Sea Otter gallery, pt 7: Retro mountain bikes

<source media="(max-width: 320px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=160%2C208, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=320%2C416 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=480%2C624 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=640%2C832 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=190%2C247, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=380%2C494 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=570%2C741 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=692%2C900 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 425px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=215%2C279, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=430%2C559 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=645%2C838 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=692%2C900 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=295%2C383, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=590%2C767 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=693%2C900 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 992px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=136%2C176, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=272%2C353 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=408%2C530 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=544%2C707 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 993px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=155%2C201, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=310%2C403 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=465%2C604 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=45&resize=620%2C806 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="wp-image-153327 size-portrait_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-gallery-grid-src-image" src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e.jpg?quality=90&resize=556%2C723" width="556" height="723" data-crop-width="" data-crop-height="" alt="It's not just the latest bikes and components that show up at Sea Otter" title="retro_intro-1461352775059-1xqtwkhc92e9s-64d4c7e" style="width: auto; height: 100%;"> It’s not just the latest bikes and components that show up at Sea Otter Josh Patterson / Immediate Media

The Sea Otter Classic is generally a time for the bike companies to show-off their latest creations, but this year there were a fair number of vintage models on display as well. In such a technology-driven sport, it’s amazing to take a look in the rearview mirror to see just how far we’ve come in a few short decades.

Sea Otter Gallery – Part I : Long-travel 29ers, SRAM Eagle Sea Otter Gallery – Part II : Bells, big wheels & bacon Sea Otter Gallery – Part III : Ti hardtails and new wheels Sea Otter Gallery – Part IV : New road gear Sea Otter Gallery – Part V : Gravel and adventure bikes and gear Sea Otter Gallery – Part VI: Cool tools Rigid bikes, non-dropping seatposts and 26in wheels were the norm once upon a time. As were narrow handlebars and skinny tires.There’s plenty of innovation to reflect on, too. Ideas that didn’t make it very far — sometimes because they were really, really bad — and others that were just a bit too far ahead of the times. Take a walk down memory lane in this retro mountain bike gallery.

<source media="(max-width: 320px)" data-srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/Breezer_2-1461352123954-g9rizguu5dj8-1000-90-0eabf3b.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&resize=300%2C169, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/Breezer_2-1461352123954-g9rizguu5dj8-1000-90-0eabf3b.jpg?webp=true&quality=45&resize=600%2C337 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/Breezer_2-1461352123954-g9rizguu5dj8-1000-90-0eabf3b.jpg?webp=true&quality=45&resize=900%2C506 3x" type="image/webp"><source media="(max-width: 320px)" data-srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/Breezer_2-1461352123954-g9rizguu5dj8-1000-90-0eabf3b.jpg?quality=90&resize=300%2C169, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/Breezer_2-1461352123954-g9rizguu5dj8-1000-90-0eabf3b.jpg?quality=45&resize=600%2C337 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/Breezer_2-1461352123954-g9rizguu5dj8-1000-90-0eabf3b.jpg?quality=45&resize=900%2C506 3x" type="image/jpeg"> This particular breezer was built for fellow mountain bike pioneer charlie kelly. it’s on loan from the mountain bike hall of fame Classic mountain bikes stood out from the crowd of the latest carbon wünderbikes