Bill Gasper's passion for cycling began in his youth, when he rode with the turn of the century racing club, the South Chicago Wheelman, and included his riding in the 1938 Olympic trails.

As a teen, Bill worked for Silver Cup Bakery and then the Gary Steel Mills, always knowing that he would some day own his own bike store. He and his father-in-law, Richard Nacke, laid the block and built the building for his first store in the early 1950's.

The store, Pint Size, opened in the Hessville section of Hammond, as a toy store with bikes and hobbies. In 1966, he opened his second store, Ridge Cyclery, in Highland, becoming one of the top selling Schwinn dealerships in the country. Together in 1965, Bill and Trudy started the Calumet Wheelmen, one of the first and largest cycling clubs in NW Indiana.

Bill cycled across the USA twice and together he and his wife traveled and rode their bicycles throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and including more than 20 countries around the world. One of his favorite trips was cycling from San Diego to Savanna, GA.

Bill was a long time supporter of many cycling organizations, was instrumental initiating interest in the first bike paths in northwest Indiana and enjoyed serving as past VP of Chicago area Bicycle Dealers Assn. and American Youth Hostels.

In May of 1976, a shy kid named Jeff, rode his Campus Green Schwinn Varsity bike to Ridge Cyclery to ask for a job. He was immediately hired for $1.00 an hour. By August, he was making he was making $1:50 and thought he made the big time.

Then, in early September, his father was killed in a 17 car accident. Heartbroken, lost for direction, Bill Gasper took him in as his adopted son. Bill, never had a son, immediately started teaching his new son all of the bicycle knowledge he had learned in his prior years.

To finish his bicycle education, Bill made Jeff ride his bike from Italy to Sweden in 4 weeks. A trip that Bill and Trudy had done many times before. This trip was completely map out by Bill and was checked out by Bill's relatives in Europe. And, today, Ridge Cyclery still has the original maps, youth hostiles, and hotels in their archives in this adventure of a lifetime.

In the fall of 1987, Bill asked Jeff if he would be interested in buying Ridge Cyclery. Of course Jeff said yes and a simple hand shake sealed the deal. So, after a few months of getting all the final details hammered out, Jeff officially began Ridge Cyclery's next generation on July 26, 1988. With the knowledge, guidance, and vision for the future, Ridge Cyclery in its historic 50th year in business.