Georgena Terry facts for kids

Georgena Terry is an American bicycle designer and businesswoman. She started the first company to make bicycles especially for women. This company, Terry Precision Cycling, began in 1985.

Georgena Terry's Story

Early Life and Education

Georgena Terry grew up in Alabama, in the United States. She was very interested in how things work. She went to Carnegie-Mellon University and earned a degree in mechanical engineering. This means she learned how to design and build machines. During her summer breaks, she even worked at a company called Westinghouse Electric. There, she helped with nuclear services.

Building Bikes for Friends

Later, Georgena worked at Xerox Corp in Rochester. But her passion was bicycles. She noticed that regular bikes often didn't fit women very well. So, she started building bicycle frames by hand for her friends. These bikes had special shapes and wheel sizes. They were designed to fit women's bodies better.

Growing a Business

Her custom-made bikes became very popular. Her small hobby quickly turned into a big business! In 1985, she made 20 bicycles. Just two years later, in 1987, her company was making 5,000 bikes! This showed how much people needed bikes designed just for them.

Smart Inventions for Riders

Georgena Terry didn't stop at just making bike frames. She also invented new parts to make riding more comfortable.

• In 1991, she created and patented a special bike seat, called a saddle. This saddle was designed just for women. It had a cut-away center, which is a common feature on many bike saddles today.
• In 1994, she designed handlebars with a smaller size. These were perfect for people with smaller hands.

Today, Terry Precision Cycling still makes ergonomic saddles. They design them to be comfortable for both men and women. Georgena Terry truly changed how bicycles are designed, making riding better for everyone.