Sundayjumper: If nobody had noticed, WTB have been around forever. Right there at the start with Fisher & Ritchey.
vinnyeh: WTB was started by Charlie Cunningham, one of the blokes who invented mountain biking along with Repack Rider et al
Not exactly. WTB was started by Steve Potts, Charlie Cunningham and Mark Slate around 1984, five years after Gary and I rented a garage to build bikes on Tom Ritchey’s frames. Of the three, only Slate is still involved.
Steve Potts is a legendary builder who caught the bug after touring New Zealand in 1980 with Joe Breeze on two of Joe’s bikes. He apprenticed with Tom and Joe but now has his own cult following.
WTB had a major presence this weekend at the Sea Otter Classic, the biggest bicycle event in California. They are still very big in the USA.
Charlie Cunningham is indeed a legendary and early builder, but he had no interest in 26″ wheels until the market pressure from everyone ELSE in Marin County, and the BMX “Cruiser Class” market in Southern California inspired the manufacture of 26″ alloy rims.