In 1978, aluminum fat-tire rims became available from Ukai, which coincided with his desire to build his first aluminum bicycle. Having borrowed one of the existing 45 pound paper boy bike based clunkers he recognized the potential of the fat tires, but didn’t like their handling qualities, weight and funky brakes. He figured his first aluminim bike may as well have fat tires. Typical of everything Charlie does, his first mountain bike, completed in 1979, was an obsessively comprehensive mechanical statement. It brought everything together that he knew about the requirements for the best offroad bicycle performance with the most advanced materials and component designs. The same year he road tripped with his new bike to Crested Butte with Scot Nicol, Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly, Wendy Craigg and Alan Bonds.    His hand-made 23-lb aluminum “ballooner” featuring relatively short wheelbase and steep angles, sloped top tube, hand-made brakes, extra wide sealed bearing hubs, aluminum seatpost quick release, magnesium stem, titanium chainguard, toe clips and custom curved drop handlebars drew plenty of stares.  After test rides, three locals ordered their own on the spot, and a new career opened up for this soft-spoken rebel without a car.