Grant Petersen is one of the great souls in the world of bicycles. He's been called a retro-grouch but I've never actually found him to be grouchy. The retro label fits better but in an industry obsessed with faster, better, lighter and newer, a considered consideration of the notion that some old values might still have value is a welcome perspective. For years, at Bridgestone and more recently at Rivendell, Grant Petersen has provided that consideration and put products out into the world that he finds to be "simple, practical and proven."
And now Grant has expressed some of his thoughts and philosophies in a book called Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike
. The book isn't out yet but I've been a fan of Grant's writing and work for years so I'm anxiously awaiting the book's May 8th publication date. Until then, this brief except published in the Atlantic gives a good hint of what's to come.
. The book isn't out yet but I've been a fan of Grant's writing and work for years so I'm anxiously awaiting the book's May 8th publication date. Until then, this brief except published in the Atlantic gives a good hint of what's to come.
Keep 'em rolling,
Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA
Sounds like a good read,my friend-thanks for the heads up :)
ReplyDeleteThe Disabled Cyclist
Peterson reviews Petersen! I am looking forward to reading this book. I don't necessarily follow his advice, but I enjoy a read of GP.
ReplyDeleteThat was an interesting little bit of information. I think folks should ride, run, swim, jump rope, or dance because they like it. It seems like everyone is looking for the magic pill. the magic is doing what you love. Biking is fun for what it is biking, so in that way he is on track.
ReplyDeleteKent, if you're interested, I did a brief write up on an advance copy of this book. http://www.pushingthepedals.com/2012/02/new-trinkets-from-rivendell-and-a-bike-calendar/
ReplyDeleteI dunno. Some of it makes sense, but I'm never going to take sports dietary advice from a frame designer. Neither would I expect an exercise physiologist to be an expert in bike fitting.
ReplyDeleteI'll follow some of what he's espoused as I've read it before in publications that cites their sources and or their own research.
GP does neither.
Since when did common sense need a bibliography?
ReplyDeleteGrant's writings are a refreshing departure from the constant barrage of marketing nonsense the greater cycling industry heaps on us. I welcome his style, backed by 'science' or otherwise.
I was the Bridgestone fan back in the day with a RB-1, MB-Zip and MB-3 hanging in the garage.
ReplyDeleteI may not agree with everything, but I've always dug Grant's writing and style. Looking forward to the book.
I'll have to wait to read the entire book before passing final judgment, but in the excerpt I note that every statement he makes is compared to an extreme example - stretching is overrated because you can overstretch tendons if you touch your nose to your knees; biking is lousy overall exercise because racers fill all their hours with biking; if you eat as many carbs as a racer you will get fat. I don't even know what to think of his statement that racers are lean solely because of a genetic predisposition to leanness - how do you explain fat ex-athletes?
ReplyDeleteI think the excerpt was intentionally selected, if not written, to be provocative. They want to sell books after all. Controversy grabs attention and gets people interested.
ReplyDeleteAs for the repeated extreme examples, I think the conventional wisdom wrt sports is that if you aren't doing "it" to the extreme, then you're not a real enthusiast, you're not cool, don't bother or you'll embarrass yourself.
I think Grant's intention (like the Bike Snob's btw) is to show whom should really be embarrassed and make the other 92% of the bell curve feel more empowered and less self-conscious. Or, I could be wrong.
Reading from "Just Ride" this morning inspired a blog post and shopping trip! See: http://slowbike.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/the-bicycle-riddle/
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