Pearl Pass Tour 1980

Ibis, one of my favorite bike companies of all time, is celebrating 30 years in business. As part of the celebration, they've been posting company history on their website - killer website, by the way - with a 30/30/30 feature. As in 30 years, 30 days, 30 stories.

Scot Nicol, founder of Ibis, was there at the birth of mountain biking, along with the other famous folk who kicked this whole knobby tire shindig off. Ibis the company, has also been there from the beginning, and chronicles the history of the sport itself.

Ibis featured this video as part of their 30/30/30 feature and I couldn't help but to repost it. Being an old school mountain biker myself (since '84), I get a huge kick out of the bikes and vibe of this look back. Crested Butte to Aspen via Pearl Pass would be considered an epic ride even today, never mind on the equipment featured here.

With that introduction, sit back and enjoy. Watching that old school wheelie in the beginning of the video, made my whole day. Guy juggling on his bike, right after wheelie dude flies by, is Scot Nicol himself...

Mount second reel for Part II...

In a lot ways, mountain biking hasn't changed much since 1980. Sure - some of the innocence has been lost, the bikes are light years nicer, there's less tube socks and beards involved - but when you're out with a bunch of friends bombing through the woods - it's exactly the same. The camaraderie, the thrills 'N' spills, being outside, exerting yourself on climbs, grinning like an idiot on the descents.

Doesn't matter if it's 1980 or 2011. And that is still freaking cool, no matter what the era.