Brand: Shimano

This brand’s material: Scanned material - Shimano

Relates to: Shimano - the Deore XT story

Date: 1983

When I first got hold of this edition of Shimano World I thought it was just a piece of meaningless PR puff. But it’s grown on me, mainly because it so perfectly captures a key moment in derailleur history - the arrival of the mainstream mountain bike. Among the more notable features are:

1. •The statement on the front cover that goes: “Mountain Biking - It’s not a fad....”
   

2. •The reference in the page 1 contents list to Deore XT as “Shimano’s dynamic new components for performance touring”. So, not for mountains then...
   

3. •The surprisingly coherent interview with Gary Fisher (page 4) - before the rock-and-roll lifestyle took its toll.
   

4. •The two photos showing two different Deore XT rear derailleurs (page 9 and page 10). Check out the pulley cages - neither of which I remember seeing in the flesh.
   

5. •The prominence of BMX (and the idea, illustrated on the rear cover, that you can think you look cool in BMX gear, but your big sister knows you look a dork).
   

6. •As for “Harvie pops the question” (page 12) - all we can say is... don’t do it Susan, he looks like a big, happy, cuddly, fun-loving, bearded, maniac....