Hancock, MA - May 23, 2008 -  The 2008 Kenda BikeFest presented by Dirt Rag Magazine announced today that an official screening of the classic mountain biking movie KLUNKERZ will kick off the Festival's buffed up schedule of activities on Friday, July 25th.

KLUNKERZ traces the birth of mountain biking - featuring archival footage and interviews with the pioneers of off-road riding who built their bikes - the so-called klunkers of the title - from scavenged frames and parts they adapted to the demands of what was then an entirely new cycling discipline.

Adding to the evening's special flavor will be a special guest appearance by film cast member and contributor, the mountain biking legend Charlie Kelly.  Kelly, one of the "Originals" of Marin, is one the sport's elder statesman and is credited with being the creator and promoter of the legendary Repack Time Trial Races down Pine Mountain, with creating the first magazine, The Fat Tire Flyer, devoted to mountain biking, and with starting a little bike company with his buddy Gary (Fisher).

Filmmaker Billy Savage says, "I'm thrilled that Dirt Rag and the Kenda BikeFest have decided to screen KLUNKERZ at this year's festival. Both Dirt Rag and the Kenda BikeFest are focused on the grass-roots of the sport, and that's what KLUNKERZ is all about."

When asked about screening Klunkerz, Festival co-founder Bruce Fina responded, "As Billy says, the film embodies the spirit of the mountain biking's roots, the same spirit that the Festival carries on today." Fina continued, "The entire atmosphere of our event is a throwback to the early days of mountain biking when the sport was as more about the rendezvous than a race. "

Savage added, "It's amazing what the kids are doing these days on the big travel machines, but that's a pretty small part of the whole thing. I made KLUNKERZ as a little bit of counter-cultural programming to all that stuff. In the beginning it was all about getting together with friends and having some fun out in the woods. That's the essence of what motivated the pioneers of the sport, and I wanted to share that with the audience."

For more complete information about the Kenda BikeFest presented by Dirt Rag visit the festival website at www.bicyclefest.com.

The 14th annual Kenda BikeFest, presented by Dirt Rag will be held July 25th - 27th in Hancock, MA. Set in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains, this non-competitive cycling event offers three days of camping and outdoor activities for cyclists of all ages, skill levels and styles. The Festival also features live music, outdoor movies, kid's activities, food, bike expo and family fun.  For more information visit www.bicyclefest.com.

Kenda USA is the proud Title sponsor of the Kenda BikeFest, presented by Dirt Rag.  Kenda is a leading manufacturer of bicycle, motorcycle, industrial, and trailer tires.  Since the inception of the company in 1962, Kenda has operated on core values of honesty, innovation, quality, and customer service.   For the past forty years, Kenda has continued to develop and expand its product selections to meet changing market demands.  For more information about Kenda visit www.kendausa.com.