Speaking Outline

1. Attention Getter: Draw mental picture of mountain biking (MB) for audience.
2. Ask listeners about their biking experience.
3. Introduce self and personal experience with MB.
4. I will discuss MB: overview, history, bikes, types, courses.

1. Overview of MB = extreme, recreational, in between.
   1. “Mountain biking is a form of cycling on off-road or unpaved surfaces such as mountain trails and dirt roads; the biker uses a bicycle with a sturdy frame and fat tires.” (ABC-of-Mountain Biking)
   2. Bikes = wide tires, tough tread, straight/wide handlebars, rugged/light frames, 18 to 24+ gears.
      1. Go where other bikes won’t (backcountry roads, fields, forests, hills).
      2. In 2009, MB bikes = 28 percent of bikes sold in United States. Factor in comfort bikes and sales jump to 40 percent of all bikes. (National Bicycle Dealers Association)

2. History of MB
   1. [Show photo of GF] Gary Fisher, one of the founders of MB
   2. The Original Mountain Bike Book authors Rob Van der Plas and Charles Kelly (with Fisher) founded MB in Marin County, CA, in early 1970s.
   1. Adventure of racing down Mount Tamalpais [Tam*el*pie*us] in Corte Madera, CA.
   2. [Show photo] No special bikes; used modified one-speed Schwinn Cruiser.
   3. Sport grows in popularity
      1. Mid-1970s: more bikers racing downhill on “fat tire” bikes.
      2. Repack Downhill Race on Mt. Tam (1976–1979) attracted many participants and put sport on map. (London 2012 Olympics Web site)
      3. Standardized production of bikes begins in 1982. (The Original Mountain Bike Book)

3. Form and function of mountain bikes (compare to road bikes) [Show photos]
   1. Mountain bikes tackle rough ground. Road bikes stay on smooth surfaces.
   2. Mountain bikes have wide tires / tough tread. Road bikes have thin tires and lightweight frames.
   3. Mountain bikes have cushioned seats. Road bikes have hard seats.
   4. Mountain bikes have versatile gears. Road bikes have higher gears.
   5. Mountain bikes have great front shock-absorbing suspension systems. Road bikes don’t need this.
   6. Mountain bikes have flat handlebars for safety. Road bikes have drop handlebars.

4. IV.Types of MB [Show photos]
   1. Downhill
      1. Daredevil sport (slide down hills, top speeds, jumps)
      2. Shuttle up the mountain, then speed down “chewing up” obstacles (Trails.com)
      3. Compare to skiing
      4. Special bike: heavy with fewer gears
   2. Trails
      1. Hop and jump over obstacles (cars, rocks, logs)
      2. Object: don’t put foot on ground
      3. Done by time
      4. Special bike: small wheels and smaller frame
   3. Cross-country (my sport)
      1. Most common type
      2. Became Olympic sport in 1996
      3. Creative courses: hills, valleys, rough terrain, easy terrain
      4. Competition like marathon; recreational for health and enjoyment
      5. 5. Special bikes: XC (lightweight, full or partial suspension) and trail/marathon XC (heavier, full suspension)

4. Courses
   1. McKenzie River Trail, Eugene, OR: old-growth forest
   2. UT: canyons and mesas of Moab
   3. TX: desert courses in south and flats/mountains in west/north
   4. CO: Breckenridge and Fruita
   5. Also great courses in NY; VT; NC; PR; Ketchum, ID; Downieville, CA

1. Quite a tour!
2. Looked at overview of MB and history of sport. Learned about forms and functions of bikes, types of mountain biking, various courses.
3. To me, MB is perfect sport: physical, spiritual, social.
4. If you bike, ride fast, drive hard, leave blood on trails!