I'll start by saying that I've not been into bikes as long as many folk on here, but did I miss something with WTB?
I've been vaguely aware of them for a while, mostly for saddles I think. In the last couple of years though, I keep seeing more mention of them. For me, it mostly stems back to the origin of B+ and the Scraper/Trailblazer launch on the Rocky Mountain.
Is this one of those things where I'm noticing them because I now also have a WTB product or have they actually increased sales/awareness generally?
In the past two years I've been more aware of them because their tyres and rims get good press. Before this, I can't honestly say that I'd heard of them.
These bad boys were the tyres to have in the late-90s, where I was riding anyway...
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Later moved on to the Weirwolf LT tyres in summer and am still working through my stash of Weirwolf grips.
They seem to be regaining traction* on the tyres front lately though, you're right.
* sorry
Been around for ages - I remember the greaseguard headsets from days of yore. Also Velocicraptor tyres. My other half's old Orange Sub 5 had WTB rims on too, and they were pretty nice.
I think for most of the mid noughties, the only stuff we regularly saw in the UK was saddles. I've become far more aware of them over the last few years as Cotic use them a lot. The rims seem pretty good (I'm using KOM i25s). I've had mixed results with the tyres though, mostly down to only limited compounds still being available in 26". The Vigilante is a great tread pattern, but the fast rolling compound is just way too hard for a front tyre.
I think I had some Velociraptors in about '94 so yeah, they've been around ages.
My GT Tequesta (circa 1997) came dripping in WTB, it was the dogs then saddle grips and (the ubiquitous) Velociraptor tyres.
The've been out in the wilderness* for a few years, but I've got WTB tyres and rims on my new bike and they're great.
*whoop!
They've been making saddles & tyres for like, ever.
I still have a pair of tan wall Velociraptors on my '98 Orange O2.
They did seem to go quiet on that front for a while, and I would think of them for saddles really.
However I've now gone for a Vigilante on the front of my HT hack as it was very cheap and I wanted to doctor the B with a sharpie 😉
It has turned out to be a pretty good front tyre, heavy in tough casing, but nice and grippy.
Can't really answer the original question other than agree that they seem more prominent than they have for a while.
But any excuse to post a picture of the WTB rollercam which was both awesome and was the first WTB product I owned in around 1990.
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They do seem to be going through a bit of a revival.
I am still running the last of my grease guard headsets.
My old Niner had Veleciraptors front and rear (that's all i could buy in 2004 for a 29er) and they were like Velcro for rolling resistance..... And like marble for cornering grip.
They have always been relatively prominent in the US, unsurprisingly. They were big here in the 90's, mostly for saddles. There iXX rims seem to have been specced on a lot of bikes and well accepted, so have made a bigger aftermarket impact, presumably because the importers decided to push them a bit more.
When I think of WTB I think of Weirwolf LT tyres and Mark Weir gurning in their ads from years ago.
Something like this...
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I've always bought their stuff, my first set of wheels I built 5 years ago used their rims which are still going strong today.
If nobody had noticed, WTB have been around [i]forever[/i]. Right there at the start with Fisher & Ritchey.
Going back a few years all I can think of from them is saddles and funny looking tyres that only Mark Weir liked. But they do some great rims now- and they kind of stealthed up to that, I have a set of their Stryker wheels which are kind of what led up to that, and they're fantastic but I don't think anyone bought them. (they are hideous, could be connected)
Yeah, I realise they have some heritage, it's just that they seem to have dropped of the (my?) radar. Responses indicate I'm not alone though.
I remember them for bringing out the Bon Tempe frame just in time to herald the death of URT suspension frames.
It looked frickin ace back then and is still pretty smart looking even by todays standard
They've moved on in the last few years from having one or two good products to having lots of good products. If you make good stuff, you get good reviews, people buy it and then word of mouth works in your favour.
If you make mediocre stuff, then no-one buys it, and the few that do certainly don't tell their friends to buy it.
fifeandy - MemberIf you make mediocre stuff, then no-one buys it, and the few that do certainly don't tell their friends to buy it.
Unless you're Made In Britain, or bloomin Schwalbe
Wilderness Trail Bikes is a cool name too. They have been around forever, and I think for a long time their core business was OEM stuff especially saddles, but they've certainly done well lately by pushing plus tyres and rims. They've clearly hired a good brand and marketing manager!
