ROCKY MOUNTAIN HI!

JOIN US AS WE TAKE A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF ONE OF CANADA’S OLDEST MOUNTAIN BIKE COMPANIES: ROCKY MOUNTAIN BICYCLES.

WORDS BY HAILEY ELISE

PICTURES BY MARK MACKAY

Rocky Mountain Bicycles is unquestionably one of the world’s original mountain bike manufacturers – 2016 sees the 35-year anniversary of the company, which takes us all the way back to the heady days of 1981. The company has helped design the mountain bike we know today – it was pretty influential in the North Shore scene, it was the first to sponsor freeriders – hucksters without a specific remit to win stuff – and is continually trying to push the boundaries of current bike technology.

Located on Vancouver’s North Shore, at the base of Mount Fromme, Rocky Mountain Bicycles Development Center sits in the bike industry mecca of this particular corner of British Columbia, where its employees plan, design and live bikes. This location serves not only as the brain of the company, but also as a museum. Frames from years gone by line the entrance, showcasing in a short walk how much has changed, and the riders who have borne the Rocky Mountain brand.

Rocky Mountain’s employees sit in full view of this wallmounted history museum, a continuous reminder of the lengthy journey that the company has travelled. Marketing and design teams all rise to their respective challenges in a hushed room adjoining the factory, muted conversations creating an atmosphere of hard work that aims to push Rocky Mountain’s reach and innovation into the future.