[Rumpfy]

Klunkerz
94 minutes, 2006
Sun. Oct 8, 6:30PM, Sequoia
KLUN08S
Mon. Oct 9, 9:00PM, Throckmorton
KLUN09T
http://www.mvff.com

This fast-moving documentary traces the Marin County roots and global rise of mountain biking, a gonzo sport long favored by fearless iconoclasts. An outgrowth of the Bay Area's late-'60s-early-'70s hippy counterculture, mountain biking got its start right in MVFF's backyard. Pot-smoking adrenaline junkies from Mill Valley, Larkspur and surrounding towns took their pre-World War II bicycles-known as "klunkerz" due to their fat tires-to the top of Mt. Tamalpais, then hurled themselves down dirt paths, risking life and limb in search of a killer high. People formed amateur bike leagues and tricked-out their two-wheelers with junkyard finds; spectacular wipe-outs made local guys national legends, and this mud-splattered hobby became an international craze and Olympic sport. Archival footage, rare photos and interviews with klunkerz trailblazers merge in this terrific film that races downhill toward mountain-bike bliss. - S. Jenkins

Directors: Billy Savage
Producers: Billy Savage
Screenwriters: Billy Savage, Jeffrey Abelson
Cinematographers: Glenn Evans
Editors: Jeffrey Abelson
Print Source: Pumelo Pictures
5700 Wilshire Blvd.
Ste. 355
Los Angeles, CA, 90036
Tel: 323.393.5710

PRECEDED BY:

Russian Hill Roulette
Director: Frank Yeean Chan
US 2006 6 MINS An urban bicycle warrior scales San Francisco's steepest grades at breakneck speed until...

 

[scant]

will this ever be released on DVD?:idea:

 

[scooterendo]

Klunkerz

Hey All,
Thanks for the support. I hope to see some of you there in Mill Valley. BTW it's Klunkerz with a 'z', if you're trying to find the website. Thanks to all the legends who made this film
possible.
Ride on

 

[CJones]

Any idea when it will be available as a DVD?

Looks great and can't wait to watch it. I loved Joe Kid on a Stingray. Thanks!

 

[Gregg K]

Repack!

I dearly wish I lived back down there just so I could see this with everybody.

I'd like even more to turn back the clock and live it again. Maybe not- bikes are so cool these days.

 

[Strike the primer]

Awesome.

Is there any hucking or log rides in the film?

 

[Repack Rider]

More video

I don't know whether this has been posted before, but in keeping with the theme of this thread, this clip turned up on YouTube.

The first few frames ("BTU RULES") identify the riders as members of the Berkeley Trailers Union, and the first bike shown, a Lawwill-Knight ProCruiser, dates it around 1980.

 

[Gregg K]

Thanks Repack Rider!


I just got off the phone with an old friend. He told me to ask you about 1983. He was the mechanic in Gary's shop. When everyone went to Repack, he had to stay and work. He recalls that it rained so hard that someone's bike was literally swept away when they crossed a raging creek at the bottom of the ride. And everyone was sick for a month after that ride.

For brevity's sake, I won't turn this into a blog. But god, I just lost half my morning to nostalgia.

 

[Repack Rider]

This would be a title if I could think of one

I just got off the phone with an old friend. He told me to ask you about 1983. He was the mechanic in Gary's shop. When everyone went to Repack, he had to stay and work. He recalls that it rained so hard that someone's bike was literally swept away when they crossed a raging creek at the bottom of the ride. And everyone was sick for a month after that ride.

The 1983 Repack race was the first ever sanctioned downhill mountain bike event in the world. The1984 race, the last "official" race, was the second.

The 30th anniversary of the first race is coming up next month, and I think I'll get out the old clocks and head up there, see who turns up.

 

[Fillet-brazed]

Charlie, whats the date on that?

 

[Repack Rider]

Charlie, whats the date on that?

I didn't know off the top of my head, but I knew who would.

Joe Breeze said October 21, and he mentioned something about 10:00 a.m.

 

[Evil4bc]

Russ Mayhon and the SkidTown crew just stopped by the shop and picked up the bike we built for them .

If your going to the premier look for Russ and Keven with there new SKIDTOWN frames .. Biggest and badest headbadges in the industry and there frames are 29'er compatible too !!!

 

[Repack Rider]

Now that I have seen the film, I still don't know whether it is good, great, or superlative, but anything with me in it can't be bad. Perhaps another MTBR member will give us an objective opinion.

The film and the party afterward were attended by Fisher, Breeze, Ritchey, Sinyard, Charlie Cunningham, Jacquie Phelan, Otis Guy, Alan Bonds, Wende Cragg, the Morrow Dirt Club, the Larkspur Canyon Gang, one member of the Berkeley Trailers Union and a lot of other people who must have put on weight, because I didn't recognize them. That's a pretty good crowd to get arguing about stuff, especially if the booze is free and the fatties are burning in back of the building.

Sadly missing was Professor John Finley Scott, the mountain bike pioneer of all pioneers and a great friend, recently murdered in his home.

 

[Rumpfy]

The film and the party afterward were attended by Fisher, Breeze, Ritchey, Sinyard, Charlie Cunningham, Jacquie Phelan, Otis Guy, Alan Bonds, Wende Cragg, the Morrow Dirt Club, the Larkspur Canyon Gang, one member of the Berkeley Trailers Union and a lot of other people who must have put on weight, because I didn't recognize them. That's a pretty good crowd to get arguing about stuff, especially if the booze is free and the fatties are burning in back of the building.

Sounds pretty epic...

I had to quote some of that.

 

[Bigwheel]

That's a pretty good crowd to get arguing about stuff, especially if the booze is free and the fatties are burning in back of the building.

So you were lighting the fat folks on fire using the free booze or what:madmax:

Sadly missing was Professor John Finley Scott, the mountain bike pioneer of all pioneers and a great friend, recently murdered in his home.

I hadn't heard that, what a dam shame.

 

[Repack Rider]

Here's the review.

 

[Rumpfy]

Here's the review.

Nice! Thats a great review. :thumbsup:

All of mtb's youth should take the time to watch this film.

 

[ssmike]

Caught the premier...

Was one of the last ones in after waiting in the Rush line for last minute tickets. Got the front row treatment, but wouldn't have missed it.

I was really impressed that there was that much film of the very early days. I thought it would be all photos in a "Ken Burns" fade-in style. I'd seen a lot of the photos, but watching actual film from then was a real treat. It ended kind of abruptly, but in retrospect, what Joe was saying was appropriate. I'd really like to watch it again and again just to get more that I probably missed on the first pass. I really enjoyed the story of finding the Morrow DC riders after all this time. Their interview was pretty cool with subtle humor coming out. It looked like everyone involved had a lot of fun doing it - that was very evident. There was also a very evident theme that was ever-present - smokeables

And there was a photo of what looked like one of Fillet-Brazed's bikes (camo Timber Comp) in the film too!

 

[CJones]

Will this be realeased on DVD and if so when?

Nothing about it on the website.
Sounds awesome -- would love to see it!

 

[Repack Rider]

Due to overwhelming demand, a third showing has been added to the festival, in Marin's largest single house, the Rafael Theater in San Rafael.

Time is 9:45 p.m. on Saturday the 14th. Call the Mill Valley Film Festival for tickets.