Interesting question, scotroutes. My experience of WTB is the same as yours, and I am often left wondering where a brand came from and how it became so prominent so quickly.
Wilderness Trail Bikes is one of the oldest names in mountain biking, I don't believe they ever went out of business but have certainly had a resurgence of late.
I am actually really liking their kit at the moment, tires are good, carbon rims are good, alloy rims are good, saddles are good. What is not to like?
I am actually really liking their kit at the moment, tires are good, carbon rims are good, alloy rims are good, saddles are good. What is not to like?
I think the question that is really being asked now is, [i]where did they go?[/i]
Pay attention at the back: they never went anywhere, just knocked out tonnes of OEM saddles, rims, and tyres, with a few branded products not many people bought over here. Recent sucess is as much about brand and marketing as the products themselves.
TBF they do seem to have a useful range of well-priced rims, with a good reputation for durability.
And their tough casing tyres are appealing to those of us in rocky areas.
I think it's more a case of products > branding, since they don't do much marketing that I've seen.
Unless you're Made In Britain
such as ?
I've always used WTB Silverado saddles, but I hated the raptor tyre.
Can I throw another name into the hat? Syncros. BITD everybody wanted a Syncros post and stem (I managed the stem but not the post).
Succinct history here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncros
so no mystery, but it's nice to see an old name back.
WTB was started by Charlie Cunningham, one of the blokes who invented mountain biking along with Repack Rider et al.
Grease Guard headset was a go-to headset back in the 90's with a grease port, ideal for foul conditions, Chris King licensed the technology as well.
Think WTB were also the first saddles I saw that attempted a perineum relief channel.
ISTR I had WTB rims on a very old bike, maybe my first ever 92 Kona?
Anyway. Remember that brands sometimes lose an importer here so they disappear from UK shops but are still going strong elsewhere.
I first came aware of them when I was given some Velociraptor tyres by a neighbour, around '93 I think. They never went away as such, more their product lines didn't really suit our terrain. They went a different direction with their tyres but have now switched to the moto-style knobs and are en vogue again, the rims never went away but not many people (general public, not us lot) buy just rims so they did drop off the radar.
It's just the cyclic nature of fashion and business models, sometimes you're up then other times you fade back a bit. I was surprised to find IRC are still making tyres a few months ago! Loved my Mythos XC's but they quickly disappeared once they launched the MkII, a far worse tyre.
I had a set of Velociraptors. They tried to kill me via front end washouts on all but the driest trails, really hard wearing though...
I think they might still be in the garage.
I remember this one. Although a good one to forget..
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Used the Jon Castellano designed "sweetspot" along with the Klein Mantra and Ibis Szasbo (that didn't have a pivot, it relied on Ti flexing).
I had a ride on a Mantra. It was... interesting. But then I had a Trek Y22 (basic URT) so what did I know!
[url= http://mombat.org/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/WTB.html ]WTB history from MOMBAT[/url]
Sundayjumper: [i]If nobody had noticed, WTB have been around forever. Right there at the start with Fisher & Ritchey.[/i]
vinnyeh: [i]WTB was started by Charlie Cunningham, one of the blokes who invented mountain biking along with Repack Rider et al[/i]
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.
Hailing from deepest darkest Zummerzet I've always wanted to ride as the Wurzelness Trail Bikers .
Their headsets and white jizzy grease were great
One of the original companies in the sport. Back in the early-90's (Which was some time into their history, I lusted after their roller cam brakes, Grease Guard hubs and headsets. They were real aspirational things...
In the late-90's I used the previously mentioned Velociraptor tyres, which were like a better Panaracer Smoke & Dart and I also used the Grease Guard Momentum headset. Both were good products for the time IME.
They invented grease guard.
Back in the day they were like Phil Wood etc with super high quality parts, before that market exploded with Ringle etc.
Did Syncros go bankrupt?
Did Syncros go bankrupt?
Scott own them iirc
Still four perfectly functional WTB Greaseguard headsets in our family. Mrs also loves Silverado saddles.
Those grease guard headset's were excellent, also Mark Slate is the guy behind [url= http://www.osbikes.com ]OS Bikes[/url]
Here is a nice example of one of their bikes -
[url= http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=367830&p=2738687#p2738687 ]http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=367830&p=2738687#p2738687[/url]