MOMBAT:Bruiser Bikes History

Click links below to view the Bruiser bikes in our collection:

1981 Bruiser

Bruiser appears to be one of a couple handfuls of places that made bikes in the early day of mountain biking. Many of them made a couple dozen frames, very little literature and faded into obscurity. That makes the frames pretty rare and difficult to research.

Ira Hughes, of Ira's Bike Shop, and Glen Odell, president of NORBA from 1983-1986, set up Coast Cycling Specialties and began designing components.. In January 1980, they decided to make some mountain bike frames which were welded by a local guy in Grover City (now Grover Beach), John McGill. One of Ira's friend's, Rick Hoser, worked for McGill and was doing the painting. The rear stays were bent by Voris Dixon who had been bending handlebars for Schwinn bikes. Each Campagnolo drop out was then hand fitted to the stays. The earlier models used an Atom drum brake which was modified by Chris King to accept sealed bearings and Phil Wood axle bolts. A second generation of frames was to be built by a second builder but by this time the Japanese were getting into bike building which made it harder for small custom builders to compete on price. Only 4 or 5 second generation frames were produced including one with 24" wheels.

1981