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American businessman From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954 (age 69–70) |
| Occupation | bicycle designer |
| Years active | 1984-present |
| Notable work | Bridgestone XO series |
| Signature | |
| |
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]
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, Petersen is known for developing the popular XO series of bicycles.[5] Bridgestone ended its U.S. operations in the fall of 1994.[2]
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]
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]
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]
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