Being Gary Fisher: The Godfather of Mountain Bikes Tells the Story Behind the Sport

Very rarely do we have the chance to ask the inventor of something that changes the world what they were thinking. If you could talk lightbulbs with Thomas Edison, phones with Alexander Graham Bell, what would you say?

That’s the conversation we’re having today with Gary Fisher — a man widely credited with the invention and popularization of an entirely new idea that would one day grow to an olympic sport enjoyed by millions across the globe. 

In this expansive discussion about Gary’s new biography Being Gary Fisher, we cover Gary’s Bay Area California amateur road racing upbringing, his time organizing the Grateful Dead’s first shows, and what led him and a collection of free thinkers to leave the pavement behind to “ride bikes in the woods.” 

Learn about the evolution of the mountain bike, its trial-and-error development, and rise in popularity. We’ll also talk about how mountain biking evolved into an olympic sport, how Trek got involved, and reveal some of Gary’s favorite places to ride, reminiscing on some of Gary’s most iconic bikes along the way.