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THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN DOWNHILL BICYCLING AND GRAVITY ASSISTED BICYCLING?
Since the advent of the bicycle the scintillation of downhill coasting has inspired many cyclists to write, and less often sing, about the joy of their ride. Unfortunately one has to be in a high place to participate in such adventure. Over time bicyclists began to take advantage of their motoring friends to get a lift to a high place. In 1982 Bob Kiger looked up at Maui's Haleakala Volcano (The House of the Sun to Hawaiians) and decided that bicycles should be to Haleakala - as skis were to Aspen! With that simple connection he designed the world's first downhill bicycle enterprise which he called CRUISER BOB'S HALEAKALA DOWNHILL. Downhill bicycle touring grew in the next decade to be a ten million dollar per year industry on Maui alone. Other routes began to spring up around the world. During his round the world bike trips Bob witnessed downhill tours in New Zealand, Bali, Crete. & Costa Rica. He has knowledge of many more. We hope to catalog them on these pages in the future. Over the years, mountain bicycling increased in popularity as more people became capable bicyclists. These people want more than a simple downhill tour, they want to use the power of "gravity" for more than fun and leisure. Using gravity assistance cyclists can travel great distance, pedaling over other mountains if necessary, on the way to their chosen destination. A classic route is the Raj Path in Nepal. One can either begin in Katmandu (a 7,500' vertical assist) and ride to India or reverse the trip, as Cruiser Bob did, and climb. Most people, given the choice would choose the downhill direction. That is the marketing engine that powers "gravity assisted bicycling." A worldwide industry is now building around that simple concept. Haleakala Volcano on the island of Maui still reigns supreme as the number one downhill venue in the world. There are other contenders and soon we will publish an electronic catalog of reputable sites. There are also many ski slopes now offering trail rides in the Summer. They will be included in a separate category. (Please bear in mind that there are inherent risks in any bicycle adventure especially when there is a significant vertical descent. Don't do any gravity assisted bicycle adventuring unless you are prepared to take responsibility for your own bike riding performance, your equipment and the ever present risks along the way) Cruiser Bob's faced many lawsuits in the early days before gravity assisted bicycling became a common place activity, thereby blazing the trail for the industry that was to come. Two of Bob's concepts is a downhill bicycle commuter transport service for the Santa Monica Mountains (which separate Beverly Hills & West LA from the San Fernando Valley). He has also designed a comprehensive bicycle touring route through Oceanside and North County - San Diego, which he is now coordinating with the construction of the New Sprinter Train line. Kiger is actively seeking speaking engagements to muster support for his train/bike strategic plan. (home) Bob Kiger
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