Grant Petersen

Grant Petersen is a bicycle designer, author, and the founder and owner of Rivendell Bicycle Works.[1] He was U.S. marketing director for Bridgestone Cycle (U.S.A.), Inc. during the 1980s and 1990s, where he designed the XO series of bicycles.[1][2][3][4][5] He is known for promoting traditional bicycle technology and materials such as wide tires, fenders, leather saddles, and lugged steel frames with relaxed geometry over modern, lightweight, racing technology.[3][5]

Grant Petersen
Born1954 (age 68–69)
Occupationbicycle designer
Years active1984-present
Notable workBridgestone XO series
Signature
Grant Petersen

Early life

Born in 1954,[5] Petersen grew up near Berkeley, California.[3] He raced bicycles in his 20's, and at the apex of his career edged out fellow racer and Olympian Norman Alvis at the Mt. Diablo hill climb in 1982.[2][4] He worked for a time at the Berkeley REI.[4]

Bridgestone

In 1984, Petersen began working for the U.S. bicycle division of Bridgestone Tires in San Leandro, California[4] in data entry and customer support.[3] He later became a marketing director and product manager[6] and in the early 1990s promoted the development of fat-tired road bikes inspired by emerging mountain bike designs.[3] From his time at Bridgestone, Peterson is known for developing the popular XO series of bicycles.[5] Bridgestone ended its U.S. operations in the fall of 1994.[2]

Rivendell Bicycle Works

In 1994 after leaving Bridgestone, Petersen turned down job offers from bike companies, Specialized and Trek,[4] to found Rivendell Bicycle Works out of his garage.[1][3][5] There, he continued to hone his ideals of traditional, high-quality, all-around bicycle designs.[3]

Author

Petersen has been a contributor to major bicycling and outdoors magazines and has written four books.[5] The first, Roads to Ride - A Bicyclist's Topographic Guide to Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin Counties, written in collaboration with Mary Anderson, his future wife,[4] was published in 1984[7] (the dedication reads "Dedicated to B.F. Skinner - who must be the most misunderstood person of all time - and Bob Dylan. It's the least I can do and the only thing I can think of.") The second, Roads to Ride South - a Bicyclist's Topographic guide to San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, with John Kluge, was published in 1985.[8] The third was titled Just Ride and was published in 2012.[6] The fourth was titled Eat Bacon, Don't Jog and was published in 2014.[9]

Personal life

Petersen is a regular bike commuter to his shop located in Walnut Creek, California. He married Mary Anderson in 1985 and has two daughters, Kate and Anna.[5]

References
  1. Black, Forbes (18 August 2008). "An Interview with Grant Petersen". Cycloculture. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. Boulanger, Gary (19 July 2007). "Grant Petersen: Rivendell Bicycle Works". BikeRadar. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  3. Yarnell, Kolby (July 2012). "Biking's Philosopher Crank". Men's Journal. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. Boulanger, Gary (8 September 2015). "5 Reasons Why He's Grant Petersen And You're Not". Bike Mag. TEN: The Enthusiast Network. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. "Grant Petersen - THE TALK: Evolution, Slump, and Comeback". IHMC. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  6. Boulanger, Gary (2 July 2012). "Book Review: 'Just Ride' by Grant Petersen". Bicycle Times. Archived from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  7. "Roads to ride : a bicyclist's topographic guide to Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties". WorldCat. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  8. "Roads to ride South : a bicyclist's topographic guide to San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties". WorldCat. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  9. Boulanger, Gary J. (8 December 2014). "Drinks With: author Grant Petersen". Bicycle Times. Rotating Mass Media. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
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