THE HISTORY OF DOWNHILL!

THE FIRST DOWNHILL TIME TRIAL RACE TOOK PLACE IN FAIRFAX, CALIFORNIA ON OCTOBER 22, 1976 ON A FIRE ROAD NOW KNOWN AS REPACK ROAD, DUE TO THE NEED TO REPACK A SINGLE REAR HUB AFTER EACH DESCENT.
THE BIKES USED WERE BEACH CRUISERS THAT HAD A SINGLE REAR BRAKE THAT WAS OPPERATED BY PEDDALING BACKWARDS. THE RIDERS DESCENDED 1300 FEET DOWN REPACK IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES!!
THE FIRST BIKES USED TO DESCEND WERE KNOWN AS "KLUNKERS" OR "PAPER BOY BIKES"; COASTER BRAKE CRUISERS USING BALLOON TIRES THAT WERE FIRST IMPORTED TO AMERICA BY IGNATZ SHWINN.
BY 1979 TWO ORGANISERS AND COMPETITORS OF THE REPACK DOWNHILL RACE, CHARLIE KELLY AND GARY FISHER FOUNDED THE COMPANY WHICH NAMED THE SPORT "MOUNTAIN BIKES".
PURPOSE MADE BIKES WEREN'T MADE PROPERLY TIL' THE 90s. SOME OF THESE INNOVATIONS INCLUDE DUAL CROWN SUSPENSION FORKS AND DISC BRAKES, AS WELL AS VERY ELABORATE FRAME SUSPENSION DESIGNS.
LATER RIDERS FROM ALL DICIPLINES OF CYCLING BEGAN FOCUSING ON DOWNHILL. PARTICULARLY MANY BMX RACERS MADE THE CROSSOVER, INCLUDING CHAMPIONS SUCH AS JOHN TOMAC AND BRIAN LOPES. THEIR INFLUENCE IS SEEN IN THE INCREASED DIFFICULTY OF MOST COURSES, ESPECIALLY THE BIG JUMPS AND DROPS ASPECT OF DOWNHILL.
THE COMING OF AGE FOR DOWNHILL, WAS IT'S INCLUSION AT THE FIRST UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS, HELD IN 1990 IN DURANGO, COLORADO