Grant Petersen

Grant Petersen is a bicycle designer and the founder 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.

Petersen is widely known in the cycling community for opposing complicated design and slavish prioritization of speed, light weight and racing-led fashion — over tradition, comfort and durability. The company specializes in bicycles intended for all sorts of riding outside of competition. In addition to lugged steel frames, signatures of this trend have included leather saddles, downtube or bar-end shifters in place of brifters, and the use of "moustache" and "cruiser" type handlebars.^[2]

Additionally, Petersen has authored four books. The first, Roads to Ride - A Bicyclist's Topographic Guide to Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin Counties, written with Mary Anderson, was published in 1984 (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. The third was titled Just Ride and was published in 2012. The fourth was titled Eat Bacon, Don't Jog and was published in 2014.