Customer Reviews

Klunkerz - A Film about the Development and Birth of Mountain Bikes

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KLUNKERZ is like a riding down a mountain itself... it's thrilling, it teaches you a few lessons and it's a breath of fresh air. If you've ever wanted to know how mountain biking got its humble beginnings, then this is a film that you must see. Many people think that it began with a group of wayward, weed-smoking hippies in Marin, but this is not entirely the case. Guys like Gary Fisher and Tom Ritchey were dedicated athletes who had the vision and the adventurous spirit to create bikes that could handle off-road terrain and they created their bikes with style. The film has a lovely pastiche of characters, who in their own words, describe the genesis behind what is now a multi-billion dollar industry. With archival footage from the early days up at Mount Tam to the fascinating recollections of some of these early bicycle pioneers, KLUNKERZ is a must have for anyone's library.

Hats off to Billy Savage. The way he put this documentary together required ingenuity, lots of hard work, a good many deals, extensive searching, some travel, and probably a few feet of duct tape. As we watch the movie, we become aware this is very similar to the approach of the mountain bike pioneers. Because of the unslick, unpolished--yet very professional--style of this documentary we are somehow brought to how it must have been at the time. I cannot think of a better way to have presented the information.

I was a journalist in England observing the mountain biking boom in the 1980s, and later made my career in the sport. Although I've talked personally to many of the pioneers, Savage's film filled-in many gaps in my knowledge, and he answers one big question that lingered for decades (watch the film to see what it is).

This has to be regarded as the authoritative history of the origins of the mountain bike. Billy Savage interviews all the key players and builds a consensus through discourses that are both entertaining and very candid.

Nostalgia is abundant in the film, but not by design, and it's not a rose-tinted look at those years. Klunkerz manages to capture some of the zeitgeist that spawned the the excitement and determination of this group of unlikely world-changers.

I've spoken to several of the people interviewed in the film about its authenticity. They agree that it's a very accurate and comprehensive portrayal of events surrounding the creation of the mountain bike. Who could ask for a stronger recommendation that that? So watch, listen, learn and be entertained. This is essential viewing for anybody with an interest in mountain bikes or cycling culture.

Friday, January 30, 2009 we attended the Competitor Magazine Film Festival in Encinitas, CA. It was an all-day sensory treat and loads of fun.

One film that really stood out is "Klunkerz," which documents the origins of the mountain bike and the sport of mountain biking. The story of a how a bunch of colorful characters reinvented the sport of cycling is truly riveting and extremely entertaining. The filmmaker, Billie Savage, completely immersed himself in this project and went to great lengths to secure original photos and film from the 70s and to track down and interview everyone who was part of the scene. There are also some wonderful reenactments, plus a fun use of comic strips, cartoons, and other interesting visual effects which help to bring the whole story to life. Trust me, there are multiple nuances to "the invention story" which will come as surprise and revelation to even the most veteran cyclists and historians of the sport.

What stands out most, though, are the people themselves, some of whom became famous and household names, and others - equally important - who had otherwise been resigned to the dustbin of history. Until now.

What's so impressive and engaging about every one of these people is that they are just as colorful, just as animated, and just as excited now as they were 35 years ago. Their very spirit is refreshing and contagious. Kudos to Savage for the untold time and effort he put into this film. Thank you to all the people - from Tom Ritchey to Joe Breeze, from Charlie Kelly to Gary Fisher, from Alan Bonds to Otis Guy, from Wende Cragg to Charlie Cunningham, from the Barrow Dirt Club to Velo Club Tamalpais, and many, many more - for what they created for all of us in the 70s and for how they opened up their hearts and souls for this film!

Even if you - horrors! - don't even cycle off-road, you will enjoy this film. Please do yourself a favor and order it now!

- Chris Kostman, http://www.XO-1.org

I enthusiastically recommend this DVD on a number of levels.
I probably rate as your average mountain biker but this movie entertained, inspired and educated me a great deal. The history is fascinating and takes you back to simpler times when ingenuity flourished amongst friends just looking to have a good time. The narrative, footage and interviews weave together into a fantastic story and I was glued from start to finish. The bonus material is great too. If you want to get fired up to get back out on the trails, be inspired to fan the flames of your own passions whatever they may be, check out this film. You'll be glad you did.

This is a wonderful film that captures the culture and personalities that engendered the sport. It does a great job of presenting the grit and verve of the various individuals and factions that created the sport. Even if you think you know what went into the birth of mountain biking in Marin, I guarantee you'll come away with a deeper, fresh understanding of the people and technologies that gave birth the sport.

A must-see movie for mountain bikers! Different sellers sell it through Amazon.com, but I strongly recommend Pumelo Pictures from Billy Savage, he's the writer/producer/director of the film. Let's support the indie moviemakers!

This film is very important (and funny) and will always be relevant to people who are both mountain bikers and road bikers.

It's important that the origin's of the sport were chonicled and as time goes on, the images of these pioneers will become even more endeering to enthusiasts as; like Kitty-Hawk to aviators. This production permanntly archives the rapidly deteerorting super 8 film that was sitting in a box in some forgotten storage unit.
Billions of people bike and hundres of million of people use mountain bikes and at some point everyone asks - "when did people start biking over steep hills?" and "did road biking come first or the mountain bike come first?" Now we have the answers to these questions.

On that note, the film's producer did a magnificent job capturing not only the rare footage, but the humor and the atmosphere of the 70's. What's not to like?

Bravo!

After watching this fabulous, informative and fun documentary, I am ordering 10 copies to give to my cycling friends for Christmas presents. Thanks guys, great job.

This is an excellent story about the first people to find ways to ride bikes on mountains, long before the purpose built instruments of today. It chronicles the ideas, rituals, and progress through the people that were there. Everyone who enjoys dirt at human powered speed should see this to know the personalities and lifestyle that created it.

An engaging description of the invention and early days of off road biking on specialized homebuilt bikes in Marin County, California. Full of colorful characters.