Cruisers, Clunkers and the Origins of the Off-Road Bike

Charlie Kelly hauling denim down Repackโ€™s Camera Corner, late 1976, on his 50-pound modified Schwinn Excelsior. Notice the safety gear โ€“ knee pads, elbow pads, leather gloves and boots โ€“ sans helmet. A pickup truck parade that includes a pink 1953 Chevy leaves the last outpost of civilization โ€“ the leafy, hippie oasis that is Fairfax โ€“ heading up into the hills, with 50-pound bicycles and two chronometers โ€ฆ To Repack. The Repack trail drops 1,300 feet in 2.1 miles down the east side of Pine Mountain. At the top is an open ridge with views of Mt. Tamalpais, Marin, the San Francisco Bay, and the blue sky beyond. Fred Wolf and Charlie Kelly started the race down Repack, on Oct. 21, 1976, to be precise.

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