Outlaw Origins of Mountain Biking // Born From Junk

"Born From Junk" traces the outlaw roots of mountain biking back to its raw beginnings in Crested Butte, where a crew of unlikely pioneers in pursuit of wild times in the mountains blossomed into a global phenomenon.
READ THE WRITTEN FEATURE: freehubmag.com...
Directed by
Mike Horn and Galin Foley
Produced by
Mike Horn
Narrative Cinematography by
Joel Wolter
Documentary Cinematography by
Galin Foley
Edited by
Galin Foley
Audio mix by
Scotty Beam & Cleod9 Music
Graphic Design by
Joe Polevy
Story Editor
Drew Pogge
Associate Producer
Adam Broderick
Camera Assistants
Rex Lint - Tin House Creative
Jesse Levine - Reel Motion
Cast (in order of appearance)
Austin Weaver as Main Character
Adam Broderick as One of The Boys #1
Lawson Yow as One of The Boys #2
Kyle Jones as Driver
Glo Cunningham as Self
Donnie Cook as Self
Bob Starr as Self
Jim “Beach” Thomas as Self
Albert Maunz as Self
Kay Peterson-Cook as Self
Chris Haas as Self
Doug Bradbury as Self
Dave Wiens as Self
Archival Photography provided by
Don Cook
Sandra Cortner
Wende Cragg
Kevin Montgomery
Bob Starr
Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum
Archival Pearl Pass Video courtesy of
Dana Atchley
Tapley Dawson
Archival Rage in the Sage Video courtesy of
Mike Cole
Special Thanks to
Kent Cowher
Keli DiPaolo
Laurel Runcie
Dave Moe
Greg Morin
Burt Phillips
Erik Radock
John Norton
Mark Peterson
Crested Butte News
Music (in order of appearance)
Blow off Some Steam by Ben Bostick
Licensed through Artlist.io
When the Sky (Instrumental Version) by Maya Johanna
Licensed through Artlist.io
My Country (Instrumental Version) by Ben Bostick
Licensed through Artlist.io
Tell Me Its Over by Avi Goldfinger
Licensed through Artlist.io
Settle Down (instrumental version) by Giants and Pilgrims
Licensed through Artlist.io
Burgers and Guitars by Steve Poloni
Licensed through Artlist.io
Born To Become (Instrumental Version) by Maya Johanna
Licensed through Artlist.io
Bones by Duffmusiq
Licensed through Artlist.io
Father by Geva Alon
Licensed through Artlist.io
Shot on location at Gunnison Ranger District - Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest
Made Possible by Gunnison-Crested Butte
--
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[@edwoods845]

I learned to build with junk. Literal junk. Leftovers. Spare parts. Whatever I could get my hands on. I'd strip broken derailleurs, cranks, headsets and salvage every nut and bolt, every barrel adjuster, didn't matter if it was rusty. As long as it wasn't broken it could be cleaned up. I took things apart, cleaned them, put them back together. I made headsets out of scrap parts. I learned what to do from watching three of the best I've ever seen do it, guys who performed miracles with scraps and salvage. Then i taught myself the "how" of it. There's nothing wrong with buying a bike and having fun riding it, that's the point, to have fun, but I think to really understand and appreciate pretty much anything for what it is as a whole means understanding and appreciating how it started, where it came from and how it's evolved over time. Anything owes its current state to what existed before

[@BFBMTb]

Nicely said. I'd like to also add that there's a different pride in riding something that you built.

[@trackie1957]

My buddies and I used to walk to the local dump with tools and ride home on bikes. The early 70’s was the bike boom, and 10-speeds were the rage. Perfectly good Raleigh 3-speeds and Columbia coaster brake bikes were being thrown away. I worked in a bike shop assembling bikes. One day we assembled 165 bikes. Business was booming!

[@notgivennotgiven7776]

Our teachers at the vocational school I went to used to say, work with junk and you get junk. I don't believe that. I love building from junk. Yeah. Peace

[@randolphpierce6077]

I bought my first mountain bike in 1984 moved to Crested Butte in 1985. It was past the klunker era but there were singletrack trails everywhere, thanks to all those pioneers. Crazy fun days just exploring the beautiful mountains surrounding town in every direction. I got hooked then and remain hooked today. Great film. Brings back a lot of good memories.

[@simonrompre]

Riding a bike in nature is one of the best thing in life, there is something universal about this. Much gratitude to all the folks who build trails and design bikes, because of their effort, many of us can now ride mountain bikes in many places all over the world, keep on riding!

