Klunkerz: A Film About Mountain Bikes

I enjoy mountain biking. Didn't really know anything about the history until I moved to California and found myself in Fairfax and riding on Mt. Tamalpais. It's an enjoyable documentary for those who love mountain biking. And if you stop into the MTB museum in Fairfax, CA you'll likely see a familiar face or two from the film.

I grew up riding and working on a bicycle in the 70's. I delivered newpapers as a 12 year old kid in Colorado Springs on an big single speed fat tire cruiser bicycle modified with front and rear racks. Man I wish I still had that bike. When my family moved to Louisville Kentucky in the 80's, I continued to use that old Klunker for my paper route. It was so reliable for many years. I used it to go everywhere I wanted. In the early 90's, I found myself in the high desert of Southern California, courtesy of Uncle Sam. One day I bought a Ironhorse mountain bike on a whim for $500, which was a large part of my paycheck. For the next 10 years I used that bike to commute, ride the trails in Big Bear, CA, then when I moved to San Clemente, CA ride the diverse singletrack that was available in Orange County in the 90's. Circumstances made my commute about 50 miles so I got into motorcycling. I have spent the last 20 years motorcycling on and off road. I just recently have decided to stop riding motorcycles offroad and get back into mountainbiking. I now live only 9 miles away from work and I commute offroad because the roads out in the desert suck for roadies (high speeds, narrow, soft sand shoulders). I remembered why I have always loved bicycles and exploring offroad on them. This film brings back a lot of memories, I loved it. But I am kind of biased because I love bicycles.

Hats off to Billy Savage. The way he put this documentary together required ingenuity, lots of hard work, a good many deals, extensive searching, some travel, and probably a few feet of duct tape. As we watch the movie, we become aware this is very similar to the approach of the mountain bike pioneers. Because of the unslick, unpolished--yet very professional--style of this documentary we are somehow brought to how it must have been at the time. I cannot think of a better way to have presented the information.I was a journalist in England observing the mountain biking boom in the 1980s, and later made my career in the sport. Although I've talked personally to many of the pioneers, Savage's film filled-in many gaps in my knowledge, and he answers one big question that lingered for decades (watch the film to see what it is).This has to be regarded as the authoritative history of the origins of the mountain bike. Billy Savage interviews all the key players and builds a consensus through discourses that are both entertaining and very candid.Nostalgia is abundant in the film, but not by design, and it's not a rose-tinted look at those years. Klunkerz manages to capture some of the zeitgeist that spawned the the excitement and determination of this group of unlikely world-changers.I've spoken to several of the people interviewed in the film about its authenticity. They agree that it's a very accurate and comprehensive portrayal of events surrounding the creation of the mountain bike. Who could ask for a stronger recommendation that that? So watch, listen, learn and be entertained. This is essential viewing for anybody with an interest in mountain bikes or cycling culture.

I was a late to this party and my first mtb bike was a in 89. I will miss my days in Gunnison and Crested Butte. Pearl pass was but just one minor destination.And hey, you 1 star review people... Go rent Spiderman or Starwars.

I learned so much about the history and early innovators of steel cruiser/newspaper delivery bikes into the modern day mountain bikes. Wow.

This film is very important (and funny) and will always be relevant to people who are both mountain bikers and road bikers.It's important that the origin's of the sport were chonicled and as time goes on, the images of these pioneers will become even more endeering to enthusiasts as; like Kitty-Hawk to aviators. This production permanntly archives the rapidly deteerorting super 8 film that was sitting in a box in some forgotten storage unit.Billions of people bike and hundres of million of people use mountain bikes and at some point everyone asks - "when did people start biking over steep hills?" and "did road biking come first or the mountain bike come first?" Now we have the answers to these questions.On that note, the film's producer did a magnificent job capturing not only the rare footage, but the humor and the atmosphere of the 70's. What's not to like?Bravo!

I'm no film critic but I thought Klunkerz was particularly cool - Billy Savage did mountain biking justice with his cast from the past and present. Billy did a really nice job of showing and giving meaning to history/chronology with facts and personal stories as well as fun special effects - just the right amount! It was very interesting to see video footage from the 70's - impressive that they had gone to the effort of documenting their early shenanigans. I have been a mountain biker for 18 years and live and ride at the heart of the very trails shown in the film. My husband doesn't even own a bike. We watched Klunkerz together and were equally entertained/educated/impressed by the content and the craftsmanship of this movie. Klunkerz stands out as a quality homage to the sport and origins of mountain biking.

I never knew I was doing the same type of crazy bike stuff the founders of modern mountain biking were doing. They just took it much further. The kids in our neighborhood I didn't have any mountains. We rode in the woods of Michigan so single speed worked fine at the time. Those old bikes were a blast, but these light bikes today are awesome. I'm glad to learn some of the history and grateful that others pushed the envelope.