Mountain bike

However, the weight and restricted range of gearing compared with a traditional triple chainring and rear derailler setup would seem to make it less suitable for cross-country riding. Even though some 47,000 US military personnel remain in Japan today, they are there at the invitation of the Japanese government under the terms of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan and not as an occupying force. This appears to be targeted at downhill and freeride bikes, where it has the advantage that there is no rear derailler that can be damaged by contact with rocks and other obstacles. The San Francisco Peace Treaty, signed on September 8, 1951, marked the end of the Allied occupation, and when it went into effect on April 28, 1952, Japan was once again an independent state (with the exception of Okinawa, which remained under US control until 1972). Mountain Bike Action magazine reported in October 2004 that Hayes would manufacture and sell a transmission based on the PeteSpeed design. In 1949, MacArthur rubber-stamped a sweeping change in the SCAP power structure that greatly increased the power of Japan's native rulers, and as his attention (and that of the White House) gradually diverted to the Korean War, the occupation began to draw to a close. Several companies are working on derailler based frame mounted transmissions, but the benefits of these are subject to much dispute. After a short period of Democratic Party administration, Yoshida returned in late 1948 and continued to serve as prime minister until 1954.

The German company of Rohloff also manufacture and supply a range of internal gearboxes (called the 'SpeedHub') to several bicycle manufacturers and initially also supplied Nicolai. Thereafter, the socialist party steadily declined in its electoral successes. Nicolai use a 'standard' mounting for the gearbox called the G-Boxx, which has also appeared on prototypes from Evil Bikes and Alutech. This divisiveness in conservative ranks gave a plurality to the Japan Socialist Party, which was allowed to form a cabinet, which lasted less than a year. Nicolai is currently one of the few manufacturers of internal gearbox bikes but other companies such as GT and Alutech have bikes near production. For the 1947 elections, anti-Yoshida forces left the Liberal Party and joined forces with the Progressive Party to establish the new Democratic Party (Minshuto). These internally geared bicycles are often also referred to as three-speed bicycles. The first postwar elections were held in 1946 (women were given the franchise for the first time), and the Liberal Party's vice president, Yoshida Shigeru (1878-1967), became prime minister.

With the gearing system protected from the elements and from impacts and the weight of the bike held low and central these offer significant advantages over conventional gear systems, particularly for extreme use. The old Seiyokai and Rikken Minseito came back as, respectively, the Liberal Party (Nihon Jiyuto) and the Japan Progressive Party (Nihon Shimpoto). Frame mounted gearboxes (generally hub gears adapted to fit) are starting to make an appearance in ultra high end mountain bikes. Left-wing organizations, such as the Japan Socialist Party and the Japan Communist Party, quickly reestablished themselves, as did various conservative parties. With no uphill pedaling to suffer through and the addition of adrenalin, mountain biking becomes fun for anyone. Political parties had begun to revive almost immediately after the occupation began. The great thing about the park is that anyone can rent a top-quality bike (like Kona Stabs and Norco A-lines) for $100 and ride the lift to the top for $30. Once Japan's wartime leaders were weeded out, a generation of junior officers was ready to take command of the country.

There are 40 or more trails, rated from very easy (blue) to very scary (double black diamond). While these other reforms were taking place, various military tribunals, most notably the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Ichigaya, were trying Japan's war criminals and sentencing many to death and imprisonment. The obvious example is Whistler Mountain Bike Park, which opens during the summer at the populars ski resort Whistler Blackcomb. The Japanese written system was drastically reorganized to give the Toyo Kanji, predecessor of today's Jōyō kanji, and grammar was greatly altered to reflect conversational usage. Another important trend is the emergence of bike parks with a lift to the top. The longstanding issue of restricting Kanji usage, which had been planned for decades but continuously opposed by more conservative elements, was also resolved during this time. Many experienced riders own rigid singlespeed bikes, finding the lack of complexity and the light weight to be attractive qualities. The Imperial Rescript on Education was repealed, and the Imperial University system reorganized.

