2retro4u
Marin County, Cali
Gary Fisher invented the mountain bike. Him and only him. He’s told use over a million times, and at least twice on his own site here:
I agree that the rhetoric got a little heated for a while, which is what happens when you have public relations people enhance your legend. A lot of people contributed to the “invention” (design, really) of the mountain bike. Even though Gary didn’t “invent the mountain bike,” his contributions to the sport were and are immense, and I’m guessing that they are ahead of your own.
Regarding the US v. UK simultaneous progress. The first MTBs reflected their birthplace in California, which is relatively dry compared to UK riding conditions, and the biggest influence on the design was racing. The bikes by Geoff Apps, Cleland, Highpath etc. were far more reflective of the conditions where they were used and the purpose for which they were used.
The difference turned out to be the demographic of the afficianados. Mountain bikers were originally young Californians with a BMX. skateboard, motorcycle or road bike background. The English rider was more like a Rough-Stuff Fellowship member who never elevated his heart rate. The California/BMX/skateboard lifestyle of the ’70s was being sold worldwide and eventually morphed into the X-Games, but RSF rides were not quite as marketable.