| Like any real culture or movement, mountain biking is in | | | | wear a certain type of clothes, and behave in a certain |
| a constant state of change. The pioneers had an | | | | fashion. Every year more and more female riders are |
| independent spirit, who built bikes first because they | | | | capturing a larger share of the professional racing. |
| road them. By the end of the 1980s a new breed of | | | | They have truly proven themselves as capable of |
| high-performance technical sportsman was on the rise, | | | | high-speed competition as the men. |
| and the original riders and builders faded into the | | | | And while these racers remained influential, the bike |
| background. | | | | companies themselves have also begun to question, |
| This wave of mountain bike fanatics were themselves | | | | whether spending big bucks and racing teams is |
| elbowed aside in the early 90s. When mountain biking | | | | actually attracting new consumers to the sport, or |
| became an extreme sport with the growth of downhill | | | | whether there is a better way to spend their |
| speed racing and extreme off-roading. | | | | marketing dollars. |
| Today's mountain bike racers work predominantly on | | | | The explosion in mountain biking has also given birth to |
| two levels, as fitness gurus and pop idols. Interviews | | | | a huge number of publications. In the US there are a |
| with top mountain bikers will often include questions | | | | number of monthly off-road magazines, not to mention |
| about their favourite music and choice in clothing over | | | | those published in Europe and Asia. These publications |
| the type of bike they ride or their favourite downhill | | | | have become hugely influential for the industry, with |
| spot. Professional racers have to look a certain way, | | | | advertising at a premium. |