Anyone Who Rides a Bike is a Friend of Mine
Gary Fisher’s Story
Gary Fisher is truly one of the founding fathers of the sport of mountain biking. He began clunking his way into history by racing his modified cruiser down the rough fire roads of Marin California's Mount Tam. Since then, Gary has led the cycling world down a path of innovation as he worked to make his intense personal vision a reality.
1963:
Gary Fisher, age 12, starts competing on the road and track in races sanctioned by the predecessor of the USCF, The Amateur Bicycle League of America.
1968:
Gary is suspended from bike racing because his hair is too long.
1972:
With the "long hair" rule overturned Gary starts road racing again.
1974:
Gary builds his legendary Schwinn Excelsior X. With an unprecedented wide gear range and heavy duty braking, it's the first off-road bike that, despite its 42-pound heft, was rideable up mountains as well as down. Gary pioneers the use of tandem drum brakes, thumb shifters, motorcycle brake levers and cables, a seatpost quick release and triple chainrings with extra long crank arms. Gary's original mountain bike creation is voted one of the "Top Ten All Time Best Mountain Bikes" by Mountain Bike Action Magazine.
1976:
He helps his roommate, Charlie Kelly; stage the Repack Off-Road Downhill Race series.
1979:
A sport is named: Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly name their new company “Mountain Bikes”. Jeffrey Richmond and Tom Ritchey build the frames.
1983:
Gary is a founding member of the National Off-road Bicycle Association (NORBA) and fields a team in the first national championships.
1987:
The Fisher Procaliber is voted one of the "Top Ten All-Time Best Mountain Bikes" by Mountain Bike Action Magazine. Gary is named by Outside Magazine as one of "50 Who Left Their Mark" in the last ten years.
1988:
Gary is inducted at the inaugural Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Crested Butte.
1989:
Gary introduces the Evolution headset, tubing and seatpost, the first oversize component system for off-road bikes.
1990:
Gary is named to the NORBA Board of Trustees. Gary’s collaboration with Mert Lawwill on the RS-1 full suspension bike wins Bicycling Magazine's "Hot Bike" award. The Fisher Mt. Tam is the first production mountain bike with a front suspension fork (RockShox) and suspension ready geometry.
1993:
Trek Bicycle Corporation acquires the Gary Fisher Bicycle Company in April; Gary heads the product group that fast track a new product line for introduction that August.
1994:
Smithsonian Magazine names Gary the "Founding Father of Mountain Bikes".
1996:
Fisher rider Paola Pezzo wins the gold medal in the women’s mountain bike event at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Mountain Bike Magazine names Gary "Product Manager of the Year". The Fisher brand is the fastest growing bicycle brand in the U.S.A.
1998:
Fisher shows the bike world dramatic improvements to mountain bike frames are still possible by unleashing the Genesis Geometry. Gary is named by Velonews as one of the top 25 mountain bike racers of all time.
1999:
Paola Pezzo becomes the first woman to win a World Cup race on a dual suspension bike with a win in St. Wendel, Germany aboard a new Fisher dual suspension.
2001:
Gary Fisher teams up with Subaru to for the Subaru-Gary Fisher Mountain Bike Team. The team dominates the mountain bike circuit and ends the season a top the US rankings.
2002:
Gary Fisher turns the mountain bike world upside down again with the introduction of the Fisher 29-inch wheeled mountain bikes.
2003:
Two-Niner is legal! Gary successfully lobbies the UCI to allow 29-inch wheels legal for racing. Ryder Hesjedal becomes the first professional athlete to compete in a NORBA championship race on a 29er in Idaho.
2008:
Gary Fisher reconnects with his roots and introduces Gary Fisher road bikes. The promise of Fisher’s innovative spirit now exists on the roadside.
2010:
Willow Koerber of the Subaru-Gary Fisher Team is the first to lead the World Cup on a 29er.
Gary Fisher and Trek combine forces to offer the Trek Gary Fisher Collection. In many ways, this is the culmination of Gary’s lifelong dream of getting the world riding bikes, as Trek’s broad reach delivers Gary’s designs to the furthest reaches of the globe.