The Evolution Of Mountain Biking

The code admonishes Whistler Mountain Biking to maintain a level of control and speed, stay on designated trails, and respect private property, but mostly to "Observe the practice of minimum-impact bicycling by taking only pictures and memories and leaving only waffle prints."

''It's like being a little kid again,'' exclaims Michael Gagnon as he jumps over rocks and maneuvers through the late autumn brush and across a thick blanket of leaves covering the ground at Sally Mulligan Park in Beverly, Mass., north of Boston. ''You can ride over anything if you can balance the bike,'' contends Mr. Gagnon, a bicycle enthusiast who regularly cycles through the local woods.

His vehicle is known by many names, but be it mountain bike, all-terrain bike, city bike, or fat-tired bike, experts agree that this new breed of two-wheeler is revolutionizing the bicycle industry.

''The all-terrain bike is here to stay,'' says Jim Fremont, information director at the Bicycle Federation of America. ''Every domestic bicycle manufacturer has a line of mountain bikes on the market today. This is definitely not a fad.''

Some people, however, wish these off-road bicycles were a passing fad. Controversy has surfaced in California and Colorado particularly, as these bikers flock to public lands previously dominated by hikers and equestrians.

Environmentalists voice concern over erosion caused by bicycle use on trails. Hikers and equestrians talk of bikers racing down hillsides at speeds up to 40 m.p.h., injuring themselves, colliding with hikers, and scaring horses.

Efforts are under way to organize and promote safety and courtesy. The National Off-Road Bicycle Association, a 4,000-member organization supporting off-road bicycling, is promoting an ''off-road code for mountain biking'' that encourages bikers to be courteous and cautious.

In just 10 years the mountain bike has evolved from a crude, custom-made hybrid owned by a select few to a mass-produced commodity with steadily increasing popularity. In northern California's Marin County, pioneers such as Gary Fisher, Tom Richey, and Joe Breeze began building the predecessors of today's mass-produced mountain bikes. These serious bikers wanted a rugged bike that could withstand the heavy wear and tear of off-road cycling on the local trails and mountains of the California coast.

''We brought high-tech to off-road bicycling,'' says Mr. Fisher. Today's mountain bike is reminiscent of the old newspaper delivery boy's two-wheeler of 30 years ago - before the sleek European-style racing bikes came into fashion.

Mountain Biking