just been launched on kickstarter, some on here might be interesed

Looks lovely.

Already backed it 👍

If you cant wait for the hardcopy all these photographs are on Instagram already

https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive/

I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen something on Kickstarter that I’m tempted to back!
Some cracking photos in that collection.

So much joy.

That does look pretty good – could be tempted come payday.

Also useful to post a copy to repack rider when he comes here for his quarterly thread about how amazing he is to have invented riding bikes off road…

I love it. On the rsf website they used to have an archive of journal write ups. Some were really well written and enthralling much better than 99% of the CGOAB write ups.

I love the attitude of the RSF, just get on with it. Less navel gazing it appears.

http://www.charliechadwick.org

this is also very good, founder member of the rsf

Cheers.

Just pledged.

The RSF got me into this mess.

pledge.

Want a poncho.

Also useful to post a copy to repack rider when he comes here for his quarterly thread about how amazing he is to have invented riding bikes off road…

I’m sure he’d appreciate a copy. The RSF seemed to take a gentlemanly walk across the hills with their bikes most of the time, wasn’t a lot of brake-smoking downhill going on there.

Look forward to seeing this.

Also useful to post a copy to repack rider when he comes here for his quarterly thread about how amazing he is to have invented riding bikes off road…

Something he’s never claimed to do.

Fantastic. I knew a little about RSF a long while ago when my riding conssited of road racing and training – and was quite intrigued. Since then I’ve been to many of those places (on a full sus, not the bikes they had) and have total respect. These pix sum up a great sense of adventure.

I’ve got bound copies of the RSF journals from the beginning in 1955 to 1984.

It would be nice to be able to get the appropriate photos for each trip journal.

Also useful to post a copy to repack rider when he comes here for his quarterly thread about how amazing he is to have invented riding bikes off road…

Something he’s never claimed to do.

IIRC we latterly went around the houses and eventually agreed that he’d/they’d invented the word mountainbiking.

IIRC we latterly went around the houses and eventually agreed that he’d/they’d invented the word mountainbiking.

Following his races with friends some went on to develop purpose built bikes instead of klunkerz.

Been a RSF member for a while, the IG pics have been awesome, can’t wait to see the book

Also useful to post a copy to repack rider when he comes here for his quarterly thread about how amazing he is to have invented riding bikes off road…

Something he’s never claimed to do.

Perhaps they couldn’t read the posts properly, they may not have been using an IPad 🙂

Want a poncho.

you may need to sow 2 together mate.

Funded in under 12 hours!
There’s obviously a market for capes, drum ups and offroad adventures on proper bikes.

at three times target.

what a great project and some fantastic images available 🙂

@ scruff9252, well said 🙂

Also useful to post a copy to repack rider when he comes here for his quarterly thread about how amazing he is to have invented riding bikes off road…

Don’t know how many times I have to deny ever making that claim, but here I am again having to do exactly that. The “invention” of off-road riding should properly be credited to Thomas Stevens in 1872. I wrote a whole book to deny that claim, but even that does not seem to be working here. It works everywhere else, so go figure.

Gary Fisher and I were RSF members in the ’80s, AFAIK the only ones in California. We corresponded frequently with Geoff Apps. I wrote articles that appeared in the RSF Journal.

If those guys had ever come up with the idea of coasting downhill, THEY would have “invented” mountain biking!

I’ve backed it and joined the rsf. Membership gets you access to archives and all recorded routes! Amazing!
Best thing I have seen on Kickstarter, a very worthy project to back

Back in 1980’s used to ride n do camping trips with Bristol section of CTC n rough stuff group with a fellow by name of REG PORTER and another chap who rode a Moulton bike.
We did the Wayfarer trek one weekend i recall . camping out on the top the evening before as i went up after wrok had finished on Saturday.

Book’s pretty much out. Article in the Guardian here.

Some great images of intrepid idiocy.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/13/break-the-cycle-britains-oldest-off-road-club

https://www.isolapress.com/shop

@repack. Stay cool these youngsters sometimes have no respect or understanding.

Repack Rider

…If those guys had ever come up with the idea of coasting downhill, THEY would have “invented” mountain biking!

Bit difficult as so many of us were on fixed wheels back then.

Credit is all yours IMO, and as a result we now have far more capable bikes… 🙂

Read the Guardian article, it looks brilliant and much respect to those intrepid cyclists.

The RSF seemed to take a gentlemanly walk across the hills with their bikes most of the time

Well, that’s my definition of mountain biking.

Slightly off-topic, the RSF and CTC must have reams of ride reports that would be useful for establishing that people were using bikes over certain footpaths for many years and before the first definitive maps were drawn up.

I also helped fund this book and am very much looking forward to its arrival.

Forgot about this. Have joined up and order the book. Thanks for the reminder

It’s worth following their Instagram feed, some really epic photos have been posted up there over the last few months. Can’t wait for the book 🤗

Read the Guardian article, it looks brilliant and much respect to those intrepid cyclists.

I was aware of the past exploits of some of these people, but lowering your bike down a crag?

Also a bit OT.

Although the UK can’t claim to have invented the mountainbike, maybe we invented the gravel bike – but just forgot to give it a catchy marketing name.

As a result of the popularity of rough stuff riding in the early 1950s there were bikes specifically aimed at the rough stuff fraternity, eg the Rudge Pathfinder* and the Dawes Windrush.

They used the same basic frames as the rest of their range, but in 531, and in the case of the Windrush, the pump pegs were moved to the downtube from the toptube so the pump didn’t interfere when shouldering.

I’m building up an early 1950s Windrush to a suitable RSF spec, and it’ll be getting an appropriate workout shortly.

.

.

*Actually the same frame as the Raleigh Lenton, Humber Clipper, and Triumph Torrington, although I don’t remember if they had reinforced fork steerers like the Rudge.

slowoldman

I was aware of the past exploits of some of these people, but lowering your bike down a crag?

Looks like a Hetchins – that’ll give the connoisseurs conniptions. 🙂

It still gets done. If you look under my toptube, you’ll see my rope, but these days I don’t try anything too big. It’s also handy for water crossings etc.

That book is very tempting. Once im a little less financially challenged anyway!