Evening Lectures - Pensacola

Grant Petersen

THE TALK: Evolution, Slump, and Comeback

May 20, 2015

Abstract

I’ll talk about how wheels came to bicycles, about the early bikes, about
the first boom and what caused it…about what led to the 73-year
slump between 1897 and 1970, and who and what lead to the rebirth/
comeback after that…

Biography

Grant Petersen is a 1954 model human and is a well-known figure
in the world of bikes as an independent thinker, and a good bicycle
designer, and founder of Rivendell Bicycle Works.

Grant worked for Bridgestone Cycle for ten years where he designed
the XO series of bicycles. In 1994, he founded the Rivendell Bicycle
Works, and has been there ever since. Grant is known to be suspect of
race-born bicycle technology, and is generally opposed to complicated
design and slavish prioritization of speed, light-weight and racing-led
fashion — over tradition, comfort and durability. Rivendell 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 practical handlebars.

A reformed racer who’s commuted by bike every day since 1980,
Petersen’s writings and opinions appear in major bicycling and outdoor
magazines. Grant Petersen shares a lifetime of unexpected facts,
controversial opinions, expert techniques, and his own maverick
philosophy. He has written four books, the most recent ones being “Just
Ride: A Radically Practical Guide To Riding Your Bike” and his newest
book is the recently released “Eat Bacon, Don’t Jog.” Grant lives in
California with his wife of 28 years, and has two daughters in college.

lecture sponsors

Dr. Roger Orth with Gastroenterology Associates

Clark Partington Hart