These bikes are a celebration of the simplicity of the original mountain bikes of the 1970s at a time in which new innovations in suspension design and implementation are at the forefront of bicycle technology. During the occupation, Japan's secondary education system was changed to incorporate three-year junior high schools and senior high schools similar to those in the US: junior high became compulsory, but senior high remained optional. On the other end of the travel spectrum, rigid singlespeed mountain bikes have appeared on the market, including the Bianchi SASS, the Kona Unit, and to an extent, the KHS Solo-One. Before and during the war, Japanese education was based on the German system, with gymnasiums and universities to train students after primary school. Some of the latest trends in mountain bikes include long-travel mountain bikes such as the Santa Cruz V10, and the Specialized Demo 9. In February 1947, Japan's workers were ready to call a general strike, in an attempt to take over their factories; MacArthur warned that he would not allow such a strike to take place, and the unions eventually relented, making them lose face and effectively subduing them for the remainder of the occupation. This can be due to equipement failure or mis-judgement of behalf of the rider either way adrenaline flows. This turned out to be one of the greatest hurdles of the occupation, as communism had become increasingly popular among the poorer Japanese workers for several decades, and took advantage of Japan's recent left-leaning atmosphere.

Part of the thrill of this sport, besides the beauty of being in the country, is the risk of a spectacular wipe-out. Women gained the right to vote, and in April of that year, 14 million turned out for the election that gave Japan its first modern prime minister, Shigeru Yoshida.
. Shinto was abolished as a state religion, and Christianity reappeared in the open for the first time in decades. Popular tire manufacturers include Tioga, Maxxis, Michelin, Panaracer and Nokian. The new constitiution guaranteed basic freedoms and civil liberties, abolished nobility, and, perhaps most importantly, made the emperor the symbol of Japan, removing him from politics. Tubeless tires can also be run at lower air pressures which some claim to improve traction while increasing rolling resistance. In 1946, the Diet ratified a new Constitution of Japan which followed closely a 'model copy' prepared by the Occupational authorities, and was promulgated as an amendment to the old Prussian-style Meiji Constitution.

Tires and rims are available in either tubed or tubeless designs, with tubeless tyres recently (2004) gaining favor for their pinch flat resistance. Five million acres (20,000 km²) of land were taken out of the hands of nobles and given to the farmers who worked them. Among the styles are: slick street tires, street tires with a center ridge and outer tread, fully knobby, front-specific, rear-specific, and snow studded. The Allies dismantled Japan's zaibatsu: only their factories remained, in the hands of a wide array of corporations which eventually coalesced into what are now known as keiretsu. Manufacturers produce a wide variety of tread patterns to suit different needs. Even so, at $46.9 billion in 2003, Japan's defense budget is the second-largest in the world, at 5% of the worldwide total spend on defense. Wheels come in a variety of widths, ranging from standard rims suitable for use with tires in the 26 in x 1.90 in to 2.10 in (559 x 48 to 53 mm) size, to 2.35 and 3.00 in (60 and 76 mm) widths popular with freeride and downhill bicycles. Traditionally, Japan's military spending has been restricted to about 1% of its budget, though this is by popular practice, not law, and has fluctuated up and down from this figure (see Defense budget of Japan).

29 Inch wheels are for Cross Country only. However, within less than a decade, America was pressuring Japan to rebuild its army as a bulwark against Communism in Asia. 24 Inch wheels are used for dirt jumping bikes and sometimes on freeride bikes, rear wheel only, as this makes the bike more manoeverable. The initial intent of the "Peace Clause" was to prevent the country from ever becoming an aggresive military power again. Inch-sizes for bicycle wheels are not precise measurements - a 29 inch wheel is actually a 700 mm diameter wheel, which has a 622 mm (24.48 inch) bead seat diameter. Recently, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and other politicians have tried to repeal this clause. Most mountain bikes use 26 in (559 mm) wheels, though some models offer 24 or 29 in (520 or 622 mm) wheels. During the occupation, a "peace clause" was also included in the constitution that specifically forbade Japan from waging war; although the origins are unclear, both Allied and Japanese leaders apparently took part.

