Mountain biking began in California in the late seventies. The first mountain bikes were simply normal bikes toughened to withstand the rigours of off-road rides, and were probably used by hippies in search of unspoilt spaces.

The first significant MTB developments were made by Gary Fisher, Tom Ritchey and Joe Breeze, who lightened the frame, modified its geometry, and introduced specialised gears. The mountain bike craze spread throughout the United States and reached Europe in the eighties. In Italy, where the mountain bike was largely spurned, the Cinelli company had the foresight to launch the Rampichino model on the market in 1985. From then until the end of the century MTB sales rose to a point where they took more than two thirds of the market.

Mountain bikers often combine a love of nature and unspoilt habitats with a need for thrills. Mountain bikes come in many varieties, and are now popular in the cities. With disc brakes and shock absorbers on the forks (and sometimes the whole frame), they have little in common with early models.