Cannondale founder Joe Montgomery passes away

January 7, 2026

Born in Ohio, US, on 11 December 1939, Montgomery founded Cannondale in 1971 at the age of 32. The company’s first product was a bicycle trailer called the Bugger, inspired by Montgomery observing a cyclist struggling uphill with a heavily loaded backpack. Throughout the 1970s, Cannondale expanded its range to include cycling apparel, bike bags, tents and sleeping bags, and also undertook contract manufacturing, including producing dog beds for L.L. Bean.

A key turning point for the company came when an engineer proposed that traditional steel bicycle frames could be improved through the use of oversized, heat-treated and welded aluminium. Montgomery subsequently hired engineer David Graham to develop Cannondale’s first aluminium bicycle. This led to the launch of the ST500, which retailed at US$495 — a premium price for a bicycle at the time. CYCLING INDUSTRY