I got an e-mail today from Billy. He made a cool movie that I am a big fan of. Seems this past weekend was the 35th anniversary of the Repack downhill. Damn, we have come pretty far in just 35 years. I would love to see some more pictures from this event, but he just sent over one…
I hope all is well in your world. Last weekend was the 35th anniversary of the first Repack race. A bunch of us went up there and had a grand old time. Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly, Alan Bonds and some other local luminaries made their way up that old goat track. Seemed like every Ranger in Marin was up there. I rode (crashed) a nice ’39 Schwinn. The good news is the bike’s okay!
UPDATE: Ask and you shall receive! Billy just sent over some more pictures…
Joe pulled out Breezer #1 from the Oakland Museum. Here it is in his garage before we headed up the hill. He didn't ride it, since he's packing it up for installation into The Smithsonian. He did ride Breezer #4 on the ride. That bike was made for the Queen of Klunking, Wende Cragg. That had the more typical nickel plating. Only #1 had the blue paint and truss rod fork.
This was my ride, a 1939 Schwinn DX built up by Alan Bonds
Here's Wende's bike at the start line of Repack. Joe rode this one down the hill with reckless abandon.
A very early 'MountainBikes/Ritchey' that was restored as a replica of Charlie Kelly's old bike. Charlie was visibly impressed by the attention to detail.
A very early Koski Pro-Cruiser from the 78-79 period owned by Fat Tire Trading Poster Chris Ioakimedes
Some of the folks at the top of the hill.
Even the Rangers were taking pictures and asking for autographs. They might have let us slide a bit on the 15MPH speed limit. I said 'might'.
About Dirty biker
I am a fan of singletrack, singlespeeds, single women and single malt.
Bisbee, AZ -
Follow on Instagram @dirty_biker
…dirty b…so you know savage billy, huh ???…great guy…
…i hadda miss that event ‘cuz a work but when i look at that lineup foto, i recognize most of those characters as old friends…
…talked to joe breeze & marc vendetti (larkspur canyon gang) on tuesday when our paths crossed on road rides…
…good a time as any to mention it but i’ve been riding once a week for months now with the very cool chris chance, he of the original fat city/fat chance mtb bikes…he’s been kinda keeping it on the lowdown but he lives here in marin now…
I wonder how many folks were actually riding coaster brakes, since that’s where the term ‘repack’ came from. You burned the coasters out so bad that all the grease burned off and you had to repack them before the next run or you woundn’t have brakes.
Either way, those guys are hardcore, love it.
This is a pretty cool link of the original time keeping notebook among other things.
i remember seeing a tv segment about Klunkers and the repack trail as a kid and being totally inspired. i never imagined my life on dirt that would follow. excellent post, thank you!!
I did…or I stole the one that has me eating it, the rest I took. Hollister did, very selflessly, shoot most all of us and the cool bikes up there that day.
Ride on,
Billy
I think I rode that on a freshly greased Morrow coaster brake 30something years ago.The stuff everyone used was some brand of high-temp wheel bearing grease. No matter, though, as it was smoking at the bottom, with melted grease spots on the inside of the rim. Only did it once, then got a MountainBikes Ritchey.
Klunkerz…GREAT FLICK!
…dirty b…so you know savage billy, huh ???…great guy…
…i hadda miss that event ‘cuz a work but when i look at that lineup foto, i recognize most of those characters as old friends…
…talked to joe breeze & marc vendetti (larkspur canyon gang) on tuesday when our paths crossed on road rides…
…good a time as any to mention it but i’ve been riding once a week for months now with the very cool chris chance, he of the original fat city/fat chance mtb bikes…he’s been kinda keeping it on the lowdown but he lives here in marin now…
who stole Hollister’s pics?
http://www.f88me.com/showthread.php?t=32008
I wonder how many folks were actually riding coaster brakes, since that’s where the term ‘repack’ came from. You burned the coasters out so bad that all the grease burned off and you had to repack them before the next run or you woundn’t have brakes.
Either way, those guys are hardcore, love it.
This is a pretty cool link of the original time keeping notebook among other things.
http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/repack_results.htm
Brooks B72, the greatest saddle ever made.
i remember seeing a tv segment about Klunkers and the repack trail as a kid and being totally inspired. i never imagined my life on dirt that would follow. excellent post, thank you!!
Indysolar,
Here is the video you saw so long ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVWP6VaLtvw
“who stole Hollister’s pics?”
I did…or I stole the one that has me eating it, the rest I took. Hollister did, very selflessly, shoot most all of us and the cool bikes up there that day.
Ride on,
Billy
I think I rode that on a freshly greased Morrow coaster brake 30something years ago.The stuff everyone used was some brand of high-temp wheel bearing grease. No matter, though, as it was smoking at the bottom, with melted grease spots on the inside of the rim. Only did it once, then got a MountainBikes Ritchey.