In 2005, Jeff founded the Museum of Mountain Bike Art & Technology (MOMBAT), which is housed at First Flight Bicycles, his bicycle retail store in historic Downtown Statesville, NC. The shop has been honored with numerous local and national awards including being voted the #3 bike shop in America by the Active Times.
The museum collection exceeds that of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame with more than 400 vintage bikes and thousands of parts, accessories, and literature pages accumulated over the better part of three decades. The collection is augmented by the MOMBAT.org website that provides history and specifications of the bikes, plus photos and written details of other notable mountain bikes that have passed through the shop over the years. It is the most comprehensive collection of its type in the world and available to both the industry and the public at no charge. Due to popular demand when the museum opened, Jeff created a vintage-themed bike concept with the ability to use current components. After considering several defunct brands, he settled on Mountain Goat Cycles with the permission of Jeff Lindsay. The revived brand includes road, mountain, along with one-off custom models, often with the signature Mountain Goat paint schemes by Russ Pickett of AirArt. These bikes have found homes in Japan, England, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and all across the USA. Current bikes can also be outfitted with Mountain Goat bullmoose-type titanium or steel handlebars and high-quality, exclusive to MOMBAT, natural-colored skinwall tires made by Panaracer and Ritchey for an authentic vintage look.
Jeff is a significant contributor to mountain bike culture and keeper of its history, but in a way that is accessible to everyone. It is a gift that is unmatched by any individual or organization in the world of mountain biking. He is a true visionary with a mission.
