Klunkerz: A Film About Mountain Bikes

[klunkerbill]

Hey Everybody,
I made a documentary about the history of the sport that keeps us muddy and bloody. KLUNKERZ looks at the cyclists of the San Francisco Bay Area during the years 1968-1983, and the impact they had on the global cycling industry. Somehow this handful of hippy/athletes created a form of recreation for the masses, a mulit-billion dollar industry, and an Olympic sport. I've searched the globe for images and footage of the early days of Klunking and it's all in there. It's taken me nearly three years, nonstop, to complete. The film was nominated for Best Documentary and Emerging Filmmaker awards at the X-dance Action Sports Awards. Gary even took home a Lifetime Achievement Award there. The film also won Best Documentary at the Durango Independent Film Festival. I hope you'll consider coming to the Hollywood Premiere. The screening is at The Vine Street Theater on Hollywood near Vine on Saturday, June 30th at 5:00 pm. It's part of the BFF, so there will be FREE BIKE VALET! I'll have my 1935 and 1938 Klunkerz on display, as well as some other 'real' historic rides. Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly and several other legendary pioneers will be there, too. Please check out www.klunkerz.com and sign the 'guest book' if you'd like to be kept up to speed on screenings DVD release etc.
Ride on,
Klunkerbill
P.S. Here's a shot from the premiere. Lot's of trails under these guys. Can you name them?

[L8 APEKS]

Are you sure that isn't a still from the movie "Cocoon"?

[Pain Freak]

Dam, some of those guys are older then Dean!

[gurp13]

Hey, isn't that you in the back there, Mike?

[PacMan]

I recognize Gary Fisher in the middle, Tom Ritchey to his right, Joe Breeze on the end and Sam Elliot--that guy from "Road House" knealing in front.

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

sounds like a good opportunity for an STR outing. Count me in.

[CC]

Originally Posted by PacMan

I recognize Gary Fisher in the middle, Tom Ritchey to his right, Joe Breeze on the end and Sam Elliot--that guy from "Road House" knealing in front.

That's not Sam Elliot...it's Klunker Bill, the guy that made the movie. He also has a myspace page...check it out.

Sounds like a great time to me too.

[L8 APEKS]

I will most certainly buy the DVD when it's released. We owe our sport to those guys!

[tkblazer]

is that burt reynolds 3rd from left?

[L8 APEKS]

Originally Posted by tkblazer

is that burt reynolds 3rd from left?

Tom Ritchey bro.

[Kid A]

movie looks sweet. nice job

Originally Posted by klunkerbill

P.S. Here's a shot from the premiere. Lot's of trails under these guys. Can you name them?

Guess this OG decided to keep it real and take a pass on the premiere to drop some knowledge of the young bucks at B&B07 ?

hmm, looks like he found a (re)packing buddy (sorry skipp)

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by cyclecc

That's not Sam Elliot...it's Klunker Bill, the guy that made the movie. He also has a myspace page...check it out.

Sounds like a great time to me too.

Ya, I got it.

I keep forgetting sarcasm doesn't translate well over the internet.

[Kid A]

Originally Posted by PacMan

Ya, I got it.

I keep forgetting sarcasm doesn't translate well over the internet.

no i agree it is sam elliot but must be from a movie with or where he rides a bike (maybe ghost rider or at least mask) =sarcasm


anyone know who the women is kneeling by Bill?

[CC]

Originally Posted by tkblazer

is that burt reynolds 3rd from left?

I think it's Tom Cosgrove before he thinned out his mustash. =)

Originally Posted by PacMan

Ya, I got it.

I keep forgetting sarcasm doesn't translate well over the internet.

Dang, can't pull one over on you!...now I'll know what to expect from now on.

