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The Gary Bike

Since Gary is the father of the mountain bike, this is the mother of all mountain bikes. This bike with it's component 'build' established the blueprint for all that followed. While several others cobbed gears onto a fat tire bike, it was Gary who first brought the wide ratio TA triple chainwheels to the trail. Others had used drum brakes but it was Gary who incorporated motorcycle levers and cables for maximum mechanical advantage and established the use of the Union drum brake. The Union had the most braking surface and largest diameter for advantage. As soon as Suntour brought out the Winner 6 cogs and changers Gary had them on his machine. The Ashtabula bmx stem wouldn't break and the KKT pedals were the toughest we knew of in 1977. In other words this bike was as evolved as was possible within the limits of that year. Joe brought out his prototype within a year but mafac rim brakes on steel rims left a lot to be desired and the overall weight difference was minimal. The tall standover on his frames scared a lot of riders who were 'used' to using all the cockpit when needed. And finally, Gary was at the middle of THE SCENE in Fairfax - ground zero for the explosion that followed.

I don't have a huge stash of parts and for a long time I was reluctuant to invest a set of Union drums into a bike that wasn't this bike. Finally Gary gave me the nod and I was on it. The biggest problem was that my stock of frames were blasted and in gray primer already. Garys' original bike was an oxidized red paint original that looked like a nondescript rustbucket. No one stole it either. I couldn't just paint it purple. This is an effort to take a red and 'brown' it down to a somewhat aged look. The Unions are in good shape still, the Honda 305 levers are nos, the stem came at a high price, the fork is a perfect 40dx survivor, on and on. It's a great bike and a lean racer for 1977. I watched Gary disappear over many a climb with 'this' bike.

TA cranks are 175mm with 26-52 wide ratio, rear cluster is 13-32, headset is an nos Tange from the day. BB adapter spindle is a Shimano with Odyssey bearing set, Campagnolo seatpost QR, Honda 305 levers, suntour mighty shifters, Brooks b 72 saddle, steel singlewall 1.75 rims, suntour cyclone deraillers, cut down Wald longhorn bars, KKT pedals. The only upgrade is the use of a solid aluminum rod for seatpost instead of the bendable steel that we all had to use until the Koskis' came up with this solution. These things don't bend. A solid raceable bike. THANKS GARY!!!

Contact me at: RepackPioneer@aol.com