[@dougschwamb9653]

Yes, one of the best things, best adventures a person can have.

[@johnschlaefflin2100]

Please produce more films like this. Maybe from different ski towns or something. History of mtb is more interesting to this old rider than yet another video of some rubbery kid throwing backflip barspinny thingy.

[@mrfrogg46able]

Right

[@michaelsteven1090]

ski towns?..most of us mt bikers weren't born near mountains.

[@andrewlewis4253]

I'm 42 and I just learned those backflip barspinny thingies. Nothing wrong with that.

[@Praise___YaH]

Guys, HERE is The Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins ** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER ** - Hebrew Book of Isaiah Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 43:11 I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me. Isaiah 45:5 I am YaH, and there is none else.

[@gravedoja]

Great film, love hearing these stories of the early days of mountain biking. Here in the UK in the late 70s I was about 10 years old, I was riding a Raleigh Chopper on dirt tracks around our town, my friend and I called it scrambling.

[@HTJB60]

WOW, REALLY ENJOYED THAT. I'm a Brit and just started a family when I first heard of Clunker's. I was into Bike Touring and had a fast Touring Bike with 6 gear's and would 'go off road' often. So a Mountain Bike sounded IDEAL for off road Touring. Unfortunately, I was in my 60's when I eventually got a Mountain Bike. Now in my mid Seventy's I'm about to buy my second Electric Bike, essential for my living in hilly Wales UK with many Cycle Path's. My only form of transport, do all my shopping, etc. and looking forward to getting a bike that'll "go all day" and not just 30 mile's. I'm no 'racer' just enjoy cycling & enjoying the countryside.

[@GunnisonCrestedButte]

It's amazing to see how far mountain biking has come, thanks to these passionate pioneers. We love reading the comments of folks who fell in love with mountain biking here, too. It's incredible to see all the people this place and this sport has touched. Happy trails, everyone.

[@TGormania]

This video made me feel good. I grew up in a small town and at the time it was steel Supercycle bikes (CCM and Raleigh bikes rebranded). This is how I started riding a bike. When I was a kid in the 70's, I loved finding trails to ride on. Probably mostly foot paths to party spots I imagine. ;)

[@djlespommes]

I love the coastal California/Colorado mountain connection. Kindred spirits sharing ideas and it just went into chain reaction overload.

[@adamweston4152]

excellent film, I'm a mountain bike rider and have been since 1990 when I got my first mountain bike and I'm nearly 52 now and I'm now riding an E mountain bike as my body is not as tough as it was but I love the freedom and independence that bikes give you, people talk about getting their first car and forget about the first bike that gave them freedom and independence at a young age, thanks for your video.

[@tedecker3792]

Got my first mtb in 86, a Jamis Dakota, and went to the fat tire fest in CB a week later. Rode up Pearl Pass with a group that included Charlie Kelly. The elevation nearly killed me. Good thing I was a youngster of 39 back then.

[@TheRobbee]

The first time I drove 32 straight hours from Ottawa Canada to Crested Butte to ride the Mountain bikes trails. I found myself in one of the most magical place I have been. It was as if I came home . the people, the lifestyle and the mountains felt right. Riding those trails in and around Crested had me in awh and contentment at every turn.

[@jankemoto6489]

Loved the movie (your movies in general) but, it really shines the light on the origins of that beautiful old Schwinn Sierra i've got lurking in my closet. The days of rigid, no thought of the latest suspensions, or parts and peices that nowadays cost more than the bike itself back in the day, just amaze me.

[@jcmuellner]

Happy I was living and riding in the Butte in the 80s. It was a rush. Thanks for the memories!

[@stppearson825]

I remember reading about that ride from Crested Butte to Aspen back in the 80's when I was just getting into bicycle riding of a variety of types, and thinking about how much fun it would have been to actually do it. I was focused on racing on the road and track, but just seeing the pictures from the late 70's into the early 80's brought back so much. That was a much friendlier time. Everything and everyone is so intense now. It's fucking ridiculous.

[@sponge6520]

Fantastic film, thank you. In the 1970's and 1980's my father in-law and his 2 brothers owned Gundelach's Bike Shop in New Rochelle New York. At one point they were the largest U.S. Schwinn dealers. When the 3 brothers retired in the early to mid 1980's 2 of their sons took over the business. Mountain Biking to these 2 was just a passing fad and they decided not too sell Mountain Bikes. Well as you can suspect they almost went out of business while their competitors who embraced mountain bike sales thrived and grew in size. Me I'm 72 years old retired to Puerto Rico from the Virgin Islands. In the 90's we had a small crew on St.Croix of mountain bikers and we would travel to other islands to race their crew and vice versa. I Just bought a 2022 Scott Spark, my 2nd Scott Spark, terrific bike. But the early 1990's the Santa Cruz Superlight that I raced during those years still ranks as my favorite out of the many bikes I have owned. 😊

[@lkb3rd]

Very cool film! By 1987 it had spread to Connecticut and I got a Giant "Sedona" fully rigid mtb with my saved money from a paper route.

