Before the term 'hybrid bike' took on all the connotations of a mediocre bike that does nothing well (just one step above the more dreaded 'comfort' bike), hybrids of the late 80's into early 90's were more interesting machines, and while never top of the line bikes, they were capable bikes. The XO series could loosely be defined as a 'hybrid' bike. But the XO series, only offered from 1992 through 1994, was possibly the best, and definitely the most individualistic of the bunch, and that was all due to Grant. Sure, Bridgestone USA offered the more 'typical' bikes of the time period, meaning road bikes and mountain bikes, with a few token city/utility bikes thrown in. From the accounts that I've read, there was a constant tug-of-war between Grant in the Bay Area and the Bridgestone heads in Tokyo who would rather have a more 'typical' bike company.

Grant is best known nowadays as the majordomo of Rivendell, but Bridgestone was where he 'cut his teeth' in the bike world, so to speak, and became known to the bicycle nerd public.īeing the 'head' of the American wing of a Japanese company was a weird thing, and weirder for someone with the individualistic and idiosyncratic tendencies of Petersen. (It's hard for us Americans to wrap our heads around this multi-disciplinary manufacturing concept, but Panasonic went even further: manufacturing electronics like TVs and stereos alongside bicycles and bicycle tires.) And Bridgestone USA was headed from the 1984 to 1994 by none other than King Of All Retro-Grouches, Grant Petersen. There are several bikes on that list that intrigue me but what's possibly at the top of the list (besides a Raleigh Portage or Tamarack*) would be the Bridgestone XO series.įor those of you not in the know, Bridgestone is a Japanese company mostly known for car tires, but they were/are a bicycle manufacturer too. So I'm usually thinking more along the lines of vintage, especially since there is so much out there. While getting a nice new bike, whether production or custom, would be cool at some point, I don't have that kind of cash. But like a lot of people that go 'bike crazy', I have this list in the back of my head of bicycles I would grab if the opportunity arises.

Bridgestone xo 1 bicycle