| By Mr.Andrew Caxton | | | | cancellation of these races. Factor No.2 – |
| Busy and Hectic Lifestyles led San Franciscans away | | | | Location or Geography Termination of these races |
| from their country and into the Marin County which | | | | did not affect its popularity, so much so that the |
| marked the origin of the sport of Mountain Biking. | | | | biker community endeavored to establish the |
| What started as a mere sport became a passion as | | | | birthplace of modern-day mountain biking. Mount |
| the sport made a niche in history and even bikes | | | | Tamalpais in California won this honor. Initially, the |
| were modified to suit the sport. Mountain Biking used | | | | only races held on Mount Tam would involve bicyclists |
| to be the passion of a selected few until it became | | | | racing down the mount and once down they would |
| widely accepted as a competitive and enjoyable | | | | get their bicycles transported by various methods to |
| sport. The reason for this change was due to three | | | | the top of the Mount. Over the years, the races |
| factors. These factors were the individuals who used | | | | became more competitive and extreme and bicyclists |
| the extreme sport of Mountain Biking to fulfill their | | | | not only raced downhill on their bikes but also cycled |
| passion, the location or geographic aspects and the | | | | back to the top of the mountain. Factor No.3 |
| construction of the Mountain bike. Factor No.1 | | | | – The Equipment The transformation of the |
| – The People The late 1960s marks the | | | | bicycles began at Mount Tam where they acquired |
| beginning of the history of Mountain Biking when San | | | | their present-day appearance as well as the inclusion |
| Franciscans getting tired of their extremely busy and | | | | of the balloon tires. Safety emerged as the top |
| frantic lifestyles moved away from San Francisco and | | | | priority and as a result the ordinary bike was modified |
| into the Marin County. Life in the Marin County was | | | | keeping this aspect in mind. Thus the transformation |
| less hectic and metropolitan thus bringing the much | | | | of the mountain bike also made a place for itself in |
| sought after tranquility that the San Franciscans were | | | | the history of Mountain Biking. These modifications |
| looking for. The Marin Countys were famous for their | | | | included installation of light as well as strong breaking |
| mountainous terrain and San Franciscans who loved | | | | mechanisms like the cantilever breaks. The breaking |
| bicycling developed a passion for competitive bike | | | | device in ordinary bikes wasn’t apt while |
| races. Initially it started as a 3 mile fire trail bike race | | | | cycling uphill or moving across rough and dangerous |
| in the city of Fairfax. The race included a downward | | | | terrains. The cantilever breaks served this purpose |
| slope extending over 1600 feet. This race gradually | | | | due to its light yet strong characteristic. Another |
| became a craze with bikers who wanted to break | | | | significant modification was the use of additional |
| past records and thus vehemently took part in the | | | | gears on the mountain bikes. Riders scaled mountain |
| competition. The race grew immensely popular | | | | heights and precariously traveled across terrains and |
| because of its competitive and entertaining nature. | | | | these additional gears greatly benefited them. |
| However racers were unable to comply with the | | | | Andrew Caxton is the editor of many articles on bike |
| Insurance requirements and since the competition | | | | dummy published at . Find more publications about |
| was highly risky and dangerous the result was the | | | | road bike reviews at his website. |