[@rainriderpnw6259]

I love to ride the logging roads near my home in the pacific north west, especially in the forest in the rain. I still remember the the thrill of exploring something new, but I still love it.

[@harvardc.woodiv2724]

Enjoyed this Very Much, I am fortunate enough to have Ridden some of these trails while in College at Western State 91'-95', miss the landscape so much, and fortunate enough to be still riding here in PA. Great Video, thanks for taking the time to tell the story, i will try to pass it on.

[@micheandmikey]

So good, can't wait to get on mine after work like every day, but today is a little more special. Thanks!

[@carlos5967]

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[@carlos5967]

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[@carlos5967]

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[@mrcomenttoe2009]

What a super story I hope everyone over there as well through this most unbelievable time

[@tomas2810]

Loved this. I was in Aspen starting in 78 and the klunker runs were a blast. This is how I caught the mountain biking bug that continues today.

[@Praise___YaH]

HERE is The Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins ** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER ** - Hebrew Book of Isaiah Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 43:11 I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me. Isaiah 45:5 I am YaH, and there is none else.

[@edmccaffrey1]

I saw the first Fat tire bike over Pearl Pass between Aspen and Crested Butte in 1983 while living in Aspen. Everyone was riding road bikes, and people were looking for a way to ride the single tracks in the mountains. It is so cool to see what was possible and how far could you go. Pretty soon the desert in Utah took on a whole new dimension.

[@BillyG869]

I live in sausalito, Gary Fisher used to Grow Dope upon top of Tam. Ride down to the Trident and provide us with the goods. Then grind way back up there in a day or two. We used to put a stingray sprocket in the crankset. Voila, mountain bike

[@helladankseedco.2411]

I still have some old Trident menus...

[@jasonisaac1]

Awesome story and video production! Loved to hear it from the people that lived it. I’ve been to Crested Butte twice for mtb riding trips, and Gunnison once. Amazing trails and riding there. Teocalli and Doctor Park are some of my favorites.

[@dougschwamb9653]

Just stumbled across this vid and boy does this bring back a ton of memories. The soul of mountain biking still can be found but it's a challenge. Nevertheless it's there, all the commercialization in the world can't kill it, the passion and comradery is preserved in the new generations while us old guys are caretakers of the archives.

[@UHDE0]

I just picked up from what I can tell, an all original 1982 Ross Diamond Cruiser in green with anodized gold at a thrift store for $40 last week. Had no idea it was such a piece of history! stumbled across this trying to learn more, thanks for sharing the story!

[@def6849]

Absolutely outstanding. I knew more about the origins of the sport from Marin County and the "Repack" ride on Mt. Tam in California, or at least that was what magazine articles in the 1980s had to say about it. Fascinating to see pictures of the old rigs and the Grubstake Crew getting it done. Amazing history about finding the old CCC trails (Civilian Conservation Corps, I had to look it up. Way to go Franklin D Roosevelt!) I jumped on board the sport here in Toronto around 1984. Something I loved in this doc was the other rider passing by and connecting him to the broader scene. Same thing happened to me as a bike courier in the 80s when another courier rolled up alongside me at the end of the day on his mountain bike. "Thanks for the draft. You going to the race this weekend?" That was Jeff, and that's how I ended up with the Dirt Dogs of Duke's Cycle. A few years later I was there at the birth of Speed River Bicycle in Guelph, Ontario. Still there today; they sold me my beautiful handmade Canadian full-suspension Rocky Mt Carve. Cheers and much love and respect to Cosmo's Factory. Keep rolling everybody! Peter

[@macscotsman51]

Great photos to accompany the great story. Well done 👍

[@mightyluv]

My wife and I have our old balloon tire beasts for summer cruising; they’re heavy, unsophisticated, and as fun as hell. Thanks for making this movie, for taking the spotlight away from the $$ for a few minutes, but especially for showing us what we should never forget: damn the torpedoes and have fun.

[@emilreyes5388]

thank you very much for this piece of history. thank you for letting us to know and to see the founders of mountain bikes.

