not from BMX wheels... Ironically 30 years later the modern mountain bikes switched back to 700c/ 29er size wheels....
Definitely check out the museum when you get a chance. When we were talking about the evolution from steel wheels first used on the purpose built mountain bike to the lighter weight aluminum rims, Will was discussing how the same extruded aluminum profiles used for 20-inch BMX bikes could be cut longer and formed into a 26-inch rim. He also later talked about how the 700c rims were getting cut down as well, and the challenge of spoke count and spacing. Unfortunately, this came up later in our conversation and I didn't capture it on film. Thanks for pointing that out! I also cut out at least a 20 minute discussion on early frame failures and innovations on frame reinforcements. I think this would be another great video topic for the future.
@@Henrywildeberry Yes please. :-)
The leather on the Pierce fork is a coulomb damper, not a sound attenuator.
cool old guy thx man
Wow ! Amazing museum
I would have to check my medical records, but I believe in 1966 when I was about 10, my friends rear axel ended up in the back of my head. We were riding on the trails in our local woods doing massive skids with our coaster brakes in the mud by our stream, well I went down and his axle went in to my skull.
My first full sized bike was a Columbia, single speed, coaster brake and a curved upper frame ….it”s been long gone. Quickly once the fenders had been smashed into the ballon tires too many times, they came off. The chain guard seemed to rub into the chain for some reason??? So even though my pants got eaten by the chain a lot, the guard went. Kick stand….why? Handle bars were spun around and pointed up like horns and we wrapped our bars just for cool. I just learned yesterday that I had a “kluncker”, my first dirt bike in 1966!!
Since then or next, I bought a brand new green schwinn varsity with my paper route money, as time went on it got a strip down and flat bars, knobby tires. I still have this bike like a monument I keep sitting next to a shed with rust and weeds, and so many memories. Mongoose hill topper, 6 on\off road dirt motorcycles, 4 Jeeps, and my current/ new MT bike…a 1999 schwinn Moab 3.
As I forge my way through my 60’s I find myself drawn back to the simple joy of skidding in the dirt on a bicycle. The limitations on finding dirt in the upstate NY that you can ride a 450lb KLR650 on is too much road, not enough dirt, and so back into dirt bicycling. A EMB is in my sights for 2022 even though it will cost equal to the cost of my van, but joy has no price tag!! It makes me laugh that at 63 I’m still chasing the same thrill I did when I was just a young boy learning how to put bandages on after an afternoon of riding dirt.
Right on! Never too old to have fun! Thanks for sharing your early mountain bike story, and I'm glad that skull fracture healed up and you were off to riding again.
Amazing guy
Great, interesting, info..
Love that Museum.
Love this so much!
Glorious.
That was really interesting thanks
Muy buen video Henry!!
Wow that so much knowledge
Man that was fun!
G... my g2 geometry frame & g2 100 mm rock shox with the triple spacers for the headset now @ the top make hill climbing easier on my 2014 trek XCaliber 8 a breeze...Gary Fisher...
Too short. More shaft drive and cast aluminium. You should stay there for a few days and make more vids.😁
Vuscount had a cast aluminium fork and it was recalled. Later Alan and Vitus had bonded forks that had no problems.
Love this video
James Mason thank you! I’m glad you liked it.
23:53 the Victorians built a CAST aluminium gravel bike!!!!
I have rebuilt a Ritchie Accent Comp with Diore components. Is there any auctions or consignment shops where I could possibly sell this thing?
21:20 the Pierce ’ is the most beautiful MTB ever built 1898.
Fascinating
Awesome history, loved all of it but watch on 1.25x speed and thank me later.
23:50 who manufactured this wonderful bike??? Narrator thought the first ALU bike was 1980s!!
Make a stop at Village Sake next time you’re in Fairfax.