Saturday, October 8, 2005

Number 25: Robert Rodale

The first in a series of profiles of the Top 25 change agents in American cycling.

Cyclists probably know about Bob Rodale through Rodale Press's Bicycling Magazine.

Rodale Press was started in 1942 by Bob's father, Jerome Irving Rodale, when he began publishing Organic Farming and Gardening. Rodale began publishing Prevention in the 50s. In 1951, Bob Rodale was named president of Rodale Press. Robert took over completely after his father's death in 1971.

Bob became fascinated with cycling in the early 70s and purchased Bicycling Magazine in 1977, building it into the world's largest cycling publication. He provided the land and financing for building the Trexlertown Velodrome (formerly the Lehigh County Velodrome). Bob Rodale was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1991, one year after he died in a car accident in Moscow.

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