[@stoutdog56]

Enjoyed the history lesson. That's my era and I was riding my road bike that l worked hard to buy. I was busy working to earn my college tuition, studying and also having lots of fun as the world was now open to me. Now I'm retired and needing to get healthy so I bought an ebike last year. I'm enjoying my rides and just bought two more bikes last month. I'm planning to ride to my last days, hopefully into my nineties. One of my bucket list items is to ride over the mountain East of my home in Wasatch range.

[@noelbrown6771]

I like when it was said that at the end of a ride you weren't talking about mountain biking. You guys were in the moment of discovery.

[@B.A.512]

Great film thank you, it probably took quite some time and planning to make this one. Mountainbikers here know the 90's bikes, but not the old Klunkers. They did not grew up with klunkers bikes. Now that I ride some of those, people give me a variety of looks, mostly positive 😀 I am happy that I discovered Klunking, because for me, its more about fun than the lightest/latest tech. Thanks again!

[@ElHuertodeAzul]

Great film! Thank you so much. Special appreciation for those who started mtb a thing I can't live without!

[@Eric-cl3nl]

This video needs to be an hour longer

[@andiqyqja]

one love, one passion. inspiration ☘️

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

It's funny that when I watch something like this makes me cry the whole way so glad I was a part of something sure did have fun with mountain bikes

[@hammeredironworks7788]

Great story, documentation and production!👍 This made my day, thanks!

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

Beautiful story reminds me of all the good rides

[@Digital.Done.Right.]

I biked in the 70s in New Orleans with my klunker BMX made from used parts from Mr Henry's garage. I raced on the road from 82-2012 and now have a fancy klunker to take me all over Europe.

[@eddbenavente564]

It's great! Adding more history on mtb!

[@cgreacen]

Wow! I had no idea mountain biking had its origin at Crested Butte. And wonderful to see the link with the Co-evolution Quarterly which, around the same time (1989), pointed me to Home Power Magazine and my life was never the same. Back to Crested Butte -- my link with that place was being a grad student at UC Berkeley's Energy and Resources Group which has a decades-long research project on climate change at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) above Crested Butte.

[@brianmartindale2221]

Man, that's an awesome flick! My backyard in those times was way up Northwoods Wisconsin and I bashed my bike all over those woods. I left and landed in Eugene in the early daze of mountain biking and had an absolute blast! I was fast on a road bike, and thus tzar of the Creative Crash Committee since I translated speed into carnage so well. God, the races (parties) were soooo fun! I rode trail so much I had trench foot lol With all that said, give me one of them nice Santa Cruz all-mountains, all day, every day, and eight times on Sunday over the old shitbags bikes I rode through the woods. You can keep those parts of the past. I'm sure they're still layin in the woods and mountains somewhere.

[@jfu5222]

In the mid 70s my friends and I were building 20" versions of these klunkers. We called them swamp racers and rode them on wetland paths that we made and maintained near my Minneapolis home. In the early 80s my best friends cousin moved here from California with a Mongoose BMX bike, it was so different from our bikes that it could have been brought in by a spaceship!

[@cybens1]

It’s been a long time since i watched a video start to finish. So cool!

[@paul4292]

What a well done and cool video

[@CNNLA]

Back when competition was friendly..... and no organizer/manufacturer/sponsor money was involved. Better times.

[@mikeinhoodriver]

So epic Boys! Thanks for the memories!

[@rutlandcitybikes9729]

Well that was amazing to see!! Just gave me an understanding of where it did come from! Mountain Biking! Fun it is!! Thanks for that Freehub!!

[@lowdesertpunk]

Great film, thanks!

[@jonathansloandirtlab2513]

Bloody amazing stuff,well enjoyed that.

[@petersjimmyboentardjo6663]

Love it ❤❤❤❤❤ thanks for this short documentary really inspiring!!

[@TheCyclingVyking]

Such an amazing short film!!

[@jamesbeaumont1202]

That was amazing to watch all the best guys

[@jeffreyrobbins688]

Well done folks....

[@nowyourefinished6481]

I love this! Thanks for putting together an amazing film portraying the actual, factual history of early MTB culture. Inspiring!

[@et5333]

Super cool and inspiring vedio! I love those old bikes, sure would like to find one! Thank you!!

[@MrRadiomir]

amazing film.

[@brendtoconnell6119]

Great story. I've heard old stories of the Junk Bikers when i lived in Colorado. There's a great picture of Pearl Pass with the guys on the summit pass.