Disc brakes are produced by companies as varied as Avid, Hope, Shimano, Hayes and Magura. The national police force was dissolved and replaced by regional police forces. Hydraulic brakes move brake fluid through a hose or line to squeeze the pads together, while cheaper mechanical brakes pull one pad toward the other with standard brake cable, similar to V-brakes. Shortly after his arrival, MacArthur ordered that all Japanese personnel give up their katana and wakizashi: seven tons of swords were confiscated and sent to San Francisco. Although disc brakes are more expensive than rim brakes they need less maintenance: pads last longer and can be changed very easily. During 1947, BCOF began to decrease its activities in Japan and it was officially wound up in 1951. Their increased height keeps them out of puddles, and rotors don't get bent as easily as rims do. At its peak, the force numbered about 40,000 personnel.

Disc brakes offer improved stopping power and modulation over rim brakes. While US forces were responsible for overall military government, BCOF was responsible for supervising demilitarisation and the disposal of Japan's war industries.[1] BCOF was also responsible for occupation of several western prefectures and had its headquarters at Kure. All high level mountain bikes now feature disc brakes. The official British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF), comprised of Australian, British, Indian and New Zealand personnel, was deployed from February 21, 1946. It is now possible to have shocks tuned to individual rider's desires. By the end of 1945, more than 350,000 US personnel were stationed throughout Japan. Ironically, as shock manufacturers compete to have the latest 'pedal platform' technology four bar riders are pushed to the most expensive dampers on which it is possible to switch off the pedal platform! With the rise of more complicated shocks and a larger market share of full suspension bikes mountain bike suspension tuners have now arrived. While other Allied political and military leaders pushed for Hirohito to be tried as a war criminal, MacArthur resisted such calls, arguing that any such prosecution would be overwhelmingly unpopular with the Japanese people.

Many think the tried and trusted technology of the four bar linkage with a comparatively simple shock still offers the best performance. With the sanction of Japan's reigning monarch, MacArthur now had the ammunition he needed to begin the real work of the Occupation. However, these 'intelligent' shocks always have to compromise between their resistance to bob and performance with small bumps. The two men met for the first time on September 28; the photograph of the two together is one of the most famous in Japanese history. Other companies have followed Progressive's lead (mainly Manitou with it's SPV system based on the 5th Element and Fox's ProPedal which uses a shim stack rather than an air pressurized valve) and a revolution in suspension design is underway. Once the food network was in place, at a cost of up to US$1 million a day, MacArthur set out to win the support of Hirohito. Soon after the VPP was introduced, the creation of the Progressive Suspension 5th Element rear shock (based on Currnut's platform damper) near the beginning of the Millennium allowed riders to adjust almost any frame, regardless of design, to be pedaled without the pedal bob that plagued earlier designs. His first priority was to set up a food distribution network; following the collapse of the ruling government, and the wholesale destruction of most major cities, virtually everyone was starving.

The VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) system used by Santa Cruz and Intense, also claims to have reduced the problem of pedal bob. General MacArthur was technically supposed to defer to an advisory council set up by the Allied powers, but in practice did everything himself. It was this technology that enabled the Specialized Epic to become the very first full-suspension bike to ever win the World Cup. Allied (primarily American) forces supervised the country. The Brain shock, produced by Fox Racing Shocks, has an inertial valve that makes this possible. On September 2, Japan formally surrendered, signing the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, and the occupation began. This turns the bike into a fully-active full-suspension bike until the lack of additional bumps resets the frame to rigid mode. No Allied personnel were to eat the scarce Japanese food.

This makes the frame a hardtail until a bump comes from below. No Allied personnel were to assault Japanese people. Specialized, long an innovator in the bicycle industry, introduced the Specialized Epic, featuring the Brain(TM) shock. MacArthur himself arrived in Tokyo on August 30, and immediately set several laws: No Allied personnel were to fraternize with Japanese people. There are several different designs that have come to market with Fox, Manitou (whose SPV Evolve and Intrinsic forks are truly awesome), Rock Shox, and several smaller companies now in the fray. Other Allied personnel followed. A stable platform shock is the latest design to hit the market and reduces unwanted bob. They were followed by USS Missouri, whose accompanying vessels landed the 4th Marine Division on the southern coast of Kanagawa.

