Chester Nelsen, Sr. was the patriarch of the Nelsen family of cyclists that would eventually see three generations compete in Olympic cycling. In his own career he was runner-up in the 1935 US road race championship, and was a seven-time Missouri state champion. His son, Chester Nelsen, Jr., competed at the 1948 Olympics, in the road race, as did his father. Chester, Sr.’s grandson, Donald Nelsen, made the 1964 US Olympic team in the team pursuit. Chester Nelsen, Sr. later coached the 1948 Olympic team, and was manager of the 1956 US Olympic cycling team. He became President of the American Bicycle League of America (ABLA), also serving as a state representative of the ABLA for 25 years. He was a member of the US Olympic cycling committee from 1938-56. He ran a bike shop in St. Louis for many years, making his own bikes, called Dot Bikes, named after his wife, Dorothy “Dot” Nelsen.
United States