[@nzsaltflatsracer8054]

As a kid in the early 60's I was bringing home bikes & parts then we would ride them down spud mountain & jump them into the river with a rope attached so we didn't lose them. By the mid 60's we had run out of donor bikes & started gathering up junk cars & parts. The ones that I couldn't get running were dragged to the top of spud mountain & jumped into the river. I'm 70 now & still haven't grown up, this year I'm looking to 500mph.

[@stuartbarber7784]

Loved this

[@pepemontoya9634]

This is so cool, thank you 👍🏼✌🏼

[@Nozes..]

Fantastic work. Thank you.

[@ronniejacobsen3000]

This was awesome!!!

[@russelmurray9268]

Today we defy gravity on bikes. Thanks klunker gang

[@lungnap]

Ok from an OG Crested Butte point of view during the early days of MTN biking but let's not forget about the first true 'bridge' bike from Mort Lawwill and the bikes that further evolved from it, especially in Northern Cal.

[@williamsweet2253]

That was awesome

[@passenger-rider]

Tremendous video!

[@matt_squires_og]

That was great!

[@MsHigheagle]

Beauty of it all, freedom

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

One year I think I achieved over 3,000 miles of off-road on my mountain bike what's a good rides I'll never forget it most of our Trails got developed over so not much going on here anymore

[@retrobikechannel2599]

This is so cool!

[@nektariosvasilopoulos3841]

Thanks to the pioneers. No electronics, no lycra. No gears. Didn't know if the bike would survive the ride. 70s fun.😊

[@gavin2391]

Congrats on a awesome piece!

[@GravityEscapades]

Love it!

[@nwprepped]

Great video!

[@reverentalexanderchezeley-6367]

Yep they we're rock and rollers.

[@faithhealer3154]

Love it

[@PFTClumsy]

That smile. That damn smile 4:16

[@servidig483]

Awesome

[@bluerockalot]

Can't be sure where Mountain biking got its origins. Many will say it all began in the hills above Marin, CA. Mountain biking was a growing sport in the mid 1970's in CA. Joe Breezer built the first 26 inch wide tire, lightweight bikes that were being used to descend Mt Tamalpais in 1974. MTB's were designed and engineered in Marin County, CA by Joe Breezer and Gary Fisher. It's well known and documented.

[@douggroves1812]

Read the book Fat-Tire Flyer that is about the birth of mountain biking in CA and it also talks about Crested Butte and the races at Pearl Pass

[@konabikes3353]

So good!

[@TwoWheelWarrior]

Way to go buddy!

[@davidlang9939]

BREAK'N THE LAW, BREAK'N THE LAW!!! HAVING FUN OUTTA THE RUT!!!

[@joonasvinnari6532]

Awesome!

[@porta_patrols]

awesome story!!!

[@artboytidwell]

So cool

[@jokermtb]

I get a laugh when I hear all these mtb origin stories, as if everyone started it 'first'....well, I got one too. Michigan Detroit metro area, in the late 70's, myself and my middle school buddies, after school on the way to 7-11 to play 'space invaders' and drink Slurpees, would regularly hit the local dirt bike trails in the woods, on our drop bar road bike 10-speeds, for a little 'mountain biking action' - we just called it riding bikes. We all eventually tossed away our rear rim brakes as the steel rims would get so bent that having a rear brake was a hindrance. Having gears was fantastic, fatter touring tires on wide steel rims, wheels with way too many spokes, and the old-school top-bar auxiliary brake lever setup was gold (at least for the front brake). That was our mountain bike scene, and the bug never left me! Still mtb'ing to this day.

[@toddjohnson779]

Good ole glo

[@robertmartin442]

wow awesome man...

[@TeamGlasshole]

When you consider upgrades to your bike like a dropper post, e-shifting, and all that unnecessary crap...think of these guys and gals

[@Jonnyhprips]

I imagine showing up on my 2021 Marin 😂 fun times

[@bradlaakso8431]

Looks and sounds like the old Ford truck commercials. "FERD F-TEENTHOUSAND with a beard in the glovebox in case you lose yours!"

[@andrergadotcom]

So wonderfull

[@thermalascension]

That's how we do it ,. The can do spirit. 🚬✌️

[@ВячеславТимофей]

Это очень крутые ребята

[@GregariousAntithesis]

I grew up in West Colorado, graduated from Delta High School and Western State College in the late 80s. I was back last summer up above Taylor Reservoir, made me sick to see what it has become.

[@dannyoberthier3053]

MTB is in our DNA

[@donnovicki9771]

Thank God for all you guys and gals that stared this sport. We owe you........