JBX1 First   Prototype bike,   curved fork blades with additional fork braces.  This was the very first   bike that was built specifically for the purpose and outfitted with all new   components.  Earlier bikes had been modified balloon tire bikes that   were not up to the stresses placed upon them.  This bike had been   purpose-built and used the best parts for each function whereas the earlier   bikes used whatever was "laying around the shop".   This   specific bike now resides in the Oakland Museum, #2 is in the Mountain Bike   Hall of Fame and #9 is in the Shimano Museum.

1976 and 1977 drawings:

JBX1 drawings (with and without labels):

1978-79

Series I (Ballooner II) Next 9 "production" bikes   that followed JBX1.  Still have the extra frame laterals.  9 of the   first 10 were nickel plated.  Built using straight gauge cro-moly   airplane tubing using the basic geometry from the Schwinn Excelsior   balloon-tire bike.   The complete bikes sold for $750 with pump,   water bottle, spare inner tube and repair kit.   The first bikes   had 22" seat tubes to accommodate the 180 mm seat posts of the   day.  The top tube sloped down to the 5 1/4" head tube which would   accept a standard Schwinn fork. 

Ballooner II spec sheets:

1980-81

Series II, before there were any   mountain bike specific parts.  Check out the French touring parts (TA   cranks, Mafac brakes), Italian parts (Cinelli stem, Campy quick releases,   seat post and headset), English Brooks saddle, Japanese drivetrain, and USA   hubs.  Imagine trying to pull all these parts together from all these   different sources.....must have been entertaining!  Series II loses the   frame laterals.

 Breezer page from the 1980   Trailmaster catalog:

Breezer spec pages from 1980 plus fork   crown drawing:

1982-83

Series III, the Breezer stem attaches to a   brazed-in stub in the fork (similar to the current Ahead stem).  The   forks were Reynolds steerer tubes and tandem blades with a Cunningham   designed tubular 4130 arch.  1983 is the first Year for the Shimano   Deore XT "deer head" components.  Frame sets (frame, fork and   stem) retails for $1,100 and they were distributed by MountainBikes (Gary   Fisher, Charlie Kelly) for a time.

Multi-maker bike review, including Breezer, from   March 1983:

1983 Spec Sheet:

One of two chrome plated Breezers.  Number 48   was full chrome while this one was partially painted.  Photos by Mush   Emmons:

1985

Joe Breeze interview from Mountain Biking for the   Adventure, June 1985:

"Descend with Conviction" ad from 1985:

1987

First year for American Breezer made   by American Bicycle Mfg. Corp in St. Cloud, MN.

November 1987 Bicycle magazine article with several   different mountain bikes including the American Breezer:

1987

American   Breezer aluminum   frame made by the American Bicycle Mfg. Corp. in St. Cloud, MN. Also   available with the Browning automatic transmission.

1988

American   Breezer, also   available with the Browning Automatic transmission.

1989

American Breezer with the new Shimano Deore   XT II group.

Experimental Breeze-built bike with a 78!! degree   head tube

 .

Kite Bike made for the December,   1989 through January, 1990 Braunstein-Quay Gallery, in San Francisco, show   called The Art of the Mountain Bike.

1990

American   Breezer available   with your choice of Shimano, Campy or Suntour drivetrain.  Magazine   lists aluminum fork??

February 1990 Breezer Road:

1991

First year   for the new Breezer models not made by American.  Moves to a full steel   line up as opposed to the American aluminum bikes.  Two Lightning models   with Shimano Deore XT parts.  The Lightning Flash is the higher end   fillet brazed frame made by Shitamori in Japan..  The Thunder and Storm   have a little less expensive components.  A model named Sky was sold in   Canada and England.  The bike used mainly LX components (one step below   the Storm) and never appeared in a Breezer catalog.

January 1991 Hite Rite ad:

1991 Breezer catalog, courtesy of Joe Breeze (PDF,   click below):

1992

Two   Lightning models with your choice of Shimano XTR or Suntour XC Pro with   Racing Geometry.  The Thunder and Storm have stouter tubing, longer   chain stays and higher bottom bracket.  A model named Sky was sold in   Canada and England.  The bike used mainly LX components (one step below   the Storm) and never appeared in a Breezer catalog.

August 1992 Mountain Bike Action magazine Thunder   review:

November 1992 Bicycle Guide Lightning review:

1992 catalog:

1993

New Cloud   9 model with Titanium bolt kit and super-light parts kit, bike weighs in at   20.9 pounds. The Lightning continues as the XTR equipped bike.  The   Softride Suspension stem is optional on all models including the Beamer which   features the Softride Beam rear suspension.  The Storm is now an LX   equipped "budget" bike.  There is a new Panoramic tandem bike   as well as the Venturi road bike with an Ultegra and Dura-Ace mix..    Clipless pedals (Shimano Deore XT SPD) show up on several models.

1993 Catalog:

1994

The   Lightning becomes more affordable with an XT mix of parts. Threadless forks   and stems with Dia Compe Aheadsets come on all bikes. The Beamer continues   with the Softride Beam rear suspension.  Grip Shift makes an appearance   on the Beamer and Jet Stream.  The Storm goes entry-level with a bunch   of STX parts.  The Venturi road bike continues.

1994 Breezer catalog: 

The sheets below describe the improvements made for   the 1994 model year:

1995

August 1995 Breezer Beamer Bike review:

1996