Klunkerz the Movie Interview

I asked Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly and "Klunkerz" filmand used all new components.
maker Billy Savage a couple of questions aboutJ.B: Russ's bikes and all the other Morrow DC bikes
Mountain Bike history.used 1930s or 1940s Schwinn (or others) 'paper boy'
KM, 1: What was the exact date of Joe Breeze'sframes and were built up with mostly used
"Breeze 13 in 1978?components. My 1977 Breezer had a frame I built
B.S: You'll have to check with Joe, but I believe it wasspecifically for our mountain riding and all parts were
late-September 1977, not 1978. Joe won the Repackbrand new. In fact, it was the first mountain bike built
race that first weekend after completion of the bike. Iwith all new components. They were clunkers no
think that race was held on Oct.2nd, 1977. Joe finishedmore.
with a time of 4:34:38, 12 seconds off the courseKM, 4: Were coaster brakes used because standard
record set by Gary.rubber brake pads melted from the speed and
C.K: Breezer 1 was completed in 1977, all the others infriction?
1978.B.S: Coaster brakes were used because before alloy
J.B: I built Breezer 1 in September/October 1977. I don'trims were available steel rims didn't provide any kind of
have a specific date,but records indicate that I rode itbraking surface when they got wet. That's why
to victory on its maiden voyage downcoaster brakes (Morrow's in particular) and drum
Repack sometime in October or November of 1977. Ibrakes were the way to go. Once alloy came along,
built the other nine of this first series of Breezers incantilever brakes made more sense. They were lighter
1977 and into 1978.and easier to work on.
KM, 2: What year did specialized start the first massC.K: Coaster brakes were used because that was
produced Mountain bikes if not Specialized whowhat came on old bikes, and at first we just used old
started the first mass produced MTBs?bikes. There were no rim brakes at the time that
B.S: Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly were makingwould attach to the old bikes without welding
production bikes,something to the frame, or that would reach around
Mountain Bikes, in 1979, two years before Mikethe bigger tire. Coaster brakes were used because
Sinyard's 'StumpJumper' hit the marketplace. Anotherthat was all there was.
Marin group was building bikes as well.J.B: Coaster brakes were used initially because they
The Koski's and their 'TrailMaster' bike was beingwere sittin' right on the old fat-tire bikes. Once we got
produced in late 1979-early 1980. They were producedmore serious, relics such as coaster brakes faded
in relatively small numbers, totaling less than 1000 bikesaway. Drum brakes were next, but rim brakes were
during the couple years of production.lighter and were thenext choice even though wet pads
Mike's Sinyard's 'StumpJumper' bikes were significantmeant reduced braking. With aluminum rims in 1979, rim
because he was producing them cheaply overseas inbraking was significantly improved.
very large numbers, but Gary andKM, 5: What does everyone think of the French claims
Charlie's 'Mountain Bikes', using frames hand built byof Jean-Louis Swiners that roots of the mountain bikes
Tom Ritchey, were also flooding the San Franciscoare in north-east suburbs of Paris, near the Porte des
Bay Area. Gary, Charlie and Tom produced severalLilas?
thousand bikes before Mike Sinyard made his firstB.S: The VCCP outside of Paris in 1950s were very
'StumpJumper'. Gary gave Mike a 'MountainBike' tosignificant. They definitely contributed to the whole
check out. Mike took it to Japan and knocked it off.thing, but they didn't continue.
Mike took the entire parts specoff of theIt was the Marin tribe that created an industry with their
'MountainBike' for his first 'StumpJumper', saving himselftenacity to make the bike industry take notice. If you
years of research and development. The Marin guysever see pictures of the VCCP you can tell that they
had been whittling down that parts spec for years onwere 20+ years ahead of the curve.
the trails of Mount Tamalpais. The only thing that wasThat's why they're in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame,
different on Mike's 'StumpJumper' was a cheaperand it was Joe Breeze who inducted them there.
frame and cheaper labor.C.K: As far as I know, almost no one in the United
C.K: 1982. Univega had a similar bike "("Alpine Sport")States is aware of this claim, much less has an opinion
that came out shortly after the Stumpjumper.about it. Certainly these riders did not have any
J.B: Specialized who started the first mass producedinfluence over the Americans who developed the
MTBs?concept on their own. Although cyclists all over the
The proto-type Specialized Stumpjumper(s) firstworld have experimented with off-road bicycling for a
appeared in 1981. 1982 was the first year of productionhundred years or more, the sport of mountain biking as
Stumpjumpers. Actually, Mert Lawwill of Marin, builtwe know it today is a California invention, just like BMX
about 300 Lawwill-Knight Pro-Cruisers starting in 1978.and skateboarding.
And something everyone seems to forget (andJ.B: I was responsible for inducting the VCCP into the
maybe for good reason), mass marketer Murray OhioMTB Hall of Fame in Finale Ligura, Italy in 1999. I was
produced their Murray Baja in 1980. I'm not sure howblown away with the level of their off-roadness. I
many were made, but it might have been in thewasn't aware of Jean-Louis Swiners. I will ask Jacques
thousands. I think it sold for about $99.99 at cheapMichel about him.
department stores. I understand it was a resoundingAnyway, the VCCP is a bit like Kirkpatrick MacMillan
failure. I was impressed when an engineer fromand his velocipede of 1839. It may have been the first
Murray came out to Marin in the late 1970s and waspedal bike, but it didn't contribute to bicycling. It was an
scoping out the scene. Apparently, not enough peopleevolutionary dead end. Though the VCCP is an
at Murray understood that people in the market forimpressive example of essentially how far people
cheap bikes are last-adapters.went off road on bikes, their doings had no bearing on
KM, 3: What were the differences between Russmountain biking. It was another evolutionary dead end. I
Mahon's bikes in 1974 and Joe Breeze's in 1978?think Geoff Apps and his Cleland bikes have
B.S: Russ' bike was a monster of a 'Klunker'. Russevolutionary linkage. Not to Marin, but he had (has?) a
used a Ward's Hawthorne from the 1940s as thefollowing in the UK. His line might even precede the
chassis with Suntour VX and Shimano TourneyMarin lineage. Geoff's spark carried on, no? Where did
derailleur's attached. Russ made many otherhe get the idea?
modifications, includingMaybe my view is just Marin-centric, but I think it's
Suntour thumb shifters and redundant braking systems,difficult to ignore how much happened here that
etc. Joe's Breezer was a brand new bike with acaught the attention of a ton of people beyond
custom built frame out of lightweight tubing. It's kind ofMarin.
like comparing an old smash up derby racer with aKM, 6: When did everyone realize how much of a
brand new Ferrari. Joe's bike was the first (or second)profound effect that they had on the modern bicycle?
custom built off-road frame with all brand new parts.B.S: You'd have to ask them, I'm just a filmmaker :).
Joe used new Mafac cantilever brakes, Suntour thumbThey had a profound effect on me, and I'm honored
shifters, and derailleur's and rims etc. It was the firstthat they let me tell their story.
brand new off-road bike.C.K: About 1983, when every manufacturer offered a
C.K: I don't know when the Cupertino riders put gearsbike copied directly from the Ritchey Mountain Bikes
on their bikes, but they had them by 1975. Unlike thethat Gary Fisher and I first sold.
Cupertino bikes, which were old bikes withJ.
modifications, Joe's was built on a hand-made frame,