[SIZE=1]ps: i've had the same problem in the past[/SIZE]

[klunkerbill]

That Cocoon line was pretty funny. Your time's coming, Sonny. Anyway, the guy four over from the left, Bob Burrowes, does look a lot like Wilford Brimley. Bob won the second 'actual', first 'official' Repack race organized by Charlie Kelly. These guys are older than you, but they just might be faster. I went down Repack with Joe Breeze not long ago, and he was on a 1941 Schwinn 2-speed and he was smoking. The guys from Decline Mag were shaking their heads. You can see pics from that run in Decline Jan/Feb 2007. I don't know why they put me on the cover...I guess it's cuz I've still got my hair. Anyway, the guys in the shot, clockwise, l to r: Joe Breeze, Steve Potts, Tom Ritchey, Bob Burrowes, Otis Guy, Gary F, Fred Wolf, Alan Bonds, Charlie Kelly, Russ Mahon, Chris Lang, James McLean, Robert Stewart, Jacquie Phelan, and me. Most of these guys you can read about at the MTB Hall of Fame site, but a few you'll find out about at the movie. If you ride off-road, you owe a bit of thanks to these guys, so why don't you come on down to the Vine and see who shows? Thanks for the support everybody, and I hope to see you down there. I'm trying to work out some cool stuff, and, maybe, some free PBR. Oh, here's a shot of me flying a 1940s Cleveland Welding up near Oregon.
Ride on,
KlunkerBill

[Pain Freak]

Could of sworn I seen Willie Nelson in there....

Wow, that's a who's who of Original Mountain Bikers!

I met and rode with Mr Breeze, and also Gary Fisher, the others I've read about, and heard some really good stories.

I've got to show for this one. It'll feel just like a high school reunion for me. And I'll be hanging out with guys my own age for a change.

[klunkerbill]

If anybody wants to help promote the screening I'll give you all the posters and postcards you want. They're really cool, and there FREE. If you want to drop some off at your LBS, it would really help me out. Be sure to save one for yourself, bring it to the screening, and have all the guys sign it. One day your kids will put it on EBay and make a fortune, or at least the price of postage. You can get me throught the website www.klunkerz.com. Thanks for the support and have fun out on the trails.
Later,
B

[dirttorpeedo]

now bill we can argue aaallllllll day over PBR'S about hoo started mountain bikes and all.i dont owe them peeps anything,as my brother and i started mountain biking in azusa ca. when we where kids in the late sixties early seventies on single speed schwinn stingrays. oh ya i started the single speed craze too.thot you may wanna no.great rite up in the DECLINE mag tho. i will go see the movie! thats mr pain freak therd from the left.hahahahaha

[Innes]

I'll be there. Didn't this premiere up at the Sea Otter?

[klunkerbill]

Hey,
I didn't show the movie up there. I did a 'meet and greet' with Gary, Charlie, Alan, and a couple more of the guys at the HOSS Technical Gear booth. Those HOSS guys rock. Here's a pic from the trip. These are all the guys that lived in 32 Humbolt Ave in the Summer of 1976. That's when the the Klunker really became fully developed. They were building wheels with drum brakes and totally dialing in the parts mix. By the end, all whole gruppo they were using were pretty much transferred straight over to Gary and Charlie's MountainBikes Ritchey platform. Changes were minor, mostly having to do with the advent of alloy rims, so they abandoned drum brakes in favor of cantilever brakes (Mafacs). Mr. Sinyard used nearly the exact same parts spec for the first year StumpJumper (he used different brake levers, but they were Italian, too).

Ride on,
KlunkerBill

L to R:

Charlie Kelly, original VCT member, founder of the Repack Race, the first recorded downhill timetrial series for off-road "26 tire bikes, Gary's partner in the MountainBikes Company, founder of The Fat Tire Flyer magazine, the first mountain bike rag, etc.

Chris Lang, Repack regular (He was always racing in a suede, fringed vest), VCT member, race promoter, etc.

Alan Bonds, built up many of the early bikes in Marin. Pulled 50+ pre-war Schwinns from the Lengendary Wocus bike pile up in Oregon. His creations were highly-sought after, as he would re-spray the pre-war Schwinn frames and paint the Darts and Points and Rams Head details, just like the Schwinn factory did in the 30s. Alan hit all the Repack races and had consistantly good times, mostly in the Top-5.

Gary Fisher, Cat 1 racer, VCT member, Repack record holder, founder of the first mountain bike specific company, blah, blah blah.