The commonly-accepted early history of the mountain bike - modified cruiser bikes on the slopes of Mt Tamalpais in Marin County, California and a roughly parallel development on the high mountain passes of Colorado - is one that's been documented many times in print. But Klunkerz, a new film by Billy Savage, is (we think) the first time that the story has been brought to the silver screen.
The film was premiered at the weekend at the Mill Valley Film Festival, attended by many of the pioneering riders featured - Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly, Otis Guy and many others.
While completists may bemoan the absence in the movie of British off-road bicycle pioneers like Geoff Apps and David Wrath-Sharman, or indeed the various French loons leaping about on balloon-tyred bikes in the 50s, few would deny that the contemporary mountain bike can trace its descent directly back to the Marin pioneers, many of whom are still involved in the industry today.
We've no idea when or if Klunkerz will be shown in the UK or what plans there are for a DVD release - we'll keep you posted. It looks pretty good, though - have a look at www.klunkerz.com for a trailer.
