Two decades ago, mountain bikes ruled the road. Now, they’re a hidden cult. So where did it start going downhill for the craze that kept British cycling rolling? And could there be a way back up? Knobbly-tyre fan Andy Waterman reports:
The Tour de France is about to visit the UK amid an English-speaking cycling boom – much as it did 20 years ago. But, despite the success of Chris Boardman and Sean Yates back in 1994 – both of whom wore the leader’s yellow jersey during that year’s race – the boom then had little to do with road-cycling, and everything to do with the then-fashionably rugged mountain bike. From TV to Sunday supplements, mountain biking was the public face of cycling, and the coolest hobby of the year.
Two decades on, the wheels have turned: road-cycling is at its pinnacle, and the mountain bike is … More