Almost all of the full suspension designs have been able to benefit from advances in new suspension technology. On August 28, 150 US personnel flew to Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, and became the first Allied forces to land on Japanese soil. It does not do well over small ripples or any kind of large bumps. Japanese officials left for Manila on August 19 to meet MacArthur and to be briefed on his plans for the occupation. The design is currently falling out of favor because it's main benefits - Simplicity and Firm pedaling can both be achieved with other designs with more, and possibly, better suspension. On V-J Day, Truman appointed General Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, to supervise the occupation of Japan. Soft tail designs are a variation of the origional Amp Research Mac-Strut design (technically a 3 bar suspesnion design). The Soviet Union would be responsible for North Korea, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands, while the United States and the British Empire would have the responsibility for Japan, South Korea, and Japan's remaining possessions in Oceania.

The Soft tail is one of the simplest designs introduced. At Potsdam, United States President Harry Truman, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee and Soviet leader Josef Stalin had agreed on how the Allied occupation of the Japanese Empire would be carried out. The Soft Tail - Which relys on the flexing of the rear triangle and a rear shock placed in line with the seat stays. It was V-J Day, the end of World War II, and the beginning of a long road to recovery for a shattered Japan. The VPP design can vary and designs from Intense, Santa Cruz, Iron Horse and Haro all exist. On the following day, Hirohito announced Japan's surrender on the radio. The VPP (or Virtual Pivot Point) is a linkage designed bike that is built to activate the suspension differently depending on what inputs the suspension has received. Japan surrendered to the Allies on August 14, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.

- Four Bar designs include Norco "VPS" bikes, almost all Specialized bikes, Ellsworth, KHS, Turner (although their new 06 Flux has lost the Horst link), and Ventana. . The importance of this one pivot is heavily debated with supporters on both sides of the debate. The occupation was satirised in the 1956 American film The Teahouse of the August Moon. A Faux Bar will be similar but will have a pivot above the drop out instead of in front of the drop out. The phrase "shikata ga nai", was commonly used in both Japanese and American press to encapsulate the Japanese public's resignation to the harsh conditions endured while under occupation. A 'true' Four Bar will have pivots behind the bottom bracket, one in front of the rear wheel drop out, and at the top of the Seatstays.

The Four Bar (and it's variant the Faux bar) use several linkage points to activate the shock. The simplest - the Single Pivot - which Cannondale, Santa Cruz, Mountain Cycle, and even cheap department store bikes still use. Several different full suspension designs are now well established in the marketplace. Technological advances have enabled these machines to be of similar weight and cost of high end hardtails of the mid 1990s.

For freeride and downhill even more suspension is the norm. The amount of travel on full suspension bikes has steadily increased with 100 now acceptable for XC race and up to 150mm on trail or enduro bikes. Specialized bought several of Leitner's patents in May 1998 and other manufacturers (ironically now including Nicolai himself) must now pay licence fees to Specialized for the use of the 'Horst Link' suspension design. It became the standard by which all other full suspension designs were judged for the next decade.

This bike was initially marketed under the AMP brand and a version came to the mass market as the Specialized FSR. In 1991, while working for AMP Research, (owned and run by another motorcycle racer named Horst Leitner) Karl Nicolai designed a bike that utilized the four bar linkage design and accepted a normal cantilever brake. A lightweight, powerful disc brake wasn't developed until the mid 1990s, and the disc brake used on the RS-1 was its downfall. Lawwill's design was hindered because it couldn't use traditional cantilever brakes and had to use disc brakes.

This design solved the twin problems of unwanted braking and pedaling input to the rear wheel, but the design wasn't flawless. It adapted the A-arm suspension design from sports car racing, and was arguably the first four bar linkage in mountain biking. His bike, the Gary Fisher RS-1, was released in 1990. One of the first successful full suspension bikes was designed by Mert Lawwill, a former motorcycle champion.

