About The Invention Of Mountain Bikes
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that mountain bikes are designed for riding on mountain trails. They were invented by ordinary guys who loved to take their bikes off the road and ride hard on steep dirt tracks. Since Diamondback bikes hadn’t been invented yet, they had to modify the bikes they had with the few tools they had at their disposal.
Road and racing bikes were no good for their purposes because they had such skinny tires. Those tires are designed to reduce traction, while their bikes needed even more. The bikes they worked with were fat tired street bikes.
What racing bikes have that fat tired bikes didn’t have was a good range of gears. The first mountain bikes were hybrids. They took the derailleurs from the best racing bikes and added them to the clunky bikes they were using on the trails.
Next they went to work on the handlebars. They started off just sticking a flat bar of steel on the bike, because they wanted a lower profile and could really push the bike on the hills. However, they needed to lean back for traction, so they added ends to the handlebars so they could change their hand position and pull back on the handlebars when they needed to.
Once they had the basic design down, these young entrepreneurs started building bikes from scratch. They began using lighter weight materials and adding refinements to the frame design. Before long, people who saw them riding around on these cool looking bikes started asking them to build one for them.
These small time bicycle designers eventually became some of the biggest selling brands of mountain bikes. Even after the Schwinn mountain bike and others like it came on the market, these smaller bike makers continued to thrive. Today, they are still some of the best selling MBs.
All that remained to be invented was a helmet that was both cool looking and functional. A black helmet made for playing football just wasn’t right for blazing down single track mountain trails. Helmet designers went to work and now there are dozens of lightweight helmets that look good and do their job as well.
Nobody can write the mountain bike off as a passing fad anymore. They are clearly here to stay and outsell most other types of bikes. Even though they were originally designed for riding offroad, they are seen on city streets everywhere. They have come a long way and now are high tech machines with up to 24 gears and sophisticated breaking systems.
It would be a big stretch to say that the MB is as important invention as the PC. Nevertheless, the two share similar histories. Both of them came from the minds of young enthusiasts with little money, but big ideas. They both say a lot about the power of ideas and determination.
Discovery: How It’s Made: Football Helmet
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Wilton First And Ten Football Pan $8.25 The leader in cake decorating tools Wilton doesn’t mess around with anything but the best! Their bake ware is the choice of serious bakers for wedding cakes and other special occasions. Features: thick durable construction, pure aluminum for consistent and professional results. Constructed of Aluminum for rust resistance and easy washing. Pan takes any two-layer cake mix and includes instructions…. |
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Wilton 4 Piece Football Cookie Cutter Set $3.50 Built to last, they cut cleanly and release easily. Recipe included. Each approximately 3 inches. Set contains Pennant, Football, Jersey and Helmet…. |
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NFL Baltimore Ravens Football Snack Dispenser NFL Baltimore Ravens Football Snack Dispenser… |
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NFL’s Hard Hitting Grooves $2.88 This production by the NFL and NFL Films explores the intersection of popular music and professional football. In the opening segment, members of the band Creed hang out with wide receiver Wayne Chrebet of the New York Jets and talk about how athletes want to be musicians and vice versa. A theme of what type of music gets football players psyched for a game continues throughout the 40-minute … |
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Under the Helmet [VHS] $5.75 … |
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Rubbermaid 5A43 38-by-36-by-18-Inch Sports Gear Storage Station $42.00 Rubbermaid 5A4300BLARD Red & Black Sports Station Rubbermaid 5A4300BLARD Red & Black Sports Station Features: Sports station Organize bats, balls, rackets, helmets and more Holds up to 20 bats or sticks Removable mesh bag allows for ball storage Easy to assemble No tools required Will not rust, dent, rot or peel Red and Black 18″ x 36″ x 37″… |
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Nike Football Vision Eye Shield (Mirror) $44.95 The Nike Vision Football Eyeshield provides excellent vision at any position and better protection than a face mask. Excellent clarity with Nike Max Optics and a beveled bottom edge which eliminates blind sports, reduces distortion and cuts glare. The durable polycarbonate construction is shatter and scratch resistant. Anti-fog coating on the inside of the shield prevents fogging. A variety of… |
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New York Jets Helmet Wall Decal $80.99 This officially licensed 4′ x 4′ Fathead Helmet wall graphic is made of tough, tear- and fade-resistant vinyl and designed with high-resolution 3D graphics. The team-colored helmet includes additional separate “mini” graphics of the team logo and Fathead shield. Fathead wall graphics use a low-tack adhesive and can easily be moved and removed from walls without damaging surfaces…. |
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Friday Night Lights (Widescreen Edition) $3.50 Based on the perennial nonfiction bestseller by H.G. Bissinger, Friday Night Lights looks at high school football in the harsh light of reality, finding heart and hardness while stirring our emotions. Actor-director Peter Berg (Very Bad Things, The Rundown) is Bissinger’s cousin; he knows the material well, and understands how an obsession with winning turns high school kids into somber, over-pres… |
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NFL Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Championship DVD $2.29 One of the most surprising upsets in football history the New York Giants triumphed over the undefeated New England Patriots in 2008′s Super Bowl XLII. Down four points the Giants used a drive in the final quarter to pull out a stunning 17-14 finish. Fans of either team will want to relive this tense game full of incredible moments including wide receiver David Tyree’s astounding “Hat Catch” in wh… |
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Buffalo Bills Football Helmet Clock $26.49 Made with a licensed pro football pennant, this Football Helmet Clock features reliable quartz movement, a perfect gift for the |
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14k Yellow Gold Football Helmet Charm $150.99 Score a touchdown with this football helmet charmCharm made of 14-karat yellow goldA great gift for the sports enthusiast |
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Sterling Silver Large Football Helmet Charm $38.49 Football-themed charm features a large helmet designJewelry is crafted of fine sterling silverDetailed football helmet charm comes with a convenient jump ring that can be applied to any bracelet or chain |
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Vinyl Attraction Football Helmet Dark Grey Chalkboard Decal $27.09 This high-quality vinyl chalkboard decal is completely removable and repositionable. This decorative accessory comes in a dark grey color with a fun football helmet shape and includes a single piece of chalk. |
