Rocky Mountain Bicycles had its beginnings in the basement of a Vancouver bike store called West Point Cycles. It was in 1978 when two men began modifying Nishiki road bikes by adding wider tires, straight handlebars and internal five-speed gears. Their aim was to create a bicycle that could be ridden and raced on the technical trails of the West Coast. Rocky Mountain Bicycles Ltd. was officially incorporated in 1981, with Grayson Bain serving as president until 1997. In 1982, working with frame designer Tom Ritchey, the company introduced its first production mountain bike - the "Sherpa".