The problems of pedal bob and brake jack began to be solved in the early 1990s. When a rider hit the brakes, these early designs lost some of their ability to absorb bumps - and of course this happened in situations where the rear suspension was needed most. Input from hard braking efforts (known as brake jack) also negatively affected early full suspension designs. This movement was called pedal bob, kickback, or monkey motion and took power out of a rider's pedal stoke - especially during climbs up steep hills.

Early full suspension frames were heavy and tended to bounce up and down while a rider pedaled. "Full suspension" mountain bike technology has made great advances since first appearing in the early 90's. Well-known suspension fork manufacturers include Manitou, Marzocchi, Fox, Rock Shox, Pace and RST. Many riders still prefer to ride a hardtail frame, and almost all mountain bicycle riders use a suspension fork.

More aggressive suspension frames and forks made for downhill racing and freeriding have as much as 8 or 9 inches (200 or 230 mm) of suspension travel. Most suspension frames and forks have about 4 inches (100 mm) of suspension travel. Many lock out the rear suspension while the rider is pedaling hard or climbing, in order to improve pedaling efficiency. Newer suspension frame and fork designs have reduced weight, increased amount of suspension travel, and improved feel.

Soon after, some frame designers came out with a full suspension frame which gave riders a smoother ride throughout the ride. The first suspension forks had about 1½ to 2 inches (38 to 50 mm) of suspension travel. This made riding on rough terrain easier on a rider's arms. In the early 1990s, mountain bikes started to have front suspension forks.

In the past, mountain bikes had a rigid frame and a rigid fork. Many newer mountain bikes have a full suspension design. Newer mountain bikes have either 24 or 27 speeds, with 3 gears in the front and 8 or 9 gears at the rear wheel. Also, many riders are now jumping on mountain bicycles and taking on a more BMX style of riding.

Newer frames are better-designed, lighter, and stronger, with a geometry that allows for much more spirited riding over obstacles like logs, rocks, wooden bridges, and man-made ramps. Mountain biking has become more mainstream with riding styles becoming more aggressive. Until recently, mountain bicycles had road bicycle style frames and geometry. The first mass-produced mountain bikes were produced by Specialized and were configured with 18 gears.

Also, some of the parts on early production mountain bicycles were taken from the BMX bicycle. The handlebars were also different in that they were a straight, transverse-mounted handlebar, rather than the dropped, curved handlebars that are typically installed on road racing bicycles. The designs were basically road bicycle frames with a wider frame and fork to allow for a wider tire. Gary Fisher is normally credited with introducing the first purpose-built mountain bike in 1979.

It wasn't until the late 1970s and early 1980s that road bicycle companies started to manufacture mountain bicycles using high-tech lightweight materials. The sport originated in California [1]. These were called "repack races" and triggered the first innovations in mountain bike technology as well as the initial interest of the public. They would bomb (ride fast) down mountain fireroads causing the hub brake to burn the grease inside, requiring the riders to repack the bearings.

Riders used balloon tired beach cruisers and modified them with gears and motocross style handlebars. The earliest ancestors of modern mountain bikes were based around frames from road cruisers such as those made by Schwinn. At the time, there was no such thing as a mountain bike. Mountain biking started to evolve in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Designs vary to reflect the challenges of the different disciplines in mountain biking:. Mountain bikes can be classified into three categories based on suspension:. . In French a mountain bike is called a VTT (vélo tout-terrain: "all-terrain bicycle").

There are newer mountain bikes with either 24 or 27 speed derailleur gears. The larger wheels supposedly roll better over obstacles but this comes at the expense of less manoeuvrability and significant uptake is stymied by the limited selection of tyres and forks on offer. The bikes normally have 26 in (660 mm) wheels although since 2002, some models have been available with 29 in (737 mm) wheels. Some mountain bikes are also fitted with bar ends on the handlebars, but with a recent trend in riser handlebars (as opposed to a flat straight handlebar) fewer riders use bar end extensions.

