While heading Bridgestone's US bicycle division, Petersen was able to express and evangelize his passions for traditional good designs. A passion that had been fed by old world cycling traditions from Europe and spread with the bike boom of the 1970's. But was endangered by the marketing and flash culture surrounding the rise of the mountain bike. Petersen was able to use Bridgestone's massive production capacity to make inexpensive, high quality bikes that were aimed at a market that valued long term use as well as performance. So the Bridgestone team took the inherent advantages of the steel frame, mated them with well thought out components and produced bikes that supported longer rides, greater comfort, durability, everyday use and of course style without sacrificing performance. They looked back at the Fin de Siecle bike boom and promoted the classic aesthetics of that period. The bikes, which had always been nice now began to look nicer, riders had the opportunity to sport Bridgestone manufactured classic wool jerseys with nut buttoned shoulders and classic looks.