Submitted by Dan Koeppel
WHY SHOULD BOB ROLL BE IN THE MOUNTAIN BIKE HALL OF FAME? Well, the difficulty I had in figuring out what category he belongs in is the first clue. Bob has had two careers in the world of off-road cycling
world: as a professional racer - and as a storyteller. I’ve chosen racing, because that’s where Bob started, and that’s what gave him entrée into telling people about his experiences - and explaining our sport.
And Bob does explain our sport. One of the main reasons I say that is because of his tenacity. Bob never won a major race, but he competed - hard - for eight years, from 1992 until 1999. The key to that is his longevity. Bob kept sponsorship - made a living at this incredibly non-financially rewarding game - because he loved riding, loved racing, and most of all, loved his fans. They returned that love, year after year, and Bob was able to continue.
Bob isn’t an easy character to figure out. He never played the All-American Superstar game, never was a Prima Donna, never held himself out to be better than any of the folks who watched him, who rode with him, who were his friends. He was so much the "everyman" that many people forget just how difficult it is to stay competitive, even if you’re not on the podium. (For the record, in 1995, he did ascend that podium at the Spokane Norba national as the fifth American. That he completed that race on a Softride Beam bike is reason enough for him to go into every hall of fame on earth.)
Now, I’m not certain if achievements as a road cyclist should always count for the mountain bike hall of fame, but in Bob’s case, they do. Prior to his off-road career, he was a successful road racer. He began in 1981, went to Europe in 1985, and
competed - for team 7-Eleven, Motorola, and Z - in four Tours de France. He was the first American bike racer to compete in both a Tour de France and a mountain bike world cup.
Just in case you’re not buying the road argument, remember that Bob raced in seven Paris-Roubaix events. A Graham Watson photograph of Bob, nearly skidding of the pave, is still the only photograph of a road race ever to grace to cover of Mountain Bike magazine. If you have that issue (June, 1997), go look at it - and try not to vote for him. That’s a mountain biker in that lycra!
Finally, there’s Bob’s contributions as a writer. I’ve had the pleasure of editing his work from time to time, and I’m always amazed at the genius, poetry, and energy of his prose. He’s not always the most oganized author, but he’s got a true understanding of why people ride bikes - why people love bikes; that indicates a deep self-knowledge, I think, that is an important clue toward explaining his longevity.
So, pro mountain biker? Road racer? Author? Television commentator? Roofer? Man with the most interesting sideburns on earth? Bob Roll defies categorization - but he inspires respect and affection. Please select him
