After Schwinn and Huffy, Ross produced most of the USA’s bicycles during the 50s and 60s. It was founded in 1940 by a gentleman named Sherwood Ross and enjoyed burgeoning growth galvanizing US ships at the Brooklyn Navy Yards. After the war Ross turned to the manufacture of wheeled goods such as roller skates, wheel chairs, lawn mowers and bicycles. Their range included children’s bikes, dragsters and road bikes — but their early mountain bikes, or klunkers, were especially popular.
Whether you fondly remember mountain biking’s ‘good ol’ days’, or are young enough to think all that ‘retro stuff’ is cool again, these klunkers evoke a youthful, optimistic and adventurous spirit. This Ross klunker has been lovingly renovated by Chouchin Cycles, an ‘old mtb web shop’ that’s based in Japan. The Sakae CR crankset and Suntour parts are original, sympathetically updated with NOS plastic OGK wheels, MKS pedals and GT stem.
Ross Bicycles eventually went broke, unable to compete with the mass-produced bikes pouring into the States from the Far East, although the brand is still owned by a parent company. Given the current resurgence of interest in classic bikes, both here and in Japan, maybe it’s time to resurrect a fondly remembered name and employ some American labor? I’d love one in my garage.