In recent years front suspension has become the norm and full front and rear suspension is becoming increasingly common. Mountain bikes have fat, knobby tires for extra traction. In contrast, road bicycles aren't rugged enough for such terrain. A mountain bike, mountain bicycle or ATB (All Terrain Bicycle) is a bicycle designed for mountain biking, either on dirt trails or other unpaved environments.

They have slack head angles, short chainstays and low bottom brackets for good cornering and acceleration. They run a chainguide on front and gears on the back. these bikes are either full suspension with 3 to 4 inches of travel, or hardtails, and usually have quite strong frames. 4X racing is a new format, and there are curently bikes emerging to fit into that scene.

One of the more popular makers of singlespeeds is Surly. Often singlespeeds are fully rigid, steel-framed bikes. The gearing ratio depends totally on the terrain being ridden, the strength and skill of the rider, and the size of the bike (a 29er, a bike with 29" wheels, often requires a different gearing than a bike with standard 26" wheels). Most singlespeed riders choose to ride such bikes out of "a love of simplicity, elegance, and passion" (or just because they are masochists).

A singlespeed is just what it sounds like - a mountain bike with one gear. Single-speed Singlespeeding is as much a life style as it is a type of mountain bike. Tires on these bikes are usually fast-rolling, slick or semi-slicks. They are typically very strong bikes, with 3 to 6 in (75 to 150 mm) of front suspension, no rear suspension, and one to nine gears.

Dirt Jumping, Urban and Street Mountain Bikes lie somewhere in between a trials bike, a BMX bike and a freeride bike. Some people consider trials bike not to be truly mountain bikes. This makes maneuvering the bike much easier. These bikes are significantly lighter than almost all other mountain bikes, ranging from 15 to 25 pounds.

Some trials bikes have no seat at all, or a vestigial pad, as the rider spends all of his time out of the saddle. They typically have no suspension at all and only one gear, making them functionally more like an oversized BMX bike than a conventional mountain bike. Trials Mountain Bikes that are set up very specifically for the purpose of bicycle trials. The head angle can be as slack as 64 degrees.

The suspension is set up to sag at least 3 inches, making for incredible traction through bumpy corners. They are very strong (but not as strong as a freeride bike) and (because of typically large, high gears and long, soft travel) are suitable only for riding down dedicated downhill trails and race courses. However heavy they may seem, they are built as light as possible for racing. Downhill Mountain Bikes tend to be very heavy at over 40-50 pounds (18 to 23 kg) and have 8 in (200 mm) or more suspension travel.

Freeride bikes range in weight from the low 30 to upper 50 pounds. All frame angles are a bit steeper than a DH bike in order to make manoevering on narrow obstacles possible. Many freeride bikes more closely resemble downhill bikes and weigh as much, though they are usually designed to be easier to pedal than a downhill bike. They are designed to be able to cross distances (although not as quickly or efficiently as an XC bike, and with great effort on the part of the rider) and able to take on dangerous and technical downhill trails (though not as quickly or effectively as a specialist downhill bike).

They tend to have 7-8 in (170-200 mm) of travel, and are built from stronger, heavier materials. Freeride Mountain Bikes are a step up again (in suspension travel) from Enduro bikes. They are designed to be able to ascend and descend the mountains, integrating some of the lightweight climbing attributes of cross-country bikes and the strengths of downhill/freeride bikes. Enduro (or "All-Mountain") Bikes are generally heavier than XC bikes at between 30 and 35 pounds (14 to 16 kg), and have more suspension travel, between 100 and 150 mm of front and rear travel.

XC bikes can weigh as little as 20 pounds (9 kg), up to around 30 pounds (14 kg). This is achieved through the use of lightweight materials and suspension is typically provded by air shocks. Cross Country (XC) Mountain Bikes tend to have only a small amount of suspension (usually 80-100 mm) on the front and rear, and weigh comparatively little. Dual or Full suspension - front suspension fork and rear suspension integrated into the frame.

Fully Rigid - sub-type of hardtail, with a rigid fork. Hardtail - frame with no rear suspension, often has a front suspension fork.