The Great Mountain Biking Video 35th anniversary.
In honor of the 35th anniversary of “The Great Mountain Biking Video,” we edited this short video together with outtake clips never seen in the original video.
35 Years Ago
In 1987 we buckled into our toeclips and rode up and down the local San Diego mountains to introduce the world to the sport of Mountain Biking. As passionate mountain bikers and video producers, we decided to produce a video that would introduce the world to the new sport of mountain biking. Consequently, we hired a helicopter from which Director of Photography videotaped riders on the slopes of Mission Trails as well as the Cleveland National Forest. Additionally, we participated in a few local mountain bike races in Carlsbad and Big Bear Lake. And we recorded interviews with top pro riders John Tomac, Julia Ingersoll, Ned Overend, Tinker Juarez, Martha Kennedy and local Cycling Olympian John Howard.
DP Mark Schulze innovated the first mountain-biking helmet cam. Schulze stripped-down a red motorcycle helmet. He then jury-rigged a mounting for the first consumer color video chip camera. Schulze ran a cable from the camera to a padded backpack containing a Panasonic VHS portable video recorder. Added to that was a DC-lead-acid battery for power, making the rig heavy, unwieldy, and hot. He wore this rig during a Carlsbad race in 1988, at Mammoth Mountain Kamikaze and the Cindy Whitehead Desert Classic in Palm Springs.
Reviews
At the time, Billboard Magazine called “The Great Mountain Biking Video” “A fine introduction to the exciting world of mountain biking… Anyone interested in taking up this activity is advised to view this program beforehand.”
Video Choice Magazine said: “This energetic and enthusiastic video extols the thrills – and spills – of old-fashioned buddy biking. While it shows races, trials, and other competitive and professional events of daredevil proportions, its main message and appeal is the pleasure of pedaling along in the wilderness away from cars and air pollution.”
We wanted to show viewers that although the sport can be challenging, the rewards are incredible. Because you can ride your mountain bike into the far reaches of Nature. There you can get away from traffic, away from the kinds of distractions that can wear a person down, emotionally.
VHS Distribution
The VHS Distribution of this tape around-the-world met with success. We sold thousands of units via distributors including Baker & Taylor, K-Mart, Sears, Publishers Clearing House and others. Many mountain bikers had VHS libraries. And they had to have this tape.
