The evolution of the GATORBLADE FORK // paul brodie's shop

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#gatorblade #fork #history #fussyframebuilder

[GreggMax]

I liked hearing about the fork flopper. Fatigue can be a killer and it's not something a cottage-industry shop can really analyze, so testing is really the only way. "Safety Third" is OK in your own shop but when you're putting out a product for sale it's another world. Good on you for running the flopper!

[Paddington]

Thank you Paul and Mitch for an interesting exploration of bike front ends.

[RReese]

During one of my previous lives I used to write about motorcycles, mostly dirt bikes and motocross. And one day I was at Saddleback Park here in Southern California hanging out with the Honda factory motocross team. That was quite a time because that was when Bob Hannah and David Bailey were on the team and they basically owned the pro racing scene; nobody could touch them. I think Danny Chandler and Johnny O’Mara were also on the team at the same time. The team was basically unbeatable.

In one of the HRC box trucks where all the work was being done, John Rosensteil worked on David’s bikes and Keith McCarty worked on Bob’s. They were the top dogs when it came to the wrenches. Jim Felt was Johnny’s mechanic.

And way in the back was Paul Turner, who I think was Danny’s mechanic. I don’t think anybody paid much attention to him, because he didn’t have quite the same level of fame and attention that John R and Keith had. They were stars in their own right as much as the riders they worked for.

But Paul Turner - who knew? He changed mountain bikes and mountain biking with something that could’ve very easily been just another late 1980s product fad if it had been half-baked. Paul also had excellent marketing and rider sponsorships that made his forks into a desirable brand name that everybody wanted or wanted to copy.

Thanks for the great video and helping me bring back some memories out of cold storage. 🙂

[howardosborne]

I remember that era of the late 80s and early 90s very well.
It was a very exciting time to be into mountain bikes as the innovation and new development curve was really steep back then with new ideas coming thick and fast.

[thinkpadBentnoseTheBlind]

This was a video that i was hoping for for a very long time. thank you so much Paul and Mitch ! Cheers from Nova Scotia !

[jaydoubleu]

I think I still have a set of the final version Gatorblades at my mother's home in Vancouver. The Catalyst it came on is still ridden as a commuter by a friend's son in Austria, but with a suspension fork now. Also at my mom's is the Climbmax that I used when I first got into mountainbiking.

[mcsweeneys]

had a pair of Gatorblade V3 Forks on my Bike in 1991. I loved them a lot, they looked and rode awesome, did win lots of races on them too. In 1992 i had to ride Marzocchis due Sponsorship. My Gatorblades went onto a friends bike years later, a 1991 Rocky Mountain Titanium after the OG Manitou Forks seized up solid. He still has that Bike.

[TimPtak]

Hey! Great to see you guys got the t-shirts, it looks great, thanks for the plug!
As always very interesting episode, listening to your tales of trial and error is fascinating, thanks for sharing.
Good luck on the Salt!

[cpbremote]

Still riding my gator blade! Although it is on a Cannondale frame now. Thanks for the history Paul.

[amc_sounds]

Welcome to the bicycle business - IT'S GREAT!

That's a meme right there 😉

[timvoss]

Paul, so great to see you going back in your memories and even sharing it with your fans is so great! Seeing the old fotos of your team in front of Beckwithroad is staggering, as i got the same from June 1991, takin over my Sovereign incl. the Gatorblade. Paul, could you us more Detail aboit how you produced the #3 Gatorbaldes?

Health and all the best!

Greets Tim

[WireWeHere]

My romax, serial number 390, was originally purchased by my friend Al who was always looking to buy his next great something better or at least something else so I placed dibbs on Al's brodie romax. It wasn't long before Al's romax followed me home.
I have the stock forks and a set of Gator Blades too.
My romax has been great fun and still looks as good as new from 20 feet with only a few scratches from its 30 plus years.

[tomthompson]

Looking great . Its amazing how much detail goes into something we take for granted, like the radius thats soldered in just to look great . Also nice to be able to look back in the old diary and see what was going on at the time, Ive 40 years worth of diaries too, as Za za gabour said, always keep a diary and one day your diary will keep you.

[jared]

Always a pleasure to receive a history lesson from Mr. Brodie, keep it up and be well!

[hahnrossman]

I would love more detail of the bolted connection. Thanks for the history lesson

[carlmace]

Superb video Paul and Mitch. Super interesting history.

[davidwalters]

Per usual, I love the history and tech you present! The development of parts is amazing! Really trial and error type stuff there! Glad your still going strong!

[shawnpedersen]

Excellent story, Paul. Thanks for sharing. Man what a business haha

[sarkisbenliyan]

Mr. Brodie. What an amazing story. Especially the bit at Interbike...what Drama!!! Looking now I'm much rather have a gatorblade than an rs-1. I had a Syncros powerlite for a short while as an object of desire, which was also very very nice... but the Gatorblade just had the better stance. The true classics survive!

[ccbproductsmulti-bendaustr]

Always a great watch Paul 👌
Cheers Chris